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PubMedDate not supplied

Effect on health-related outcomes of interventions to alter the interaction between patients and practitioners: a systematic review of trials.

PURPOSE: We wanted to identify published randomized trials of interventions to alter the interaction between patients and practitioners, develop taxonomies of the interventions and outcomes, and assess the evidence that such interventions improve patients' health and well-being. METHODS: Undertaking a systematic review of randomized trials, we sought trials in primary and secondary care with health-related outcomes, which we found by searching MEDLINE, HealthSTAR, and PsycINFO bibliographic databases through 1999. We also completed one round of manual citation searching. RESULTS: Thirty-five trials were included. Most were set in primary care in North America. Trials were heterogeneous in populations, settings, interventions, and measures. Interventions frequently combined several poorly described elements. Explicit theoretical underpinning was rare, and only one study linked intervention through process to outcome measures. Health outcomes were rarely measured objectively (6 of 35), and only 4 trials with health outcomes met predefined quality criteria. Interventions frequently altered the process of interactions (significantly in 73%, 22 of 30 trials). Principal outcomes favored the intervention group in 74% of trials (26 of 35), reaching statistical significance in 14 (40%). Positive effects on health outcomes achieved statistical significance in 44% of trials (11 of 25); negative effects were uncommon (5 of 25, 20%). Simple approaches to increasing the participation of patients in the clinical encounter, such as providing practitioners with a note from patients about their concerns beforehand, showed promise, as did more complex programs providing specific information about disease and attention to emotion. Apparently similar interventions varied in effectiveness across studies. CONCLUSIONS: Successful interactions between patients and their practitioners lie at the heart of medicine, yet there are few rigorous trials of well-specified interventions to inform best practice. Trial evidence suggests that a range of approaches can achieve changes in this interaction, and some show promise in improving patients' health. To advance knowledge further, we need to replicate promising studies using rigorous methods. These should include explicit theoretical frameworks designed to link effects on key communication and interaction characteristics through to effects on health outcomes.

Delivery of Health Care↗
PubMed2005

Computed Quality Assessment of MPEG4-compressed DICOM Video Data.

Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) has become one of the most popular standards in medicine. This standard specifies the exact procedures in which digital images are exchanged between devices, either using a network or storage medium. Sources for images vary; therefore there exist definitions for the exchange for CR, CT, NMR, angiography, sonography and so on. With its spreading, with the increasing amount of sources included, data volume is increasing, too. This affects storage and traffic. While for long-time storage data compression is generally not accepted at the moment, there are many situations where data compression is possible: Telemedicine for educational purposes (e.g. students at home using low speed internet connections), presentations with standard-resolution video projectors, or even the supply on wards combined receiving written findings. DICOM comprises compression: for still image there is JPEG, for video MPEG-2 is adopted. Within the last years MPEG-2 has been evolved to MPEG-4, which squeezes data even better, but the risk of significant errors increases, too. Within the last years effects of compression have been analyzed for entertainment movies, but these are not comparable to videos of physical examinations (e.g. echocardiography). In medical videos an individual image plays a more important role. Erroneous single images affect total quality even more. Additionally, the effect of compression can not be generalized from one test series to all videos. The result depends strongly on the source. Some investigations have been presented, where different MPEG-4 algorithms compressed videos have been compared and rated manually. But they describe only the results in an elected testbed. In this paper some methods derived from video rating are presented and discussed for an automatically created quality control for the compression of medical videos, primary stored in DICOM containers.

Algorithms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diminished adaptive behaviors among pediatric survivors of burns.

