Biomedical subjects

Sharon A Simpson

Publications and source records attributed to Sharon A Simpson.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

General practitioners' perceptions of antimicrobial resistance: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of antibiotic prescribing often highlight the threat of antimicrobial resistance. Although most antibiotics are prescribed by general practitioners (GPs), little is known of their perceptions of this issue. The aim of this study was therefore to achieve a deeper understanding of GPs' perceptions of antimicrobial resistance. METHODS: A qualitative interview, grounded theory study. Forty GPs were interviewed, 26 from high fluoroquinolone prescribing practices and 14 from average fluoroquinolone prescribing practices. RESULTS: Most GPs were concerned about the broad issue of antimicrobial resistance and agreed that it was a growing problem. However, many said they infrequently encountered its consequences in their everyday practice and some questioned the evidence linking their prescribing decisions to resistance and poorer outcomes for their patients. They felt conflicted by their apparent inability to influence the problem in the face of many other competing demands. A number said they would welcome more information from their microbiological colleagues about resistance patterns locally, and felt that undergraduate and graduate education about antimicrobial prescribing and resistance should be enhanced. However, a few mentioned that a heightened awareness of antimicrobial resistance locally may cause them to prescribe more second line agents as empirical therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial resistance is only one of a range of important influences on GPs decisions whether or not to prescribe an antibiotic and is not the most immediate. These influences all need to be taken into account when promoting a more cautious use of antibiotics in primary care. More information from microbiologist colleagues about local resistance would be clinically useful, but on its own, may paradoxically influence some GPs to prescribe newer, broader spectrum agents more often.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2005

SSRIs and cognitive performance in a working sample.

BACKGROUND: Studies of the impact of antidepressant use on cognitive performance have frequently been carried out among the elderly or on healthy volunteers. Comparatively little research has considered their impact on a relatively young, working population, particularly within the context of everyday life. AIMS: To examine any association between SSRI use and cognitive performance, mood and human error at work. METHODS: SSRI users and controls completed a battery of laboratory based computer tasks measuring mood and cognitive function pre- and post-work at the start and end of a working week. They also completed daily diaries reporting their work performance. RESULTS: SSRI use was associated with memory impairment: specifically poorer episodic, though not working or semantic memory. Effects of SSRI use on recognition memory seemed to vary according to the underlying psychopathology, while effects on delayed recall were most pronounced among those whose symptoms had not (yet) resolved. There were no detrimental effects on psychomotor speed, attention, mood or perceived human error at work. CONCLUSIONS: The findings lend support to the SSRIs comparative safety, even among workers, particularly as the symptoms of the underlying psychopathology are successfully addressed. Possible memory impairments may, however, be found in those taking SSRIs.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Minor injuries, cognitive failures and accidents at work: incidence and associated features.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of information examining minor injuries and cognitive failures in the workplace. AIMS: This study aims to describe the incidence of, and characteristics associated with, minor injuries, cognitive failures and accidents in the workplace. METHODS: The study was a community based postal questionnaire survey of people selected at random from the Electoral Registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil; 7980 questionnaires were returned. RESULTS: Frequent/very frequent minor injuries were reported by 9.8% of the workers and frequent/very frequent cognitive failures (e.g. problems of memory, attention or action) by 10.5%. Work accidents requiring treatment were reported by 5.6% of the workers. Minor injuries, cognitive failures and accidents were associated with a number of demographic and health factors. In addition, minor injuries, cognitive failures and accidents were found to be related to each other. CONCLUSIONS: A large number of workers experience accidents and minor injuries at work. Minor injuries are not recorded by official sources but could have implications in productivity and worker health. Factors identified in this study, as associated with injuries or accidents, could be addressed by specific workplace policies or by raising individual awareness of the risks.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMed2004

