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Biomedical subjects

M Farrelly

Publications and source records attributed to M Farrelly.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

How state counter-industry campaigns help prime perceptions of tobacco industry practices to promote reductions in youth smoking.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the impact of state media campaigns that prominently feature counter-industry messages on youth cigarette smoking, beyond the effects of price, secular trends, tobacco control efforts, and the national truth campaign. METHODS: Rates of youth smoking were compared in three groups of states: (1) those with long funded counter-industry campaigns (California, Florida, and Massachusetts); (2) states with more recently funded counter-industry media campaigns (Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, and New Jersey); and (3) other states. An analysis was performed for a series of national telephone surveys of 12-17 year olds between 1999 and 2002, controlling for differences in demographic background, the price of cigarettes, and exposure to the national truth campaign. RESULTS: Between 1999 and 2002, rates of current smoking and established smoking decreased significantly faster in states with established or more newly funded counter-industry campaigns than in other states. State counter-industry campaigns appear to prime, or make more salient, negative perceptions about tobacco industry practices. CONCLUSION: Results highlight the value of continued state counter-industry campaigns.

Adolescent↗

An examination of the role and function of psychiatric nurses in clinical practice in Ireland.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of the study was to describe the role and function of all grades of psychiatric nurse in clinical practice so as to clarify the nature and scope of psychiatric nursing services. BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE: The psychiatric nursing role in Ireland and the United Kingdom (UK) in recent years has undergone a period of great change. There is a new emphasis on health promotion, early intervention, community development, with nursing being provided closer to where people live and work as well as making access to services easier for vulnerable groups of the population. Role ambiguity and the difficulty with defining psychiatric nursing work is a constant theme in the psychiatric nursing literature and this leaves the profession of psychiatric nursing rather vulnerable during this period of intense change. DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive qualitative research design with a multimethods approach to data collection was utilized involving three disparate but complimentary methods. RESULTS AND FINDINGS: Following data analysis, nine categories of nursing role were identified; these included both independent and interdependent roles. Clearly psychiatric nursing occupied a pivotal role in all mental health care settings. A major proportion of psychiatric nursing related to caring interactions and this appears to be a central nursing element. The assessment and maintenance of patient's safety was also important as mental health problems may place the patient or others in a position where their physical safety is threatened. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that Irish psychiatric nurses have been innovative and initiated many new services in response to emerging needs. Our understanding of psychiatric nursing is far from complete and the immediate challenge is to determine the knowledge and skills base required for independent therapeutic roles in response to changing mental health care needs.

Documentation↗

Evaluation of S-100beta assays for the prediction of recurrence and prognosis in patients with AJCC stage I-III melanoma.

We performed prospective serial studies on 266 melanoma patients undergoing surgery for high risk primary or lymph node metastases to assess the predictive value for recurrence of melanoma of S-100beta detection in the serum using immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) or Immunoluminometric assay (LIA-mat). The tests for S-100beta were most frequently positive in the first 3 months after surgery. Results of the assays did not show a strong correlation with clinical stage of the disease. Studies on a cohort of 147 patients who had been followed for a minimum of 2 years post-surgery were carried out to assess the sensitivity of the assays for identifying patients who develop recurrence of their melanoma. The LIA-mat and IRMA assays detected S-100beta in the serum of 47.5% and 23%, respectively, of the subset of 61 patients who developed recurrence of disease. By Kaplan Meler analysis, patients positive for S-100beta by LIA-mat assay in the first 3 months post-surgery were shown to have an approximately 2.7 times shorter disease-free survival (DFS) period than patients negative for S-100beta. This was significant by log rank analysis. Multivariate analysis indicated that the presence of S-100beta was an independent prognostic determinant of DFS, and was independent of tumour thickness and lymph node status. This prospective analysis in a large number of patients suggests that assays for S-100beta in patients following surgical resection of AJCC stage I-III melanoma are of limited value for identifying patients who will develop recurrence of their disease. The results of the LIA-mat assays, but not the IRMA assays, do however provide an additional measure of prognosis that is independent of existing measures.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗

Efficacy of part- and full-time early intervention.

The effectiveness of an early intervention program to remediate developmental delays in children age birth to 3 years was examined in part- and full-time groups (Study 1). Significant improvements on age-appropriate measures of developmental standing were observed for both groups, with the greatest gains observed for the full-time group. In Study 2, the stress of parents with developmentally delayed children was measured on the Parental Stress Inventory. Reductions in stress related to children's characteristics and dysfunctional parenting skills were observed on some subscales, supporting prior research which indicated extension of the outcomes of early intervention beyond the child was desirable.

Child, Preschool↗

Depression following laryngectomy. A pilot study.

When a group of 10 patients who had received surgery for carcinoma of the larynx were compared with 10 control patients who had received radiotherapy for carcinoma of the larynx, four of the former but none of the latter were found to be suffering from depression, a statistically significant difference. Depression was associated with poor communication skills and geographical isolation. Psychiatric intervention is recommended for patients undergoing mutilating forms of surgery.

Aged↗