Biomedical subjects

A Mammo

Publications and source records attributed to A Mammo.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Using social indicators to predict addiction.

Because of cost and other constraints, states often find it difficult to estimate need for treatment of alcohol-related problems from routine surveys. The social undesirability of illegal drug use makes the assessment of need for treatment of their use even more difficult. This paper uses independently obtained treatment need estimates to provide parameters for short-term prediction. We obtained the parameters by regressing the proportions of people addicted to alcohol (or drugs) in counties on social-indicator-based relative treatment need estimates for alcohol (or drugs). In addition to integrating estimates coming from independent sources, our approach presents an important tool for planning and resource allocation.

Health Planning↗

PubMed1996

On the construction of a relative needs assessment scale.

The Social Dysfunction Scale, originally framed by Simeone et al., is a major first step in the introduction of objectivity to a complex subject often guided by political concerns rather than empirical findings. However, it is too heavily influenced by population sizes of the geographic units. The Relative Needs Assessment Scale proposed here is more flexible and corrects that problem by using weights that set a balance between the burden of the substance use(r) problem and the size of the "population at risk" in the geographic unit. Assuming that a fairly good mix of indicators is identified for substance use(r) problems, the alternative scale provides a better estimate of relative needs for resources.

Anomie↗

PubMed1993

Factors responsible for childhood mortality variation in rural Ethiopia.

This paper uses the 1981 National Rural Demographic Survey to document childhood mortality variations in rural areas of Ethiopia. Four significant findings are highlighted. (1) Health status of parents is identified as an important determinant of childhood mortality. (2) Religion, region of residence and ethnicity interact in their effects on childhood mortality and the effect of ethnicity varies in different regions for the same religion; in some areas ethnicity may serve as a proxy for economic and cultural differences. (3) Childhood mortality is inversely related to literacy status of parents, which may also reflect socioeconomic status. (4) The data show a clear difference in childhood mortality between the famine-prone areas and the rest.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Some factors that influence dropping out from outpatient alcoholism treatment facilities.

Even though clients treated in an outpatient setting have been documented to have very high dropout rates, evidences of the factors that influence dropping out are fragmentary and are based on small-scale studies. In our attempt to distinguish such factors, outpatient and intensive outpatient alcoholism admissions for the State of New Jersey were analyzed. Our findings indicated that females, the young and the unskilled are at a higher risk of dropping out. We also documented that drinking status of patients, occupational status, health insurance coverage, educational status, living arrangement, duration of stay in treatment and the number of sessions of service were important factors that influenced the likelihood of dropping out. Controlling for the number of sessions revealed that the relationship between the odds of dropping out and duration in treatment was mixed. Primary drug abusers in our cohort had the highest likelihood of dropping out followed by the dually addicted. It is argued that dropping out is likely to be complicated by the inability of alcoholism treatment facilities to cope with multiple addiction problems.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1986

A four-drug regimen for initial treatment of cavitary disease caused by Mycobacterium avium complex.

Forty-six patients with positive sputum cultures for Mycobacterium avium complex and cavitary disease were placed on a 4-drug regimen consisting of isoniazid, rifampin, and ethambutol daily and streptomycin twice weekly. Forty-two (91.3%) converted their sputum to negative and 4 (8.7%) failed to convert. All of the 4 nonconverters had prior subtotal gastrectomy. Twenty-two patients were available for long-term follow-up: 12 patients completed 24 months of chemotherapy, all experienced sputum conversion, but 2 reactivated, 1 at 9 and the other at 27 months after termination of chemotherapy. These 2 patients had prior subtotal gastrectomy. Ten patients completed 18 months of chemotherapy with sputum conversion, 2 of these reactivated but had not had prior subtotal gastrectomy. In this group of patients, subtotal gastrectomy appeared to be an adverse risk factor for both initial treatment response and reactivation in pulmonary disease caused by Mycobacterium avium complex.

Antitubercular Agents↗