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Biomedical subjects

G Mendelson

Publications and source records attributed to G Mendelson.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Measurement of conscious symptom exaggeration by questionnaire: a clinical study.

This study compared measures of conscious exaggeration of symptoms by 157 patients with chronic pain who were involved in personal injury litigation with 106 patients not seeking compensation who were also attending a multidisciplinary pain clinic. Pain severity was assessed using a visual analogue scale and the adjectival check-list of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. There was no difference between the two groups on scores obtained on the Conscious Exaggeration (CE) scale; it was found that there was a significant correlation between CE scores and trait anxiety, hostility, state anxiety, and pain descriptors in the 'Miscellaneous' category of the McGill Pain Questionnaire. It was concluded that there is no support for the claim that the Conscious Exaggeration scale can detect deception with the object of financial gain among chronic pain patients involved in litigation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Acupuncture.

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Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1985

Acupuncture.

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Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1985

"Compensation neurosis". An invalid diagnosis.

The concept of "compensation neurosis"--sometimes denoted by one of its numerous synonyms--has been invoked for many years in discussing the emotional sequelae of accidental injury when litigants present with symptoms and disability that are disproportionate to the original injury or to any demonstrable continuing physical abnormality. Although such "diagnoses" carry with them certain assumptions about the aetiology and the prognosis of the patient's symptoms, the clinical validity of these terms has not come under scrutiny in the literature dealing with issues of diagnosis and classification. An examination of "compensation neurosis" as an illness entity, using standard criteria of diagnostic validity, does not support the view that such a distinct disease exists. It is concluded that the possibility of financial gain after a compensable injury should be regarded as one of several potential secondary gains from an hysterical conversion reaction, and that multiple factors need to be considered in the medical assessment and treatment of litigants who complain of continuing symptoms after recovery from physical injury.

Accidents↗
PubMed1985

Acupuncture.

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Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1984

Acupuncture.

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Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1984

Psychosocial factors and the management of physical illness: a contribution to the cost-containment of medical care.

Cost-containment of medical care has become of increasing importance to both medical administrators and politicians. Recently, studies have examined the impact of psychological and psychiatric treatments on medical care utilisation and hospitalisation rates and the cost-effectiveness of such treatments. These studies have demonstrated that interventions based on a consideration of psychosocial factors in physical illness are effective in reducing the morbidity, and mortality, of a wide range of illnesses and that they lead to reduced medical care utilisation and a lower rate of hospital treatment. It has also been demonstrated that holistic management based on the 'biopsychosocial' model of illness is cost-effective and that there is an overall reduction of expenditure after allowing for the cost of the psychological or psychiatric treatment. It is concluded that further development of consultation-liaison psychiatry should be encouraged to promote awareness of the influence of psychosocial factors on physical illness and their early management as both clinically important and cost-effective.

Australia↗
PubMed1983

No accident.

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Disasters↗
PubMed1983

Acupuncture treatment of chronic back pain. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Acupuncture treatment of chronic low back pain was studied in a placebo-controlled double-blind crossover trial completed by 77 patients. The patients had significantly increased depression, neuroticism, and hypochondriasis scores. Initial pain levels correlated with state-anxiety, depression, pain duration, and abnormal illness behavior measures, as well as with the intake of psychotropic but not analgesic medication. Overall reduction in pain score was 26 percent for acupuncture and 22 percent for placebo treatment; the difference was not significant (p greater than 0.6). Analgesic drug intake was reduced to a similar extent in both groups. During the first phase of treatment, patients receiving acupuncture had a greater but not significantly different reduction in pain rating scores compared with those receiving placebo (t = 0.52; p greater than 0.6). This group showed significantly lower pain scores (p less than 0.05) in the second phase of the trial while receiving placebo treatment. Overall reduction in individual patient's pain score was best predicted by initial pain severity (r = 0.43; p less than 0.001) and psychotropic drug intake (r = 0.37; p less than 0.001). None of the variables tested predicted which patients would specifically respond to acupuncture or placebo.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1982

Alexithymia and chronic pain: prevalence, correlates and treatment results.

The alexithymia scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was used to determine the prevalence of alexithymia in a group of 60 patients attending a chronic pain clinic. It was found that 28 patients (47%) obtained scores in the 'alexithymic' range. The alexithymic patients had a significantly longer history of pain, but were not significantly older than the nonalexithymic group. Alexithymic patients showed significantly lower neuroticism, hypochondriasis, affective disturbance, and irritability scores. In a pilot study two subgroups of 15 alexithymic and 15 non-alexithymic patients were compared following a period of treatment; in both groups equal proportions of patients showed significant pain relief. Although this study does not support the view that alexithymia is of significance in the psychomaintenance of chronic pain, it is suggested that clinicians working with chronic pain patients should be familiar with the concept of alexithymia.

Adult↗