Biomedical subjects

S R Hackworth

Publications and source records attributed to S R Hackworth.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1993

Physicians' practice patterns in pediatric electrodiagnosis.

The medical literature contains contradictory reports and recommendations regarding pediatric patients' pain and distress during electrodiagnosis. We surveyed 117 pediatric neurologists and physiatrists regarding their practice patterns in pediatric electrodiagnosis; 84 (72%) responded, of whom 44 (52%) regularly perform electrodiagnosis on children (mean = 85 per year, representing 3,667 examinations per year). Respondents reported extreme behavioral distress (eg, screaming, flailing, requiring additional restraint, or attempting to leave the examination table) in 35% of examinations, most often among 2- to 6-year-olds. Pain medications are never prescribed by 45%, occasionally by 48%, and always by 2%; general anesthesia is never administered by 75%, occasionally by 21%. Only 32% reported that any psychological intervention is routinely offered to enhance child coping. Wide variability was found in physicians' preferences about parental presence, order of examinations, demonstration of procedures, and other aspects of electrodiagnosis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Exploration of variables related to children's behavioral distress during electrodiagnosis.

To investigate variables potentially related to children's distress during electromyography/nerve conduction studies (EMG/NCS), mothers of 39 children ages two to 17 years reported the child's gender, experience with EMG/NCS, previous negative medical/dental experiences, general response to painful procedures, information-seeking style prior to procedures, health care fears, and information about the mothers' own health care fears and their anxiety regarding EMG/NCS. Physicians who performed the studies completed a behavioral distress checklist for each child. Results indicated that children exhibiting more behavioral distress were younger, had been uncooperative with previous painful procedures, were more likely to have had more negative medical/dental experiences, and had mothers who themselves reported greater fear and anxiety about undergoing EMG/NCS. Regression analyses indicated that previous negative medical/dental experiences accounted for additional variance in distress beyond that attributed to the child's age. Significant positive correlations between children's distress and specific previous negative medical/dental experiences were found.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Factors mediating children's health care attitudes.

Children (N = 55; ages 6 to 15.5 years) and their mothers participated in a study to gather psychometric data for the Children's Health Care Attitudes Questionnaire (CHCAQ), and to explore how several variables (child's age, sex, cognitive-developmental level, experience with illness and health care, and health locus of control; maternal health care attitudes and health locus of control; and family socioeconomic status) might mediate children's differential responding to this measure. Additional support was obtained for satisfactory internal consistency and construct validity of the CHCAQ. Patterns of intercorrelations of CHCAQ scales were generally consistent with previous findings. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that those factors mediating children's health care attitudes differ for each CHCAQ scale. Findings suggest that a modified CHCAQ may be a useful instrument for assessing adults' health care attitudes.

Adolescent↗