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Biomedical subjects

I H Cisin

Publications and source records attributed to I H Cisin.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Changes in popular attitudes and beliefs about tranquilizers. 1970-1979.

In nationwide surveys of the extent and nature of psychotherapeutic drug use conducted in 1970 and 1979, respondents were also questioned about their knowledge of tranquilizers and attitudes toward the use of these medications in general and in specific situations. In both 1970 and 1979, most Americans believed that tranquilizers were effective; by 1979, however, we found a sharp increase in the proportion of respondents who believed that these medications were overprescribed. Reservations about the effects of tranquilizers on health, mood, and behavior had also become more widespread by 1979. In both 1970 and 1979, however, respondents were generally more accepting of tranquilizer use when presented with practical situations pitting benefit against risk. A majority condoned the use of tranquilizers in situations involving pronounced impairment.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Crime as a source of income for narcotic addicts.

Although it has been well documented that narcotic addicts derive the bulk of their income from criminal activities and that there are major differences between black and white addicts, interview data presented in this paper show little difference between the two races with respect to the degree of dependence on criminal income. However, the results also highlight the diversity among narcotic addicts in that there are some individuals who derive none of their funds from illegal sources, thus suggesting that not all addicts should be treated in the same manner.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1984

Anxiety disorders: prevalence and treatment.

A method is reported for classifying survey respondents according to syndromes resembling some of the anxiety disorders as defined by DSM III, using responses to a standard clinical symptom checklist administered on a large scale in the U.S.A. by trained survey interviewers in the 1979 National Survey of Psychotherapeutic Drug Use. These syndromes ('agoraphobia/panic', 'other phobia', and 'generalized anxiety') have several characteristics consistent with their DSM III diagnostic counterparts. They show 1-year prevalence rates of 1.2%, 2.3%, and 6.4%, respectively, roughly in accord with the limited relevant epidemiological data available. The prevalence of these anxiety syndromes is lower than clinical lore suggests. The very low prevalence of use of antidepressants (8%) and the much higher rate of use of anti-anxiety agents (55%) among agoraphobics are surprising. The infrequent use of anti-anxiety agents among respondents with generalized anxiety (27%) also is noteworthy. These findings suggest that the majority of persons with serious anxiety disorders still do not receive treatment or the most appropriate treatment, although other possible interpretations of the data also are considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

An ecological analysis of the interrelationships among drug abuse and other indices of social pathology.

In a study of the interrelationships among 12 separate indices of social pathology, including drug abuse, in which census tracts were the units of analysis, moderate to high intercorrelations among all indices were observed. A subsequent components-types factor analysis revealed only a single eigenvalue greater than unity, suggesting that the interrelationships among the several indices may be most parsimoniously explained in terms of a single underlying construct-generalized social pathology. Exact factor scores on this construct were computed for each tract, and those may be viewed as estimates of the degree of social upheaval present.

Crime↗
PubMed1983

Symptom checklist syndromes in the general population. Correlations with psychotherapeutic drug use.

Using symptom checklists administered on a large scale by survey interviewers in the 1979 National Survey of Psychotherapeutic Drug Use, we developed a method for classifying survey respondents by syndromes. These syndromes had symptoms and other characteristics consistent with their DSM-III diagnostic counterparts and showed one-year prevalence rates in accord with available epidemiologic data: Major Depression, 5.1%; Agoraphobia-Panic, 1.2%; Other Phobia, 2.3%; and Generalized Anxiety, 6.4%. However, the anxiety-related syndromes occurred less frequently than clinical lore might suggest. The data showed a very low rate of antidepressant use and a higher rate of antianxiety agent use among Major Depressives (11% and 23%) and Agoraphobics (8% and 55%). Also noteworthy were the infrequent use of antianxiety agents among respondents with Generalized Anxiety (27%) and the low frequency of both antianxiety (19%) and antidepressant (3%) drug use among persons with high distress who did not qualify for any syndrome. These findings suggest that the majority of persons with serious psychiatric disorders still do not receive treatment or the most appropriate treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Evaluating a household survey measure of psychic distress.

This paper describes a study to assess the validity of a brief household survey measure of psychic distress (PSYDIS). The measure classifies persons according to their pattern of scores on four dimensions, including anxiety and depression. Study subjects were interviewed first as respondents from the general population in a cross-sectional household survey. Then, according to their ratings on PSYDIS, subsamples were selected for psychiatric evaluation in a clinic a few weeks later. The survey ratings of 287 persons were compared with evaluations of the same persons by experienced psychiatrists. Overall levels of concordance ranged from 76% to 80%, depending on the psychiatric criterion used. Concordance was very high for women; it was lower for men and for persons classified as High on PSYDIS. We than applied two analytic strategies for increasing agreement between the clinical judgements and the clinical ratings. Strategy number I augmented the symptom checklist data with additional survey data on the subject's history of episodes of distress. Strategy II revised procedures for constructing the PSYDIS typology by (1) using more rigorous cutting point scores on the component scales, and (2) using a non-typological method of classification. The first strategy improved agreement between the clinic and survey measures; the second did not. The paper also compares PSYDIS with other brief symptom checklist measures.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1981

Addict careers. I. A new typology.

The notion that narcotic addicts constitute a homogeneous class has little utility for research on etiology, prevention, and intervention. Historically, various classification schemes have been suggested, tailored to particular applications. In this paper a new typology of addict careers is developed, based on the concepts of opportunity and motivation to use narcotics. The question addressed is: During the first decade of addiction, how much time is occupied by (1) narcotic addiction, (2) incarceration, (3) nonaddiction in the community? Preaddiction correlates of the typology are examined in a sample of addicts who became known to police during the past quarter century.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Addict careers. II. The first ten years.

The varying life-styles of narcotic addicts in Baltimore during the first decade of their addictive careers are examined with respect to the following: (1) periods of addiction, (2) transitions from addiction, (3) periods of nonaddiction. Emphasis is upon the relationship between aspects of the life-styles and the characterization of addicts according to a typology based on the concepts of opportunity and motivation to use narcotics. What emerges is a general hypothesis linking social class, associated competencies, and pattern of addiction.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1981

Addict careers. III. Trends across time.

A study of Baltimore narcotic addicts who have come to the attention of authorities during a 25-year period provides the basis for an analysis of changes across time in the personal characteristics and life-style attributes of the addict population. Trends are presented wih respect to (1) racial composition, (2) social status, (3) residential stability, (4) educational attainment, (5) occupational stability, (6) juvenile delinquency, (7) criminality, (8) age at onset of addiction, and (9) drug of choice. Also examined are changes in the distributional composition of a typology of addict careers based on concepts of opportunity and motivation to use narcotics.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Psychic distress, life crisis, and use of psychotherapeutic medications: national household survey data.

Findings are reported from a nationwide survey of a cross-section probability sample (N = 2,552) of US adults. Data on psychic distress were obtained from a shortened version of the Hopkins symptom checklist, data on life crises from a shortened version of the Holmes-Rahe social readjustment rating scale. Methods for collecting data on use of psychotherapeutic medications were validated in a separate study. Data are presented on the prevalence of high levels of psychic distress and life crisis among various age, sex, and other demographic subgroups; on the relation between life crisis and psychic distress; and on the relation of life crisis and psychic distress to use of psychotherapeutic medications and alcohol. The findings suggest an illness behavior model for the use of psychotherapeutic medications in outpatient practice, and the lend little support to a "self-indulgent consumer" interpretation.

Adolescent↗