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Biomedical subjects

J A Ritchie

Publications and source records attributed to J A Ritchie.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

School-aged children's interpretation of their experience with acute surgical pain.

This study examined the intensity of pain children experience following surgical procedures, the relationship between analgesic administration patterns and perceived level of pain, and children's affective, cognitive, and sensory interpretation of their experiences with pain. The sample included 24 children between 7 and 11 years of age who were hospitalized after abdominal, orthopedic, or urologic surgery. Children rated the intensity of their pain on a visual analog scale three times on the day after surgery. A chart review examined analgesic administration. On the third day after surgery, children were interviewed about their experiences with pain. The findings provide insight into the content of children's fears and concerns when they have postoperative pain, and how they interpret their responses and the responses of others in the management of their pain experience.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

Control of gingivitis and calculus by a dentifrice containing a zinc salt and triclosan.

The effect of unsupervised brushing with a dentifrice containing two antiplaque agents, 0.5% zinc citrate and 0.2% triclosan, on gingival health, plaque, supragingival calculus, and the oral flora was compared to brushing with a non-active control dentifrice. Volunteers were given oral hygiene instruction and their teeth were professionally cleaned. They then used a placebo dentifrice for a pre-experimental phase of 1 month, before being stratified into two groups on the basis of their initial plaque, gingival bleeding, and calculus levels, sex, and age. Over the following 6 months, one group used the control while the other used the test dentifrice. Plaque levels, gingival bleeding, and calculus were assessed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Supragingival plaque was sampled for microbiological analysis at the initial examination, at 3 and 6 months (conclusion of study period) and 3 months after the study. Representative oral bacteria and the development of bacterial resistance to triclosan were monitored. Results showed that plaque was reduced and gingival health significantly improved during the 1-month pre-experimental period. During the experimental period, this improvement was not maintained by the control group as gingival bleeding and calculus increased. In contrast, gingival bleeding and calculus levels of the test group were maintained significantly below those of the placebo group. Plaque levels were lower in the test group after 3 and 6 months, but the groups were not significantly (P = 0.05) different. No shifts in oral flora or development of bacterial resistance to triclosan were detected.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Microbiological and clinical effects of a dentifrice containing zinc citrate and Triclosan in the human experimental gingivitis model.

A partial mouth experimental gingivitis model was employed to establish the effect of a dentifrice containing 0.2% Triclosan and 0.5% zinc citrate on the development of chronic gingivitis. In addition, changes in the plaque flora associated with the developing gingivitis have been monitored. Following a period of stringent oral hygiene, volunteers were allocated to 1 of 2 treatment groups. A toothshield was constructed to fit 4 posterior mandibular teeth. During the 21-day experimental period test or placebo dentifrice was applied to the experimental teeth via the tooth shield. The toothshield also prevented plaque removal from those teeth during habitual brushing of the remaining dentition. Supragingival plaque was collected at baseline and day 21 for analysis of the total bacterial flora. At the end of the experimental period, plaque and gingivitis had developed in both groups. However, the test group had significantly less plaque and gingivitis than the placebo group. The microbiological data demonstrated that plaque from the test group contained significantly lower numbers of anaerobes compared to plaque from the placebo group. This was considered particularly significant as these bacteria are generally associated with chronic inflammatory periodontal disease. There was also a trend for the numbers of actinomyces to decrease in plaque from the test group but not in the placebo group.

Actinomyces↗
PubMed1989

Nurses' perceptions of their relationships with parents.

Twenty-five children's nurses were interviewed and asked to select and describe two relationships, one satisfying and one dissatisfying, that they had had with parents of hospitalized children. The data were analyzed using interpretive strategies, and five types of parent-nurse relationships were identified: negotiated, reciprocal, adversarial, asynchronous, and ineffective. It seemed that the nurses' relationships with parents were social rather than professional, and that the nurses had difficulty caring for certain parents. The nurses' descriptions indicated that they either did not have knowledge of communication skills, conflict management and family-centered care to provide therapeutic, goal-oriented care for parents, or had difficulty utilizing that knowledge in practice. Various factors in the environment may have contributed to these difficulties. This descriptive study was conducted to provide some understanding of the interpersonal difficulties that often exist in relationships between nurses and the parents of hospitalized children.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Mothers' perceptions of coping behaviors in hospitalized preschool children.

This study determined mothers' perceptions of coping in their hospitalized preschool children. Thirty-two mothers were interviewed using open-ended questions to determine their views of coping, what behaviors they described their children using in difficult situations, and what they did to help their children cope. They indicated which of the 40 items on the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist (CCSC) they considered to be coping behaviors. The answers to the open-ended questions were content analyzed. Twenty-two mothers described coping as an outcome--that is, as the degree of adaptational success. Seventy-five percent or more of the mothers identified 22 of the CCSC behaviors as coping; 15 of these behaviors were from the subscales of Information Seeking, Seeking Comfort/Help, and Growth/Independence. Eight items were viewed by fewer than half of the mothers as coping, and included regression, denial, withdrawal, and control by preventing events. The mothers described the strategies they used to help their children manage difficult situations; the predominant strategies were providing information and comfort. The implications of the findings are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Nurses' perceptions of coping behaviors in hospitalized preschool children.

