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Biomedical subjects

L B Myers

Publications and source records attributed to L B Myers.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

How do patients who participate in cancer support groups differ from those who do not?

Research has shown that cancer patients in general benefit from support group participation. However, few patients attend such groups. This study investigated differences between participants of a community cancer support group and a random selection of non-participants from the Cancer Registry. Data were collected through mail survey, and included variables identified through past research and variables derived from Leventhal's self-regulatory model of illness representations and the theory of planned behaviour. Sixty-three support group participants and 44 comparison sample respondents were recruited. Support group participants were more likely to be female, without a partner, younger, and to have more education and formal support than non-participants. They held more favourable views of support groups, believed that significant others were favourable towards participation, and perceived less difficulty in joining a group. They furthermore used more active, adaptive coping strategies and felt more control over their cancer, but were more distressed and anxious. Non-participants reported more support from a special person. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed only psychosocial variables to be independent predictors of participation. As psychological variables are amenable to change, increase of appropriate support group participation should be possible, for instance by addressing patients' beliefs about support groups.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

'It's difficult being a dentist': stress and health in the general dental practitioner.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate overall stress, work-stress and health in general dental practitioners (GDPs). DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: A nationwide anonymous cross-sectional survey was undertaken using stratified random sampling of 2,441 GDPs in the UK.Main outcome measures Measures included perceived stress, Work Stress Inventory for Dentists, job dissatisfaction, measures of health symptoms and health behaviour, dental and demographic information. RESULTS: The main findings were that perceived stress was significantly correlated with measures of dental stress. Work-related factors: fragility of dentist-patient relationship, time and scheduling pressures, staff and technical problems, job dissatisfaction, percentage NHS, and number of hours worked per week together explained nearly a half of GDPs overall stress in their life (linear multiple regression, adjusted r(2) = 0.48, F (2, 2404) = 509.68, P < 0.0001). Health behaviours such as alcohol use was associated with work stress (r = 0.18, P < 0.001) and over a third of GDPs were overweight or obese. Sixty per cent of GDPs reported being nervy, tense or depressed, 58.3% reported headache, 60% reported difficulty in sleeping and 48.2% reported feeling tired for no apparent reason. These were all related to work stress (one way analysis of variance, F (1,2211) = 241.53 P < 0.0001, F (1,2214) = 86.17 P < 0.0001; F (1, 2215) = 125.55 P < 0.0001; F (1,2211) = 209.67 P < 0.0001 respectively). Levels of minor psychiatric symptoms were high, with 32.0% of cases identified. The amount of backache was also high (reported by 68.3% of GDPs). CONCLUSION: A high percentage of NHS dentistry was associated with high levels of overall stress in GDPs' lives, indicating that the nature of NHS dentistry should be carefully investigated to try to improve GDPs working conditions. A comparatively large number of dentists reported high levels of psychological stress symptoms, such as being nervy, tense and depressed, showing minor psychiatric symptoms, with alcohol use being related to stress. Other factors reported which were not related to stress but may be related to the actual practice of dentistry were that a third of dentists were overweight or obese and over 60% reported backache. Overall, these findings indicate the stressful nature of dentistry and difficulties in working conditions. The next step should be to develop interventions to help dentists to reduce stress in the dental surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Genetic screening for Alzheimer's disease: what factors predict intentions to take a test?

