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Biomedical subjects

D Firth

Publications and source records attributed to D Firth.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Quality of life in children with Crohn's disease.

In a 10-week randomised cross-sectional study we used an 88-item questionnaire to assess the quality of life in 16 children (ages 8-17 years) with Crohn's disease and their families. The questionnaire covered six domains of health-related quality of life, including disease and its treatment, social, emotional, family, education, and future aspects. Crohn's disease affected education, with absenteeism in 12 and distraction during school work in six. Three children had had a home tutor, and five stated their need for one. Engaging in sports was a problem for eight children, mainly because of a lack of energy in five and the presence of a stoma in three children. Three children had missed every PE lesson in 1 year. Five children cited the social problem of being unable to stay over at friends' houses. Bullying concerned parents more than the children. Holiday difficulties included long distance traveling or lack of toilet facilities during school trips. Elemental diet was the preferred treatment, although the majority complained about the taste. Surgery was the most effective method of symptom control, though the resulting stoma was upsetting and restricted sports activities. Children on steroids had more depressive symptoms. Using the Rutter A Questionnaire, five children were designated "neurotic." Parents' views of the severity of symptoms significantly correlated with their children's views regarding rectal bleeding, poor growth, lack of energy, and poor appetite (p < 0.01). The main parental concerns were the side effects of medications and issues concerning their children's future, including schooling, job prospects, and marriage. The parents of 11 children cited problems with children's behaviour. The parents of seven cited disruption of work, and those of six named taking holidays. Crohn's disease in children, in addition to being a symptomatically disabling condition, has a great impact on the health-related quality of life of both sufferers and their parents. The questionnaire was a useful instrument, and with some adjustment it can be used again in large group studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Somatization and illness behaviour in a neurology ward.

One hundred and thirty-three female patients admitted to a neurological ward were fully investigated for the presence of organic neurological disease, and assessed for psychiatric disorder and illness behaviour, using the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS) and the Illness Behaviour Questionnaire (IBQ). The likelihood of the presenting symptoms being due to organic disease was expressed by the neurologists on a visual analogue scale and the psychiatrists used a similar technique to describe whether the symptoms could be the result of psychiatric disorder. Many patients either had clear organic disease or somatic presentation of psychiatric disorder 'somatization', but one-third fell between these two extremes and either had a complex mixture of the two types of illness or could not be accurately diagnosed. The IBQ scores were raised in those with psychiatric disorder but did not help to explain why some patients present to the neurologists with symptoms that are unexplained by either organic disease or psychiatric disorder. Close liaison between neurologists and psychiatrists increases the detection of psychiatric disorder but some patients would require long-term follow-up to understand the true nature of the underlying disorder.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Psychiatric morbidity and illness behaviour in female neurological in-patients.

Ninety three female neurological in-patients were assessed in a collaborative neurological and psychiatric study. An overall prevalence of definite psychiatric disorder of 34% was found, depression being the most common diagnosis. Psychiatric morbidity was most common when the neurologist felt that the presentation could not be explained by a neurological disorder. The majority of such patients had symptoms which could be explained by the psychiatric disorder but a substantial number could not be given a definite diagnosis. The General Health Questionnaire was not found to be a useful screening instrument in this setting.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1975

Electrodermal response to sexual materials.

Four groups of college students selected on the basis of high or low Eysenck Personality Inventory scores were asked to talk or simply think about a series of slides differing in overt sexual content. Data showed that for both conditions those high on Neuroticism (n = 8) showed more electrodermal activity than did those scoring low (n = 8), and over all subjects there was a significant correlation between Neuroticism scores and the physiological measure. High and low scorers on Extraversion scale (ns = 10) showed no analogous differences in electrodermal activity.

Erotica↗