This study examined nurses' perceptions of coping in hospitalized preschool children. Thirty nurses were interviewed using a structured questionnaire and open-ended questions. Analysis included content analysis of the nurses' definitions of coping, strategies used to help children during stressful procedures, and classification of nurses' emotional responses to specific coping behaviors. The majority of nurses defined coping as an outcome, fewer than one third as a process, and none as a trait. Over 80% saw 21 of 40 coping behaviors as coping. Most of these included information-seeking, direct action, seeking help, and movement toward growth or independence. Behaviors that 80% or more of the nurses saw as coping elicited pleasant emotional responses; those that fewer than 50% saw as coping elicited unpleasant responses. Overall, the nurses described 10 types of strategies to help children cope. Only six nurses described more than five types. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

Coping behaviors of hospitalized preschool children.

This study examined the coping behaviors of 208 hospitalized preschoolers during high stress and low stress events. The children were observed during 722 events and their behaviors were recorded on the Children's Coping Strategies Checklist (CCSC). The group included acutely and chronically ill children. While the preschoolers used more coping behaviors in low-stress events than they did in high-stress events, there were very few differences between the number of coping behaviors used by chronically ill and acutely ill children. The tendency to use fewer coping behaviors in high-stress events was more marked in the acutely ill children. There were larger differences in the specific coping behaviors used in high-stress and low-stress events. The types of coping behaviors used most frequently were Information Seeking (watching and visual examination) and Direct Action (tension reducing involving self, control by active participation, and control by preventing or delaying an event). The children used very few Independence/Growth and Intrapsychic coping behaviors. The research and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1986

Towards better nutrition: lip service or a realistic fight?

Progress towards the objective of the World Food Conference of 1974 that "no child should go to bed hungry" is reviewed. The low market price of primary products keeps developing countries poor. Yet in these countries industry rather than agriculture has been supported by governments. All regions are increasing total food production but population growth threatens to offset this increase. In some areas there is decrease in food production per head of population. In many countries the social situation of women affects the nutrition of families. Other causes of malnutrition are discussed and future policies are recommended.

Africa↗
PubMed1979

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with lorazepam, hyoscine butylbromide, and ispaghula husk.

A double-blind controlled therapeutic trial of factorial design was used to study the therapeutic effects of lorazepam, hyoscine butylbromide, and ispaghula husk in 12 randomised blocks of eight patients with the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Each of the three agents caused a sustained symptomatic improvement in some of the patients, although only with ispaghula was the difference between the real and dummy preparation statistically significant. When the eight possible combinations of treatment were analysed none of the 12 patients who received only dummy preparations of the three agents had maintained any improvement over the three months of the trial. Seven patients improved among the 12 who received potent preparations of all three agents, and between four and six patients improved in the groups receiving one or two of the potent preparations. These therapeutic results, though far from perfect, show that the types of drug commonly used to treat IBS are of some value and may be additive in their effects. Similar combinations of other therapeutic agents may be more effective, but it will be possible to determine this only by carrying out factorial therapeutic trials.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Bridging the gap - some problems of communication and empathy in nutrition education.

Among the approaches needed for improving the nutritional status of children, an important one is helping families to develop and use their present resources better. This means, however, bridging the gap in understanding so that feasible advice is given and taken, and mutual trust established between rural people and those who try to serve them. The present paper discusses some of the reasons for this gap and possible ways in which it may be bridged.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Rectosigmoidal mucosal puckering and diverticulosis.

The association of diverticulosis with a thickened muscle wall in the pelvic colon is well known. There appeared to be a possibility that this muscular thickening might give rise to the rectosigmoidal mucosal puckering often seen through a sigmoidoscope. In 278 colonic motility studies, mucosal puckering was correlated with patient age, diverticulosis, and the symptomatology of the irritable colon syndrome. The prevalence of mucosal puckering increased with age at the same rate as that of diverticulosis, but the different percentage levels were reached some 25 years earlier in life. Mucosal puckering, which persisted in all subsequent examinations, showed no correlation with the clinical characteristics of irritable colon syndrome. Resistance of the bowel wall to distention was significantly greater in association with puckered rectosigmoidal mucosa than when the mucosa appeared smooth. It is concluded that rectosigmoidal mucosal puckering is probably caused by thickening of the underlying muscle; it is a precursor of diverticulois, and patients who have it should be kept on a high-residue diet.

Adult↗