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Biomedical subjects

O Russell

Publications and source records attributed to O Russell.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Assessing general practitioners' care of adult patients with learning disability: case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare general practitioners' care of adult patients with learning disability with that of control patients in the same practice. DESIGN: Case-control study of patients and controls by a structured interview study of general practitioners. SETTING: Avon. PATIENTS: 78 adult patients with learning disability and 78 age and sex matched controls--cared for by 62 general practitioners. MAIN MEASURES: Number and content of consultations and opinions of the general practitioners. RESULTS: There were more consultations for diseases of the central nervous system and of the skin among the patients than the controls (15 v 3 for central nervous system disease and 15 v 4 skin disease). There were also significantly fewer recordings of blood pressure and cervical cytology tests (34 v 51 for blood pressure and 2 v 18 for cytology). Although more patients were taking drugs affecting the central nervous system (33 v 6), more controls were taking drugs for musculoskeletal complaints (17 v 7). CONCLUSION: Although adult patients with learning disability consult with their general practitioners at equivalent rates to other patients, they get less preventive care and consult for different types of problems than do other patients. The reasons for these differences in preventive care are not clear. Carers and general practitioners should be informed of these differences to ensure that appropriate care is given.

Adult↗

Social and psychological responses to myocardial infarction: multiple determinants of outcome at six months.

Thirty one married men, under 65 yr of age, who were admitted to hospital with a suspected myocardial infarction, were interviewed on four occasions over six months. The patients' social and psychological responses during the course of his rehabilitation were elicited using a semistructured interview schedule. Determinants of outcome were assessed using multiple regression analysis. Return to work, exercise, leisure and sexual activity were all strongly influenced by somatic symptoms of chest pain, breathlessness, and tiredness. Lack of depression, not smoking, and support from the family doctor were important contributors to successful rehabilitation. Cardiac damage sustained at the time of admission did not appear to have any consistent influence on outcome. Half of the smokers had not resumed their habit at six months. Fewer men were working at six months than on admission. Somatic symptoms, anxiety and depression were considerable.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

The community mental health nurse: a new professional role.

This review of recent literature explores the similarities and differences between the work of community psychiatric nurses and their mental handicap counterparts. The comparisons which have been made between these groups of nurses are related to the authors' own research studies. These included an observational study of one community mental handicap nursing team and a national survey of all such teams in England and Wales. The importance of trad union membership, the place of the Community Psychiatric Nursing Association and the implications of joint training courses are discussed. The emergence of a new professional role, that of the "community mental health nurse" is discussed and the implications which this might have for the future organization of community psychiatric nursing services is outlined.

Certification↗