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Biomedical subjects

J Merrick

Publications and source records attributed to J Merrick.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Incidence and mortality of Down syndrome.

Life expectancy for persons with Down syndrome has increased dramatically throughout the world over the last 50 years. In 1978 the Israel Ministry of Health initiated a national program for the prevention of birth defects, and since 1979 data on the incidence and mortality of persons with Down syndrome have been collected and analyzed. Data from this register are presented for the period 1979-97 and compared to a previous study from Jerusalem for the period 1964-70. The actual incidence rate in 1997 was 1.1 per 1,000, but the total or true incidence rate (both live births and terminated pregnancies) was 2.32, which was not much different from the 1964-70 rate of 2.43. With regard to mortality, in 1979 45.9% of the children born with Down syndrome died before the end of the first year; in 1996 only 8.6% died. In 1979 57.8% died before the age of 14, compared to only 10.5% in 1996.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Child abuse and neglect--a public health concern.

OBJECTIVE: To review the phenomenon of child abuse and neglect from a public health perspective. DATA SOURCES: Literature review before the publication of the landmark article by the pediatrician C. Henry Kempe and coworkers in 1962, "The battered-child syndrome", and selected publications until the end of 1999. STUDY SELECTION: Studies published in the period before the discovery of the battered-child syndrome, studies after that publication dealing with the definition of child abuse and neglect, epidemiology of child abuse, fatal child abuse, child sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and domestic violence. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies or data linked to child physical abuse, neglect, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, structural abuse, other forms of abuse and domestic violence. DATA SYNTHESIS: In the 19th century more understanding for children's rights was acknowledged and in the 20th century child abuse was discovered in 1962 after many years of "looking with the blind eye". The number of reported cases of child abuse world wide has ever since exploded into a public health epidemic with a ten times higher incidence than cancer (child abuse rate: 40 per 1,000 population; cancer 3.9 per 1,000 population. CONCLUSIONS: Child abuse and neglect is complex, involving many professionals and agencies, which can be one of the reasons why the field has not been able to attract enough resources for prevention, treatment, education, and research. Child abuse must be looked upon as a major public health problem, and professionals must enter the new century with an effort to really make it a "century for the child."

Child↗
PubMed1998

Hepatitis C prevalence in persons with mental retardation.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was identified in 1989 and has since been found in most of the world. Due to the lack of information about the prevalence of HCV in institutions for the mentally retarded it was decided to conduct a study in this population in Israel. METHODS: The Division for the Mentally Retarded in Israel provides service to 6,022 persons in 53 institutions. Four institutions in the central part of the country were selected for this pilot study. In connection with routine blood examinations a blood specimen was drawn to detect serologic markers for hepatitis C by microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA). RESULTS: Of the 251 subjects tested (56% male), 10% had mild, 30% moderate, 29% severe, and 31% profound mental retardation. 4% were aged 11-18 years, 61% aged 19-45, 30% 46-60, and 5% over 61 years. In the four institutions, two subjects (0.8%) with antibodies to HCV were found. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HCV in institutions for the mentally retarded (0.8%) does not differ appreciably from the general population in Israel (0.5%). This study, together with studies from the United States, Canada, England, Spain, Denmark, and Italy, appears to indicate that HCV is not a major public health problem in institutions for the mentally retarded.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The effect of protein-energy malnutrition and refeeding on the adherence of Salmonella typhimurium to small intestinal mucosa and isolated enterocytes in rats.

The adherence of fimbriated (Fim+) and nonfimbriated (Fim-) strains of Salmonella typhimurium to both isolated intestinal epithelial cells and intact intestinal mucosa of healthy and malnourished rats was investigated. Fim+ strains bound in significantly higher numbers than did Fim- strains to enterocytes isolated either from healthy or malnourished rats. Adherence to intact intestinal mucosa in situ was demonstrable with both Fim+ and Fim- bacteria, but Fim+ strains were preferred because they showed approximately twofold higher numbers of adhered bacteria compared to Fim- strains. Additionally, bacterial adherence to intact mucosa in situ was consistently higher in well-fed controls than in malnourished rats. Ultrastructural studies revealed marked cell destruction and lysis in malnourished rats, whereas no histological change was detected in the mucosa of control animals. These results suggest that malnutrition may lead to altered intestinal cell surfaces, thus increasing their susceptibility to infection through mechanisms that are different from adherence.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Child abuse and the lack of care. 3. A study from the Medico-legal Council during 1970-1979].

