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Biomedical subjects

M Steyn

Publications and source records attributed to M Steyn.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Perception of life's meaning by drug-dependent patients].

This study aims to determine how the drug dependent patient subjectively experiences his purpose in life, as well as establishing guide-lines for activating an experience of a life with a purpose during the rehabilitation programme of the drug dependent patient. A qualitative model of research using an explorative and descriptive contextual study was used. By using a non-probable convenience selection method, 15 voluntary drug dependent patients were defined as units of analysis in order to determine the extent of their subjective experience of their purpose in life, using a semi-structured interview with the help of the "Purpose in life Test". The units of analysis complied with the criteria for drug dependency and were studied within the given context, i.e. the short term unit inside the hospital environment. Data obtained, after completing the instrument of measurement, was processed using the point allocation system of the attitude scale in the first section, a coding and frequency analysis of important words in the second section, and the phenomenological method of Giorgi in the third section. The results indicated that 14 out of the 15 units of analysis experienced their purpose in life as weak. From these results a programme for the activating of purpose in life experience was proposed and implemented on a single drug dependent patient who was selected as a case study. The data obtained during the presentation of the programme consist of summaries made by the therapist during the course of each session, and independent evaluations of the therapist and the patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

The snacking habits of white preschool children.

Three-day estimated dietary records were kept for 194 white 3- and 4-year-old children to determine and evaluate the extent, nature and quality of their snacking. All but 1 child ate between meals, with morning and afternoon snacking being favoured in terms of frequency and quantity. Soft drinks were consumed most frequently, followed by fresh fruits and fruit juices, sweets and chocolates, milk and sugar. Between-meal eating contributed more than one-third of the average day's energy and approximately one-quarter of most vitamins and minerals to the children's diets. Foods eaten between meals were, however, significantly less nutrient-dense than mealtime foods. Non-basic foods supplied more energy to the diet than any of the five basic food groups, but minimal quantities of micronutrients. Sugar consumption, mostly in the form of sugary foods and drinks, was high, but was not consumed exclusively between meals. Such children should be encouraged to make more use of basic commodities, particularly when snacking.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1990

Health actions and disease patterns related to coronary heart disease in the coloured population of the Cape Peninsula.

The health-related behaviour of the Cape Peninsula coloured population, which has been shown to have an adverse coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factor profile, is reported. Private medical services were used most often by participants: 54.1% and 51.6% of males and females respectively had made use of these services during the preceding year. Only 17.9% and 21.8% of males and females respectively had attended day hospitals during the year. Blood pressures were measured in 43.8% and 57.1% of male and female participants respectively during the year preceding the study. The results indicated the need for the measurement of blood pressure to determine the true prevalence of hypertension, since patient reporting of the condition was inaccurate. Attempts to give up smoking had been made by 44.4% of male and 47.1% of female smokers. About 75% of the participants were found to have hypercholesterolaemia, yet their knowledge of the prudent diet was poor and few reported appropriate dietary modifications to protect against CHD. Frequent reporting of hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension and constipation by the study population highlights the need for dietary education. Mortality rates (MRs) for CHD and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) for the coloured and the white populations were compared. In all age groups white males had higher MRs for CHD than coloured males, while coloured females older than 34 years had higher rates than their white counterparts. The coloured population had MRs for CVD that were higher than those of whites.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Hypertension in a rural South African white population and the effect of antihypertensive treatment on the risk of coronary heart disease.

The association between hypertension and coronary risk factors and the effect of antihypertensive treatment on coronary risk were investigated in rural South African whites aged 15-64 years. Almost 25% of men (range 1.9-46.6%) and almost 27% of women (2.1-56.2%) were hypertensive or being treated for hypertension; the prevalence increased with age, particularly among women. Only 25.8% of male and 43.4% of female hypertensives were being treated, and of these only 38% had controlled blood pressure. Hypertension was associated with a high serum total cholesterol level, a low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, a high body mass index, a high uric acid level, a high prevalence of coronary heart disease and, in men, high alcohol consumption. Treated hypertensives had a greater risk of coronary heart disease than untreated hypertensives. Men on beta-blockers had significantly lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than men not on treatment, while uric acid levels in both men and women on diuretics were higher than those of untreated hypertensives. Hypertension in the study population appears to be inadequately treated, and antihypertensive medication may impact adversely on metabolic risk factors. The goal of antihypertensive therapy should be a net reduction of coronary heart disease risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Media use and preference related to coronary heart disease of the coloured population of the Cape Peninsula. The CRISIC study.

As a part of a comprehensive coronary risk factor study among the coloured population of the Cape Peninsula (the CRISIC study), the media use and preference of the population were examined with a view to suggesting appropriate media for conveying health messages. A stratified sample (N = 976) was randomly drawn from the coloured population in the age group 15 to 64 years in the Cape Peninsula. Data were collected by means of a pre-tested questionnaire. Analysis of the data showed that information on the prevention of heart disease was obtained in greater measure from the mass media than from interpersonal communication. As far as media preference is concerned, television was considered the most effective medium factor conveying information to the community, followed by instruction given to school children. Greater use of health educators to convey health messages, as well as a multi-media approach, is suggested for a successful intervention programme.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

An evaluation of two guidance programmes to promote breast-feeding.

During the past ten years a comprehensive research project has been undertaken to develop a guidance programme in three adjacent communities in the South-Western Cape with the aim of lowering the high incidence of coronary heart disease. The purpose of this substudy was to determine whether the guidance provided in the different communities had any influence on the knowledge of and attitudes towards the nutrition of pregnant women, babies and infants as well as breast-feeding practices of the women who gave birth during the period 1980 to 1986. In the first community guidance was provided by means of small mass media and interpersonal communication whereas only the small mass media were employed in the second. The third served as the control community. The findings suggest that the combined interpersonal and mass media programme was more successful than the mass media programme alone.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1988

The relationship between alcohol consumption and coronary risk factors in the CORIS Study.

