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Biomedical subjects

J A Flaherty

Publications and source records attributed to J A Flaherty.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Koro: how culturally specific?

Koro has been described as an acute anxiety state related to the fear of penile shrinkage into the abdomen with resultant death. This partial depersonalization disorder is found primarily among the people of the Malay Archipelago and Southern Chinese, with extremely rare incidences documented in the West. The symptomology of Koro is commonly said to be linked to ancient Chinese medical beliefs on sexual functioning and is therefore referred to as a culturally bound syndrome. Our paper summarized the case of an American male with Koro-like symptoms. It compares the Western concept of penis loss to the Chinese or Malaysian concept, and then proposes a combined hypothesis for the development of Koro.

Anxiety, Castration↗
PubMed1984

ECT, emergent dyskinesia, and depression.

Three depressed patients developed a dyskinesia directly following ECT. In each case the dyskinesia improved some time after cessation of ECT. All patients had prior treatment with an antipsychotic drug and previous diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1983

The role of social support in the functioning of patients with unipolar depression.

The authors studied 44 outpatients with unipolar depression to determine the association among social support systems, life events, social adjustment, and depressive symptoms. Social support had a reasonably high correlation with outcome measures. Patients with high social support had significantly better scores than those with low social support on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and the Social Adjustment Rating Scale Self-Report. These data corroborate the hypothesis that social support systems play a critical role in the ongoing functioning of a defined group of depressed patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Clinical reading and writing skills of junior medical students.

A three-year study was designed to assess general reading and writing skills of 231 entering medical students and to compare these scores with those of clinically oriented reading and writing skills in the same cohort of students three years later. Standardized reading and writing tests were administered to all entering freshmen in the class of 1982. Clinical reading and writing examinations were developed by the authors and members of the faculty. The reading test consisted of 16 multiple-choice questions in response to three short discussions in medical journals. Clinical writing was assessed through scoring each student's latter of referral to another physician after he read a "mock" chart of a patient's hospital care. The results showed that entry-level reading comprehension and clinical reading had a significant association as did entry-level English composition and clinical writing. Regression analysis showed that the entry-level reading and writing scores were better predictors of clinical reading and writing skills than any other prematriculation variables. The implications of these findings for medical education are discussed.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1982

Three generations of schizophrenia.

The author presents a case report of a three-generational family with six schizophrenic members. Two children of the index couple, age 20 and 18, have recently been diagnosed as having schizophrenia; two other children are being observed for the development of schizophrenic symptoms. The genetics of schizophrenia are discussed and issues raised about early screening in families with such a strong schizophrenic history.

Humans↗
PubMed1981

Racial differences in perception of ward atmosphere.

The authors administered the Moos Ward Atmosphere Scale (WAS) to 17 black inpatients and 17 white inpatients at a VA hospital. Scores on 5 of the 10 subscales reflected significant differences on the basis of race. From these results, the authors assume that black patients and white patients perceive the same ward environment differently. They briefly discuss the treatment implications of such perceptual differences.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Mental side effects of amantadine therapy: its spectrum and characteristics in a normal population.

A clinical survey of the mental side effects of prophylactic amantadine usage is reported. A total of 43 of 295 hospital employees taking the drug reported some mental side effects. While the majority of the side effects were alterations in mood (elevation or depression), there were also reports of delusions (7%), disturbances in memory and orientation (20%), and night terrors (33%). The author does not feel the findings warrant discontinuing the prophylactic usage of amantadine but do highlight the need for physician and patient education about its side effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Measuring racial bias in inpatient treatment.

In a retrospective chart audit of 66 black and 36 white male schizophrenic inpatients, the authors found that black patients spent less time in the hospital, obtained a lower privilege level, were given more p.r.n. medications, and were less likely to receive recreation therapy and occupational therapy. Seclusion and restraints were more likely to be used with black patients. The authors ruled out the possibility of more severe pathology in the black patients by global rating of an additional 15 white and 15 black patients. Concluding that there was racial bias, they attribute it to subtle stereotyping and the staff's greater familiarity with white patients; they suggest increased recruitment of black professionals and the inclusion of blacks in each treatment team.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

The effects of geographic relocations on a general hospital's psychiatric units.

With the remodeling of general hospitals as well as the programmatic changes within hospitals, psychiatric units often have to move to a new setting. Such moves have an impact on the attitude and behavior of patients and staff. When two of three psychiatric units in a Veterans Administration hospital were forced to move to new locations within the hospital, staff tried to minimize expected negative effects of the move. The authors, using a questionnaire that assessed ward atmosphere, evaluated changes in patients and staff before and after the move. They found subjective and objective evidence that the move had the greatest negative impact on the single unit that remained in the same setting.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Circumcision and schizophrenia.

Two cases of paranoid schizophrenia associated with elective circumcision are presented. In both cases the request for circumcision came after a psychotic process was in progress. The author discusses these cases with regards to previous literature about the meaning of circumcision. Surgeons should be aware of the motivation in the request for these procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Self-disclosure in therapy: marriage of the therapist.

The author presents how his interest on the general subject of self-disclosures in therapy evolved. Literature on this subject is reviewed with particular attention to intercurrent events in the therapist's life that may affect ongoing psychotherapy. Six clinical vignettes of psychotherapy cases illustrate varying reactions. The effects that planned disclosure of an intercurrent event (his marriage) had on this process are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Psychiatric complications of medical drugs.

General drug toxicity has long been a concern of physicians. Recently, there has been increasing concern about the psychological side effects of drugs. This paper reviews the literature on psychological side effects of those drugs which have been most studied in recent years. It also includes a section reviewing the literature on miscellaneous drugs associated with psychological symptoms. This review, although not exhaustive, is intended to alert the physician to drug related causes for psychological symptoms which patients may experience while taking drugs.

Adolescent↗