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Biomedical subjects

J H Price

Publications and source records attributed to J H Price.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy: initial experience.

We reviewed the charts of 36 women who had laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomies (LAVH) at Belfast City Hospital over a 3 year period. The average operating time was 105 minutes. However, patients had a shorter duration of hospitalization (< 4 days for 96% of patients) with rapid recuperation (3.4 weeks). Complications occurred in 7 patients. One patient developed a vesico-vaginal fistula which was diagnosed post operatively and successfully repaired 5 months later. Technical difficulty was reported in one patient because of significant adhesions and poor access due to obesity. She went on to develop a pelvic abscess which was drained. Patient satisfaction with the operation was high. LAVH is an effective operation in selected cases and in experienced hands the complication rate is low. In the future it may become a valid alternative to open abdominal hysterectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Family physicians' views of the preventive services task force recommendations regarding nutritional counseling.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of agreement between family physicians and the nutritional counseling recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force. DESIGN: A survey was developed, tested, and mailed to a random nationwide sample of 500 family physicians. PARTICIPANTS: Active members of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Kansas City, Mo. Forty-nine percent of the physicians responded to the survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The level of agreement between family physicians and the nutritional counseling recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force was determined through responses from 1 to 7 on a Likert scale, with a higher number indicating a greater level of agreement. RESULTS: A comparison of age, gender, and type of practice found that the sample did not significantly differ from the characteristics of the membership of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Seventy-five percent of the physicians agreed that clinicians should provide periodic counseling regarding the dietary intake of fat and cholesterol. Fifty percent or more of the physicians agreed with the other five recommendations, including providing periodic counseling about the dietary energy intake, the dietary intake of sodium, and exercise and referring patients to a registered dietitian. Gender and type of practice had a significant effect on the level of agreement with the recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Generally, this sample of family physicians agreed with the US Preventive Services Task Force nutritional counseling recommendations. Family physicians seemed to be supportive of nutritional counseling during the periodic health examination, but further research is required to identify barriers to implementation.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Patients' attitudes about the role of physicians in counseling about firearms.

This study investigated ambulatory clinic patients' perceptions regarding the physician's role in counseling about firearms in the United States. In all, 137 (94% response rate) patients completed a self-administered survey instrument during their office visit. Slightly more than half (56%) of the patients thought that physicians should talk to patients about guns in the home and 64% of the patients believed that doctors can affect public opinion about guns by counseling patients about gun-related dangers. One in five (21%) respondents reported that they, or a family member had been shot and 58% reported knowing someone personally who had been shot. Of the 23% who reported that someone in their home owned a gun, 52% indicated that the reason for owning a gun was for personal protection. Implications of the results for physician counseling are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Students' perceptions of violence in the public schools: the MetLife survey.

PURPOSE: To investigate secondary school students' perceptions of violence in American public schools. METHODS: Subjects included 726 public school students in grades 7 through 12. A two-stage clustered and stratified (by grade level, region, and location) sample design was used to obtain the sample. Each student completed a self-administered survey instrument under the supervision of their teacher. RESULTS: The sample was 54% female and the majority of students were white. One in five students reported living in a neighborhood with a lot or some crime. In the majority of cases, males, students from neighborhoods in which crime was prevalent, and students with low academic achievement were most likely to have committed acts of violence. Almost a third of the boys, 7% of girls, and 40% of those who earned poor grades reported having ever carried a weapon to school. One in ten boys and almost 20% of those who earned poor grades reported threatening a teacher. One in four students reported having ever been a victim of violence at or around school, and 14% were very worried or somewhat worried about being physically attacked or hurt at school. One in four students believed the efforts by their schools to address violence were less than adequate. CONCLUSIONS: Schools cannot ignore the need to create a safe environment by coordinating deterrents to violence through discipline, prevention, and education. Because schools alone cannot eliminate the problem of violence, communities must also be involved by working with the schools to create a safe and nurturing environment which fosters learning.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Autoradiographic imaging of the distribution of 5-fluorouracil through cervical tissue following in vitro surface application of a bioadhesive cervical patch.

The distribution of 5-fluorouracil through cervical tissue has been assessed following the in vitro application of a bioadhesive patch to excised human cervix. The bioadhesive matrix contained a total of 20 mg of 5-fluorouracil spiked with 5-fluorouracil-6-3H and was applied for fixed periods of either 4 or 24 hours. Tissue slices were sectioned perpendicular to the plane of the applied patch and the autoradiographic image developed by placing a frozen tissue slice on Hyperfilm with subsequent instant thawing and refreezing, the resulting bilayer being maintained at -18 degrees C for 24 hours. The developed image was analysed by scanning densitometry and raster scans were visualised with three-dimensional contouring software. The autoradiograms showed darker areas surrounding tissue ducts, suggesting that 5-FU was spilling from the lumen into the surrounding stroma. Transport of 5FU via aqueous channels may thus make an important contribution to the rapid penetration of the drug through the cervical stroma. Three-dimensional autoradiographic images showed that, for a 4-hour patch application, there were areas of relatively low drug concentration within the upper 5 mm of tissue, where CIN lesions can exist in the glandular tissue or cervical crypts. However, extending the application time to 24 hours produced areas of high drug concentration extending throughout this region.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic↗
PubMed1995

Teaching about sexual orientation by secondary health teachers.

