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Biomedical subjects

L Hagan

Publications and source records attributed to L Hagan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Tobacco hypersensitivity and environmental tobacco smoke exposure in a pediatric population.

BACKGROUND: Skin testing and RAST have verified the existence of tobacco-specific IgE. However, published studies report conflicting results concerning the clinical significance of tobacco IgE. Previous studies have not focused on the role of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) as it relates to tobacco hypersensitivity (TH) in nonsmoking children. OBJECTIVE: We used nonsmoking pediatric patients to investigate the relationship between ETS and TH. METHODS: Children, ages 4 to 10 years, were prospectively enrolled. ETS exposure and smoke-triggered symptoms were recorded by questionnaire and physician history. Patients were given a skin test (ST) with a panel of aeroallergens plus tobacco extract. A ST reaction to at least one aeroallergen classified a patient as atopic; a ST reaction to tobacco classified a patient as TH. RESULTS: We enrolled 170 patients, mean age 7.2 years. We found 58 (34%) patients reported routine exposure to ETS and 78 (46%) patients reported ETS-induced symptoms. We found 121 (71%) atopic patients and 61 (36%) TH patients. TH was more common in atopic patients (P < .0001) and those routinely exposed to ETS (P < .05). However, TH failed to predict ETS-induced symptoms in either atopic or non-atopic patients (PPV = 0.40, NPV = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: We evaluated the clinical significance of TH in a nonsmoking patient population related to ETS exposure. We concluded that although TH is statistically related to atopy and ETS exposure, the low predictive values of skin testing for TH limit its clinical usefulness.

Asthma↗

Effects of an educational intervention on the anxiety of women awaiting mastectomies.

The purpose of this experimental study was to assess the effects of an individualized psychocognitive educational intervention on preoperative anxiety in women awaiting mastectomies. A total of 60 women aged between 27 and 65 years were randomly distributed to two groups of 30 participants. Using the Situational Anxiety Inventory (IAS) along with repeated-measures variance analysis, it was noted that, immediately following the educational interventions (both experimental and control) there was a significant reduction (p < 0.01) of anxiety with the experimental group having an additional reduction of 4.83 (p = 0.05). The day before surgery, only the experimental educational intervention resulted in a significant reduction (p = 0.03) of anxiety, but the difference between the two educational interventions was not significant. These results appear to support Lazarus and Folkman's stress, appraisal and coping theory which states that direct action on cognitive perception can influence a feeling of threat as assessed through the level of anxiety.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Mental health promotion in the local community service centres in Quebec.

The definition of the concepts of mental health and mental health promotion have been much discussed in Quebec for a number of years. The authors of this article present their point of view on the role the Local Community Service Centres (LCSCs) could play in implementing a mental health action plan. On the basis of a definition of the concepts of mental health and mental health promotion and an outline of the goals and objectives of mental health promotion, the authors discuss certain areas of intervention for the various sectors of practice in the LCSCs. Their article closes with some cautions about the limitations of health promotion in the LCSCs.

Community Mental Health Centers↗

Evaluation of telenursing outcomes: satisfaction, self-care practices, and cost savings.

Info-Santé CLSC, the Québec telenursing service, is a telephone health line nursing service that was implemented in 1995 in every local community service center (CLSC; n = 141) of 15 regional health authorities in the Province of Québec, Canada. It is, at present, one of the most important first-line health services and it operates in continuity with the other resources in the health and social service system. Info-Santé CLSC operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and received more than 2,260,000 calls in 1997. This article will report the findings from the first province-wide survey of the service, based on a stratified random sample of 4,696 callers. The findings revealed that most respondents were highly satisfied with the service; they followed the nurses' advice and carried out self-care measures as recommended. Nursing interventions helped respondents feel self-reliant, like they could solve the same or similar problems should they occur in the future. The vast majority of respondents considered that the call they made to Info-Santé CLSC was useful in finding a solution to their problems. The vast majority also claimed that they would certainly call Info-Sante CLSC again should another problem occur. The majority reported they would have turned to another type of resource if Info-Santé CLSC had not existed; half of the respondents stated that they would have used emergency departments and a third would have consulted a doctor in private practice.

Adolescent↗

[Beyond the patient].

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Attitude to Health↗