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Biomedical subjects

M Malus

Publications and source records attributed to M Malus.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Completed suicides among the Inuit of northern Quebec, 1982-1996: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The rate of completed suicide among Inuit in Canada has been alarmingly high in recent years, and the suicide rate among Inuit in northern Quebec has increased since 1982. Our objectives were to describe the characteristics of Inuit people who died by suicide in Nunavik between 1982 and 1996, and to identify the antecedents and correlates of completed suicide. METHODS: We carried out a case-control study of 71 people who died by suicide between 1982 and 1996 and 71 population-based living control subjects matched for sex, community of residence and age within 1 year. Comprehensive medical charts were reviewed for data on sociodemographic characteristics, medical and psychiatric history, childhood separations and family history, and use of health care services. RESULTS: Most of the case subjects were single males aged 15 to 24 years. The two principal means of suicide were hanging (in 39 cases [54.9%]) and gunshot (in 21 cases [29.6%]). About 33% had been in contact with medical personnel in the month before their death. The case subjects were significantly more likely than the control subjects to have received a lifetime psychiatric diagnosis (one or more of depression, personality disorder or conduct disorder) (odds ratio [OR] 4.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-15.2]) and to have had a history of psychiatric symptoms, disorder (including solvent sniffing) or treatment (OR 3.5 [95% CI 1.4-8.7]). The case subjects had experienced more severe types of nonpsychiatric illnesses and injuries than the control subjects (p = 0.04). The case subjects had more lifetime contacts with health care services than the control subjects (p = 0.01) and were more likely than the control subjects to have had contact with health care services in the year before death of the case subject (p = 0.03), even when psychiatric diagnoses were controlled for in conditional regression analysis (OR 1.02 [95% CI 1.01-1.04] and 5.0 [95% CI 1.07-23.7] respectively). INTERPRETATION: Since case subjects had frequent contact with health care services, frontline medical personnel may be in a position to identify people at risk for suicide.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Computer-aided diagnostic system in dentistry.

A dental diagnostic system for patient database management, automated measurements, diagnostics and statistical estimation of health conditions is described. To increase the diagnosis quality various diagnostic tools are developed using several statistical methods. The analysis provides information about the importance of particular general, dental, and periodontal data which are further used in quantitative modeling of healing process in the oral cavity. The system supports clinician's diagnostic process and leads to improvement of decisions obtained by a conventional routine. Increased control and evaluation of different therapy types is enabled.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1996

Suicide attempts among Inuit youth: a community survey of prevalence and risk factors.

The prevalence of and risk factors for attempted suicide and suicidal ideation were examined with a survey of 99 Inuit, aged 14-25 years, residing in a community in Northern Québec. A total of 34% of survey respondents reported a previous suicide attempt, and 20% had attempted suicide more than once. A suicide attempt had resulted in injury in about 11% of those surveyed. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was also very high: 43% of subjects reported past thoughts of suicide, and 26% had had suicidal thoughts during the month before the survey. Risk factors for suicide attempts included male gender, having a friend who had attempted or committed suicide, a history of being physically abused, a history of solvent abuse, and having a parent with an alcohol or drug problem. Protective factors included a family history of having received treatment for a psychiatric problem, more frequent church attendance, and a high level of academic achievement. While individuals in the community who are at high risk for suicide can be targeted for preventive measures, the high prevalence and effect of family problems on likelihood of suicide attempts indicate the need for family- and community-based approaches.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Priorities in adolescent health care: the teenager's viewpoint.

The purpose of this study was to determine what issues teenagers want discussed or covered when they visit primary care physicians and to assess to what extent such discussion takes place. A questionnaire was administered to 1,564 students aged between 13 and 18 years in six high schools. Mean participant age was 15.3 years; 801 were male and 763 were female. Questions were drawn from both physical and psychosocial aspects of teenage life. The teenagers answered as to whether they would like to discuss the suggested topics on visits to physicians, and whether in fact such a discussion had taken place. The three topics of most interest to teenagers were physical fitness, nutrition, and growth. Teenagers wanted to discuss these topics in over 80 percent of the visits, and they indicated that actual discussion took place in just under 50 percent of the visits. Discussion of sexually transmitted disease was desired by teenagers 70 percent of the time, with a discussion rate of only 18 percent; contraception at 66 percent with a physician discussion rate of only 22 percent. If physicians discuss exercise, nutrition, and growth with teenage patients, in over 80 percent of cases they will be providing the patient with valued information. This initial dialogue will establish a base of communication that may allow for the discussion of issues teenagers often find more difficult (such as contraception, sexually transmitted disease, depression, drugs, and drinking).

Adolescent↗