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Biomedical subjects

P Larkin

Publications and source records attributed to P Larkin.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Asthma prevalence and management in Australian adolescents: results from three community surveys.

Three population surveys of asthma, conducted as part of a community-based asthma education program in southwestern Sydney, Australia, illustrate the relationship between health behaviors and asthma morbidity. The first survey was carried out in five secondary schools (n = 2514, 52% participation rate); the second survey, in eight schools (n = 4550, 82% participation rate); and, the third survey was conducted among patients who attended 38 general practices in the region (n = 633 adolescents, 72% participation rate). The prevalence of diagnosed asthma in Australian adolescents across all three studies was 16.5% (95% CI, 15.7%-17.3%). Asthma prevalence declined in males, but increased in females from ages 12-15 years. It was noted that smoking prevalence was similar in asthmatic adolescents, compared with nonasthmatics, and that the adoption of smoking occurred at similar ages. Further, behavioral self-management of asthma was infrequent in this group, with low levels of preventive practice and preventive medication use. We present a conceptual model of the barriers to optimal asthma management among asthmatic adolescents. The results of these surveys have led to community-wide efforts to improve asthma management and decrease smoking prevalence among these adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Asthma under-recognition and under-treatment in an Australian community.

In a study in south-western Sydney, we examined asthma symptoms in a random sample of 4239 schoolchildren aged five-12 years. The prevalence of current wheeze and cough was 17.1% (95% CI 16.0-18.2%). Interviews were conducted with the parents of all 214 symptomatic children from two of the six schools. Only 60% of these children had ever been labelled as asthma, and only 20% were using appropriate asthma treatment. Fewer than 6% had ever had their airway function assessed. There was a socio-economic difference, with better levels of asthma recognition and management in children attending the school in the more affluent region. The findings suggest that asthma recognition, assessment and management in the Australian community, as in New Zealand and the UK, may need to be improved.

Asthma↗
PubMed1986

Effect of resisted knee flexion on knee extension torque.

We tested the principle of "reversal of antagonists" by measuring the effect of resisted knee flexion on subsequent peak knee extension torque at velocities of 60 degrees/sec and 120 degrees/sec using an isokinetic dynamometer. We determined peak knee extension torques from torque curves produced during knee extension that was performed reciprocally with either passive or maximum voluntary resisted knee flexion. We used a crossover design so that all 18 healthy adult subjects performed knee extension reciprocally with both passive and resisted knee flexion. Paired means t tests revealed no statistically significant difference between the peak knee extension torques produced under the two knee flexion conditions either at 60 degrees/sec or 120 degrees/sec. We, therefore, concluded that resisted knee flexion does not augment peak knee extension torque under our conditions of testing. The concept of reversal of antagonists was not supported. Antagonistic muscle functioning, therefore, may be irrelevant to agonist isokinetic testing and training in neurologically healthy persons.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

The obstetric performance of the grand multipara.

The computerized records of all women delivered between July, 1974, and June, 1975, at the Mater Mothers' Hospital were analysed, and the obstetric complications associated with grand multiparity were examined. Hypertension, preeclampsia, unstable lie, malpresentation and retained placenta are found to be more common in women of high parity. The low morbidity associated with these conditions in the data may have been related to the close supervision and active management carried out. Anaemia remained more frequent in the grand multiparous women despite modern antenatal care. Hypertension in the grand multiparous women could not be explained by age in the data presented. The cause for hypertension in this group of women remains obscure. Newborn babies of grand multiparas developed neonatal jaundice more frequently. The association between jaundice and oxytocic usage in the data only partially accounted for this observation.

Adult↗