Life for pediatric survivors of burns appears difficult to most observers. In an assessment by use of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), survivors' parents reported that approximately 30% of the children had significant problems. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales were used to gather further information concerning the children's personal and social sufficiency and functioning. Thirty-four pediatric burn survivors (28 boys and 6 girls, ages 9 to 19, 1 to 5 years after burn, with burn sizes ranging from 3% to 92% total body surface area) were selected by use of a stratified random sampling technique. Ten of the 14 scales are significantly different (p < 0.05, paired t) from the reference population in the Vineland manual. The Vineland scores indicate that parents view their burned children as being less personally or socially sufficient. Subjects with significant behavior problems as measured by use of the CBCL (T score > or = 60) differed from their peers with fewer problems by having less overall adaptive behavior (p = 0.07), fewer coping skills (p = 0.06), and significantly more maladaptive behavior (p = 0.005). The Vineland adaptive behavior domains correlated positively with the CBCL total competence scores, whereas the Vineland maladaptive behavior correlated positively with the CBCL total behavior score. Although it supports previous findings that parents of burned children see them as having problems after burn, this study elaborates on and differentiates among their difficulties in adapting to their life situations. These findings not only affirm the importance of attending to parental perceptions of burned children but also identify specific areas to be targeted for psychosocial rehabilitation of burned children.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2005

An overview of research on increasing indices of happiness of people with severe/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.

PURPOSE: This paper was to provide an overview of research studies aimed at increasing indices of happiness of persons with severe/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities. METHODS: Computerized and manual searches were carried out to identify the studies published from 1990 to 2004 (i.e., the period during which the issues of quality fo life and happiness in people with disabilities have become more prominent). Twenty-four research studies were identified. They involved the use of six different procedures, that is, structured stimulation sessions, microswitch-based simulation sessions, leisure activities and favourite work tasks or conditions, positive environment or positive behaviour support programmes and mindful caregiving, favourite stimulation automatically delivered on exercise engagement, and snoezelen. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Data tended to be positive with increases in the participants' indices of happiness, but some failures also occurred. The outcomes were discussed in relation to (a) methodological issues, such as designs of the studies, length of the intervention, and number of participants, and (b) personal and practical implications of the procedures. Some suggestions for future research (particularly focused on extending evidence and overcoming present methodological weakness) were also examined.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1996

Response of families to two preventive intervention strategies: long-term differences in behavior and attitude change.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the long-term impact of two forms of preventive intervention designed to diminish risk to children in families in which one or both parents suffered from affective disorder. METHOD: Fifty-four parents in 18 families were initially assessed and randomly assigned to one of two interventions--a clinician-facilitated, manual-based, psychoeducational preventive intervention or a standardized lecture-group discussion in which similar educational information was presented. Assessments included standard diagnostic interviews, child behavior scales, and semistructured interviews with parents about the effects of the intervention. Follow-up assessments were conducted three times over the 3-year follow-up interval. RESULTS: No harmful effects were reported for either intervention, and ratings of degree of upset about reported concerns declined across time for both conditions. Families receiving the clinician-facilitated intervention reported more behavior and attitude changes than did lecture-group families when assessed after intervention. The difference between the two groups was sustained at further follow-up assessments. CONCLUSION: Although both preventive interventions produced changes in behaviors and attitudes, parents in the clinician-facilitated intervention reported more benefit. These data support the hypothesis that linking cognitive information to the family's life experience produces long-term changes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Interactive capacities of children aged 4 to 7 months with a child of the same age].

In this article we report on the first results of a research on the abilities and interactive behaviors of 16 infants aged from 4 to 7 months, with an infant of the same age. These infants are studied in dyads from the moment they are seated by their mother in two experimental seats. The position and distance of the seats are regulated at distance according to a procedure consisting in 8 phases of 3 minute duration each. The mothers of the two infants are present and can be seen by their child during the experimental session. The principal results can be summed up as follows: 1. The infant-partner is the first rank target of the gaze of the other infant. The frequency and duration of the orientations of the gaze in the direction of one or another of its body areas are significantly higher than the frequency and duration of the self-centered gazes (very weak) and the frequency and duration of the orientations of the gaze in other directions, including towards their mothers. These behaviors between the infants do not decrease in frequency or duration as long as the infants do not receive an object. 2. The face and hands of the infant-partner are the most frequent targets of the gaze; they also have the highest cumulated duration. The mutual catching of the eyes is also well represented, since this occupy the fifth place among the 25 items of behavior which were measured. 3. 4 of the 7 best represented items are the interactive behaviors with the other infant. 4. The manual behaviors already appear well organized, targetted, and visually controlled. In particular: the extension of the arm in the direction of the infant-partner, with the hand in pronation, lateral, oblique or in supination; the extension of the arm with a rotation of the hand from the pronation position to the supination position; taking the hand of the other infant. 5. Among the other complex behaviors one can observe diverse forms of imitation and modulated vocalizations which are rich in phonemes. 6. Most interactive behaviors are influenced by the human context (the different positions of the infants with regard to each other) and giving an object to each infant (last phase of the protocol). The infants appear, therefore, capable of taking into account most behaviors of the other infant in the organization of their own behaviors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Child Behavior↗
PubMed1982

DSM III and consultation-liaison psychiatry: toward a comprehensive medical model of the patient.

