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Biomedical subjects

K W Kizer

Publications and source records attributed to K W Kizer.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Vitamin A--a pregnancy hazard alert.

Vitamin A is essential to human health, but concerns have arisen recently regarding its potential teratogenicity. Human and animal birth defects have been associated with the use of the vitamin A analogue, isotretinoin, or Accutane, for acne treatment, although the association of such defects with vitamin A itself is unclear. The federal Food and Drug Administration is evaluating the health issues surrounding vitamin A and, together with the manufacturer, has developed restrictions and label warnings to ensure the appropriate use of Accutane. We also have evaluated these issues, with concerns about the possible teratogenicity of high vitamin A intake during pregnancy. Practitioners should be familiar with the possible hazard of excessive dosages of vitamin A and its analogues. Vitamin A daily doses of higher than 8,000 IU for pregnant woman are not necessary for good health and are not recommended. Foods high in beta-carotene can provide the necessary amounts of vitamin A and, in contrast to the synthetic analogues, their use has not been associated with vitamin A toxicity or teratogenicity in humans or animals.

Female↗
PubMed1989

Targeting AIDS prevention and treatment toward HIV-1-infected persons. The concept of early intervention.

We propose establishing private and public outpatient facilities where persons with human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1), infection can receive state-of-the-art clinical and behavioral follow-up, treatment, and assistance. The possible advantages of enrolling HIV-1-positive persons into long-term follow-up are early treatment of clinical conditions and resulting gains in life quality and life expectancy, decreased transmission of HIV-1 to uninfected persons, more efficient use of scarce patient-care resources, and improved estimates of the total number of HIV-infected persons. The possible disadvantages of such a program are adverse psychological reactions to knowledge of HIV-1 infection, adverse societal actions against infected persons, and, finally, the economic cost of the program. These facilities, with the proper expertise and safeguards of confidentiality and trust, could prolong and improve the lives of infected persons while preventing infection of others.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1989

Clove cigarettes.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Problems associated with the use of immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) values for estimating the hazard of accidental chemical releases.

The possibility of accidental industrial chemical releases has generated considerable recent attention. One area requiring research for emergency planning is the development of safe exposure concentrations for the public in the event of an inadvertent release. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a list of extremely hazardous substances and suggested that the toxicity ranking for 92 hazardous materials could be based on the "immediately dangerous to life or health" (IDLH) values developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Eighty-four compounds with IDLH values for which published toxicologic data were available were reviewed to assess the appropriateness of applying such values to accidental release situations. When compared with 30-min animal median lethal concentrations (LC50s), 18 of the IDLHs reviewed were in the same range as lethal levels for animals. For 45 compounds the IDLH values were comparable to concentrations producing severe toxic effects (specifically, unconsciousness, incapacitation, or intolerable irritation). Where available, emergency planning guidelines for the military were compared to IDLHs, and in all 31 cases, the IDLHs exceeded the military exposure guidelines. Twenty compounds also were found to pose a potential cancer risk according to common regulatory guidelines, even under the assumption of a single, 30-min exposure at the IDLH concentration. In addition, the high degree of variability (four orders of magnitude) in the relationship of IDLH values to outcomes of lethality or severe toxicity suggests that the use of IDLH values as emergency planning guidelines for accidental releases is questionable.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1989

Model Standards impact on local health department performance in California.

An evaluation of a state-local negotiation process to implement Model Standards in 18 California local health departments was conducted during 1985-87. Model Standards specific to California were developed by state and local public health officials for seven programs. Nine counties participated in state-local negotiations to set performance standards in these seven programs. During the two-year effort, greater use of Model Standards and more improvement in local program performance occurred in local health departments that participated in the state-local negotiation process. The use of Model Standards appeared to contribute to establishing program priorities, emphasizing the measurement of outcomes, improving data management systems, and evaluating the current performance of programs. While this state-local negotiation process is suggested as the preferred approach to encouraging the use of Model Standards in local health departments, it must be recognized that this process requires time and commitment of resources from both the state and local levels.

California↗
PubMed1989

Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae in California. Report of a major outbreak and control recommendations.

A major outbreak of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae occurred in California beginning in late 1986. After a state public health emergency was declared in April 1987, a statewide, cooperative federal-state-local treatment and control program was implemented. It was successful in reducing the reported incidence by 59%. Despite the success of this effort, penicillinase-producing N gonorrhoeae is not controlled in California, and, while not nearly the magnitude reported in Florida, an increasing number of cases are again being reported in California. We present recommendations for clinicians and local public health officials, including the epidemiologic and empiric treatment of suspected gonorrhea cases with ceftriaxone when the incidence of penicillinase-producing gonococcal cases in a community exceeds 1% of all reported gonorrhea cases.

California↗
PubMed1989

Mortality from unintentional injuries in California, 1985.

In 1985 unintentional injuries were the fourth leading cause of death among California residents, causing 10,380 deaths. They were the leading cause of potential life lost, accounting for 278,109 years lost. This was more than twice the number of years lost due to heart disease and 1 1/2 times the number lost due to cancer. Motor vehicle traffic accidents were the leading cause of unintentional injury deaths, accounting for half (5,158) the deaths. The next two leading causes were poisoning (especially for men aged 25 to 44 years) and falls (especially among persons aged 75 and older). Drowning was second to motor vehicle accidents as a cause of death in children aged 1 to 14 years. California's age-adjusted injury mortality rates in 1985 were lower in coastal and urban counties than in inland and rural counties, and these rates were generally lower in counties having organized systems of trauma care.

Accidents↗
PubMed1988

Occupational mortality of California women, 1979-1981.

A review of California's mortality data for 1979 through 1981, encompassing 61,561 female and 111,877 male deaths, shows differential female mortality risk by labor force status and by occupation. High patterns of risk were found for women in a number of occupations, including waitresses, licensed vocational nurses and health aides, cosmetologists, telephone operators, housekeepers and janitors, and launderers and dry cleaners. Patterns of mortality risk were similar for each race within these occupational groups. The mortality risks for women were generally higher than those for men. The association of mortality with certain occupational does not necessarily imply a causal relationship but is certainly a signal that further research is required and that physicians need to consider work-related factors in evaluating the health of women.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

HIV disease prevention and treatment. A model for local planning.

Since first reported in 1981, about a fourth of all cases of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in the United States have occurred in California. In response to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, California has developed a five-point strategy consisting of epidemiologic surveillance; prevention education; the provision of medical treatment and supportive services; research; and continuous planning, evaluation, and coordination of programs. Given the size and tremendous environmental and cultural diversity of California, as well as the variable local impact of HIV disease local jurisdictions need to develop HIV disease prevention and treatment plans specifically tailored to the circumstances of their communities. At a minimum, these plans should include central participatory planning, epidemiologic surveillance, HIV antibody testing and prevention education programs, provision for medical treatment and social support services, and coordination of financing mechanisms. We present a model for such plans.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