PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

I Pullen

Publications and source records attributed to I Pullen.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Hunting the gowk?--Psychiatric community care in Scotland.

The implementation of the community care changes throughout the United Kingdom from 1 April will mark the culmination of a series of major health and social care reforms. The avowed aims of achieving value for money and improved consumer choice through the introduction of competitive internal markets have yet to be tested. The political complexion of Scotland means that any proposed change to the NHS has tended to be greeted with a mixture of suspicion and resistance. As a result very few self governing trusts and fundholding general practices exist north of the border. And although Scotland has not had a wide reaching policy of moving psychiatric patients out of hospitals, community care for mentally ill people has advanced spontaneously.

Community Mental Health Services↗
PubMed1993

Prenatal screening for cystic fibrosis: attitudes and responses of participants.

A screening programme to detect cystic fibrosis heterozygotes has been running in the antenatal clinics of a major Edinburgh maternity hospital for more than 2 years. A questionnaire was used to assess participants' knowledge of the genetics of the disorder and their attitudes to being screened. The respondents were 64 female heterozygotes and 63 of their non-heterozygous male partners, 101 female controls and 100 male controls. Although the two groups of controls received far less direct information than the carriers and their partners, all four groups were well informed about the genetics of cystic fibrosis and the significance of being a gene carrier. A majority of each group felt that adequate information had been given in the information leaflet, that they understood the purpose of screening and that they were glad to have participated. There was a consensus that CF carrier testing should be routinely offered to pregnant women, and also that it should be available in family planning clinics and GP health centres, but not in schools.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1993

Prenatal screening for cystic fibrosis: psychological effects on carriers and their partners.

This study aimed to assess the psychological impact of screening for cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier status in a population of pregnant women. A cohort of 1798 women, who accepted the offer of testing before 18 weeks of pregnancy, filled in a self administered questionnaire seeking information on their perceived risk of carrier status and their emotional response, as well as a general health questionnaire (GHQ). Sixty-four women identified as CF carriers had partners who received a negative test result. This group and their partners were assessed, together with selected controls, on four further occasions: (1) on receiving the carrier's positive test result; (2) on receiving the partner's negative test result; (3) six weeks later; (4) six weeks after delivery. The instruments used were the GHQ and the Symptom Rating Test (SRT). When compared to control subjects, carriers showed a significant increase in generalised psychological disturbance which could be attributed specifically to symptoms of anxiety and depression during the period (average four days) that they awaited their partner's test result. On receiving a partner's negative test result, the carriers returned to control levels and maintained this equilibrium. Although there was no significant difference in generalised psychological disturbance between partners and their selected controls, partners did become significantly more anxious and manifested feelings of inadequacy while awaiting their own test result. Both male partners and male control subjects were more likely to become anxious if their partner was distressed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Prenatal screening for cystic fibrosis.

Screening for carriers of CF (cystic fibrosis) is now possible but the best way of delivering such a service is unknown. In one model 4348 women attending antenatal clinics in an Edinburgh maternity hospital were invited to participate in a trial of prenatal screening. Mouthwash samples were tested for six CF alleles (85% of mutant genes) and when a woman was found to be a CF carrier her partner was also tested. Heterozygous couples were offered prenatal diagnosis. 609 (14%) women declined to enter the trial and another 574 (13%) were not screened, usually because of late booking. Among the remaining 3165 women there were 111 carriers of a CF gene (1 in 29). 4 of these 111 had carrier partners and these couples opted for prenatal diagnosis, the 1 pregnancy with an affected fetus being terminated. The psychological impact of screening was assessed by the general health questionnaire. There was a significant increase in stress at the time of the test result among women identified as carriers. However, this disappeared when their male partners tested normal and did not reappear later in the pregnancy. By providing time for couples to discuss the possibility of screening and by offering the test at a point (the antenatal booking clinic) at which most pregnant women are seen, this approach has advantages, provided that counselling is readily available.

Alleles↗
PubMed1991

HIV-1 associated cognitive/motor complex in an injecting drug user.

The clinical and social consequences of AIDS dementia complex/HIV-1 associated cognitive/motor complex (ADC/HACC) in drug users have not been well documented. The value of prospective serial neuropsychological, neuroradiological and neurophysiological measurements to assist diagnosis of ADC/HACC in patients with premorbid personality disorder and intercurrent drug use is demonstrated. The psychosocial problems resulting from ADC/HACC with respect to community care and the location of hospitalization is considered. The relevance of the 1984 Mental Health Act (Scotland) with regard to drug users with ADC/HACC is discussed.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1988

Psychiatric clinics in different settings. A case register study.

Out-patient referrals to the Edinburgh adult psychiatric service between 1981 and 1985 were studied using the Edinburgh Psychiatric Case Register. The hypotheses that primary-care clinics have more patients with less severe illnesses and fewer patients with psychotic illnesses were confirmed.

Hospitals, Psychiatric↗
PubMed1985

Genetic counselling--a contemporary approach.

With improvements in living standards in many parts of the world and advances in medicine and surgery, infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies are becoming less common causes of morbidity and mortality. As these environmental diseases have declined, others have been uncovered which are largely, or even entirely, genetically determined.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1980

Ivory tower psychiatry.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Community Mental Health Services↗