Less than half of a random sample (N = 211) of high school health teachers formally teach about homosexuality. When taught, it most commonly is taught for less than one class period. Only one-in-four teachers perceived themselves as very competent in teaching about homosexuality. This is not surprising given the fact that teachers were most likely to identify the mass media as the most commonly used source of information regarding homosexuality. One-in-five teachers claimed students in their classes often used abusive language when describing homosexuals. One-third of health teachers indicated gay and lesbian rights are a threat to the American family and its values. However, one-third of the health teachers perceived the schools were not doing enough to help homosexual adolescents. Finally, more than half the health teachers indicated gay/lesbian support groups would not be supported by their school administrator. Perceptions and behaviors regarding adolescent homosexuality varied by the teachers' gender, age, educational level, and teaching status regarding homosexuality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

High school students' perceptions of nonconsensual sexual activity.

A total of 588 secondary students completed a 25-item survey on perceptions regarding nonconsensual sexual activity. Subjects included an equal percentage of males and females and were predominantely White (61%), freshmen (67%), and of lower academic achievement (< 3.0 GPA = 57%). Females, African Americans, and those with low academic achievement were more likely to perceive that all or most of their same sex peers were having sex. African American students and those with low academic achievement were significantly more likely than White students and students with high academic achievement (> 3.0 GPA) to perceive that all or most of their close friends were having sex. Females were more knowledgeable of nonconsensual sexual activity than were males. Significant differences existed on attitudes and behavioral intentions by gender, race, academic achievement, and perceived sexual activity of close friends.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Characteristics of elementary school principals and their support for the physical education program.

The purpose was to describe the characteristics of elementary school principals who support elementary physical education programs. A statewide random sample of 500 elementary school principals and their respective elementary physical education teachers (n = 500) were mailed questionnaires. A total of 321 principals responded (64%) to a 20-item questionnaire which assessed their physical fitness and their perceptions of elementary physical education. A total of 340 physical education teacher (68%) responded to a 23-item survey assessing their perceptions of their elementary principals' support for the physical education program. The majority of teachers perceived their principals to be supportive of them and the physical education program. A series of t tests showed no significant differences in principals' age, gender, years of experience as a principal, or how important they thought health and physical education was compared to other subjects taught in the elementary school and how supportive of physical education the principals were perceived to be. Finally, a stepwise backward multiple regression analysis indicated that seven variables, including fitness of the principal and body mass index, did not explain more than 13% of the variance in teachers' perceived support by principals.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Comparison of phase-contrast and fluorescence digital autofocus for scanning microscopy.

Reliable autofocus is required to obtain accurate measurements of fluorescent stained cellular components from a system capable of scanning multiple microscope fields. Autofocus could be performed directly with fluorescence images, but due to photobleaching and destructive fluorescence by-products, it is best to minimize fluorescence exposure for photosensitive specimens and live cells. This exposure problem could be completely avoided by using phase-contrast microscopy, implemented through the same optics as fluorescence microscopy. The purpose of this work was to evaluate functions for both phase-contrast and fluorescence autofocus and determine the suitability of phase-contrast autofocus for fluorescence microscopy. Eleven autofocus functions were independently evaluated for fluorescence and phase-contrast microscopy. The most suitable functions were then chosen from these and phase-contrast and fluorescence autofocus were compared on scans each comprising more than 1,000 microscope fields. Autofocus standard deviation (S.D.) of better than 100 nm was achieved for both phase contrast and fluorescence. There was a measurable difference between the best focus positions in the two modes, but the difference was constant enough to be measured and corrected, suggesting the possibility of using phase contrast to predict best focus in fluorescence microscopy. The scanning experiments also showed that autofocus can be performed at least as fast as 0.25 s/field without loss of precision.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1994

Perceptions of lung cancer and smoking in an economically disadvantaged population.

This study assessed low socioeconomic adults' perceptions of lung cancer and smoking utilizing the Health Belief Model. A random sample of 500 Ohio residents, with an annual household income of less than $18,000, responded to a 45-item telephone survey. Thirty-six percent of respondents were aware of the prevalence of lung cancer. The majority were aware that sidestream smoke and air pollution are lung cancer risk factors (72% and 79% respectively). Forty-one percent believed there was nothing people could do to decrease their risk of developing lung cancer. Thirteen percent perceived themselves as more susceptible to lung cancer than others of their same age and sex though one in five believed that low SES people were more likely to develop lung cancer than higher SES people. Twenty-five percent believed that almost everyone who develops lung cancer dies of it within five years of diagnosis. Benefits of quitting were identified as saving money (95%), feeling healthier (90%), living longer (80%), and eliminating hassles with smoking in public (79%). The most common barriers of quitting smoking were addiction (86%), habit (82%), and having friends who smoke (66%).

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Liquid scintillation spectrometry of 5-fluorouracil in cervical tissue following in vitro surface application of a bioadhesive cervical patch.

