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Biomedical subjects

P R Polak

Publications and source records attributed to P R Polak.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Follow-up research in primary prevention: a model of adjustment in acute grief.

Investigated the effects of preventive intervention that followed the life crisis of sudden death in the family. Two bereaved groups of families (one of which received preventive intervention service) and one non-bereaved group were compared in an outcome design and were assessed for indices of illness, psycho-social disturbance, and general quality of life. The results revealed that sudden death has a two-stage impact upon family survivors and that subsequent adjustment can be predicted from a knowledge of facts at the time of death. A preventive intervention service had little or no impact and may have been harmful. Discussion centered on possible intervention strategies with a focus upon the complex determinants of environmental stresses and family/individual variables.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1976

Crisis intervention: effects of crisis intervention on family survivors of sudden death situations.

A controlled study that examined the effects of a short-term crisis service given to a group of families recently bereaved through a sudden death within the family is reported. The results reveal that sudden death does have a major impact on recently bereaved families in terms of increased risk of ill health, poor coping behavior, and disturbed social functioning when compared to nonbereaved families. However, the short-term crisis service appeared to have no major impact upon postbereavement adjustment. Discussion centered around possible reasons for failure of the short-term crisis services.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1976

A model to replace psychiatric hospitals.

A comprehensive system of community treatment in southwest Denver has reduced the need for adult psychiatric inpatient beds to less than 1/100,000 population. Six small, community-based therapeutic environments, crisis intervention, home treatment, social systems intervention, and rapid tranquilization comprise the essential components of this total community care system. The system operates within a framework of citizen participation and community control, the elimination of formal staff offices, and a focus on working in the real-life setting of the client and his family. To evaluate the effectiveness of community care, patients about to be hospitalized were randomly assigned to a psychiatric hospital or to community alternative treatment. Outcome measures at discharge and at follow-up completed by the client himself, treatment staff, and family members indicate that community treatment was more effective than psychiatric hospitalization.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed1975

Prevention in mental health: a controlled study.

The authors conducted a controlled study in which families who had experienced the sudden death of a family member were given crisis intervention services and compared at follow-up with two untreated control groups. Results did not support the hypothesis that such services decrease the risk of psychiatric illness, disturbed family functioning, or increased social cost to the families. The authors suggest that environmental and social systems factors and individual variables are powerful predictors of outcome in bereavement.

Adaptation, Psychological↗