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Biomedical subjects

J L Fitzgerald

Publications and source records attributed to J L Fitzgerald.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Falls, elderly women and the cold.

In a prospective study of falls in 761 subjects 70 years and over an increase in the rate of falls in winter was observed in women but not men. When the daily minimum temperature fell to 1 degrees C or less the relative risk of falling in women increased to 1.53 (95% confidence intervals 1.21-1.84). We discuss measures to decrease this seasonal increase in the rate of falls.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1987

Self-report validity issues.

Two possible sources of the substantial gap usually found between survey self-reported alcohol consumption estimates for a population and estimates based on official alcohol sales records are investigated. A measure of atypical heavy drinking is added to ordinary consumption commonly measured in surveys, and consumption by an adolescent (age 14-17) sample is added to that of the adult sample. The relationship between respondents' purchases and consumption during a 30-day period is also investigated. Personal interviews were completed with a random sample of 997 adults and 182 adolescents in Iowa during February-April 1985. Adding atypical drinking to ordinary drinking narrowed the sales-self-report gap more than did adding adolescent drinking, but a considerable gap remained. Self-reported purchases were closer to sales than was self-reported consumption. However, not all purchasers were drinkers and not all drinkers were purchasers, and the two were not highly correlated. The self-report validity issue, which remains unresolved, is apparently affected by many factors. Self-reports appear to be accurate enough for some purposes but not for others. Official alcohol sales (or purchase) records are not necessarily valid measures of alcohol consumption.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Drinking frequency changes in selected contexts by season in Iowa, 1979-1980.

A panel of individuals was interviewed at three points in time so that both individual and aggregate drinking behavior changes could be investigated during a period of increasing beverage alcohol sales (winter to summer) and a subsequent period of decreasing sales (summer to winter). The seasonal drinking frequency changes in different places, with different companions and in different situations, were generally consistent with the proposition that existing drinking behaviors are quite stable over time (the stability proposition), and also with the proposition that alcohol consumption increases occur without any substitution of new drinking behaviors for existing drinking behaviors (the addition proposition). There was, however, evidence that drinking contexts changed with age and that new drinking behaviors were substituted for old drinking behaviors in some of the subpopulations studied. This suggests that it may be feasible to find ways to encourage the substitution of one kind of drinking behavior for another. Finally, although the results generally support the stability and addition propositions, it is not clear that these characteristics are either necessary or sufficient for increased per capita consumption to produce an increased rate of alcohol-related problems.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

An experimental test of telephone aftercare contacts with alcoholics.

Alcoholics from two hospital-based treatment centers participated in an experimental test of the effects of extended aftercare on inpatient recovery rates. At discharge from inpatient treatment, subjects were randomly assigned either to an experimental group scheduled to be called by a center counselor every 2 weeks for 1 year or to a control group that experienced only the usual treatment. Follow-up interviews conducted approximately 12 months after hospital discharge found that the experimental group had no higher recovery rates than the control group. There was weak evidence that the calls reduced the burden that alcoholics place on community control and service agencies. There was no evidence that either the phone calls were more effective for some patients than for others or that some kinds of phone calls were more effective than others. Although most subjects said they liked the calls, wanted them to continue and perceived them as "good treatment," only one subject gave the calls credit for helping him maintain sobriety.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Seasonal changes in alcohol consumption and related problems in Iowa, 1979-1980.

What happens to heavy-drinking and problem-drinking rates when per-capita alcohol sales (apparent consumption) increase and decrease is examined. A panel of individuals were interviewed at three 6-month intervals: winter of 1979, summer of 1979 and winter of 1980. Respondents were questioned about their drinking-related behavior in the 30 days prior to each interview. Although per-capita alcohol sales increased from winter to summer and decreased from summer to winter, heavy-drinking and problem-drinking rates changed relatively little, usually in the opposite direction of the sales change. Few of the new problem drinkers appearing from season to season also became new heavy drinkers. These findings were interpreted to mean that the Single Distribution model, relying exclusively on restricting sales to prevent alcohol misuse, is underspecified. There is much to be learned about how aggregate sales changes come about and how sales changes interact with other factors to affect problem-drinking rates.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1984

Factors related to problem-drinking rates.

Intercorrelation and regression analyses of data obtained from a drinking-related behavior and attitude household survey (N = 1127) of adults (age 18+) in Iowa are reported. The consumption variables were based on the 30 days prior to interview and included total ounces of absolute alcohol consumed; number of days the subject drank beer, wine and distilled spirits separately; typical quantity of each beverage consumed on drinking days; and the number of days drank five or more drinks within a couple of hours. The drinking attitude variables included level of tolerance (approve, indifferent, disapprove) of others' (men, women, spouse, son and daughter) drinking, getting high and getting intoxicated; a balance score of the proportion of positive and negative definitions of alcoholic beverages endorsed; an level of concern (not worried, somewhat worried and very worried) for eight possible consequences of heavy drinking. The drinking context variables used were the number of past 30 days that respondents drank at a bar or tavern, restaurant or club, home, others' homes, sports event and outdoor recreation; and number past 30 days drank alone, with relatives, work associates and close friends who are not work associates. The family environment variables included the respondent's report of whether any blood-related relatives had experienced alcohol-related problems, and of whether beverage alcohol was used in their childhood home.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Alcohol consumption in Iowa 1961 and 1979. A comparison of sales and survey estimates.

Survey data reveal that an increase in per-capita alcohol consumption in Iowa from 1961 to 1979 is attributable mainly to an increase in the prevalence of drinkers and less so to an increase in the frequency of drinking occasions, and that there was little change in the quantity per drinking occasion. The extent, the direction and the sources of the consumption changes, however, varied widely across sociodemographic subpopulations.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

On the validity of the research diagnostic criteria, the Feighner criteria, and the DSM-III for diagnosing alcoholics.

A 10-item Trouble-Due-To-Drinking Scale, similar to the Feighner Criteria, the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC), and the DSM-III Alcoholism Criteria, was tested for its ability to identify a population of clinic alcoholics (N = 2459) and a sample of nonclinic "designated" alcoholics (N = 169). The Trouble Scale identified only 27 per cent of the nonclinic cases with substantial sex, age, income, and educational biases. It identified 77 per cent of the clinic cases, with much less apparent bias. If the clinic cases are a representative sample of alcoholics at large, then the Trouble Scale, and by implication the Feighner Criteria, the RDC, and the DSM-II, represent progress in the development of valid (useful) alcoholism diagnostic criteria. If, however, the nonclinic cases are more representative of all alcoholics, then the poor performance of the Trouble Scale applied to these cases indicates that it and similar alcoholism criteria that are based on the trouble dimension, are fatally flawed by bias. In either case, much developmental work remains to be done at both the conceptual and operational levels before there is valid criteria for diagnosing alcoholism.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Rural vs urban problem drinker clients.

The rural (n = 636) and urban (n = 3,294) clients served by the outpatient alcoholism service centers of Iowa during 1973-1974 are compared. More similarities than differences are observed. The implications for intervention and rehabilitation strategies are discussed.

Alcoholism↗