Students' learning styles do affect performance.
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Achievement↗
Biomedical subjects
C M Rutledge
Publications and source records attributed to C M Rutledge.
Knowledge of pregnancy symptoms among abortion patients: is race a predictor?
This cross-sectional study characterizes first-trimester abortion patients who perceived inadequate knowledge of pregnancy symptoms and identifies net predictors of inadequate symptom knowledge. Data were collected at an abortion facility in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Study subjects were women surveyed on the day of their abortions, prior to termination procedures. Self-reported knowledge of pregnancy symptoms was the study's dependent variable. Of 342 women, 120 (35%) perceived inadequate symptom knowledge. These women more often were young, black, single, and poorly educated. Only black race was a net predictor of inadequate symptom knowledge when study variables were entered into a multiple logistic regression. Black race was the only net predictor of inadequate symptom knowledge among first-trimester abortion patients. This racial difference was not explained by socioeconomic or access factors. Future research should consider an alternative hypothesis, the possibility that more effective communications with black abortion patients are needed. Additionally, health-care providers should not presume that first-trimester abortion patients are familiar with pregnancy symptoms and should not stereotype patients who perceive knowledge limitations with regard to socioeconomic status.
Abortion, Legal↗
Effects of family dysfunction on medical students.
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Family↗
Determinants of delayed pregnancy testing among adolescents.
BACKGROUND: Pregnant teenagers often prolong the interval between suspecting and confirming that they are pregnant. Prior studies suggest a number of potential determinants for this delay but do not specify which ones are most salient. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey, 123 pregnant teenagers, 64 of whom maintained their pregnancies and 59 of whom had abortions, completed a short version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Family APGAR test, and a study-specific questionnaire. RESULTS: Significant bivariate determinants of delayed pregnancy testing included young maternal age, black race, lower educational attainment, lack of pregnancy symptoms, continuing the pregnancy, and denial. Only denial, however, retained a significant net effect on delayed testing (P < .05) when the effects of these six variables were modeled using multiple linear regression. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that psychological barriers are the most salient determinants of delayed pregnancy testing among the teenagers surveyed in this study. Some teenagers may not volunteer information about a suspected pregnancy. Providers, therefore, should directly question teenagers about sexual activity and discuss the importance of early testing when pregnancy is suspected. Findings also suggest further research that would increase understanding of adolescent health behavior in pregnancy and identify effective clinical and educational interventions.
Adolescent↗
Laboratory differences in cervical cytology.
This prospective study was designed to determine if there is a difference in reporting endocervical cells in Papanicolaou smears among laboratories used by an urban, academic family practice. A review of the literature found no studies comparing Papanicolaou smear results among laboratories with respect to the presence of endocervical cells. In this study, three laboratories evaluated a total of 140 Papanicolaou smears from women aged 16 to 83 (mean = 33.8) for endocervical cells. The presence of endocervical cells was reported for 88 smears (62.9%) ranging from 42/83 (50.6%) to 21/23 (91.3%) among laboratories. Results of an analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant difference in the frequency of reporting endocervical cells (p less than .001) among the laboratories. Analysis of covariance controlling for effects of several factors known to influence the outcome of Papanicolaou smears (age, days since last menstrual period, method used to obtain smear, and experience of clinician obtaining smear) failed to explain this difference.
Adolescent↗
Parental attitudes toward physicians providing AIDS education to children.
This study was designed to determine whether parents would like their children to receive AIDS education from a family physician. Two hundred parents with children between the ages of five and 18 years completed a researcher-developed instrument assessing their opinions on AIDS education for their children. Seventy-six percent of the parents expressed a desire for their children to receive AIDS education from a physician. Topics requested by the parents included avoiding IV-drug abuse, safe sex, and sexual abstinence. The mean age at which the parents felt education should begin was 10.6 years (mode = 9.0 years). Based on the results of this study, physicians may wish to begin introducing AIDS education in routine patient visits with adolescents and pre-adolescents (ages 9-12), thus contributing to primary prevention.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
The doctor, the patient: a first-year course for personal and professional growth.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Medical education has tended to focus primarily on the biomedical aspects of care while neglecting the human side of patients and students. To help students become aware of student, patient, and family issues that may impact the doctor-patient relationship, a first-year course was developed. METHODS: This course consists of 12 didactic sessions and 10 small-group meetings led by family medicine faculty. Topics include self-assessments, analysis of videotaped doctor-patient interactions, genogram development, and family systems. Students have evaluated the course for content, strengths, weaknesses, and impact. RESULTS: This course was highly rated by the students. The students reported gaining insight into personal issues that might impact their interaction with patients. Students also became aware of the importance of family issues to their patients' health and well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Through courses like this, students may gain deeper insight into issues that impact them, their patients, and the doctor-patient relationship.
Evaluation Studies as Topic↗