Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Sterling

Publications and source records attributed to S Sterling.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Characteristics and outcomes of self inflicted pediatric injuries: the role of method of suicide attempt.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the epidemiologic characteristics and clinical outcomes of self inflicted pediatric injuries in relation to the method of suicide attempt. METHODS: Using data from the National Pediatric Trauma Registry Phase II, a comparative analysis was conducted for children under 15 years of age who were admitted from 1 October 1988 through 30 April 1996 because of self inflicted injury by firearm (n = 28), hanging (n = 38), or jumping from heights (n = 21). RESULTS: Of the 87 cases under study, 90% occurred at home, and 86% occurred between noon and midnight, with a peak in early evening (between 6 pm and 7 pm)-More than one quarter (29%) had preexisting mental disorders, such as disturbance of conduct and depression. Toxicological tests were conducted on admission on 40 (46%) of the patients; 20% tested positive for alcohol or other illicit drugs. The method of suicide attempt was associated with gender and age of the patients: 75% of the firearm cases and 82% of the hanging cases were boys compared with 29% of the jumping cases (p < 0.01); 79% of the hanging cases were aged 13 years or younger compared with 39% of the firearm cases and 48% of the jumping cases (p < 0.01). The mean injury severity score was 18.6 for the firearm cases and 16.3 for the hanging cases, significantly greater than 8.5 for the jumping cases (p < 0.02). Reflecting the differences in injury severity, firearm cases and hanging cases were more likely than jumping cases to be sent to intensive care units or operating rooms from emergency departments, and to develop complications during hospitalization. The case fatality rate was 50% for the firearm cases, 32% for the hanging cases, and 5% for the jumping cases (p < 0.01). On average, these patients stayed in hospitals for 11 days and 52% of those who were alive at discharge had at least one impairment in communication, cognition, or self care functions. CONCLUSION: Boys and older children tend to use more lethal methods in suicide attempts. Even in this age group, suicide attempts often involve psychiatric disorders and acute abuse of alcohol or other illicit drugs. Firearms are associated with significantly increased risk of inhospital fatality. The clinical outcomes of self inflicted injuries appear to be worse than other injuries treated in the same trauma centers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

A comparative analysis of alcohol in fatal and nonfatal bicycling injuries.

Bicycling is the leading cause of recreational injury, resulting in more than half a million emergency department visits and about 900 deaths each year in the United States. Previous research on bicycling injury was conducted predominantly in children and focused on the effectiveness of safety helmets. Few studies have examined the role of alcohol in bicycling injuries. This study examined the magnitude of and factors related to alcohol involvement in fatal and nonfatal bicycling injuries, and tested the hypothesis that alcohol intoxication is associated with significantly increased likelihood of fatality given a serious bicycling injury. Medical examiner data on all fatally injured bicyclists aged 10 years or older from 1987 to 1994 in Maryland (fatal cases, n = 63) were compared with trauma registry data on all injured bicyclists who were treated at a regional trauma center during the same time period (nonfatal cases, n = 253) on variables related to blood alcohol concentrations (BACs), demographic characteristics, and injury circumstances. The fatal cases were more likely than the nonfatal cases to have positive BACs (30% vs. 16%, p < 0.01) and to be legally intoxicated (i.e., BACs > or = 0.10%) (22% vs. 13%, p < 0.01). For both fatal and nonfatal cases, intoxication was more prevalent among victims who were male, aged 20 to 39 years, or who were injured at nighttime (7:00 PM to 6:59 AM). Bicyclists who died at the scene were four times as likely as those who died at hospitals to be legally intoxicated (35% vs. 9%, p < 0.02). Given a serious bicycling injury, intoxication was associated with significantly increased likelihood of fatality, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 6.3). This increased likelihood of fatality was probably due in part to the fact that the rate of helmet use at the time of injury among the intoxicated was much lower than among the sober (6% vs. 31%, p < 0.05). Results indicate that alcohol plays an important role in fatal and serious bicycling injuries. Preventing intoxicated biking should be incorporated into helmet campaigns and other bicycle safety programs.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1988

Reactions to anger and anxiety-provoking events: psychopathic and nonpsychopathic groups compared.

