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Biomedical subjects

B R Snow

Publications and source records attributed to B R Snow.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Post-traumatic stress disorder among American Legionnaires in relation to combat experience in Vietnam: associated and contributing factors.

The relationship between combat stress, DSM-III-defined post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and a variety of behavioral factors was examined in a large nonclinical population. A total of 2858 randomly selected American Legion members who had served in Southeast Asia completed a questionnaire which elicited information on military service, personal health, and a variety of mental health outcomes. The data confirm the utility of the PTSD diagnosis as a distinct clinical entity. The frequency of PTSD and the extent of symptoms developed varied with the severity of criteria used for determining the extent of traumatic exposure. The PTSD rate ranged from 1.8 to 15.0% of the total sample, depending on whether "exposure" to combat was defined relatively narrowly or broadly. A distinct linear dose-response relationship between combat stress and a quantitative measure of PTSD intensity was observed. The frequency of PTSD diagnosis was not affected by the presence of either physical or mental health problems which predated military service. A strong, stable relationship was found between combat stress and PTSD intensity for cohorts with differing intervals since the experience of combat trauma, which persisted up to 20 years after discharge from the military. The data thus support a broader approach to defining traumatic events which recognizes individual differences in response to combat, as well as the existence of other behavioral outcomes as residual effects of combat. Implications of these findings and the importance of treating veterans with varying presentations of PTSD are discussed.

Humans↗

Incidence of physical and psychosocial disabilities in chronic pain patients: initial report.

Chronic pain is a leading health care problem with a wide range of physical and psychosocial outcomes. This report reviews the key intake findings of the first 227 patients admitted to a comprehensive inpatient/outpatient program for the treatment of chronic pain. Key trends in the data which suggest the different presentations of the chronic pain syndrome are highlighted and indications for future research are given.

Adolescent↗

Air quality and ergonomics in the office: survey results and methodologic issues.

A survey of office workers at four sites was conducted by Columbia University School of Public Health during 1981 and 1982 to explore the relationships between office working conditions and employee health. Walk through surveys of each site were conducted by the research team with joint labor-management sponsorship. A total of 2074 non-managerial office workers filled out a 30-minute self-administered questionnaire at their respective workplaces. Multiple item scales were tested and constructed to measure indoor air quality and ergonomic factors. Significant differences in ergonomic conditions and air quality between the sites were observed. These differences corresponded with researcher observations prior to the surveys. Significant associations between the reported air quality and respiratory symptoms and between ergonomic factors and musculoskeletal symptoms were found. Specificity of the relationship between reports about the environment and health symptoms was demonstrated. The implications of this approach for industrial hygiene investigations of non-industrial environments are discussed.

Adult↗

The use of hypnosis in the management of preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain in a patient undergoing laminectomy.

Patients undergoing laminectomy face a variety of concerns both pre- and postoperatively which may affect their emotional state and increase surgical risk. A case study of a laminectomy patient who was taught hypnosis for the control of preoperative anxiety and postoperative pain is presented. The benefits of such hypnotic intervention, as well as the long-term effects of hypnotic intervention on a patient who is in a crisis period are discussed.

Adult↗