Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Kehoe.
Our study confirms that multiple medications are frequently taken by relatively healthy residents of a retirement village, the more so when they are less socially active during the day, and when they are living in hostel accommodation. There were few drug combinations that caused a potential interaction, suggesting that safe use of medication by the elderly should be an achievable goal.
From 1984 to 1986 a prospective study was conducted of 104 general practice patients who started treatment with a benzodiazepine or an antidepressant drug. The duration of reported use of the drugs was two months for 45% of patients, four months for 17% of patients, and six months for 15%. Type of drug, age, and level of education were found to be predictive of continuing use. General practitioners have a significant effect on their patients' use of drugs and, with careful selection and review when prescribing, may help to prevent dependence on psychotropic drugs.
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One hundred and seventy five subjects admitted to hospital for neurotic conditions were assessed as to their personality types. Forty seven percent were judged as having personality traits consistent with the diagnosis of asthenic personality disorder. Thirteen of the 138 symptom, life history and psychological test items examined were found to be associated with the asthenic traits. Condensation of these thirteen items by factor analysis showed that two features--anxiety proneness and inability to cope with stress--together defined the disorder.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have examined methods of delivery of brief interventions and reinforcement contact and their effects on physicians' utilization of smoking cessation interventions. In this study the objectives were: (1) to determine the ongoing utilization by family physicians of a brief smoking cessation intervention 6 months after a training workshop and (2) to examine the effect of reinforcement contact on physician utilization. A supplementary aim was to assess point prevalence abstinence among patients identified as ready to quit smoking. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial of family physicians (98 in the Contact and 100 in the Noncontact group). Training was conducted in a 2-hr workshop. Doctors in the Contact group received three brief telephone calls at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 4 months after training. Main outcome measures were: (1) utilization, determined by responses to a mailed questionnaire about use of the program, and (2) the number of booklets distributed by full-time doctors, collected by practice secretaries or research assistant. RESULTS: At 6 months 88% of physicians (93% of the Contact group and 84% of the Noncontact group, P = 0.06) were current users of the smoking cessation intervention. Full-time physicians in the Contact group distributed significantly more booklets (40.1) over 6 months than those in the Noncontact group (32.8) (P < 0.05). Twenty-one percent of patients reported not smoking at follow-up at an average of 9.9 months after intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Most doctors continued to use the program 6 months after training and reinforcement contact encouraged greater recruitment of patients.
Pain is a complex phenomenon which challenges healthcare providers to develop multidisciplinary diagnostic and treatment competencies. This paper reviews literature on idiopathic odontalgia and tooth hypersensitivity without apparent cause, and considers the role bioelectric mechanisms may play in the onset and treatment of these moderately common disorders. The hypothesis considers that such pain may be associated with health disturbances in areas remote from the teeth and periodontium. A multidisciplinary approach to preventive dental health is discussed along with factors which may impact the outcome in the treatment of dental pain.
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