The descriptive and multiaxial approaches in DSM III encourage comprehensive conceptualization of the patient. The use of explicit criteria for diagnosing syndromes facilitates communication between psychiatry and general medicine. The DSM III category Psychological Factors Affecting Physical Condition should be further elaborated into (a) Psychiatric Factors Affecting Physical Condition, and (b) Physical Condition Affecting Psychiatric Disorder. In addition, the phase of the illness these factors affect should be specified, i.e., the precipitation, course, and recovery. Somatoform Disorder should not be a diagnosis of exclusion, and the diagnostic criteria should clearly specify that conversion symptoms may be superimposed on a pre-existing physical disorder. The DSM III axes are not coherent: they include diagnostic categories, statements concerning possible relationships, and factors that might affect outcome. We propose an alternative to the DSM III Axes based on the Patient Evaluation Grid (PEG), a system comprised of four axes, including Biological Dimension, Personal Dimension, Environmental Dimension, and Assessment of Interaction Among Dimensions. Developing a comprehensive diagnostic model for both medical and psychiatric patients that can be shared by all physicians may be an important function of the liaison psychiatrist.

Depressive Disorder↗
PubMed2001

Next phase of medical management systems: automating administrative transactions to integrate payors and providers.

Today, medical management is burdened by the cost and hassle of manual administrative tasks. Manual intensive processing (that is, phone and fax) of referral requests and institutional authorization transactions results in significant unnecessary costs for the providers and payors, delays in approval, and problems with errors. To address these administrative burdens, the next phase of online (Internet- and wireless-enabled) medical management applications will focus on the administrative and transaction side, including self-service referral and authorization processing between the payor and provider. The advent of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) greatly improves the ability to gain widespread adoption of these online applications thanks to mandated standardization of many routine transactions. This article explores this next phase of online administrative and transaction medical management applications from the payors' perspective and explores their connectivity with providers. Payors are striving to meet several objectives as they implement these online administrative and transaction medical management systems: reducing the administrative burden and cost, changing traditional medical policies, increasing provider adoption of connective technologies, addressing HIPAA compliance, and achieving higher levels of system integration.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed2005

Reflex control of the spine and posture: a review of the literature from a chiropractic perspective.

