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Biomedical subjects

K Chamberlain

Publications and source records attributed to K Chamberlain.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Mental and physical health status in a community sample of New Zealand Vietnam War veterans.

The data presented in this paper were obtained by a survey involving 573 New Zealand Vietnam veterans. It represents the first comprehensive report on the mental and physical health of a community sample of these ex-service personnel. Although most of these veterans were reasonably healthy for their age, a small proportion was substantially worse off than their Vietnam veteran peers, reporting relatively low levels of psychological wellbeing, relatively high levels of psychological distress and post-traumatic stress disorder, a greater number and severity of physical health symptoms, lower self-rated health status, and making more frequent contacts with health care providers.

Australia↗
PubMed1994

The effects of minor events, optimism and self-esteem on health.

Recent research shows upper respiratory infections (URIs) are influenced by minor daily events, especially those that are desirable and interpersonal in nature. The present study used a longer time frame, broader health measures and a between-subjects design to examine this effect. It also predicted that optimism and self-esteem would interact with minor events to affect health. One hundred and fifty participants provided information regarding minor events, disposition and physical health on two separate occasions. Results show that increases in both desirable and undesirable events (hassles and uplifts) affected URIs over a two-week period. Interpersonal hassles interacted with optimism, having a greater impact on physical symptoms for optimists than for pessimists. Self-esteem did not interact with minor events to affect health. These results extend previous findings to show that minor events affect URIs and not other health outcomes, and that this effect is apparent between subjects over a number of days. Further, the influence of interpersonal events on health appears to be moderated by optimism. It is concluded that consideration and integration of findings from studies with different methodologies will be beneficial in furthering our understanding of minor event effects on health.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

The health and mental health of New Zealand Vietnam war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

AIM: To examine the extent of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of New Zealand Vietnam veterans and to compare the pattern of health and mental health between veterans classified as posttraumatic stress disorder cases and non-cases. METHOD: Five hundred and seventy-three randomly selected male Vietnam veterans participated in a mailed survey. The questionnaire assessed several mental health dimensions and a number of components of physical health. Demographic and military service details were also gathered. RESULTS: The study classified 12% of the sample of veterans as suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. The posttraumatic stress disorder group differed from the non-posttraumatic stress disorder group on all measures of physical and mental health. They reported higher symptom scores, more disability days, lower self rated health and made more frequent contacts with health care providers. They also experienced greater anxiety, depression and loss of control, and lower wellbeing. Significant differences on some demographic and military service measures were also found between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: A number of New Zealand Vietnam veterans may be classified as exhibiting the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, with the proportion being comparable to rates found in US studies. Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder experience significantly poorer physical and mental health. Combat experience in Vietnam appears to contribute to posttraumatic stress disorder level. It is suggested that posttraumatic stress disorder may be under-utilised as a diagnostic category because it may coexist with depression or anxiety states and that physicians should be attentive to military service as an indicator of posttraumatic stress disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

On the relation between meaning in life and psychological well-being.

Meaning in life is an important construct in psychology, but one which has been the focus of limited research. Most research has concentrated on the relation between meaning and psychopathology, and has been conducted with the Purpose in Life Test. This paper examines the relation between meaning in life and psychological well-being using several meaning measures and both positive and negative well-being dimensions. A strong association is found between meaning in life and well-being, which is replicated in two different samples. Meaning in life is found to have a stronger association with positive than with negative well-being dimensions, suggesting the value of taking a salutogenic approach to mental health research. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

The minor events approach to stress: support for the use of daily hassles.

Everyday minor stressors (hassles) have been proposed as an alternative to major life-events as a measure of stress. This article examines three aspects of hassles as a stress measure: group contextual differences in hassles reported, the stability and consistency of hassles over time, and the effectiveness of hassles in predicting adaptational outcomes. Results showed that there are clear contextual differences in hassles. Groups report quite different patterns of hassles reflecting their particular social contexts. These patterns also appear to be stable across time, probably as a result of consistency in both group roles and situational factors. Finally, hassles are found to be substantially better than life-events in predicting psychological well-being and mental health dimensions. Taken together, these findings support the use of hassles as a valid and reliable measure of stress which has significant relationships to important adaptational outcomes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Effect of melatonin on jet lag after long haul flights.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether doses of the pineal hormone melatonin alleviate jet lag. DESIGN: Double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial. SETTING: Long haul return flights from Auckland, New Zealand, to London and back. SUBJECTS: Twenty volunteers with experience of transcontinental flights (eight women and 12 men aged 28 to 68). INTERVENTIONS: Melatonin (or placebo) 5 mg three days before flight, during flight, and once a day for three days after arrival. END POINT: Symptoms of jet lag. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Visual analogue scale for feelings of jet lag and tiredness; profile of moods states questionnaire for vigour-activity and fatigue-inertia; and retrospective ratings 10 days after arrival of sleep pattern, energy, and daytime tiredness. Feelings of jet lag were less for subjects taking melatonin (mean score 2.15 v 3.4); these subjects took fewer days than the placebo group to establish a normal sleep pattern (2.85 v 4.15), to not feel tired during the day (3.0 v 4.6), and to reach normal energy levels (3.25 v 4.7). Results for fatigue-inertia and vigour-activity were similar. For all subjects jet lag was more severe on the return (westward) than the outward (eastward) journey. CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin can alleviate jet lag and tiredness after long haul flights.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Recent work with microcomputers for census processing in developing countries.

