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Biomedical subjects

A E Daniel

Publications and source records attributed to A E Daniel.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Patients' complaints about medical practice.

OBJECTIVES: To survey complainants' experience and the outcome of lodging a complaint about medical treatment. DESIGN AND SETTING: Random sample survey. A 32-item questionnaire was sent to 500 complainants by the New South Wales Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC), and responses were returned reply-paid to the university. PARTICIPANTS: 290 people with complaints finalised by the HCCC between February 1996 and August 1997. OUTCOME MEASURES: Profile of complainants and doctor involved; type and place of incident; complainants' emotions at the time of the incident and at the conclusion of the complaints process; outcome of complaint, and satisfaction with outcome and intention to take further action. RESULTS: After excluding non-medical complaints, 290 of 314 questionnaires returned were analysed, giving a response rate of 63% (314/500): 64% of complaints were about clinical care, and the remainder related to rudeness or poor communication (22%), and unethical or improper behaviour (14%); 70% of complainants were women, and 44% of complaints were on behalf of another person; Complainants had a high socioeconomic status, and 60% were currently in paid employment; More than half the incidents occurred in doctors' consulting rooms; 87% of the doctors involved were men, and over half were general practitioners. 37% of complaints were dismissed; 21% of complainants did not know the outcome of their complaint, and 40% believed that the doctor had been disciplined. Most complainants were dissatisfied with the outcome; a quarter stated that they would sue, but 70% would do nothing further. All but two complainants would never consult the doctor involved again. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the respondents were not satisfied with either the process or the outcome. Typically they wanted stronger measures taken. Only a few wanted compensation; more wanted acknowledgement of harm done; and most wanted the doctor punished.

Adult↗

Family violence: impact on children.

Violence within the family is increasingly being recognized as a serious societal problem in the United States. Four types of family violence are discussed: violence toward children, siblings, women, and the elderly. This paper explores the development of violent relationships in the family from both biological and psychological perspectives, with the latter encompassing four frameworks--the psychopathological model, the social learning model, the aversively stimulated aggression concept, and systems theory. The authors also examine the risk factors for and the effects of violence as well as the characteristics of the aggressor and the victim. Available intervention strategies for various types of violent behavior are then discussed.

Adolescent↗

Lifetime and six-month prevalence of psychiatric disorders among sentenced female offenders.

The authors determined the six-month and lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders among 100 consecutively admitted female offenders to a prison, using Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS Version III) and found high prevalence rates of schizophrenia, major depression, substance use disorders, psychosexual dysfunction, and antisocial personality disorders. The prevalence rates of these disorders were significantly higher than those of the general population. The authors note the implications of their findings for treatment of women within the correctional system.

Adult↗

Conduct disordered adolescents from a community sample.

This study reports on a group of adolescents with conduct disorder in a community sample. Utilizing structured interviews for the adolescents and their parents, and strict requirements for caseness, conduct disorder was found to be the most common psychiatric problem (along with anxiety disorders). Various instruments were used. The findings, including approaches to conflict resolution in adolescents and their parents, are discussed.

Adolescent↗

Mutism, malingering, and competency to stand trial.

Mutism and mental illness have had a long-standing historical relationship with regard to the issue of competence to stand trial. This article reports a defendant who remained mute for 10 months and describes his use of the symptom of mutism in his malingering. Although mutism is frequently used by defendants for malingering, clinicians must have a high index of suspicion for the possibility. We recommend a comprehensive evaluation including neurologic workup, repeat interviews, observation of the defendant at unsuspected times for communicative speech with other inmates, study of handwriting sample, collateral nursing documentation, and, if necessary, Pentothal interviews to establish authenticity of mutism. The authors review the historical background and legal considerations of the relationship between mutism and malingering.

Forensic Psychiatry↗

Comparison of delinquent boys and girls in group homes and factors associated with the outcome.

One hundred boys and girls who were placed in two group homes by court order were studied. The girls were admitted mostly for status offences while the boys were admitted for offences to property and persons. Over half of the sample had an immediate family member who had committed a serious crime. This group differed in several ways from the group with no family history of crime. When the outcome of the entire sample was investigated, it was found that there are some indicators that could be used as predictors for the outcome in a delinquent population. This could have a definite clinical application.

Adolescent↗

Differences between midlife female offenders and those younger than 40.

The authors studied 66 women referred for forensic evaluation and classified them into two age groups: 48 women 17-39 years old composed a young adult group and 18 women 40-54 years old composed a midlife group. The midlife group included a significantly larger number of first-time offenders with a higher frequency of medical as well as psychiatric disorders. None of the women in the midlife group was diagnosed as having antisocial personality disorder, but this was the most common diagnosis among the younger women. The authors note the implications of these findings for treatment of older female offenders, especially those in midlife.

Adolescent↗

Intraocular pressure in leprosy patients without clinically apparent anterior segment pathology.

A widely prevalent notion is that intraocular pressures are generally lower in leprosy patients than in normal individuals. Applanation intraocular pressures were recorded in one hundred sixty-six leprosy patients who had no clinically visible anterior segment pathology and in one hundred and eleven healthy controls. Mean (SD) intraocular pressures in leprosy patients (13.6 (3.0) mm Hg) did not differ significantly from that of controls (13.1 (2.7) mm Hg). Eyes of only 1.5% of the leprosy patients had pressures of 7 mm Hg or less. Correlation coefficients (r) between age, sex and intraocular pressures were not statistically significant both in leprosy patients and in controls. No statistically significant differences in mean intraocular pressures were noted when leprosy patients were grouped according to the Ridley and Jopling classification. Duration of disease also did not affect the intraocular pressures. Neither did smear positivity or differing bacterial indices. This study questions the widely held belief that low intraocular pressures are a common feature in leprosy and contends that in the era of MDT where ocular complications associated with low intraocular pressures are thought to be less, the occurrence of low intraocular pressure may not be as common a phenomenon as it is believed to be.

Adolescent↗