OBJECTIVE: This review details the anatomy and interactions of the postural and somatosensory reflexes. We attempt to identify the important role the nervous system plays in maintaining reflex control of the spine and posture. We also review, illustrate, and discuss how the human vertebral column develops, functions, and adapts to Earth's gravity in an upright position. We identify functional characteristics of the postural reflexes by reporting previous observations of subjects during periods of microgravity or weightlessness. BACKGROUND: Historically, chiropractic has centered around the concept that the nervous system controls and regulates all other bodily systems; and that disruption to normal nervous system function can contribute to a wide variety of common ailments. Surprisingly, the chiropractic literature has paid relatively little attention to the importance of neurological regulation of static upright human posture. With so much information available on how posture may affect health and function, we felt it important to review the neuroanatomical structures and pathways responsible for maintaining the spine and posture. Maintenance of static upright posture is regulated by the nervous system through the various postural reflexes. Hence, from a chiropractic standpoint, it is clinically beneficial to understand how the individual postural reflexes work, as it may explain some of the clinical presentations seen in chiropractic practice. METHOD: We performed a manual search for available relevant textbooks, and a computer search of the MEDLINE, MANTIS, and Index to Chiropractic Literature databases from 1970 to present, using the following key words and phrases: "posture," "ocular," "vestibular," "cervical facet joint," "afferent," "vestibulocollic," "cervicocollic," "postural reflexes," "spaceflight," "microgravity," "weightlessness," "gravity," "posture," and "postural." Studies were selected if they specifically tested any or all of the postural reflexes either in Earth's gravity or in microgravitational environments. Studies testing the function of each postural component, as well as those discussing postural reflex interactions, were also included in this review. DISCUSSION: It is quite apparent from the indexed literature we searched that posture is largely maintained by reflexive, involuntary control. While reflexive components for postural control are found in skin and joint receptors, somatic graviceptors, and baroreceptors throughout the body, much of the reflexive postural control mechanisms are housed, or occur, within the head and neck region primarily. We suggest that the postural reflexes may function in a hierarchical fashion. This hierarchy may well be based on the gravity-dependent or gravity-independent nature of each postural reflex. Some or all of these postural reflexes may contribute to the development of a postural body scheme, a conceptual internal representation of the external environment under normal gravity. This model may be the framework through which the postural reflexes anticipate and adapt to new gravitational environments. CONCLUSION: Visual and vestibular input, as well as joint and soft tissue mechanoreceptors, are major players in the regulation of static upright posture. Each of these input sources detects and responds to specific types of postural stimulus and perturbations, and each region has specific pathways by which it communicates with other postural reflexes, as well as higher central nervous system structures. This review of the postural reflex structures and mechanisms adds to the growing body of posture rehabilitation literature relating specifically to chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic interest in these reflexes may enhance the ability of chiropractic physicians to treat and correct global spine and posture disorders. With the knowledge and understanding of these postural reflexes, chiropractors can evaluate spinal configurations not only from a segmental perspective, but can also determine how spinal dysfunction may be the ultimate consequence of maintaining an upright posture in the presence of other postural deficits. These perspectives need to be explored in more detail.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Appraisal of the MedDRA conceptual structure for describing and grouping adverse drug reactions.

Computerised queries in spontaneous reporting systems for pharmacovigilance require reliable and reproducible coding of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The aim of the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) terminology is to provide an internationally approved classification for efficient communication of ADR data between countries. Several studies have evaluated the domain completeness of MedDRA and whether encoded terms are coherent with physicians' original verbatim descriptions of the ADR. MedDRA terms are organised into five levels: system organ class (SOC), high level group terms (HLGTs), high level terms (HLTs), preferred terms (PTs) and low level terms (LLTs). Although terms may belong to different SOCs, no PT is related to more than one HLT within the same SOC. This hierarchical property ensures that terms cannot be counted twice in statistical studies, though it does not allow appropriate semantic grouping of PTs. For this purpose, special search categories (SSCs) [collections of PTs assembled from various SOCs] have been introduced in MedDRA to group terms with similar meanings. However, only a small number of categories are currently available and the criteria used to construct these categories have not been clarified. The objective of this work is to determine whether MedDRA contains the structural and terminological properties to group semantically linked adverse events in order to improve the performance of spontaneous reporting systems. Rossi Mori classifies terminological systems in three categories: first-generation systems, which represent terms as strings; second-generation systems, which dissect terminological phrases into a set of simpler terms; and third-generation systems, which provide advanced features to automatically retrieve the position of new terms in the classification and group sets of meaning-related terms. We applied Cimino's desiderata to show that MedDRA is not compatible with the properties of third-generation systems. Consequently, no tool can help for the automated positioning of new terms inside the hierarchy and SSCs have to be entered manually rather than automatically using the MedDRA files. One solution could be to link MedDRA to a third-generation system. This would allow the current MedDRA structure to be kept to ensure that end users have a common view on the same data and the addition of new computational properties to MedDRA.

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems↗
PubMed1986

Philosophy of science and DSM-III. Philosophical, idea-historical and sociological perspectives on diagnoses.