The object of this investigation was to study cases of child abuse and neglect presented to the Danish Medico-Legal Council during 1970 through 1979. A total of 38 children were registered in this retrospective study. The material consisted of 17 boys, 19 girls and two cases where the sex was not stated. The perpetrator was the biological father in ten cases, the mother in 13 cases, in two cases the stepfather, in two cases a babysitter, four cases where the perpetrator was known to the family, one case unknown to the victim and six cases where the perpetrator was not identified. The questions to the Medico-Legal Council where 24 cases were concerned were a discrepant history and evaluation of the lesions, six cases of a pharmacological nature, six cases where evaluation of the perpetrators mental state was required and two cases where the Council was asked to estimate whether the child would have survived, if correct treatment had been instituted in time. Evaluation was multidisciplinary, the expedition time fair and the answers to police and judicial system relevant, even though some of the doctors were reluctant to state definitely, whether child abuse was concerned. It is recommended that a forensic officer and a pediatrician should always participate in the evaluation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Child abuse and the lack of care. 1. An epidemiologic study from the Danish forensic officers, Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Medico-legal Council during 1970-1979].

The object of this investigation was to undertake an epidemiological study of the cases of child abuse and neglect, which resulted in contact with a forensic officer, an Institute of Forensic Medicine or the Medico-Legal Council during the period of 1970-79. A total of 901 children aged 0-17 years were registered in this retrospective investigation. One hundred and sixty-four children (51% boys) were physically or emotionally abused or neglected. 75% were 0-7 years old. Seven hundred and thirty-seven children (8% boys) were sexually abused. 75% were over seven years of age. In the first group (physical abuse), information was frequently available about prior abuse of the index-child, siblings and conflicts between the parents. In 27% of the cases the abuser was the mother, 21% the father, 14% stepfather, 3% daycaretaker, while the remainder were combinations or unknown. The lesions were often bruises or attempted strangulation. Thirty-six children in this group died. In the second group (sexual abuse), there was often information of previous sexual abuse of the index-child and siblings. The perpetrator was always male. In 47% of the cases the perpetrator was unknown to the child. In the rest of the cases the perpetrator was a relative, friend of the family or person known to the child. In about half the cases the abuse consisted of vaginal penetration or intercrural rubbing. In 24 cases strangulation was part of the abuse, but no fatal cases occurred. In seven cases, the abuse resulted in venerial disease, in six cases pregnancy and 68 cases of lesions of the hymen.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Child abuse and the lack of care. 2. An epidemiologic and social pediatric study of fatal child abuse and neglect in Denmark in 1970-1979].

The object of this investigation was to undertake an epidemiological, clinical and social pediatric study of cases of fatal child abuse and neglect in order to use the information in preventive work. A total of 38 children aged 0-13 years were registered in this retrospective study from all Danish forensic officers, pediatric departments, institutes of forensic medicine and the medico-legal council. At least 21% of the children had a history of failure to thrive and at least 21% had a chronic disease or handicap. At least 1/3 had been subjected to previous abuse and at least 11% of the siblings also. A minimum of 1/3 of the mothers and 18% of the fathers had a chronic physical or mental disease and most of the families came from the lower social groups. In nearly 1/3 of the cases, the crisis which precipitated the abuse was caused by the child's behaviour and, in nearly 1/3 of the cases, information was available about stressing factors in the adult concerned. The primary cause of death was head injury and, in order of frequency, intraabdominal injury, strangulation, drowning and neglect. Difficulties in the definition of fatal child abuse and neglect are the reasons for different incidences in various countries, but the present investigation showed an incidence of 0.8 child deaths from fatal child abuse per million inhabitants per year. In Denmark, at least four children die every year on account of child abuse.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Child abuse and neglect].

There is still room for improvement with regard to legal protection of children, the education of parents as to the task of parenthood, and coordination between different specialties in assisting families with children through crisis situations. The article reports Scandinavian investigations into child abuse and the preventive measures hitherto introduced. The Scandinavian seminars on child abuse and neglect have been important forums for the exchange of experience, both with regard to research and clinical practice.

Child↗