The authors investigated factors that predict intention to take a genetic test for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The 449 men and women were surveyed in two groups: (a) those told that a positive result meant a 90% chance of developing AD (increased certainty) and (b) those told that a positive result meant a 50% chance of developing AD (decreased certainty). Participants completed measures of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), anticipated regret, risk perception, likelihood of taking a genetic test for cancer, and AD risk factors. Just over 50% of the variance in intentions was related to TPB variables, likelihood of taking a genetic test for cancer, number of people the participants knew who had AD, experimental condition, and anticipated regret. The subjective norm was the strongest predictor of intention in the increased certainty group, whereas positive belief was the strongest predictor in the decreased certainty group.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Repressive coping and self-reports of parenting.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether women who possess a repressive coping style (repressors) self-report more positive judgments of their childhood on questionnaire and repertory grid measures compared with non-repressors. DESIGN: Repressors (low anxiety-high defensiveness) were compared with a composite group of non-repressors, containing some low anxious (low anxiety-low defensiveness), some high anxious (high anxiety-low defensiveness), some defensive high anxious (high anxiety-high defensiveness) and some non-extreme scorers. METHODS: Participants completed the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI; Parker, Tupling & Brown, 1979) and a 10 x 10 repertory grid, Self-Identification Form. RESULTS: On the PBI, repressors scored significantly higher than non-repressors on paternal care and significantly lower on paternal overprotection. There were no group differences for maternal measures. On the repertory grid, repressors compared with non-repressors perceived (a) themselves as significantly closer to their father, a woman they like, and their ideal partner, and significantly further from a woman they dislike, and a man they dislike; and (b) their father as significantly closer to a woman they like, a partner/person they admire, and an ideal partner. In addition, repressors were significantly tighter on construing than non-repressors. CONCLUSIONS: The results supported the hypothesis that repressors would rate their interactions with their fathers more positively than non-repressors when allowed to do so on self-report measures.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Repressive coping and the directed forgetting of emotional material.

Using a directed forgetting task, the authors tested in 2 experiments the hypothesis that repressors would be superior to controls in forgetting negative experimental material. Consistent with previous studies, there was an overall directed forgetting effect, with significantly more to-be-remembered material recalled than to-be-forgotten (TBF) material. In both experiments, repressors forgot more negatively valenced words in the TBF set than did nonrepressors, suggesting that repressors have an enhanced capability for using retrieval inhibition. The data offer preliminary support for a cognitive account of repressors' deficits in recalling negative autobiographical memories.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Illusory self-assessments--can they be reduced?

Research indicates that people have a high estimate of their personal ability and assess their vulnerability to personal risk as less than their peers. Even though these judgments have been found to be resistant to change, previous research suggests that making individuals accountable for their judgments may prevent certain illusory self-assessments developing. Two studies investigated whether accountability modifies estimates of personal ability and vulnerability. Results indicated that making participants more accountable for their judgments significantly reduces positive self-assessments. There was also some suggestion that the extent of the accountability effect is proportional to the magnitude of the accountability manipulation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Zolpidem (Ambien): a pediatric case series.

BACKGROUND: In 1993, the nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic zolpidem tartrate (Ambien) was approved for use in the US. Zolpidem has an imidazopyridine structure and possesses a rapid onset of action and a short half-life. The toxic threshold and profile have not been well established in the pediatric population. METHODS: All pediatric zolpidem exposures reported to a regional poison information center over 24 months were reviewed retrospectively from the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System data collection forms. RESULTS: Twelve pediatric zolpidem exposures were reported. Seven were unintentional (ages 20 mon-5 y) and five were intentional misuse/suicide (ages 12-16 y). The regional poison information center was contacted within 1 h in ten cases with onset of symptoms within 10 to 60 min (mean 31.6 min). One child had no effect with 2.5 mg. As little as 5 mg caused symptoms with minor outcome in six unintentional ingestions (5-30 mg). Minor to moderate symptoms were reported 1-4 h after intentional ingestions (12.5-150 mg). The duration of symptoms in the unintentional cases ranged from less than 60 min up to 4 h (mean 2.4 h) and 6-10 h (mean 7.5 h) in the intentional exposures. Treatment consisted of observation (4), syrup of ipecac (1), lavage and activated charcoal (1), activated charcoal alone (5), and unknown (1). CONCLUSION: Due to the very rapid onset of central nervous system symptoms in children, emesis is not a treatment option. Supportive care, activated charcoal in large ingestions, and observation until symptoms resolve may be sufficient in most pediatric cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Paroxetine (Paxil) overdose: a pediatric focus.