The validity of a classification system is primarily a question of philosophical premise. DSM-III is from this point of view a theoretical classification system based on hypotheses currently considered reliable and interesting and which--as presupposed--could not be rejected by empirical methods. The relevance or validity of this empirical approach depends on the aim of the DSM-III. An empirical approach may facilitate communication but can only have limited success as a help for planning treatment of psychiatric disorders where motives and meaning are important factors. The choice of hypotheses and the empirically derived concepts used to construct the classification system neglects other important ways of comprehension. Although aspects of rational philosophy may be found in the DSM-III system too, important ways of comprehension like the metaphysical approach is lacking. It is showed how this fact reflects a philosophical trend in the Western world following the Renaissance. By considering the Myth of Faust it is demonstrated how a metaphysical comprehension of life would lead to a different understanding of states of mind currently assumed to be a reflection of individual psychopathology according to empirical or rational comprehension. Thus in the end the validity of a classification system depends on the basic philosophical assumptions chosen. A choice which may be determined more by irrational and cultural forces than conscious contemplation. The content of DSM-III or ICD is also influenced by professional interests; the needs of the society and international political factors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Humans↗
PubMed2002

Impact of a radio frequency management information system on the process and timing of providing respiratory care services.

BACKGROUND: Although radio frequency (RF) systems have proliferated and are designed to simplify care delivery in many clinical settings, little information is available on the impact of such RF systems on the delivery of patient care. Having used a hand-held-device-based management information system in our Respiratory Therapy Section for 16 years, we assessed the impact of an RF system on the delivery of respiratory therapy (RT) services. METHODS: A single nursing unit dedicated to pulmonary and ear, nose, and throat care was selected for the RF system trial. Baseline (pre-RF) data were collected over 2 separate 1-month intervals (February 1999 and February 2000). The main outcome measures were (1) the amount of time needed at the beginning of the shift to organize and assign orders for RT services, (2) the time interval between notification of an RT consult order and completion of the RT consult, and (3) the time interval between notification of an RT treatment order and completion of the RT treatment. The activities required for organizing and assigning the orders were manually timed. Starting 6 weeks after therapists were trained to use the RF system, similar data were collected while using the RF system for two 1-month intervals (February and March 2001). RESULTS: The mean +/- SD time interval between receiving an RT consult order and completing the consult was reduced from 7.8 +/- 18.9 h to 2.8 +/- 2.4 h (p = 0.002). The percentage of patients who waited longer than 8 hours between receipt of a consult order and completion of the consult decreased from 18% to 4.7% (p = 0.026). The total time required for organizing and assigning RT work was reduced from 81.6 min to 43.6 min. CONCLUSIONS: The RF system had several advantages over the hand-held-device-based system: (1) shorter interval between the order for and completion of an RT consult, (2) lower percentage of patients for whom the interval between the order and the consult exceeded 8 hours, and (3) less time required to make shift assignments. These results invite assessment of whether accelerated delivery of RT services confers clinical benefits.

Allied Health Personnel↗
PubMed1997

[Automated anesthesia record systems].

The introduction of electronic anaesthesia documentation systems was attempted as early as in 1979, although their efficient application has become reality only in the past few years. The advantages of the electronic protocol are apparent: Continuous high quality documentation, comparability of data due to the availability of a data bank, reduction in the workload of the anaesthetist and availability of additional data. Disadvantages of the electronic protocol have also been discussed in the literature. By going through the process of entering data on the course of the anaesthetic procedure on the protocol sheet, the information is mentally absorbed and evaluated by the anaesthetist. This information may, however, be lost when the data are recorded fully automatically-without active involvement on the part of the anaesthetist. Recent publications state that by using intelligent alarms and/or integrated displays manual record keeping is no longer necessary for anaesthesia vigilance. The technical design of automated anaesthesia records depends on an integration of network technology into the hospital. It will be appropriate to connect the systems to the internet, but safety requirements have to be followed strictly. Concerning the database, client server architecture as well as language standards like SQL should be used. Object oriented databases will be available in the near future. Another future goal of automated anaesthesia record systems will be using knowledge based technologies within these systems. Drug interactions, disease related anaesthetic techniques and other information sources can be integrated. At this time, almost none of the commercially available systems has matured to a point where their purchase can be recommended without reservation. There is still a lack of standards for the subsequent exchange of data and a solution to a number of ergonomic problems still remains to be found. Nevertheless, electronic anaesthesia protocols will be required in the near future. The advantages of accurate documentation and quality control in the presence of careful planning outweight cost considerations by far.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of Automated and Mercury Column Blood Pressure Measurements in Health Care Settings.

