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D Spencer

Publications and source records attributed to D Spencer.

148 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Endemic African Kaposi's sarcoma: clinical and therapeutic implications. 10-year experience in the Johannesburg Hospital (1980-1990).

Endemic African Kaposi's sarcoma is a common neoplastic disorder in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. We present a retrospective analysis of 47 black patients with the endemic African (HIV-negative) variant of Kaposi's sarcoma treated and followed up in the Johannesburg General Hospital between 1980 and 1990. Four patients (8%) presented with simultaneous Kaposi's sarcoma plus malignant lymphoma, indicating a low but significant association with lymphoproliferative disorders. Of 47 patients seen, 29 presented with localized disease and were treated by means of local radiation therapy. Seventeen patients received chemotherapy. The objective response rate was > 80% irrespective of the treatment modality. We conclude that endemic African Kaposi's sarcoma is a chemo- and radiosensitive tumour.

Adolescent↗

The challenges and benefits of job sharing in palliative care education.

This article examines the authors' experience of job sharing a post in palliative care education. It discusses the concept of job sharing and examines factors such as power sharing, compatibility and other people's perception of the job sharing role. Effective communication is identified as a key issue. Benefits such as reduced professional isolation, increased job satisfaction and the opportunity to offer the knowledge and skills of two people are highlighted. The authors identify the factors which they consider to be crucial to the success of job sharing.

Education, Nursing, Continuing↗

Non-nominal HIV surveillance: preserving privacy while tracking an epidemic.

OBJECTIVE: To enhance HIV surveillance within a non-nominal provincial testing system. METHODS: Confirmatory HIV tests from a provincial laboratory were analyzed during 1995 and 1996. Enhancements included elimination of repeat positive tests for the same individual using automated matching of non-nominal identifiers and nurse call-back of health care providers, completion of missing information through call-back and connection of providers with resources for patient care. RESULTS: Forty-seven percent of 2,683 reactive HIV tests were identified as duplicates for the same individual, meaning that 1,401 people tested positive for the first time. From laboratory test data to enhanced unduplicated data after call-back, the proportion of tests for which risk and ethnic information was unknown dropped from 37% to 11% and from 64% to 18% respectively (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced non-nominal surveillance for HIV is a practical means of marrying the needs of public health for epidemiological information and the rights of patients to privacy.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