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Biomedical subjects

G Mellsop

Publications and source records attributed to G Mellsop.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

The oral examination: a study of academic and non-academic factors.

The oral examination in psychiatry for final-year medical students at Wellington and Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, was studied. Between December 1989 and April 1990, 40 medical students were videorecorded during such an examination. The transcripts of the recording of each oral, and at a later date the videorecordings, were individually scored by a panel of six research psychiatrists who were experienced examiners. In addition verbal and non-verbal behaviour was rated using visual analogue scales and the students completed personality and anxiety questionnaires. There was a low level of agreement between research psychiatrists in the allocation of oral marks. The oral score was positively associated with the level of confidence of the student and negatively with anxiety in men.

Body Image↗
PubMed1991

Circadian variation in platelet imipramine binding during the day in healthy subjects.

Platelet tritiated imipramine binding values in healthy controls vary considerably from study to study. A possible contributor to such variation might be a circadian rhythm affecting binding, although previous studies of this have been contradictory. Platelet imipramine binding was examined in 12 healthy, medication-free subjects studied at 8 a. m., 11 a. m., 4 p. m., and 10 p. m. during one day. Imipramine binding was determined on platelet membranes, using 0.8-8 nM 3H-imipramine, and nonspecific binding was defined by 50 microM desipramine. All samples from a given individual were assayed simultaneously. The intra-assay coefficient of variation was 6.3 percent. There was no evidence of significant differences in binding capacity or affinity (Bmax or Kd) at different times of day. Circadian variation was explored using COSINOR analysis (DeMet et al., 1989). There was no evidence of circadian variation in binding using this model, even when only the variable portion of binding was considered for each individual. Intraindividual variation in binding was substantial, with a mean coefficient of variation of 29 percent for Bmax and 38 percent for Kd. The possible basis of this variation is unclear, but may reflect the presence of "occult" binding sites in the membrane, or the effect of endogenous modulators of binding. The interrelationship of Bmax and Kd may also be a factor. It was considered that low-affinity binding did not account for a significant part of the variation in Kd in this assay. The utility of imipramine binding as a biological marker of depression may be limited by such levels of intraindividual variation in binding parameters.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

"Quality of life" for patients with end-stage renal failure.

The assessment of health status and quality of life among chronically ill patients is an area of current scientific interest. This paper considers the utility of a short but comprehensive instrument to assess the quality of life for end-stage renal failure patients. the Spitzer QL-Index was completed by 8 nurses for all patients in the Wellington region currently being treated with home hemodialysis (n = 58); hospital hemodialysis (n = 13); and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (n = 37). Results indicated that home hemodialysis patients achieve the highest quality of life in comparison to the other two treatment modalities. It is concluded that the QL-Index has some discriminative validity for this patient population, and its use may contribute to informed decision making by both patients and doctors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Adverse learning strategy: the Adelaide Diagnostic Learning Inventory and its subscale replicability in a medical student population.

The Adelaide Diagnostic Learning Inventory (ADLIMS) is a measure of learning styles and learning pathologies that was designed to investigate the impact of traditional approaches to learning versus problem-based learning and to identify students whose approach to learning tasks predicted poor academic performance. In this study, some important psychometric properties of the ADLIMS were examined, including its factor structure. In this study, factor replicability across samples was argued to provide a more robust and psychologically meaningful factor solution than that which can be obtained using traditional mathematical criteria. The results of the factor analysis did not confirm the presence of the four factor solution earlier reported for the ADLIMS, but did identify three clear factors that had very high replicability. An inspection of the items comprising these three factors showed that factor 1 tapped subjective distress related to poor study habits, lack of motivation to study, and distraction from social activities. Factor 2 tapped distress arising from high achievement expectations that were hampered by superficial or disorganized study habits that did not enable the student to grasp the relationships between concepts and ideas. Factor 3 tapped positive feelings and a sense of satisfaction associated with a problem-based approach to the learning of new study material. Although the internal reliability of the ADLIMS subscales met the requirements of a measure to be used in general research such as in the investigation of correlates among groups of medical students, they did not meet the higher requirements of a measure to be used to identify or predict individuals with pathological learning styles.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

Platelet tritiated imipramine binding in psychiatric patients: relationship to symptoms and severity of depression.