The use of microcomputers to process census data in developing countries is discussed. Specifically, the authors describe the Integrated Microcomputer Processing System (IMPS) developed by the U.S. Bureau of the Census and focus "on the recent experience of Burkina Faso and Senegal in using microcomputers. A summary is given of the use of IMPS by an increasing number of countries. Additionally, this paper describes the latest enhancements and future plans for IMPS. It concludes with some thoughts on the use of microcomputers in the areas of data collection and processing, as well as in the use and dissemination of census data."

Africa↗
PubMed1988

Psychological predictors of future suicidal behaviour in hospitalized suicide attempters.

Rates of attempted suicide have increased in most Western countries over the past 20 years. This level of deliberate self-harm is made more significant by the fact that a large proportion of attempted suicides will reattempt in the six months following their attempt and as a group they have a high risk of eventually killing themselves. While much of the research on prediction of suicidal behaviour has concentrated on demographic factors, little is known about the psychological variables that precede the suicidal act. This study examined 67 New Zealand suicide attempters on a range of psychological variables including self-esteem, hopelessness, depression, cognitive rigidity and social skills. Subjects were followed up after six months to determine their level of suicidal behaviour and ideation. Results suggest hopelessness and self-esteem are important indicators of future suicidal behaviour, with differential effects over short- and long-term periods. The implications for psychological assessment and suicidal risk assignment are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The predictive validity of the Zung Index of Potential Suicide.

Examined the predictive validity of the Zung Index of Potential Suicide. Subjects hospitalized for a suicide attempt were followed up 6 months later. In agreement with earlier studies, the IPS clinical scale was related to suicidal ideation and prior attempting at the time of admission. However, it was not related to further suicidal behavior or ideation at the 6-month followup. It is concluded that the scale lacks predictive validity and its use for assigning suicidal risk is not justified.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Tricyclics: possible treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder.

The response to tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) was examined in 17 combat veterans with DSM-III defined posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by means of concurrent and retrospective chart review. Severity and improvement were determined by means of Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) ratings by two independent but nonblind raters who demonstrated satisfactory reliability. Prior to treatment, 82% were rated as markedly or severely ill and 18% as moderately ill. Following treatment, 82% were rated as much improved and 18% as minimally improved. The results support further investigation of TCAs for the treatment of PTSD.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Comparison of platelet-derived growth factor prepared from release products of fresh platelets and from outdated platelet concentrates.

Platelet-derived growth factor was isolated from the release products of washed, human platelets and from freeze-thawed outdated platelet concentrates. On the basis of sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and amino acid sequence determination we conclude that platelet derived growth factor released from platelets by the agonist thrombin (EC 3.4.4.13) is structurally similar to that isolated from lysed platelets and from platelet concentrates stored for more than 72 hr at room temperature.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1982

Portable infusion pumps in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy.

Fifty-seven adult patients receiving chemotherapy were treated with a total of 133 infusions using portable user-worn infusion pumps, the Autosyringe AS*2F Cormed ML6-4, and two earlier versions of the latter, the Sigmamotor ML6-2 and ML6-3. Ninety-eight infusions were given on an ambulatory basis. Fourteen infusions were given through peripheral venous catheters, 115 through central venous catheters, and four intra-arterially. Of 127 evaluable infusions, 65 were completed within 5% and 87 within 10% of the planned rate; results are similar for both inpatient and outpatient infusions. The Cormed ML6-4 pump was equal to the Autosyringe AS*2F in reliability but superior to the latter in patient preference. There were no instances of dangerously rapid administration of the drug. The only serious catheter complications were a pneumothorax after insertion of a subclavian catheter in one patient and cellulitis in a leukopenic patient with a Broviac catheter. All but three patients preferred outpatient therapy to hospitalization. Outpatient therapy costs about $300 per day less than in-hospital treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Effect of therapeutic dosage of lithium on the heart.

1 The cardiac effects of therapeutic levels of lithium were investigated in six healthy male volunteers. Subjects were studied: (1) before lithium ingestion, and (2) when steady-state plasma lithium levels were attained (at least 2 weeks after beginning daily lithium ingestion). 2 A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and high-speed high-fidelity ECG were used to record electrical activity of the heart. Fractional shortening of the left ventricle using echocardiography, and systolic time intervals (at rest and during exercise), were used as measures of myocardial performance. 3 In this group of healthy volunteers administration of lithium carbonate was associated with a reduction in T wave amplitude in standard electrocardiograms but no statistically significant impairment of myocardial performance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Denying the incredible: unexplained deaths in a Veterans Administration hospital.

During July and August 1975 a large number of patients at the Ann Arbor Veterans Administration Hospital experienced unexplained respiratory arrests, and there were six deaths. These were later shown to be due to the deliberate injection of pancuronium bromide, a muscle relaxant. A questionnaire survey of the reactions of the hospital patients and staff to the deaths revealed that the patients had more confidence in the hospital and their medical treatment than did the staff, and those patients who were theoretically most vulnerable used denial to cope with the unprecedented and frightening situation.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