The cross-sectional relationship between reported alcohol consumption and coronary risk factors was investigated in the three-community Coronary Risk Factor Study (CORIS) population, consisting of 7,188 participants. Among drinkers of both sexes, the lowest level of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol, tobacco use, body mass index, total daily energy expenditure, uric acid and Bortner score were found at the lower end of the alcohol consumption range. Non-drinkers had higher mean values for most of these risk factors than light drinkers. An increase in alcohol consumption was associated with a progressive increase in almost all the risk factors. Although men used more alcohol than women, at comparable alcohol consumption levels women generally had lower levels of risk factors than men.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Just old age? A study of prostatism in general practice.

This study examines the proposal made by urologists that prostatism should be treated at an earlier stage by surgical intervention. A review of the notes of all male patients over the age of 60 years in a general practice showed that 43% of patients with prostatism had developed either acute or chronic retention prior to surgery. A prospective enquiry was therefore performed which revealed that 6% of the study population had undisclosed marked prostatism and a further 14% had mild prostatism. It was concluded that opportunistic screening should be considered as a method for achieving the earlier and more elective treatment of prostatism.

Aged↗
PubMed1987

Smoking patterns in the coloured population of the Cape Peninsula (CRISIC study).

A cross-sectional study of tobacco-smoking habits in a random sample of 976 coloured subjects aged 15-64 years revealed that smoking was common, 57% of men and 41% of women being current smokers and 10.4% of men and 9.6% of women having stopped smoking. Heavy smoking prevailed, indicating by mean daily consumption of 14.2 and 13.1 cigarettes among male and female smokers respectively; only 33.5% of male and 39.6% of female smokers used less than 10 cigarettes per day. Coloured smokers smoked more heavily during the weekend. Both men and women smoked mostly filter cigarettes. Forty-four per cent of male and 49.5% of female smokers stated that they had attempted to stop smoking, mainly for health reasons. More than one-third of the participants had a positive attitude to combating smoking, particularly those with an educational level higher than Standard 7. Former smokers and heavy smokers had a significantly higher prevalence of ischaemic heart disease than the other participants. Smoking was associated with a low body mass index, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, low socio-economic standing, high alcohol consumption and type A coronary-prone behaviour in men. In 1982 the economically active coloured population of the Cape Peninsula spent an estimated R36.2 million on cigarettes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Relationship between coronary-prone (type A) behaviour and other coronary risk factors in the coloured population of the Cape Peninsula.

In this investigation, conducted among 976 adult coloureds living in the Cape Peninsula, emphasis was placed on the relationship between type A (coronary-prone) behaviour and a number of other coronary risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, overweight and cigarette smoking), as well as certain demographic variables (age, occupational group and level of education). There was a fairly even distribution between high and low type A behaviour scores for both sexes in the groups aged 15 - 54 years, whereas there were proportionally fewer high than low scores in people between 55 and 64 years old. Housewives generally had lower scores than working women and other women who were not economically active. Both male and female respondents with high type A scores recorded on average higher systolic blood pressure readings. Type A men also smoked more than others. It appears that type A behaviour is mainly independent of other coronary risk factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Coronary risk factors in the coloured population of the Cape Peninsula.

A cross-sectional study of risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in a random sample of 976 coloured people revealed a population greatly at risk of CHD. The major reversible risk factors--hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension and smoking--were very common, with 56% of the men and 40% of the women smoking, 18% of both men and women being hypertensive and 17% of both sexes being hypercholesterolaemic. At high cut-off points 62,8% of the men and 59,4% of the women had at least one major reversible risk factor. At lower but real levels of risk, over 80% of the population was affected. Other risk factors such as inactivity, overweight, hyperuricaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and a positive family history of CHD were all common in this population group. A 'protective' high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of greater than or equal to 20% of the total serum cholesterol level was found in 74,5% of the men and 81,1% of the women. A comparison with available data on other South African population risk profiles shows marked differences. The need for preventive strategies in the coloured population is clear.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Toxic aspergilli from pistachio nuts.

Pistachio nut samples taken during various stages of development from orchards in Iran, showed that contamination with fungi occurred mainly during the later stages of nut development. Members of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium occurred most frequently. Of the Aspergilli, the species A. niger, A. flavus and A. fischeri var. spinosus occurred most frequently, followed by A. terreus, A. tamarii and A. nidulans. Twenty-two isolates comprising 13 species were tested for toxicity to ducklings. Isolates of known toxic fungi included A. flavus, A. niger, A. parasiticus, A. ochraceus, A. versicolor, A. nidulans and A. terreus. The toxicity of A. fischeri var. spinosus is reported. Chemical analysis showed that all isolates of A. flavus and A. parasiticus produced aflatoxin B1, the isolates of A. versicolor and A. nidulans produced sterigmatocystin while the toxic isolate of A. ochraceus did not produce ochratoxins.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMed1978

Isolation and purification of moniliformin.

A bulk purification procedure is described for moniliformin, a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium moniliforme. The method involves methanol extraction of suitably molded maize, aqueous extraction of the methanol-free residue, ion exchange chromatography with a NaCl concentration gradient, desalination, and crystallization. A pKa value of 1.70 as well as molar absorptivities of 19100 (lambda (H2O) max 229 nm), 5600 (lambda (H2O) max 260 nm), and 4700 (lambda (MeOH) max 260 nm) L/mole/cm are reported for moniliformin.

Cyclobutanes↗