A psychopathic offender group (N = 17) and a nonpsychopathic, non-offender control group (N = 15) were presented with descriptions of anxiety and anger-provoking situations (derived from a pilot study) together with a series of questions designed to evaluate their cognitive appraisal and anticipated reactions of self and other to the situation. The psychopathic group rated the anxiety situations as more anxiety-, fear-, and threat-inducing than did the control group, while the reverse was true for the anger situations. Both sets of scenarios were seen as more anger-inducing by the psychopathic group. There was little difference between the groups in anticipated reactions of self and others. Implications of the results for cognitive interventions aimed at anger management are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1987

Teacher ratings of children's problem and competence behaviors: normative and parametric characteristics.

Teacher-rated adjustment differences among young elementary school children from (a) a recent sample and a 1974 cohort, and (b) urban/suburban, male/female, and grade-level subgroups were examined. A problem behavior checklist (Classroom Adjustment Rating Scale) and a school competence measure (Health Resources Inventory) for 974 children from 5 urban and 5 suburban schools were completed by 101 first- to fourth-grade teachers. Children from the more current cohort were rated as significantly more maladjusted than those from the earlier sample on 8 of 10 adjustment variables. In the recent sample, girls and suburban children evidenced a greater number of school competencies and fewer problem behaviors than boys and urban children, respectively. The implications of these findings for the future use of the teacher rating scales are discussed.

Achievement↗
PubMed1986

Effect of intraocular lens convexity on posterior capsule opacification.

A consecutive series of 248 eyes undergoing extracapsular cataract surgery and posterior chamber lens implantation were evaluated. One hundred eight eyes had the implant placed with the convex side posterior and 140 with the convex side anterior. The incidence of capsulotomy required in the convex posterior group was significantly less than in the convex anterior group, 17.6% versus 29.3% (P value less than 0.05). The type of posterior capsule opacification in the two groups was also different. In the convex posterior group, a smooth fibrous type of capsular opacification predominated; in the convex anterior group, epithelial proliferation and pearl formation as well as wrinkling of the capsule frequently occurred. The difference in opacification was reflected in the preoperative visual acuity: convex posterior 20/80, convex anterior less than 20/200 (P less than 0.05).

Cataract↗
PubMed1985

Recent stressful life events and young children's school adjustment.

A group of 211 first-to fourth-grade children who had experienced one or more recent stressful life events were compared to a demographically matched sample of 211 children who had not experienced such events on measures of school adjustment problems and competencies. Stressful life events were found to be associated with the presence of more serious school adjustment problems and fewer competencies. Those associations were strongest for children who had experienced multiple recent stressful events. The importance of preventive interventions for this at-risk group was emphasized and future research steps in the area were considered.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Automatic exposure control: a primer.

AEC is a radiographic density control device that terminates the exposure when a predetermined amount of radiation has been reached. Newer systems control kVp and mA as well as exposure time. The primary goal of AEC is to produce high-quality radiographs consistently with minimal technical factors set by the radiographer. AEC can be a helpful device, but only if the radiographer understands the principles governing its operation, applies them properly, and knows how to compensate for variations. There are certain decisions that must be made by the radiographer, such as proper sensor selection, appropriate kVp and mA selection, density control adjustment, and correct patient positioning both anatomically and relative to the proper sensor. Quality control procedures must be followed to be certain that the entire imaging chain is functioning properly. Although there are similarities among the various systems, there can be wide variations in their design and operation. If the radiographer appreciates the benefits and limitations of the equipment, many problems can be avoided. Understanding the concepts of minimum response and backup time is important because many of the problems that occur when AEC is used can be traced back to them. Although AEC is not a cure-all, in the hands of a skilled radiographer it can aid in the production of high quality radiographs.

Humans↗