The antidepressant paroxetine (PAXIL) was approved for use in 1993. Thus far, this selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) has shown a high threshold for the development of toxic manifestations in adult overdoses. However, the toxic threshold doses and profile of toxic manifestations for pediatric exposures has not been well-established. All pediatric paroxetine exposures reported at a certified regional poison information center over a 24-mo period were reviewed. The parameters evaluated included age, amount, co-ingestants, symptoms, treatment and outcome. Thirty-five pediatric paroxetine exposures were documented. Ages ranged from 10.5 mo to 17 y. Paroxetine alone accounted for 28 cases and 7 were with concomitant medications. Of the paroxetine-alone ingestants, 16 cases were in children < or = 5 y (mean age 2.4 y) with ingestant amounts ranging from 10-120 mg. All patients remained asymptomatic with or without gastrointestinal decontamination. The remainder of sole ingestant cases included 12 patients > or = 12 y (mean age 17.2 y) who ingested 100-800 mg (mean 292 mg). Most remained asymptomatic. There were 7 patients in the co-ingestant group > or = 13 y. Only 2 remained asymptomatic, but the symptoms reported were also consistent with the co-ingestants taken. Paroxetine is less sedating and has fewer cardiovascular effects than the tricyclic antidepressants, even in the pediatric population. The high therapeutic index is consistent with other SSRI's. In contrast to more toxic antidepressants in the pediatric group, paroxetine overdose patients are less likely to develop toxic manifestations. Ingestions of 120 mg or less in children < or = 5 y led to favorable outcomes following gastrointestinal decontamination and minimal supportive care. However, continued evaluation of paroxetine is essential to determine more specific toxic thresholds.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Illusions of well-being and the repressive coping style.

Recently, the proposition that it is normal for people to see themselves in illusorily positive terms has been challenged and it has been suggested that this phenomenon may be explained by the contribution of subgroups of overly positive individuals. We investigated this possibility by examining the contribution of repressive individuals, who tend to avoid negative affect, to the illusions of unrealistic optimism and overly positive self-evaluations. Whereas normal and non-anxious controls showed no evidence of illusory biases, repressors rated themselves as significantly less likely than the average person to experience negative events, and rated negative words as significantly less descriptive of self than others. These findings support the hypothesis that, in judgements involving negative material, the presence of repressors may be contributing to findings of illusory biases.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

Recall of early experience and the repressive coping style.

We investigated recall of early experience and the repressive coping style by testing hypotheses concerning restricted access to negative childhood memories and eliciting accounts of quality of parenting received. Repressors free recalled fewer negative childhood memories than nonrepressors, and the age of first negative memory for repressors was older both in free recall and cued recall. Repressors' also took longer to retrieve negative childhood memories but not positive memories. Repressors' accounts of their childhoods were more likely to be characterized by paternal antipathy and indifference, and they were less likely to report an emotionally or physically close relationship with their fathers.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1983

Acetazolamide-responsive episodic ataxia syndrome.

We studied a kindred with an acetazolamide-responsive, episodic ataxia syndrome. Affected members experienced paroxysmal attacks of ataxia that were precipitated by exertion or stress. All but one young patient had additional neurologic symptoms that included paresthesia, weakness, headache, tinnitus, vertigo, and myotonia. All symptoms were prevented by acetazolamide. Between attacks, serum pyruvate and lactate levels and urinary amino acids were normal, but electroencephalograms showed paroxysmal, high-amplitude, slow and sharp activity. Serum K+ was normal during attacks. The metabolic abnormality seems to affect the cerebellum and brainstem and may involve peripheral nerve and muscle.

Acetazolamide↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interventionalists' guide to the patient's experience of lower extremity arterial occlusive disease.

This article is intended as a guide for all who propose to intervene in patients with symptomatic lower extremity arterial occlusive disease. It reviews the natural history of and therapies for intermittent claudication. The results of a survey of claudicants are summarized; this survey gathered data on claudicants' general health, comorbid conditions, symptoms of claudication, and functional abilities. Respondents predicted a 20% improvement in their ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living (eg, walking several blocks, climbing one flight of stairs, performing household tasks) if lower extremity symptoms were relieved. This level of improvement is consistent with that reported in the literature following revascularization. The conclusion is that patients with claudication have modest goals with respect to improvement following vascular intervention. More data should be collected on the functional outcomes of vascular intervention so that patients can make better informed choices regarding treatment of symptomatic lower extremity arterial occlusive disease.

Activities of Daily Living↗