Females incarcerated for drug-related offenses represent one of the fastest growing populations within jails and prisons. The few studies of female offenders with substance abuse disorders depict a population with multiple psychosocial problems and treatment needs, and one that is characterized by frequent exposure to sexual abuse and other violence. The current study examined intake assessment results from a sample of 1,655 substance-involved jail inmates referred to a jail treatment program in Tampa, Florida, including 26% female and 74% male inmates. The study was designed to identify gender differences in psychosocial characteristics and substance abuse treatment needs among jail inmates. Results indicate that female inmates more frequently experienced employment problems, had lower incomes, more frequently reported cocaine as the primary drug of choice, and were more likely to report depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior, and a history of physical and sexual abuse. Implications for developing specialized treatment approaches for female offenders are discussed, including use of integrated treatment strategies.

Female↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Accurate platelet counting in an insidious case of pseudothrombocytopenia.

Anticoagulant-induced aggregation of platelets leads to pseudothrombocytopenia. Blood cell counters generally trigger alarms to alert the user. We describe an insidious case of pseudothrombocytopenia, where the complete absence of Coulter counter alarms both in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid blood and in citrate or acid citrate dextrose blood samples was compounded by the fact that the massive aggregates were exclusively found at the edges of the blood smear. Non-recognition of pseudothrombocytopenia can have serious diagnostic and therapeutic consequences. While the anti-aggregant mixture citrate-theophylline-adenosine-dipyridamole completely failed in preventing pseudothrombocytopenia, addition of iloprost to anticoagulants only partially prevented the aggregation. Only the prior addition of gentamicin to any anticoagulant used resulted in a complete prevention of pseudothrombocytopenia and enabled to count accurately the platelets.

Aged↗