The potential use of bioadhesive technology for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia was investigated. A cervical patch was designed containing 5-fluorouracil in a bioadhesive matrix and polyvinyl chloride as the backing layer. The concentration of 5-fluorouracil at specified tissue depths from the cervical surface was determined in vitro in relation to the ability of the drug to reach precancerous foci in cervical crypts up to 4 mm below the tissue surface. Thus, tissue was exposed to drug-loaded patches spiked with 5-fluorouracil-6-3H and subsequently sectioned to obtain tissue slices at different depths. The concentration of 5-fluorouracil was determined by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Drug penetration into cervical tissue exceeded a depth of 5.5 mm. Furthermore, the concentration in the tissue depended on the drug loading in the patch. Patches containing 10 and 20 mg of 5-fluorouracil produced a linear drug gradient that was established after a 4 hour application of the patch and persisted over 24 hours. However, patches containing 3.5 mg of 5-fluorouracil displayed signs of drug exhaustion after 24 hours. The penetration characteristics of 5-fluorouracil through cervical tissue using the cervical patch delivery system were sufficiently favourable to warrant further clinical investigations.

Adhesives↗
PubMed1994

Secondary health educators' perceived self-efficacy in teaching mainstreamed mentally disabled students.

This study examined secondary school health education teachers' perceived adequacy of professional training and perceived self-efficacy in teaching mainstreamed mentally disabled students (MMDS). Subjects included a stratified random sample (N = 333; response rate = 63%) of secondary school health education teachers in nine states which require that health education be taught in the schools. Subjects were 44% female, 92% White, had a mean age of 40.6 years (SD = 8.6) and a mean of 12.1 years (SD = 7.5) of teaching experience. One in four received no training on teaching MMDS. Efficacy expectation (EE) scores were significantly higher in teachers with some training in teaching MMDS (p < .001) but outcome expectation (OE) scores were not significantly different based on training. Also, EE and OE scores were higher in teachers who perceived the need for health knowledge and skills (outcome value) as greater in this population (p < .001). A significant correlation existed between the degree of reward in teaching MMDS and EE and OE (p < .01). Fifty-four percent believed materials available for teaching this group were inadequate; however, 77% reported that there special education department was supportive in material development.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Family physicians' perceptions of barriers to patients' dietary change.

A national random sample of 229 family physicians responded to a survey which included perceived barriers to patients' dietary change. Physicians perceived food taste preference (71%) as a deterrent to patients' dietary change followed by knowledge of what dietary changes to make (48%) and cost of food recommended (44%).

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1994

Parents' beliefs about cholesterol and its effects on their children.

A random sample of parents of primary grade children (N = 500) was obtained from two higher socioeconomic-status suburban elementary schools. The respondents (n = 277) were well educated (92% attended or graduated from college), white (92%), primarily higher in socioeconomic status (79% earned more than $50,000/year), and female (70%). Two-thirds of the parents believed that all elementary school children should have their cholesterol levels checked, 70% believed high cholesterol in children was serious, yet only 21% believed their child would develop a high cholesterol level. To control their children's cholesterol level, the majority of parents (73%) made lifestyle changes for their children since the majority believed high cholesterol levels would clog arteries (95%) and cause heart disease (90%). Parents most often received their information on cholesterol from magazines (73%), newspapers (62%), and physicians (52%).

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Economically disadvantaged females' perceptions of breast cancer and breast cancer screening.

This study examined 500 economically disadvantaged females' perceptions and screening practices regarding breast cancer. The vast majority of respondents did not identify themselves, or economically disadvantaged women in general, as more susceptible to breast cancer. Those who were the most knowledgeable about breast cancer were significantly more likely than the least knowledgeable to perceive themselves as more susceptible to breast cancer, to perceive breast cancer as less severe, to perceive fewer barriers, and to perceive more benefits to screening for breast cancer. Fifty-four percent of the women claimed they had previously had a mammogram. A series of t-tests were conducted to see if breast cancer knowledge or health beliefs would discriminate between those who had and those who had not had a mammogram. The only difference between the two groups was that those who had a mammogram were more likely to perceive greater benefits of mammography screening. The results of this survey indicate that there is considerable room for improvement in knowledge, perceptions, and practices of economically disadvantaged women regarding breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

African-American adults' perceptions of guns and violence.

This study examined African-American adults' perceptions of guns and violence. Through a mall intercept type study, 347 adults, ages 20 to 75, responded to a 54-item questionnaire. One third of the respondents claimed they owned one or more types of guns, three fourths had personally known someone who had been shot, more than one third had actually seen someone shot, and one third had a gun pulled on them. While the vast majority (84%) believed guns are too easy to obtain, the majority (62%) also believed that having a gun at home would help protect them. There were no significant differences in perceptions of guns based on age, gender, level of education, or socioeconomic status. The results of this study tend to substantiate the concern and fear of personal harm that African Americans have to contend with on a regular basis. The results also suggest the need for some form of educational intervention and gun safety training in order to help reduce the risk of death and injury among African Americans.

Adult↗