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Biomedical subjects

J D Vernon

Publications and source records attributed to J D Vernon.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Smokers hospitalized in an urban, public hospital: addiction, stages of change, and self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND: This study characterizes adult smokers on the medicine service of an urban, public hospital, including stage of change, self-efficacy to quit, and nicotine dependence, and explores relationships between perceived and actual smoking-related illness and these three predictive variables. METHODS: Adult patients (n = 154) admitted to the Medicine service of Denver Health Medical Center in October and November 1996 were surveyed using a written questionnaire. RESULTS: The proportion of smokers in this population was 45.7% (95% CI = 42.0%, 49.4%). Adjusted for age and sex, the proportion of smokers in this population was significantly greater than in Colorado (28.8% vs 21.8%, P < 0.001). About half (54.2%) were willing to try free nicotine patches during hospitalization. Among smokers with diseases recognized as smoking-related, 30.4% believed their reason for admission was related to smoking, compared to 20.4% among those with no smoking-related diseases (P = 0.18). Patients who believed their hospitalization was due to smoking had greater intentions (P = 0.001) and self-efficacy (P < 0.001) to quit. CONCLUSIONS: Targeting smokers who perceive that their illness is smoking-related may optimize inpatient smoking interventions.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Post-traumatic syringomyelia: the results of surgery.

Between 1973 and 1982 twenty-seven patients with post-traumatic syringomyelia had operations performed to drain the cyst. Three types of operation were performed, cord transection, tube syringostomy to the sub-arachnoid space and tube syringostomy to the peritoneal cavity. Five patients developed proven blockage of their catheters. The results are presented. Pain was dramatically and gratifyingly improved in 14 patients. Motor power showed the most consistent improvement in 14 patients. Only eight patients showed the most consistent improvement in 14 patients. Only eight patients showed sensory improvement; this was the least likely to improve. The progress of the condition could be arrested in the majority of cases, but a small number continued to deteriorate and required further operations.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Post-traumatic syringomyelia.

A description is given of the syndrome of post-traumatic syringomyelia amongst patients with traumatic spinal injuries seen at the National Spinal Injuries Centre. The diagnosis was made on clinical grounds. It was confirmed wherever possible by neuroradiology prior to surgery; one case was confirmed only at post-mortem. The incidence of the condition was found to be in keeping with other large series but, in contrast, no difference was found between the time of onset after injury between complete and incomplete lesions of the spinal cord. The commonest manifestation was pain, followed by sensory loss and rarely motor weakness. In the majority of patients the condition eventually became bilateral and in a significant number the lesion ascended to involve the trigeminal territory. The natural history of the condition was followed, and in all cases the condition gradually progressed. The pathogenesis of the condition is briefly discussed in view of the findings.

Adolescent↗