PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P S Karofsky

Publications and source records attributed to P S Karofsky.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Relationship between adolescent-parental communication and initiation of first intercourse by adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the level of communication between parents and adolescents and correlate the findings with onset of sexual intercourse. METHODS: This was a 10-year longitudinal study. Subjects filled out questionnaires at the time of each health supervision visit. The data in this article were harvested at enrollment and at the 5-year point. Comparisons of adolescent-parental communication were first compared between the virginal and nonvirginal groups at the initiation of the study. The results were then confirmed by adding data from patients in the virginal group who converted over the first 5 years of the study to the nonvirginal group. Two hundred and three patients, aged 12-21 years, were studied from a pediatrician's practice panel in Middleton, Wisconsin. The questionnaires inquired about grades and activities school, relationship with siblings and parents at home, and risk-taking behaviors involving alcohol, drugs, and sex with peers. Statistical analysis included the Student's t-test to determine the mean difference between groups. Fisher's exact test was used to evaluate the association of variables to the status of patients' sexual activity at enrollment. Multiple logistic regression was conducted on the initial enrollment data to examine the association between the initial covariates and patients' sexual status. RESULTS: During the initial survey, 172 enrolled patients were in the virginal group and 31 in the nonvirginal group. The virginal group had a higher rating of communication with their parents after adjusting for age (p <.001). To verify these findings, we examined an additional 29 patients in the virginal group who converted to nonvirginal status during the first 5 years of the study. We then compared the level of adolescent-parental communication between the subgroup who converted to nonvirginal status with the level of communication of the subgroup who remained virgins. Even after correcting for age, communication with the mother was significantly better in patients who maintained their virginal status (p <.01). CONCLUSIONS: Teenagers who perceive that they have a better level of communication with their parents are less likely to engage in sexual intercourse.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Commotio cordis in two amateur ice hockey players despite the use of commercial chest protectors: case reports.

We describe two recent deaths in 15-year-old male ice hockey players. Both adolescents died of commotio cordis from chest impacts by ice hockey pucks despite their use of commercially designed and manufactured chest protectors. Commotio cordis is discussed as a preventable sports-related injury in the adolescent age group, and the need for improved chest protective equipment in preventing such injuries is also examined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

The effect of the initial family interview on a pediatric practice.

To examine the effect of initial family interviews by health care providers on patients' use of health services, 177 patients and their families were randomly assigned to an interviewed (I) or a non-interviewed (NI) subgroup. Initial interviews would encourage families to bring their children in for health supervision visits, but discourage families from making after-hour telephone calls, using the emergency room and bringing the children to the clinic frequently for problem visits. The I families had an initial interview, attended by all family members. Both a physician and a nurse elicited patient histories and explained use of the emergency room, when to make after-hour calls, how to schedule appointments and other information about the clinic. If I families failed to have an initial interview, they were deleted from the study. In the NI subgroup, patient histories were elicited during a routine health supervision visit without the entire family in attendance, and information about emergency room visits, after-hour calls and appointment scheduling was provided during the same visit. After one year (1987) into the study and two years (1988) into the study, all patient charts were examined. Data analysis was performed using analysis of variance for repeated measures (ANOVA) and step-wise multiple regression of Statistical Analysis System. For 1987, the interview intervention explained a significant (p = 0.01) amount of variance in the number of problem visits (less in I) after controlling for months in the study and age of the child.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Family↗
PubMed1984

Infantile colic.

Infantile colic must be differentiated from other causes of recurrent irritability in infants. Several causes of colic have been described, including family stress, aerophagia (air swallowing), and the ingestion of iron supplements and cow's milk. Recent studies suggest that the elimination of cow's milk, and in some cases soy milk, from infants' diets when they are bottle fed or the elimination of cow's milk from mothers' diets if infants are breast fed decreases colic. Medications are of doubtful value in the treatment of this entity.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

A follow-up study of the impact of family therapy in the pediatric office.

Fifteen families received family therapy from a pediatrician and nurse practitioner. Most families began therapy because of school problems or behavior problems with one of the children. There was serious marital discord in nine families that resulted in divorce in two of them. At least one year after the families began therapy, they were recalled for interviews by a psychologist who was unknown to them. Information was obtained during these interviews that indicates (1) pediatricians and nurse practitioners were accepted in their roles as therapists by 14 of the 15 families and (2) all families rated their family therapy experiences as useful.

Child↗
PubMed1981

The electric blanket syndrome. A metaphor for family dysfunction.

One pattern of dysfunctional family interaction is described as a syndrome. Four case histories are presented in which different family members take polar positions on various continua. In one instance the continuum is oral communication, with garrulousness on one side and silence on the other. Another continuum is family responsibility, where one member of the family takes total responsibility and another takes almost none. The symbolic continuum is an electric blanket with hot at one extreme and cold at the other. In all cases, family therapy was performed by a pediatrician. Guidelines are discussed for treatment and for appropriate consultation with mental-health professionals.

Adolescent↗