Heat shock protein 70 in the rat nasal cavity: localisation and response to hyperthermia.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of proteins that are rapidly induced in response to physiological stress, including hyperthermia and exposure to toxicants. Thus they may provide a useful index of toxicity in in vitro systems for screening for toxicity. We have recently developed a rat nasal explant system for investigating upper respiratory tract toxicity, and the aims of this study were to localise HSP70 within the rat nasal cavity and to characterise its response to hyperthermia. Constitutively, HSP70 was found to be predominantly localised to the sustentacular cells, basal cells and Bowman's glands of the olfactory epithelium (OE), with the most intense immunohistochemical staining at levels 3 and 4 of the posterior of the rat nasal cavity. Ethmoturbinates (ETs) and liver slices were exposed to heat shock (37 degrees and 43 degrees C, respectively) for 45 min and then returned to normal culture temperatures (31 degrees and 37 degrees C, respectively) for 24 h. In ETs, HSP72 was maximally induced 4-fold at 4 h after heat shock, and levels then returned to those of control tissue. ATP concentrations were markedly decreased up to 4 h after heat shock and then returned to control levels. In contrast, HSP72 levels in liver slices increased and ATP levels decreased steadily throughout the 24 h culture period. ETs were also able to withstand a 45-min heat shock at 43 degrees C, that is 12 degrees C above normal culture temperature. Incubation of ETs with cycloheximide prior to heat shock reduced the ability of the OE to recover from heat shock at 37 degrees C. Thus the OE of the rat nasal cavity expresses HSP72, and this protein appears to play an important role in the ability of the tissue to withstand hyperthermia.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Recreational drug use: patterns from a South Wales self-report survey.

This study aimed to examine patterns of illicit recreational drug use, alcohol consumption, and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Twelve percent of respondents reported illicit recreational drug use in the last year, and 7% in the last month. Among respondents aged under 25 years, 34% (39% of males and 31% of females) had used illicit drugs in the last year, and 19% (23% of males and 17% of females) in the last month. Twenty-one percent of respondents smoked (20% of males and 22% of females). Twenty-seven percent of respondents reported drinking more alcohol than currently recommended sensible limits (36% of males and 21% of females). Among respondents aged under 25 years, 53% of men and 38% of women drank over these limits. Illicit drug use was associated with heavy alcohol consumption and, in particular, with smoking. Smoking and heavy alcohol consumption combined was most strongly associated with illicit drug use. Rates of illicit recreational drug use were higher than have previously been reported for Wales. Illicit drug use and smoking varied with age, sex, work status and geographical location, whereas heavy alcohol consumption varied with age, sex and work status, but not geographical location. Both smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with illicit drug use, with smokers who were also heavy drinkers being those most likely to report illicit drug use.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Factors associated with recreational drug use.

This study aimed to examine demographic, lifestyle, mental health and personality factors associated with illicit recreational drug use, heavy alcohol consumption and smoking in a community-based population sample. A postal questionnaire survey was conducted of people who were selected at random from the Electoral registers of Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. Illicit drug use was associated with risk taking, neuroticism, being male, having a higher education qualification, not being married, being unemployed, being aged under 25 years, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and living in Cardiff. Smoking was associated with anxiety, depression, being female, lower income and educational qualifications, looking after the family or home, being aged over 25 years, illicit drug use and heavy alcohol use. Heavy alcohol consumption was associated with not being depressed, experiencing sleeping problems, risk taking, being male, higher income, no higher educational qualification, not being married, being a student, being aged under 25 years, smoking and illicit drug use. Illicit drug use, smoking and heavy alcohol use were strongly associated with each other. Illicit drug use was associated with alcohol use and, to an even greater extent, with smoking. Illicit drug and alcohol use were associated with similar characteristics, but smoking was associated with a rather different demographic combination.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Preliminary investigation of the association between psychotropic medication use and accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures.

RATIONALE: Psychotropic medication may impair psychomotor and cognitive function, and so increase accident susceptibility. However, few studies examine any association in the framework of other demographic, health and occupational factors. OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between sleeping tablets and antidepressants, and accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures. METHODS: Postal questionnaire study of 3111 individuals who participated in an earlier phase of the Bristol Stress and Health Study. RESULTS: Sleeping tablet use was associated with accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures both at work and outside work. Antidepressant use was associated with accidents and cognitive failures both at work and outside work. Adjusting for health, demographic and occupational factors explained many of these associations, but sleeping tablet use was independently associated with accidents (both at work and outside work), and antidepressant use with cognitive failures (outside work). CONCLUSIONS: Antidepressant and sleeping tablet use were apparently associated with accidents, minor injuries and cognitive failures. Although most of the associations could be accounted for by other factors the results suggested links between sleeping tablet use and accidents, and between antidepressant use and cognitive failures.

Accidents↗