Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Lowry.
Humans have a deeply rooted, existential fear of death that lurks suppressed in their unconscious most of the time. Dr. Balfour Mount, a palliative care specialist, thinks this is one of the factors preventing the health care system from providing good and compassionate care for the dying.
Homelessness has become a visible part of Canada's urban landscape, infecting adult men and women, youths and families with children alike, and the issue becomes particularly serious as winter approaches. During a workshop in Toronto earlier this year, physicians, researchers and social workers examined the effects of homelessness on health, identifying many of the unique health needs of this vulnerable segment of society.
Two University of Toronto teaching hospitals have established chairs in women's health. Dr. Donna Stewart, who was appointed to the Lillian Love Chair in Women's Health at the Toronto Hospital, says the initiatives highlight the growing importance of women's health issues. Dr. Anna Day, physician-in-chief at Women's College Hospital, which established chairs in breast cancer and women's health research, hopes that a way will be found to coordinate women's health programs to avoid duplication of research efforts.
A pharmaceutical company is proceeding with clinical testing of a new compound that could make it easier for diabetic patients to maintain good control of blood-sugar levels. The compound, a peptide called amylin, appears to lessen wild fluctuations in blood-glucose levels by slowing the rate of gastric emptying and moderating the amount of postprandial glucose. Fran Lowry interviewed the researcher who discovered the peptide.
The Fraser Institute, a conservative think tank based in Vancouver, has called for the establishment of a parallel private health care sector to relieve pressure on the public system, encourage the development of medical technology, stimulate the economy and create jobs. The proposal includes establishment of competition by separating the roles of purchaser and provider of health care, and the creation of a medical premium account for each Canadian that would be funded by government but apportioned by the patient.
Computers are poised to become key players in the delivery of health care, but are physicians ready for them? A recent conference on medical communication in the electronic era examined the potential of computers to assist in diagnosis, provide continuing medical education, disseminate evidence and research findings, and simplify practice management. However, delegates were told that even though many medical practices are computerized, it is often staff members and not physicians who use the technology. For computers to gain wider acceptance for medical purposes, physicians need to be made comfortable with their use at an early stage of training.
Once the cornerstone of medical-school training because they taught the fundamentals of anatomy and the ravages of disease, autopsies are now done so infrequently that many of today's doctors graduate from medical school without ever having seen one performed. In 1950, 50% of deaths were followed by autopsy; in 1995, that rate has dropped as low as 7% in some North American hospitals. Critics say the procedure is expensive and that modern diagnostic technologies will reveal all they need to know about a particular disease process or illness; some physicians also fear lawsuits might be launched if autopsy data reveal they made an incorrect diagnosis. However, pathologists insist that the true value of autopsies is the quality assurance and ongoing education that they provide.
A Toronto physician has opened a new clinic for male patients, particularly highly stressed executives, who pay to have their physical, mental and nutritional health assessed. The Health Institute for Men, which opened in January, is located close to the Toronto Stock Exchange. It charges $450 for the initial visit, which includes a complete history, mental-assessment exam and thorough physical. The chair of the CMA Board of Directors considers the clinic a sign of growing entrepreneurship within Canadian medicine.
Widely reported cases of research fraud have eroded public confidence in scientific research. When funding agencies met last fall they underscored the importance of integrity in the research process and discussed steps that could be taken to promote it.
A woman from Hamilton, Ont., is suing a local hospital an three physicians, alleging that she suffered excessive pain while giving birth. The first-time mother alleges that she experienced excessive pain during delivery despite her repeated requests for pain relief.
A new group has been formed to represent chiropractors and other health care professionals who limit their use of spinal manipulation to the treatment of back problems, and who oppose claims that chiropractic can treat problems such as asthma and enuresis. However, some Canadian chiropractors respond that most claims that chiropractic can cure disease originate in the US, and that Canadian chiropractors are conservative in their claims. Some Canadian pediatricians are concerned that chiropractors are attempting to treat more children.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
AIM: To examine the characteristics of persons attending skin checks carried out by the Cancer Society of New Zealand. METHODS: Persons aged 20 years or over attending three skin checks open to the public in the Taranaki region in the summer of 1991-2 were surveyed regarding the presence of risk factors for melanoma and reasons for attending the skin check. RESULTS: Overall, more women (n = 159) than men (n = 120) attended the clinics. Questionnaire results were available for 197 of those attending (110 women and 87 men). The average age of the sample was 49.4 years; 99% were from a European background. Forty percent of the sample had two or more of the following risk factors for melanoma: sun-sensitive skin, history of severe burning, red or fair hair, being treated for a skin cancer, and a family history of skin cancer. Fifty-one percent reported at least one change in a mole over the last 12 months, and 42% gave the presence of a worrying mark on their skin as a reason for coming. CONCLUSION: Those who attended the skin checks were likely to be at increased risk of skin cancer compared to the general population, and more often came because of a specific skin lesion than for a general skin check.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.