Biomedical subjects
G Mendelson
Publications and source records attributed to G Mendelson.
Follow-up studies of personal injury litigants.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Psychosocial factors and the management of physical illness: a contribution to the cost-containment of medical care.
Cost-containment of medical care has become of increasing importance to both medical administrators and politicians. Recently, studies have examined the impact of psychological and psychiatric treatments on medical care utilisation and hospitalisation rates and the cost-effectiveness of such treatments. These studies have demonstrated that interventions based on a consideration of psychosocial factors in physical illness are effective in reducing the morbidity, and mortality, of a wide range of illnesses and that they lead to reduced medical care utilisation and a lower rate of hospital treatment. It has also been demonstrated that holistic management based on the 'biopsychosocial' model of illness is cost-effective and that there is an overall reduction of expenditure after allowing for the cost of the psychological or psychiatric treatment. It is concluded that further development of consultation-liaison psychiatry should be encouraged to promote awareness of the influence of psychosocial factors on physical illness and their early management as both clinically important and cost-effective.
Acupuncture treatment of chronic back pain. A double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Acupuncture treatment of chronic low back pain was studied in a placebo-controlled double-blind crossover trial completed by 77 patients. The patients had significantly increased depression, neuroticism, and hypochondriasis scores. Initial pain levels correlated with state-anxiety, depression, pain duration, and abnormal illness behavior measures, as well as with the intake of psychotropic but not analgesic medication. Overall reduction in pain score was 26 percent for acupuncture and 22 percent for placebo treatment; the difference was not significant (p greater than 0.6). Analgesic drug intake was reduced to a similar extent in both groups. During the first phase of treatment, patients receiving acupuncture had a greater but not significantly different reduction in pain rating scores compared with those receiving placebo (t = 0.52; p greater than 0.6). This group showed significantly lower pain scores (p less than 0.05) in the second phase of the trial while receiving placebo treatment. Overall reduction in individual patient's pain score was best predicted by initial pain severity (r = 0.43; p less than 0.001) and psychotropic drug intake (r = 0.37; p less than 0.001). None of the variables tested predicted which patients would specifically respond to acupuncture or placebo.
Not "cured by a verdict". Effect of legal settlement on compensation claimants.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Alexithymia and chronic pain: prevalence, correlates and treatment results.
The alexithymia scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory was used to determine the prevalence of alexithymia in a group of 60 patients attending a chronic pain clinic. It was found that 28 patients (47%) obtained scores in the 'alexithymic' range. The alexithymic patients had a significantly longer history of pain, but were not significantly older than the nonalexithymic group. Alexithymic patients showed significantly lower neuroticism, hypochondriasis, affective disturbance, and irritability scores. In a pilot study two subgroups of 15 alexithymic and 15 non-alexithymic patients were compared following a period of treatment; in both groups equal proportions of patients showed significant pain relief. Although this study does not support the view that alexithymia is of significance in the psychomaintenance of chronic pain, it is suggested that clinicians working with chronic pain patients should be familiar with the concept of alexithymia.
Placebo-controlled studies of ECT.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
"Neuritis dominans".
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Narcotic analgesics in headache.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Electrotherapy and "placebo" electrotherapy. A review.
Twelve studies comparing electrotherapy with "placebo" electrotherapy are reviewed. Ten studies have shown that electrotherapy is significantly more effective in the treatment of depressive illness than "placebo". These results are in keeping with the clinical view that electrotherapy is a valuable therapeutic technique which at times may be life-saving.
Pain. 3. Psychological aspects.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Pain. 2. Clinical aspects.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Psychological aspects of bronchial asthma in the writings of Isaac Babel.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Clinical thiamine deficiency in Australia.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.