OBJECTIVES: Use of automated (electronic) blood pressure measurement devices to obtain clinic blood pressure measurements is becoming increasingly widespread in health care settings; their comparability with manual mercury sphygmomanometer readings is uncertain. Current guidelines for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension in clinical practice are based on clinical trials and epidemiological evidence derived from readings taken with auscultatory devices (usually mercury sphygmomanometers). This study was carried out to assess whether use of automated oscillometric devices in the clinical setting led to differences in classification of blood pressure levels at the 140 mm Hg systolic and 90 mm Hg diastolic thresholds compared to readings obtained with a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. DESIGN: We compared the blood pressure readings obtained with three automated devices that are widely available in the U.S. (one Dinamap Plus Model 8710 and two Dinamap Model 1846SX) and the readings taken by a single trained research assistant with a manual mercury column device in the emergency department and the outpatient medicine clinic of a large urban teaching hospital. The devices tested were those in normal use in the setting. The order in which the readings were taken was varied randomly. The sensitivity and specificity of the Dinamap readings compared to the mercury column device as the gold standard was calculated. RESULTS: The mean diastolic blood pressure in the three groups of patients studied was 7.3 mm Hg, 2.4 mm Hg, and 3.4 mm Hg lower with the Dinamap devices than the mercury column device (p is less than 0.001 for all comparisons). The mean systolic blood pressure readings were 1.0 mm Hg (p equals 0.06), 6.7 mm Hg (p is less than 0.001), and 4.2 mm Hg (p is less than 0.001) higher with the Dinamap device than the mercury column device. The difference between Dinamap and mercury column systolic blood pressure readings tended to increase at pressures greater than 140 mm Hg, whereas the diastolic blood pressure differences remained uniform throughout the blood pressure range. The sensitivity of the Dinamap readings compared to mercury column readings for classifying individuals as hypertensive was 73% for persons with elevated systolic blood pressure only, 51% for persons with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure elevation, and 10% for person with diastolic blood pressure elevation only. CONCLUSIONS: The Dinamap devices tested appeared to yield systematically biased blood pressure readings, which could alter the assessment of hypertension prevalence and control in clinical populations. Quality assurance and outcome researchers should attempt to document the type of device used to obtain blood pressure measurements noted in medical records, and be cognizant that small systematic errors in measurement could affect a setting's hypertension control performance. (c)2000 by Le Jacq Communications, Inc.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Marital predictors of symptom severity in panic disorder with agoraphobia.

Twenty-six to forty percent of individuals suffering from panic disorder with agoraphobia (PDA) do not benefit significantly from cognitive-behavior therapy. Marital problems are among risk factors that may explain this limited impact. Some studies suggest that PDA treatment outcome is related to the couple's ability to communicate and solve problems during and after treatment. It may be also useful to further clarify the interplay of marital interpersonal variables with PDA severity before any intervention. This study aims at specifying the links between PDA symptom severity on the one hand and, on the other hand, marital adjustment, attachment style and personal problem-solving skills in both spouses. Results obtained from a group of 67 PDA patients (44 women and 23 men) and their partners showed that some PDA symptoms or comorbid depressive symptoms were more severe when both spouses independently scored low on problem-solving skills or marital adjustment, and when attachment style of PDA patients was insecure. Marital adjustment and difficulties in problem-solving, more specifically, avoidance of problem-solving activities in PDA patients, were the best predictors of PDA symptom severity. In light of these findings, a more complete program of problem-solving and acceptance strategies could be developed as part of a cognitive-behavior treatment of PDA. Other theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Communicating with patients: how good are our pamphlets and other written materials? An evaluation of the quality of the written information available to patients with asthma and diabetes in out-patients' clinics in Milan].

