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Biomedical subjects

E Rudy

Publications and source records attributed to E Rudy.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Ascertainment of pregnancies terminated because of birth defects: effect on completeness of adding a new source of data.

BACKGROUND: When evaluating preventive programs such as folate promotion and rubella vaccination, it is critically important to include terminations of pregnancy for neural tube defects and congenital rubella syndrome. Data from birth defects registries are often used for this purpose. The Western Australian Birth Defects Registry ascertains cases of birth defects in livebirths, stillbirths, and terminations of pregnancy for fetal abnormality, using multiple sources of ascertainment. METHODS: Data on terminations of pregnancy for fetal abnormality from the Western Australian Hospital Morbidity Data System 1980-1997 (not previously available to the Registry) were used to estimate the completeness of ascertainment of such cases by the Registry. Ascertainment-adjusted prevalences were calculated using capture-recapture methods. RESULTS: A total of 702 terminations with birth defects were identified among hospital discharges, most of which were already known to the Registry (87.9%). Of the 85 new cases, seven had a neural tube defect, 23 had a chromosomal defect, and 12 had confirmed maternal rubella infection during pregnancy. The ascertainment-adjusted prevalence was not importantly [corrected] different for birth defects overall or for these individual conditions, although the 95% confidence intervals for all birth defects, and for all chromosomal defects, did not include the prevalence based on registered cases only. CONCLUSIONS: The Western Australian Birth Defects Registry ascertains a high proportion of pregnancies terminated for fetal abnormality, and should therefore be a reliable source of data with which to assist in monitoring the effectiveness of preventive programs.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed2000

Ascertainment of birth defects: the effect on completeness of adding a new source of data.

BACKGROUND: The Western Australian (WA) Birth Defects Registry aims for complete ascertainment of birth defects in WA, but the proportions of birth defects in rural areas and in Aboriginal children are lower than in metropolitan and non-Aboriginal children. The effect on ascertainment of adding data from the Rural Paediatric Service (RPS) was investigated. METHOD: A file of all cases of birth defects for children born 1980-1997 and recorded on the RPS database was linked to the Registry. RESULTS: The addition of this new data source had little effect on the overall prevalence of birth defects (an increase from 5.38 to 5.41%). There was a slightly greater effect on the prevalence of birth defects in rural residents (4.67%-4.76%) and Aboriginal children (4.55-4.78%), although the prevalence for each of these groups is still less than for metropolitan residents and non-Aboriginal infants, respectively. All major categories of birth defects were represented in the new cases and, in general, their addition made little difference to the prevalence of each category. The exception was fetal alcohol syndrome, which increased from 0.13 per 1000 to 0.18 per 1000 once the 21 new cases from the RPS were added. CONCLUSION: Complete ascertainment of birth defects is important in developing and evaluating preventive programs, and in investigating clusters of birth defects.

Congenital Abnormalities↗
PubMed1995

The cost-effectiveness of a special care unit to care for the chronically critically ill.

To assess the relative value of healthcare programs, technologic innovations, and clinical decisions, policymakers are searching for ways to evaluate cost-effectiveness. What constitutes cost-effectiveness and how should it be measured? The authors discuss ways in which the cost-effectiveness of clinical programs can be measured and describes various methods of assessing both costs and effectiveness. Comparison of the cost-effectiveness of a nurse managed special care unit with that of traditional intensive care units illustrates some of these methods.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1990

Validation studies from the Western Australian Congenital Malformations Registry.

A series of studies was undertaken in 1989 to validate the data held by the Western Australian Congenital Malformations Registry. Comparison with hospital discharge data identified 1585 children six years of age or younger with malformations discharged from hospitals in Western Australia in 1986, 226 of whom were not already recorded on the Congenital Malformations Register. When the records of a special register for cleft lip and palate were examined, all cases of facial cleft known to the special register were also recorded on the Malformations Register. Comparison of the Western Australian data for major groups of malformations with data from the South Australian Birth Defects Register raised the possibility of under ascertainment in Western Australia of cases of congenital heart disease. Multiple sources of ascertainment and evaluation of the ways in which such sources are tapped are important factors in striving for complete and accurate information on congenital malformations for research and public health purposes.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1989

ICU family support group sessions: family members' perceived benefits.

The purpose of this research was to identify the relationship between attending an ICU family support group and the family's appraisal of stress, social support, and hope. In addition, the family members' perceived benefits of attending an ICU family support family support group session does not significantly change stress levels, feelings of hope, and social support. Analysis of data reconfirms that family members of critically ill patients have a tremendous need for information. Although findings revealed that the majority of the family members who attended the support session would recommend attending again, it is unclear whether the support session method is the most beneficial and cost-effective means to support families of critically ill patients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

Comparison of two types of communication methods used after cardiac surgery with patients with endotracheal tubes.

In this study we compared two types of communication techniques (planned and unplanned) for effectiveness in communication in the early postoperative intubation period with patients who had cardiac surgery. In this quasi-experimental study we used a sample of 40 patients undergoing open heart surgery who participated in preoperative teaching. The control group (n = 20) relied on the experience and creativity of the nurse to provide a method of postoperative communication. The experimental group (n = 20) was introduced to a communication board before surgery and used the board during the postoperative intubation period. Each patient completed an open-ended patient interview, a patient satisfaction questionnaire, and a visual analogue scale to assess satisfaction with communication after discharge from the intensive care unit. An independent t test indicated that a planned method of communication does significantly increase patient satisfaction in the early postoperative intubation period (t = 2.09, p = 0.05, n = 35). Content analyses of the patient interviews further supported this finding. Validity of the patient satisfaction questionnaire was supported by a high correlation (r = 0.70) with results from the visual analogue scale. Nurse satisfaction with communication during intubation was analyzed by use of a nurse satisfaction questionnaire and open-ended questions that were completed by the nurse after caring for the patients in this study. A dependent t test (t = 1.25, not significant, n = 20) and content analysis indicated that planned communication did not increase nurse satisfaction; however, it did add to the repertoire of methods that nurses currently use in trying to communicate with their patients.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of suction catheter insertion and tracheal stimulation in adults with severe brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of suction catheter insertion and tracheal stimulation on cerebrovascular and systemic vascular status in adults with severe traumatic brain injury. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, within-subject design. SETTING: Two university-affiliated critical care units. SUBJECTS: Thirty intubated and mechanically ventilated adults with severe brain injury. The participants' average age was 31 +/- 15 years. OUTCOME MEASURES: Mean intracranial pressure (MICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and heart rate (HR) were measured. INTERVENTION: Endotracheal suction catheter insertion with tracheal stimulation was performed. RESULTS: Suction catheter insertion and tracheal stimulation, isolated from other components of the suctioning procedure, significantly increased MICP, MAP, and CPP. HR was not significantly increased. During the application of negative pressure for actual suctioning, MICP and HR significantly increased, whereas MAP and CPP did not significantly change compared with catheter insertion. CONCLUSION: Tracheal stimulation during suction catheter insertion initiates both cerebrovascular and systemic vascular responses during the suctioning procedure. Study findings suggest that a potentially productive direction for intervention research is to identify ways to minimize airway stimulation during the suctioning procedure.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Brain death.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Brain Death↗