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Biomedical subjects

L N Robins

Publications and source records attributed to L N Robins.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

The Canter Background Interference Procedure (BIP): effects of demographic variables on diagnosis.

This paper reports a positive association between demographic variables and Canter BIP diagnostic classification. Ss are 209 middle-aged men and include psychiatric and medical patients and non-patients. To evaluate the joint effects of the demographic variables, a discriminate analysis was performed on the total sample. Race and educational level alone predicted BIP diagnosis in 67% of the cases. While none of the demographic variables was related significantly to BIP diagnosis when a discriminate analysis was performed on whites alone, age and educational level were related significantly to BIP diagnosis when a discriminate analysis was performed on blacks alone.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1977

Problems in follow-up studies.

Recent regulations concerning consent procedures and protection of privacy fall most severely on follow-up studies of childre. Indeed, rigorous sample selection, nearly complete follow-up, and objective assessment of outcome are virtually impossible now. Further, complicance with current "subjects' rights" regulations sometimes seems potentially more harmful to the subjects than is the research itself.

Behavioral Research↗
PubMed1976

Antecedents of narcotic use and addiction. A study of 898 Vietnam veterans.

Previous studies of predictors of narcotic abuse have been retrospective and based on samples of long-term addicts obtained from legal or medical channels. There are several methodological problems in this approach. The present study is an attempt to test certain alleged predictors of narcotic use in a cohort of 898 Vietnam veterans. The design overcomes several of the methodological weaknesses of previous studies. Eight variables which have been reported as predictors of drug use or addiction in the drug literature were inquired about during a personal interview which included the premilitary life of each subject. The antecedent variables were socioeconomic background, inner city residence, psychiatric illness, broken home, race, employment history, education and antisocial history. Using information obtained from interviews and military records, we then tested the predictive value of each of these antecedents by comparing narcotic used and addiction in Vietman and use after Vietnam in men differing with respect to each antecedent. Results indicate that some of the variables were very poor, and others very good predictors of the various levels of narcotic involvement. The predictive value and overall importance of each of the variables we tested are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Depressive disorders in Vietnam returnees.

A random sample of 470 Army enlisted men who served tours of duty in Vietnam and returned to the United States in September, 1971 was selected from military records. Between May and September, 1972, these servicemen were located and personally interviewed. Additional information was obtained from their military records and from Veterans Administration files. Interviews were obtained for 95% and military records for 99%. Veterans Administration records were available for 22% of the sample. Depressive disorders appeared to be a significant problem in these enlistees after their return. Twenty-six per cent of the total sample reported at least some symptoms of depression, and 7 per cent reported a full affective syndrome. A third of those with depressive syndromes have had psychiatric care since their return. The association of depression with combat, use of illicit drugs, and other pre- and post-Vietnam variables is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Drinking amid abundant illicit drugs. The Vietnam case.

We studied drinking patterns and problems of 451 US Army enlisted men after their return from Vietnam. Before Vietnam, nearly half were regular drinkers and one quarter had drinking problems. Problem drinking declined in Vietnam as opiate use rose sharply; half had tried opiates and 20% were opiate dependent. After Vietnam, opiate use decreased (now less than 2% opiate dependent) and problem drinking again became ascendant. At time of interview, 17% had drunk in an alcoholic pattern at some period in their lives and another 41% had had problems from drinking. The younger men were more likely to have had problems. Alcholism predictors included:becoming intoxicated at an early age; dropping out of school; truancy and expulsion from school; and having a father with a history of alcoholism or arrests.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Computer-assisted derivation of a screening interview for alcoholism.

A short screening interview for the diagnosis of alcoholism has been developed with the assistance of the automatic interaction detector (AID) program (a multivariate sequential analysis strategy) that is part of the OSIRIS statistical package. Retrospective and prospective tests of the effectiveness of the interview have shown that it permits a diagnosis of alcoholism with less effort than a larger, more comprehansive research interview. The performance of the screening and research interviews have been compared to assess the effects of severity of illness and reliability of individual replies on the diagnoses made by each interview.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1975

Narcotic use in southeast Asia and afterward. An interview study of 898 Vietnam returnees.

From all US Army enlistees leaving Vietnam in September 1971, a random sample of 943 men was selected. Of these, 470 represented a "general" sample of all enlistees returning at that time, and 495 represented a "drug positive" sample whose urine samples had been positive for opiates at the time of departure. We attempted to locate and personally interview all of the men in the samples. Results indicate that before arrival, hard drug use was largely casual, and less than 1% had ever been addicted to narcotics. In Vietnam, almost half of the general sample tried narcotics and 20% reported opiate addiction. After return, usage and addiction essentially decreased to pre-Vietnam levels. We discuss the use of nonnarcotic drugs, predictors and correlates of drug use in the samples, and the relationship of drugs to post-Vietnam social adjustment.

Age Factors↗