PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

F R Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to F R Johnson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Erythrokeratoderma variabilis: case report and review of the literature.

A 5-month-old boy with erythrokeratoderma variabilis is presented. The parents noted that the asymptomatic erythematous plaques changed over the course of hours to days. Topical therapy with retinoic acid proved ineffective. A brief review of the literature is presented.

Administration, Topical

Radon risk communication research: practical lessons.

Those responsible for state and local radon programs often express frustration about the small share of homes that have been tested for radon, and the small share of those with high readings that have been mitigated. There are now a number of completed studies that have examined how well alternative ways of communicating about radon risk have accomplished the goals of motivating appropriate testing and mitigation. This paper summarizes the research results that are most crucial for planning and implementing effective radon risk communication programs. We identify six reasons why people do not respond to radon as a serious threat and provide some remedies suggested by radon studies.

Communication

Economic costs of misinforming about risk: the EDB scare and the media.

This study reports results of an analysis of consumer responses to news reports of grain-product contamination by the pesticide ethylene dibromide (EDB). The results demonstrate that it is possible to quantify market disruption related to the dissemination of risk information. Implications include the need for increased awareness among risk managers that public perceptions, regardless of their objective accuracy, can induce real economic costs. Such costs should be considered in designing regulatory and information policies.

Edible Grain

Radon risk information and voluntary protection: evidence from a natural experiment.

This study examines the perceived risks and mitigating behavior of Maine households who received new information on their exposures to significant health risks from indoor radon. The observed responses of these households illustrate conceptual issues related to designing an effective risk information program. Despite the involvement of generally well-motivated homeowners and well-intentioned researchers and government officials, we conclude that the risk information approach used in Maine failed to induce appropriate, cost-effective voluntary protection. The results indicate that, after receiving radon test results, information on associated health risks, and suggestions on how to reduce exposures: perceived risks tended to understate objective risks by orders of magnitude, and there was no statistically significant relationship between mitigating behavior and objective risks. These results suggest that the formation of risk perceptions and subsequent behavioral adjustments involve complex interactions among information, contextual, socioeconomic, and psychological variables. Therefore, government programs that seek to reduce health and safety risks with information programs, instead of using more conventional enforced standards, must be crafted very carefully to accommodate this complex process.

Air Pollutants

Esophageal atresia with double tracheoesophageal fistula.

Ninety cases of esophageal atresia (EA) with double tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) from the literature and 4 new cases are examined. The incidence may be more common than is generally recognized with incidences up to 5.3% reported. The pre-, intra-, and postoperative diagnosis may be difficult, and half have been missed initially with almost half of these being first recognized at autopsy. During repair of EA and TEF the proximal esophagus should be mobilized looking for a proximal fistula. Many proximal TEF are missed at the initial operation and discovered in the postoperative period. The symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of the unrecognized proximal TEF are similar to that for isolated TEF. Results should be good since this problem occurs in large babies with fewer and less complex associated conditions.

Esophageal Atresia

Acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis and pseudocyst due to mumps.

This is the first reported case of mumps hemorrhagic pancreatitis in a child, documented at operation, and by rising mumps titers and complicated by a pseudocyst. In severe cases when surgery is indicated, drainage of the lesser sac usually prevents pseudocyst formation. If a pseudocyst occurs, drainage is required to eliminate disabling pain and chronic pancreatitis. Live attenuated mumps vaccine may eliminate this source of pancreatitis from American children in the future.

Acute Disease