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Biomedical subjects

M Pennock

Publications and source records attributed to M Pennock.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Diagnostic accuracy of fever as a measure of postoperative pulmonary complications.

Various prevalence rates have been estimated for pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery, and fever has been thought to be a diagnostic indicator. This study quantifies the diagnostic accuracy of fever as a measure of postoperative pulmonary complications and includes the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Assessments using fever and chest x-ray film were determined for 270 patients after elective intra-abdominal surgery in three hospitals with six practicing surgeons in a Southern Ontario city. With use of reliable chest x-ray reports indicating lung pathologic findings as positive for pulmonary complication, the prevalence of a positive finding was 57%. The prevalence of a fever (temperature greater than or equal to 38 degrees C) was 40%. The sensitivity and negative predictive value of fever were slightly below 50%, and the specificity and positive predictive value of fever was 68% and 66% respectively. Fever was an accurate indicator of x-ray evidence of atelectasis in only 56% of the subjects. Therefore, neither the presence nor the absence of fever can assure clinicians of the presence or absence of a postoperative pathologic pulmonary complication such as atelectasis.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1985

Psychosocial adjustment of burn survivors.

The purpose of this study was to assess the magnitude and predictors of psychosocial adjustment in burn victims. It was postulated that once individuals sustain a burn, their long-term psychosocial adjustment is a function of their present coping responses, social resources, burn severity and time since burn. It was expected that these variables could also be used to identify individuals at risk for psychosocial maladjustment. A historical cohort analytical survey of 340 randomly selected adults and the mothers of 145 children who had sustained either major or minor burns during the past 12 years were administered the Coping Scale, Participation in Social and Recreational Activities Index, Social Support and the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale. The children's mothers also completed the Family Environment Scale and the Child Behaviour Checklist. In summary, the variance in psychosocial adjustment among adults was related to unemployment, loss of occupational status, avoidance coping, and little involvement in recreational activities. Together, these variables explained 40 per cent of the variance in psychosocial adjustment. Severity of the burn and time since the burn were not related to psychosocial adjustment. The prevalence of psychosocial maladjustment among the adults was 10 per cent and 15.7 per cent among children. Psychosocial adjustment among children was not related to the severity of the burn. The less adjusted children could be distinguished from adjusted children on the basis of their mothers' adjustment and methods of coping. The findings tended to refute the commonly held view that post-burn adjustment is associated with burn severity and suggests psychosocial adjustment is a function of both coping responses and social resources.

Achievement↗
PubMed1985

Quality assurance.

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Accreditation↗
PubMed1984

Methodological problems in studies of burn survivors and their psychosocial prognosis.

As the psychological adjustment of burn survivors is a subject of increasing interest, 21 studies on psychosocial adjustment to burns in adults and children are reviewed. These studies are commonly cited as a basis for determining the direction of future research. Eight methodological guidelines are applied to these studies of prognosis. Limitations are identified with the major focus of the paper being to assist in the development of more rigorous methodology in order to promote the optimal rehabilitation for burn survivors.

Adaptation, Psychological↗