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Biomedical subjects

M C Boudreaux

Publications and source records attributed to M C Boudreaux.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Child abduction: an overview of current and historical perspectives.

This article summarizes research findings in the area of child abduction. Topics addressed include incidence rates and operational definitions of child abduction (legal and social), victim and offender characteristics, and motivation (e.g., maternal desire, sex, retribution, profit, and desire to kill). Risk factors for child abduction are discussed including offender reports of victim selection methodology. Practical application of research findings are considered including the development of more scientifically sound, effective child safety training programs and improved investigative resource management and search methodologies.

Child↗
PubMed1999

A study of antenatal cocaine use-chaos in action.

OBJECTIVE: This study identified behaviors or conditions associated with cocaine use among prenatal patients and evaluated pregnancy outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study of patients attending a neighborhood-based prenatal program was conducted. For each patient who used cocaine, the next prenatal registrant with both a negative history of cocaine use and a negative urine screen for cocaine served as the control. RESULTS: Cocaine use was associated with older, multiparous women who had a history of prior low birth weight infants. Prenatal care was obtained later and less frequently. Other substances, including tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, were more commonly used. A history of physical abuse and violence, as well as incarceration, was identified more often. The prevalence of syphilis was higher. Women who used cocaine were delivered of their infants earlier; prematurity occurred more often. Their infants were smaller. Regression analysis identified factors other than cocaine as important in either low birth weight or preterm delivery. Attainment of a greater number of prenatal care visits was associated with improved outcome. CONCLUSION: Women who use cocaine have numerous significant life disturbances, which may collectively influence pregnancy outcome. Cocaine use itself is a marker and did not appear to influence the prevalence of low birth weight or preterm delivery.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1999

Child abduction: aged-based analyses of offender, victim, and offense characteristics in 550 cases of alleged child disappearance.

Crimes against children, particularly cases involving abduction and/or homicide, continue to be problematic as both a social phenomenon and judicial responsibility. Such cases routinely receive immense community and media attention and rapidly overwhelm investigative resources. Research in the area of childhood victimization, however, has only recently gained national prominence. While numerous studies on child abuse and neglect have been conducted, research on child abduction and homicide remains scant. Previous studies examining child abduction suffer from limited geographical scope or fail to base predictive analyses on victim characteristics. The current study reports the results of a nationally representative sample (47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico) of 550 cases of alleged child abduction obtained from Federal Bureau of Investigation files for the period 1985 through 1995. Study results demonstrate that both offender and offense characteristics vary significantly according to victim age, gender, and race. Such differences appear critical to crime reconstruction, criminal profiling, and investigative resolution. Additionally, these data suggest that current child abduction prevention programs may emphasize inaccurate offender traits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

A case-control study of cocaine use in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed the relationships between cocaine use, various other parameters, and perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: A case-control study of cocaine use was conducted among pregnant women delivered at a large urban hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. Two control patients for each case, matched for age, race, parity, and month of delivery, were selected. RESULTS: Between April and September 1990, there were 2332 admissions to the obstetric service; urine toxicology screens were obtained on 2225 patients. Cocaine metabolites were identified in 166 patients; 138 of these women had data that could be evaluated. These data were compared with those of 276 control patients, and the findings were analyzed. Complications that occurred significantly more often in study patients included vaginal bleeding, abruptio placentae, premature rupture of the membranes, meconium staining of the amniotic fluid, and low birth weight. Study patients were found to use prenatal care less often (45.0% vs 86.4%) and to smoke cigarettes more often (67.4% vs 35.1%). Regression analysis identified lack of prenatal care and smoking as important variables in birth weight. When these two variables were excluded, identifiable differences in bith weight between cocaine and control mothers were no longer present. CONCLUSION: The reduction in birth weight experienced by patients who used cocaine may be explained by lack of prenatal care and by smoking. Other identified differences observed between study and control patients were not significantly altered by smoking or prenatal care.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Collaborative care for obstetric patients at low and high risk: an evolving model.

OBJECTIVE: In this article we describe a program that evolved from collaborative care given to a low-risk population into collaborative care that included patients at high risk. STUDY DESIGN: The study population comprised women attending a prenatal program in an urban, underserved neighborhood. Clinic records were reviewed for number of patient enrollments and total patient visits, as well as providers utilized. Episodic audit over a 3-year period of 180 of 869 patients initiating prenatal care was done. Data from vital statistics for 1992 and 1993 were evaluated for adequacy of prenatal care and yearly births for the census tract served. Analysis was descriptive. RESULTS: Almost all of the patient population served was found to be at psychosocial high risk. Approximately 10% had significant obstetric or medical complications. Infections, especially sexually transmitted diseases, were common. Fewer than 1% of the patients were referred to another provider for treatment. The program demonstrated an increase in patient volume, improved retention of patients for complete prenatal care and delivery, a reduction in patients receiving no or inadequate care, and a reduction in yearly births. CONCLUSION: The collaborative practice model may be extended to high-risk populations.

Adolescent↗