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Biomedical subjects

E J Slater

Publications and source records attributed to E J Slater.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

The occurrence of pressure ulcers in three nursing homes.

BACKGROUND: In the 27 nursing homes located within the Veterans Affairs (VA) Central Region, the proportion of residents with pressure ulcers in 1986 varied from 2% to 16%. Three of these nursing homes were selected for study: nursing home A from the highest prevalence quintile, B from close to the median, and C from the lowest quintile. METHODS: Two indicators of pressure ulcer occurrence were calculated: the point-in-time prevalence of bedsores and the percentage of residents who were free of pressure ulcers at the beginning of a six-month study period but who had bedsores six months later. Data were also collected in each nursing home to determine the bedsore status at the time of admission and the resident's location if and when a bedsore began. RESULTS: The three institutions were generally similar in available measures of casemix and severity of illness. The ratio of nursing and medical personnel to residents was 29%-76% lower in nursing home A than in B or C. In nursing home A, the turnover of nursing personnel was about twice as rapid as that in B or C. In each institution the pressure ulcer statistics showed little variation from one six-month period to another. The average rates in nursing home A were 15.3% for prevalence and 10.3% for the six-month conversion from bedsore-negative to bedsore-positive status. The average rates in facilities B and C were, respectively, 6.9% and 3.5% for prevalence and 4.7% and 4.2% for the six-month conversion from negative to positive status. Furthermore, the number of new bedsores that developed during uninterrupted nursing home residence, per 100,000 resident days, was 36.5 in A, 10.8 in B, and 2.1 in C. CONCLUSIONS: The pressure ulcer statistics in nursing homes B and C were consistently superior to those in A. the interinstitutional differences could not be explained by the comparisons of scoring methodologies and of casemixes that were made. It is hypothesized that more favorable staffing patterns in B and C than in A contributed to more effective prevention of bedsores in the former two institutions.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Neuropsychological function in adolescents sustaining mild closed head injury.

Adolescents sustaining mild closed head injury were evaluated for mental functioning immediately following injury. Evaluation of their neuropsychological performance in comparison with healthy adolescents and adolescents sustaining severe closed head injury revealed a pattern distinct from the other two groups. Mildly injured patients exhibited some dysfunction in verbally based measures of learning, abstraction, and reasoning, while appearing unimpaired on measures of attention, motor speed, and visual memory.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Does mild mean minor? Recovery after closed head injury.

The sequelae of severe closed head injury has received much attention in the literature, but the effects of mild closed head injury are less well established. The course of an 18-year-old female who sustained a mild closed head injury is presented. Substantial gains in intellectual function were observed over the year postinjury, with the most dramatic improvement coming in the first 6 months after the accident. Psychologic adjustment did not mirror the cognitive recovery. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Adolescents with closed head injuries. A report of initial cognitive deficits.

Accidents represent the leading cause of morbidity in the adolescent age group. Closed head injuries (CHI) sustained in such accidents are frequently associated with cognitive deficits. The intent of this study was to explore the neuropsychological functioning of adolescents with CHI. Thirty-three teenagers who had sustained CHI as the result of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle/pedestrian accident were compared with orthopedically injured (n = 13) and matched, noninjured (n = 35) control groups. Results indicated that immediately after injury, patients with CHI performed poorer than their counterparts on measures of intelligence, cognitive flexibility, memory (particularly verbal recall), and verbal fluency. Thus, the findings indicate that adolescents who sustain CHI experience pervasive cognitive deficits immediately after injury that potentially interfere with reentry into their home, school, and peer activities.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1986

Remote monitoring using an induction loop.

An electromagnetic induction loop is used to transmit signals from a pulse and respiration monitor to a standard National Health Service hearing aid to facilitate remote monitoring.

Anesthesiology↗
PubMed1983

The effects of family disruption on adolescent males and females.

Given the rapidly increasing rate of marital dissolution, a staggering number of children are experiencing family disruption. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the possible effects of separation and divorce on the formation of adolescents' self-image. Additionally, this study sought to determine if adolescents from disrupted homes differed from those from intact homes with regard to anxiety levels, locus of control, and perception of their family. A total of 217 subjects participated in the study by completing a battery of questionnaires. Results indicated that males from disrupted homes had better self-concepts and better perceptions of their family environment than those from intact homes. The opposite results were found among females, emphasizing the difference between the sexes in adjusting to family disruption.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predictors of rehospitalization in a male alcoholic population.

The aim of this study was to determine demographic and psychological predictors of rehospitalization in a group of 238 alcoholic patients followed 6 months after hospital discharge. The relationship of the person's perception of the treatment environment and whether treatment was completed or not was also studied in regard to readmission. At the time of admission to an inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment Unit, patients gave demographic and medical, social, and vocational histories. They also completed a battery of psychological tests which measured symptoms, mood, and motivation. One week after admission they rated their perception of the treatment unit in regards to 12 dimensions of ward atmosphere. Of the 200 patients available for follow-up, 125 completed the 30 to 50 d treatment and 75 did not. Thirty percent of the patients were readmitted within 6 months. Patients with more stable life histories in terms of employment and family background were less often readmitted. Being depressed, angry, inert, and thoughtful (preoccupied) was associated with relapse. In addition, patients who had a low need to succeed at the time of admission were less prone to remain in the community. Perception of the treatment ward as more autonomous was related to longer community tenure. Whether or not treatment was completed was not associated significantly with readmission. Since hospitalization is costly both socially and economically, identifying predictors which distinguish those individuals prone to relapse may lead to the establishment of different goals for these patients within alcohol treatment programs.

Alcoholism↗