The clinical and research significance of reduced imipramine binding has remained unclear despite considerable investigation. This study used an assay of demonstrated reliability to investigate the clinical correlates of imipramine binding to platelets in 63 depressed and 33 nondepressed psychiatric patients and 40 healthy control subjects. Both patient groups had Bmax values significantly lower than those of the healthy controls. Unequivocal associations between binding parameters and individual symptoms or groups of symptoms were not established, but a negative correlation between Kd and the number of adverse life events experienced in the preceding 6 months was apparent. These findings provide no support for the view that reduced binding is a trait marker for susceptibility to depression and cast doubt on its specificity as a state marker for the syndrome of depression.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Alcoholism and psychiatric disorder in patients who present to different services in Wellington.

Alcohol dependence and abuse have been commonly found to coexist with other psychiatric disorders. In order to further investigate this relationship two populations with combined dysfunctional alcohol use and psychiatric illness were studied, one at an alcohol treatment centre and one at a general hospital psychiatric service. Sixty of the 63 people screened at the alcohol treatment centre and 41 of the 43 people with an alcohol problem at the psychiatric unit, met the combined criteria, thus confirming that a very high proportion of people with alcohol problems, and who present for treatment, also have additional psychiatric disorders. The two sample populations were similar on sociodemographic variables. There were differences in the types of psychiatric disorders occurring at the two treatment centres with depression predominating at the psychiatric unit and anxiety disorders occurring more frequently at the alcohol treatment facility. Both samples showed a high rate of schizophrenia. The sample at the alcohol treatment centre showed higher levels of alcohol consumption and had higher rates of problems associated with alcohol. Service delivery issues are discussed in relation to these results. The importance of psychiatric symptoms in both the genesis of dysfunctional drinking and in service utilisation are highlighted.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Marketing medicine.

Medical etiquette has always discouraged advertising. Indeed, the profession as a whole has tended to view the idea of marketing medicine as at best, a trifle infra dig. Maintenance of this attitude has been helped by an ostrich like approach to the realities of private practice, and to the activities of drug companies, which have contributed significantly to our therapeutic abilities. The moves to corporatise and privatise institutions have raised the level of concern of our New Zealand medical profession. It is not self evident that the marketing concept as currently understood by the business community and by politicians is familiar to the medical profession. There must also be at least a level of suspicion that the business and financial world is insufficiently sensitive to the nuances and complexities of health service delivery. This paper will briefly explore those two viewpoints and consider the feasibility of any attempt to marry them.

Humans↗
PubMed1987

Who gets committed?

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders↗
PubMed1987

Pre-admission adaptive functioning as a measure of prognosis in psychiatric inpatients.

This prospective study examined the concept of pre-admission adaptive functioning and its relationship with outcome. Pre-admission adaptive functioning was assessed by the self-report Social Adjustment Scale and the therapist rated Axis V of DSM-III. In addition, an instrument designed to look separately at the areas of interpersonal relationships, occupational functioning and use of leisure time was given to a subgroup. These measures were compared with outcome at six months as assessed by the General Health Questionnaire. Adaptive functioning proved to be a significant predictor of outcome, with the Social Adjustment Scale being a better predictor than Axis V for the whole group. In contrast, for patients with schizophrenia, the initial Axis V rating was the best predictor of the outcome score. Statistically significant correlations were found between the three areas of adaptive functioning for the group as a whole but, when examined by diagnosis, they proved to be statistically significant only in the schizophrenia sub-group, suggesting that it would be invaluable to rate the three areas separately in non-psychotic patients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