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Biomedical subjects

P S Cowen

Publications and source records attributed to P S Cowen.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Elder mistreatment: implications for public health dentistry.

Elder mistreatment has increasingly been recognized as a serious and complex health issue affecting large numbers of elders each year. Health professionals have been found to lack knowledge regarding assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and reporting criteria of this problem. In dentistry, there have been recent calls for more research and publications as well as requests for professional policy statements and guidelines. Public health dentistry, with its emphasis on prevention, can lend guidance and leadership at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. This article reviews the types and prevalence of elder mistreatment, discusses predisposing variables, and offers an ecological model that serves as a guide to interventions directed at all levels of elder mistreatment prevention.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

A new disorder of hyaluronan metabolism associated with generalized folding and thickening of the skin.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and characterize a new disorder of hyaluronan metabolism associated with marked abnormalities of cutaneous tissue and to determine whether a relationship with a phenotypically similar disorder in the shar-pei dog exists. METHODS: Biopsy specimens of the skin of a child with extreme cutaneous thickening and folding were examined by light and electron microscopy. The concentration of hyaluronan and the activity of hyaluronidase were measured in the patient's serum and plasma, respectively, and the activity of hyaluronan synthase was examined in cultured dermal fibroblasts. Hyaluronan concentration was also measured in the plasma of 23 shar-pei and 34 control dogs. RESULTS: The patient's skin displayed gross accumulation of hyaluronan, and the serum concentration of hyaluronan was markedly elevated (up to 3100 microg/L) during infancy. Hyaluronan synthase activity of cultured dermal fibroblasts was increased, whereas hyaluronidase activity in plasma was normal (5.5 +/- 0.08 IU/L). Plasma hyaluronan concentration was higher in the shar-pei dogs than in control dogs (median, 378 microg/L vs 73 microg/L, respectively). CONCLUSION: The child we describe has a novel disorder of hyaluronan metabolism, which appears to result from abnormal control of hyaluronan synthesis. An analogous disorder may be present in the shar-pei dog.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Necrobiotic pernio.

A 21 year old man complained of pain and burning sensation on the helices of both ears, precipitated by cold weather. Examination showed tender erythematous nodules. Biopsies of both ears showed the characteristic vascular and inflammatory changes of pernio. In addition, in the left ear, there were foci of necrotic collagen surrounded by palisaded histiocytes. The presence of necrobiosis in pernio has not been reported previously. In this case, necrobiosis would appear to have a vascular basis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Crisis child care: an intervention for at-risk families.

Crisis child care programs provide parents in crisis with a break from the stresses of childrearing and provide at-risk children with a safe environment. This study describes parenting stress as the construct of measurement in a pilot project in a predominantly rural midwestern state. The Parenting Stress Index/Short Form (PSI/SF) was used to measure the amount of stress experienced by the parent as a result of the parenting role. Comparisons of the mothers' PSI/SF pretest and posttest scores indicated significant improvement in the construct areas of Total Stress. Parental Distress. Difficult Child, and Life Stress. Comparison of child maltreatment rates indicated that there was a significant decrease (X2 = 16.91, p < 0.0001) in the reported incidence of child maltreatment in the rural counties with a crisis child care program compared with counties that did not offer this intervention. Overall, these findings indicate that crisis child care is an effective preventive intervention for at-risk families. The investigator suggests that nurses enhance their collaborative relationships with these programs to provide a more seamless avenue for both receiving and providing referrals.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effectiveness of a parent education intervention for at-risk families.

ISSUES AND PURPOSE: Although many parenting programs exist to prevent child maltreatment, few are supported by research evidence. This study explored whether parents who completed the Bavolek Nurturing Program improved their parenting attitudes. DESIGN AND METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from a larger study involved a convenience sample of 154 families from 15 county child maltreatment prevention councils. RESULTS: On the pretest, parents demonstrated scores associated with maladaptive parenting practices. Posttest scores were consistent with nurturing parenting attitudes. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Effective and readily accessible parent education programs are highly indicated for prevention of child maltreatment. It is important for nurses to have the information either to provide effective parent education interventions or to be able to refer parents to effective programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Child neglect: injuries of omission.

Child neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment in the United States. Researchers have indicated that child neglect is strongly correlated with poverty, single-parent caretakers, unemployment, and multifaceted family problems. When neglect is present, it is usually pervasive in the lives of all family members, with both parents and children often perceiving themselves to be powerless and viewing attempts at goal achievement to be futile. Treatment for neglectful families requires multidisciplinary efforts to improve family functioning and promote a safe and supportive environment. Nurses have a variety of roles in the assessment of and primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions for child neglect, with child safety and optimal family functioning as the desired outcomes. Early identification and intervention has the potential for reducing or preventing the developmental consequences associated with the deprivations of neglect. The nurse's role as child/family advocate is often the critical determinant of whether "at-risk" families are identified and receive the therapeutic interventions and tangible services they need. Additionally, nurses often have direct responsibilities for monitoring and remediating parenting patterns that have placed the child in hazardous conditions.

Adolescent↗