An experimental study of the diagnostic process investigated the influence of a patient's perceived social characteristics upon use of the psychosomatic diagnostic category. S's heard recordings of a diagnostic interview in which an ambiguous medical problem was presented. The perceived social characteristics of the patient were manipulated using accent variations. Results showed that the diagnosis of the same presented problem varied as a function of the perceived SES of the patient, and was related to a variety of differences in stereotyped attributions of personality and interview behaviour. An explanation is offered in terms of the relation between a patient's SES and the doctor's uncertainty in his relationship with the patient, the psychosomatic diagnosis being used as a means of coping with this uncertainty.

Communication Barriers↗

PubMed1977

A prospective study of gastric and oesophageal carcinoma.

A prospective study of carcinoma of the stomach and oesophagus has been carried out for 2 1/2 years. Seventy-three cases of carcinoma of the stomach, and 16 cases of carcinoma of the oesophagus have been documented. For carcinoma of the stomach, operability rate was 72-6% and resectability rate was 41-9%; overall survival was poor, 20-9% at 12 months. For those who underwent resection, survival at 12 months was 45-5%. No cases of early gastric cancer are among those studied. For carcinoma of the oesophagus, four patients had a resection, and only one has survived for more than 12 months. In the clinical sphere there is a need for early endoscopic as well as radiological investigation of dyspeptic symptoms. In the research field there is a need for studies of chemotherapy in combination with surgery in the initial treatment of gastric carcinoma.

Adult↗

PubMed1968

Civilian arterial injury.

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Arteries↗