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Biomedical subjects

F Kortmann

Publications and source records attributed to F Kortmann.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Moral assessment of growth hormone therapy for children with idiopathic short stature.

The prescription of growth hormone therapy for children who are not growth hormone deficient is one of the controversies in contemporary paediatric endocrinology. Is it morally appropriate to enhance the growth, by means of medical treatment, of a child wish idiopathic short stature? The medical, moral, and philosophical questions in this area are many. Data on the effects of human growth hormone (hGH) treatment will not on their own provide us with answers, as these effects have to be evaluated from a normative perspective. In this article we consider hGH treatment for children of idiopathic short stature from three normative perspectives: the goals of medicine, the good of the patient, and the public good. We argue that the prevention of psychological and social problems due to short stature (and not merely the enhancement of growth) should be the ultimate goal of medical treatment and research.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

[Management of indoor air pollution by polychlorinated biphenyl compounds exemplified by two Hagen schools].

An indoor pollution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) of about 4000 ng/m3 could be reduced by an average amount of 68% by temporary sealing of the primary source in combination with intensive cleaning. The costs were around DM 100,000.- for the school building containing 12 classrooms. Due to this procedure a continued usage of the building is possible until a concept of decontamination is available. In another building the PCB indoor pollution was reduced by 73% in a representative trial restoration, whereas the stripping of the paint with a chemical caustic substance induced a significant reduction of the PCB concentration. The usage of special air conditioners--called "Luftwäscher"--in the classrooms did not reduce the PCB concentration. The realisation of disturbing factors such as the fluctuation of the temperature is of great importance for judging the efficiency of decontamination procedures. The possible misinterpretation regarding the results and the data of decontamination procedures can be excluded by parallel measurements in control rooms. Costs induced by these additional analyses will be reduced by the early realization of ineffective steps.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Psychiatric case finding in Ethiopia: shortcomings of the Self Reporting Questionnaire.

Attenders of health care facilities usually present somatic complaints. It is important to identify the psychiatric patients among them, especially the neurotic complainers. They are at risk for being exposed to expensive somatic investigations and being prescribed useless and sometimes harmful drug treatment. The World Health Organization designed the Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ), to be a universally applicable psychiatric case finding instrument, for use in medical clinics. A feasibility study with this instrument was carried out with 110 respondents in Ethiopia. A moderate criterion validity was found, limitations being partly due to the sensitivity of the SRQ to help-seeking behavior, even in the absence of any mental illness. This study also revealed problems in transcultural communication because many of the diagnostic concepts used in this instrument were too western to be transposed unchanged to the Ethiopian culture. Items need fairly extensive modification to be applicable there.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

DSM-III in Ethiopia: a feasibility study.

A feasibility study of DSM-III on 40 Ethiopian visitors to a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Addis Ababa was carried out by a Dutch psychiatrist, with three of his Dutch colleagues. In spite of the highly idiosyncratic way in which Ethiopians present their complaints, the diagnostic criteria of DSM-III appeared to be useful to a certain extent. The outcome of an inter-rater reliability study was comparable with that of an American one. The results were congruent for the classes that are rather well-defined in the DSM-III, like the psychotic and affective disorders. This did not apply to the classes of the somatoform and factitious disorders. Possible reasons for this are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Comprehension and motivation in responses to a psychiatric screening instrument. Validity of the SRQ in Ethiopia.

The Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ), a psychiatric-case-finding instrument designed by the WHO for developing countries, was tested in Ethiopia. It was submitted to 40 patients attending a psychiatric clinic, 30 at a somatic clinic, and 40 subjects not attending a clinic. Forty per cent of the yes-answers were rated as invalid. The concept-invalidity contributed mainly to the rather poor criterion-validity of the SRQ. In addition, clinic patients seemed to heighten the number of yes-answers to express their need for help. The SRQ measured not only psychiatric complaints but also illness behaviour, even without the presence of any illness. This is a substantial disadvantage if the SRQ is applied to detect the psychiatric cases in the primary-care facilities.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Problems in communication in transcultural psychiatry. The self reporting questionnaire in Ethiopia.

It is often difficult for people from different cultural backgrounds to understand one another. On the other hand, this article provides some information about the problems Ethiopians have in understanding the concepts of Western psychiatry. In this study, the Western concepts are contained specifically in the items of the Self-Reporting Questionnaire, a psychiatric case-finding instrument designed by the World Health Organization. On the other hand, this article illustrates how Western-trained health workers often experience grave difficulties in understanding the - in their eyes, often bizarre - complaints of Ethopians seeking help. Western psychiatric jargon is culture-bound, and needs adaptation before being exported to other cultures.

Cross-Cultural Comparison↗