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Biomedical subjects

J R Raines

Publications and source records attributed to J R Raines.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1982

A conversational microcomputer-based health risk appraisal.

We have developed a conversational microcomputer-based health risk appraisal program. This appraisal has been tested on over 200 users at 3 locations in urban and suburban Minneapolis. It was considered helpful by 92% of its users, and 25% stated that they would probably or definitely change a living habit based on its use. All 3 populations considered it comparably helpful, irrespective of their different age and sex distributions. A complex health appraisal, which was formerly assumed to require batch processing on a large computer, can be carried out on a small personal system in an interactive mode. Such a program is acceptable to users and has the potential to motivate change in risky behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Microcomputer as patient educator.

A computer-assisted lesson on general drug knowledge as a patient education tool is described. A drug I.Q. quiz is one of seven microcomputer lessons available to patients in the waiting room of an ambulatory-care clinic. The drug quiz consists of 19 multiple-choice and six true or false questions. After each question, the computer responds with a brief paragraph keyed to the answer selected by the user. If the answer for a multiple-choice question is incorrect, the user can reanswer the question before proceeding. At the end of the lesson, a score is graphically displayed and the user is asked to evaluate the lesson. The computer stores the total number of lessons completed, total scores, number of times each question was answered incorrectly on first and second attempts, number of times each question was answered a second time, and each user's responses to the quiz and evaluation questions. Based on 313 completions of the drug quiz from September 1981 through May 1982, 86% of the users stated that they learned at least something useful, and 72% liked the quiz. The mean (+/- S.D.) number of correct answers on the first attempt was 16 +/- 5; scores improved by an average of 2.5 +/- 2 by reanswering questions. Of 2421 multiple-choice questions answered incorrectly, 62% were reanswered. Of these second attempts, 52% were correct. Item validity scores indicated that the drug quiz serves as a realistic appraisal of drug knowledge. The microcomputer can be an effective medium for patient education.

Computers↗
PubMed1977

Mammographic screening. Value in diagnosis of early breast cancer.

Analysis of the two-year results of a project screening asymptomatic women for breast cancer is presented. There were 10,008 women examined and 490 biopsies completed. There were 97 cancers found, of which 55 were nonpalpable; 36 of the 97 cancers were in women under 50 years of age. The incidence of axillary metastasis was 7% in the nonpalpable lesions. We suggest that mammography is useful in discovering curable breast cancer, even among younger women at least down to the age of 40. The potential benefit seems to greatly outweigh the theoretical carcinogenic hazard. Selection of candidates for mammography should be based on all risk factors, not just age. An attempt is made to correlate the results with the theoretical risks as proposed by others.

Adult↗