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Biomedical subjects

R H Curry

Publications and source records attributed to R H Curry.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Psychological androgyny and preference for intubation in a hypothetical case of end-stage lung disease.

Psychological androgyny theory (PAT) was employed as a model of the interpersonal (social) and task activities required of physicians for care of their patients. According to PAT, individuals with a large repertoire of task and social skills ("androgynous" individuals) should be optimally adaptable to contingencies reflecting varying combinations of task and social challenges. The authors examined the relationship between androgyny and preference for intubation on a patient management problem involving end-stage lung disease for 67 general internists and internal medicine housestaff from two hospitals. Results revealed a negative relationship between androgyny and preference for intubation, suggesting that androgynous and nonandrogynous physicians respond differently to complex and difficult decision-making tasks. Indirect evidence is offered to suggest that this response reflects a general tendency to utilize fewer health care resources. Discussion focuses on the need to improve the precision of measurement of these latent constructs.

Extraversion, Psychological↗

Psychological androgyny and preference in loss-framed gambles of medical students: possible implications for resource utilization.

Physician decisions concerning allocation of health care resources to patients are highly variable and poorly understood. Psychological androgyny theory (PAT) has been employed as a model of the interpersonal and task activities required of physicians for care of their patients. Several studies have successfully predicted physician resource utilization using measures derived from PAT. Using a sample of 97 first-year medical students, the authors explored the relationship between PAT and risk preference in loss-framed gambles in order to elucidate the process whereby variables derived from PAT predict resource utilization. As hypothesized, students selecting the certain loss had significantly higher mean androgyny scores than did students selecting uncertainty. Research involving these constructs is integrated in the context of a theoretical "causal model," which highlights issues deserving of future research.

Choice Behavior↗

Participation rates, weight loss, and blood pressure changes among obese women in a nutrition-exercise program.

Since 1985, a black urban community in Atlanta has planned, implemented, and evaluated a cardiovascular risk reduction project. The Community Health Assessment and Promotion Project (CHAPP) was developed to reduce the high incidence of cardiovascular risk factors in the neighborhood's predominantly black population. Based on data from a needs assessment, a community coalition designed and directed a 10-week exercise and nutrition intervention targeted to obese residents between the ages of 18 and 59 years. The intervention consists of an orientation, attitudes assessment, selection of a specific exercise class, and twice-weekly information on nutrition and community resources. The program uses a wide range of strategies, including individual consultations, reminder telephone calls, incentives, and rewards, and free transportation and child care, to encourage participation. The exercise-nutrition intervention was provided to two separate groups. A total of 70 participants completed the intervention over a 7-month period. Program evaluation has demonstrated high participation rates and significant reductions in weight and blood pressures both immediately after the intervention and on 4-month followup. Since completion of this evaluation study, over 400 additional community members have participated in this intervention.

Adult↗

Community-directed cancer screening program.

The Atlanta Project, one of six American Cancer Society demonstration projects, is a community-designed and -directed breast and cervical cancer screening program focused on empowering African-American women to accept responsibility for their health maintenance. This article reports the project's goals, objectives, intervention strategies, roles of key project personnel, and outcomes. A total of 3852 women older than 40 years received breast clinical examinations, were taught breast self-examination, and had a screening mammogram; 2689 women obtained a pelvic examination and were screened for cervical cancer with a Papanicolaou smear. Of those women screened, 12 breast and 1 cervical cancers were identified and treated. Important lessons learned and successes achieved from this project were: (1) there is a need for joint planning with community representatives and their involvement in all aspects of the program's implementation and evaluation; (2) in addition to the commitment of the major participants, the community must "buy in" to the proposed health intervention; (3) the focus of the intervention should be on positive health messages; (4) cancer education materials should be culturally and literacy-appropriate; (5) the project's activities were planned to be sustained after the project period; (6) women can be empowered to accept responsibility for and control over their health.

Adult↗