OBJECTIVES: 1) To identify the extent and the nature of information pamphlets available for asthmatic and diabetic patients in secondary care hospitals in Milan; 2) To investigate what patients think about the quality of pamphlets using a questionnaire developed ad hoc. METHODS: Pamphlets have been identified by contacting 8 specialised ambulatory hospitals. The questionnaire was developed to achieve a quality rate in 3 dimensions of the materials (Style and readability, The condition and Treatment options). Patients were recluted in the same ambulatory hospital. RESULTS: 4 ambulatory hospitals and 40 patients agreed to participate in our survey. We identified 8 pamphlets (5 diabetes, 3 asthma). 6 of these have been promoted byfarmaceutical companies. The mean length was 31 pages and the issue most covered was treatment options (33% of pages dedicated). 30 pages (12% of the total) presented with publicity advertisements (6% direct and 6% indirect). The dimension with the best satisfaction rate was Condition, followed by Style and readability. CONCLUSIONS: In Milan, in secondary care asthmatic and diabetic patients, are often invited to consult pamphlets. They positively judged this material. During the study ambulatory physicians were poorly attentive about problems concerning patient access to information.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1991

The European space suit, a design for productivity and crew safety.

In order to fulfill the two major mission objectives, i.e. support planned and unplanned external servicing of the COLUMBUS FFL and support the HERMES vehicle for safety critical operations and emergencies, the European Space Suit System baseline configuration incorporates a number of design features, which shall enhance the productivity and the crew safety of EVA astronauts. The work in EVA is today--and will be for several years--a manual work. Consequently, to improve productivity, the first challenge is to design a suit enclosure which minimizes movement restrictions and crew fatigue. It is covered by the "ergonomic" aspect of the suit design. Furthermore, it is also necessary to help the EVA crewmember in his work, by giving him the right information at the right time. Many solutions exist in this field of Man-Machine Interface, from a very simple system, based on cuff check lists, up to advanced systems, including Head-Up Displays. The design concept for improved productivity encompasses following features: easy donning/doffing thru rear entry, suit ergonomy optimisation, display of operational information in alpha-numerical and graphical form, and voice processing for operations and safety critical information. Concerning crew safety the major design features are: a lower R-factor for emergency EVA operations thru increased suit pressure, zero prebreath conditions for normal operations, visual and voice processing of all safety critical functions, and an autonomous life support system to permit unrestricted operations around HERMES and the CFFL. The paper analyses crew safety and productivity criteria and describes how these features are being built into the design of the European Space Suit System.

Communication↗
PubMed2000

Isolated Systolic Hypertension Is a Strong Predictor of Cardiovascular and All-Cause Mortality in the Middle-Aged Population: Warsaw Pol-MONICA Follow up Project.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality associated with various categories of hypertension, particularly isolated systolic hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three independent random samples of the general Warsaw population aged 35-64 years (2490 men and 2405 women screened in 1984, 1988, and 1993) were followed for (1) cardiovascular death until 1996 and (2) all-cause death until 1998. Methods of the baseline surveys were consistent with the manual of the WHO MONICA Project. Isolated systolic hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure less than 90 mm Hg and was classified into two stages: stage I, when 90 is less than systolic blood pressure is less than 160 mm Hg; and stage II, for subjects with systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 160 mm Hg. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to calculate the multivariable-adjusted relative risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality attributed to the particular hypertension category. RESULTS: Compared to normotension, stage I was associated with a 53%-60% increase in age-standardized cardiovascular mortality rates in both genders and with a 70% increase in all-cause mortality in men. A significant and independent association (after multivariable adjustment) was found only for all-cause mortality in men. Stage II was an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality in men and in women, and of all-cause mortality in men. In both genders, the risks of examined end points associated with stage II were comparable to the risks associated with isolated systolic hypertension. Isolated diastolic hypertension did not significantly increase the risk of all-cause mortality in either gender or of cardiovascular mortality in men. In women the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with isolated diastolic hypertension was almost threefold higher compared with the normotensive group, but the risk was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In the middle-aged Polish population, isolated systolic hypertension is a much better predictor of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality than isolated diastolic hypertension. The association was stronger for stage II than for stage I. The risk of examined end points associated with stage II were similar to those associated with combined systolic-diastolic hypertension. (c)2000 by Le Jacq Communications, Inc.

Journal Article↗