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Biomedical subjects

U Clement

Publications and source records attributed to U Clement.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Predictors of unprotected sexual contacts in HIV-infected persons in Switzerland.

Predictors of sexual risk behavior with regular and casual partners among HIV-infected heterosexual and gay persons were addressed. Sociodemographic data as well as self- and interviewer-reported data on sexual behavior were obtained from 117 asymptomatic HIV-infected persons enrolled in the Zurich part of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS). Participants who reported sexual intercourse at least once (vaginal and/or anal) without condom use in the 6 months prior to interview were considered to have risk behavior. Sexual risk behavior was analyzed separately in contacts with regular and casual partners. In the 6-month preinterview period, 92% (108 of 117) of the HIV-infected study population reported sexual contacts, and 30/117 (26%) had at least one unprotected vaginal and/or anal contact. Among 93 persons using condoms, 25% of the heterosexual and 10% of the homosexual participants reported breakage of the condom. The main predictor for unprotected sexual behavior with regular partners was an elevated number of contacts. Predictors for sexual risk behavior with casual partners were the combination of alcohol and sexual encounters and the change of sexual behavior since the epidemic of AIDS. These findings did not differ between persons with hetero- and homosexual behavior. Considering that these contacts may have passed the virus on to the seronegative population, that the probability of unsafe sex increased with the growing number of contacts, and that the number of condom breakages was remarkable, it is imperative that this group be educated and motivated to take the active role in insisting on safer sex practices in each encounter.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Standards for treatment and expert opinion on transsexuals. The German Society for Sexual Research, The Academy of Sexual medicine and the Society for Sexual Science].

Over the last two-and-a-half years a committee of experts, consisting of members of the three leading German sexology associations, developed guidelines for treating and assessing transsexuals. Their purpose is to improve the care for patients with sex identity disorders and to ensure that such care is of uniform quality to avoid erroneous decisions to the disadvantage of those affected. The guidelines are set out in full.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1998

Subjective HIV attribution theories, coping and psychological functioning among homosexual men with HIV.

Facing a traumatic event, such as being diagnosed with HIV, the individual tries to find an explanation why the traumatic event happened. One way to answer that question is through attributions. The purpose of this study was to examine subjective attribution theories for HIV (internal/self-blame, external/blaming others, and fatalistic) and their association with coping styles and psychological functioning among 57 self-defined gay men who were HIV-positive. None of the respondents were diagnosed with AIDS. Although all men made attributions for their HIV infection, few had incorporated exclusively self-blame and external attributions, respectively. About one-third of the gay men attributed HIV to both self-blame and external factors. Self-blame attribution was associated with the avoidant coping style. Analyses yielded that both self-blame attribution and the avoidant coping style correlated with depressive mood and life dissatisfaction. External attribution theory displayed a positive relation to depressive mood. No particular HIV attribution theory was tied to good psychological functioning. The clinical implications of these results are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

[Social support and psychological stability in HIV/AIDS patients].

An explorative meta-analytic study analysed all published empirical studies on social support of HIV/AIDS patients (n = 57 studies with 347 data sets). Empirical and conceptual questions are addressed. The focus of the empirical questions is to identify meta-analytically confirmed correlates of social support. The conceptual question aims at differentiating the large-scale construct "social support". Results indicate that social support 1. is independent of objective physical parameters, 2. is positively correlated with approach coping and negatively with avoidance coping, 3. shows a substantial negative correlation with indicators of psychological distress, 4. is positively correlated with condom use. The conceptual analysis shows that 5. there is no consensus on how to operationalise the construct of "social support".

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1996

Psychological factors in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of stiff-man syndrome.

Retrospective psychological evaluation of nine patients with stiff-man syndrome (SMS), seven of whom evidenced autoimmune disease, revealed a characteristic set of psychological symptoms or features: Major stressful life events preceded the development of permanent symptoms by 6 months or less (seven patients); transient motor symptoms occurred in emotionally distressing situations months or even years before the onset of a permanent motor deficit (five patients); after onset, similar situations specifically precipitated or augmented stiffness and spasms (five patients). We also found task-specific fear resembling agoraphobia (six patients) and loss or invalidation of one or both parents, or loss of home, in childhood (seven patients). Eight patients were initially misdiagnosed as having psychogenic movement disorder. We conclude that the common misdiagnosis of SMS as a psychogenic movement disorder is due to the compelling association of a set of salient psychological features, bizarre and fluctuating motor symptoms, and lack of approved neurologic signs.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Validation of the FKB-20 as scale for the detection of body image distortions in psychosomatic patients].

The study examines the validity of a body image questionnaire (FKB-20) assessing body image disturbances in a clinical sample (n = 405 outpatients of a psychosomatic clinic) and two non-clinical samples (n = 141 medical students and n = 208 sports students). The criterion group was constituted by 98 patients of the clinical sample with diagnosed body image disturbances (anorexia, transsexualism, hypochondriac symptoms). The validity coefficients were 0.56-0.65. The sensitivity of the questionnaire was 82-90%, the specificity 90-97%, and the total mistake rate was 8-10%. The FKB-20 proves to have good validity and can be used for the diagnosis of body image disturbances.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Does peace prevent homosexuality?

This study attempted to replicate a series of investigations by Gunter Dörner and his associates that concluded that more homosexual men are born in wartime than in times of peace. That conclusion is based on Dörner's belief that war induces stress in pregnant women and that stress causes a drop in fetal androgen levels which in turn leads to the development of a homosexual "orientation". The replication not only failed to support the Dörner conclusion but also found that even those cities that suffered the most severe bombing during World War II showed no evidence of increased numbers of homosexuals. The authors conclude that homosexual men can go on loving peace and getting involved in the peace movement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[The course of immunologic parameters in inpatient psychotherapy exemplified by 2 single case studies].

Psycho-neuroimmunology depicts a conceptual frame in which possible interactions between psychic and physical processes can be examined. It could be very significant in the field of psychosomatics when the courses of psychic and somatic processes are examined. However, the research results from this field of study are varied and only for a few parameters of immunity is it possible to prove correlations with psychic variables. Many of the studies that have been conducted up to date were construed as cross-section studies and possibly therefore are not very suitable for depicting the probably very complicated forms of interactions between psychic and somatic levels in an adequate manner. In the framework of stationary psychosomatic psychotherapy two single case studies were carried out in order to examine temporal connections between psychic and immunological course parameters. Both single case studies are to be viewed as explorative attempts of examining questions of examination design and organization which are highly resolved regarding time. Furthermore we report several interesting individual results which emphasize in general the correlation between psychic and somatic parameters also in the course of time. However the limits of such studies regarding the significance of the individual immunological parameters, using time serial analytical methods as well as constructing models in the field of psycho-neuroimmunology are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[What is sexual addiction?].

The term 'sexual addiction' applies to behavioral patterns which are characterized by a lack of control of a person's sexual impulses. The diagnostic classification of these behaviors is controversial. They are categorized as addiction, as compulsion or as impulse control disorder. Etiological hypotheses focus on intimacy dysfunctions in early childhood, which entail feelings of shame and inferiority. With respect to treatment, only some unsystematic reports from the USA are available. In German speaking countries, till today the problem is widely ignored in research and clinical practice.

Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders↗
PubMed1990

[Changes in sex behavior caused by fear of AIDS--an empirical study of male heterosexual and homosexual students].

UNLABELLED: This study examines changes in sexual behaviour in the context of the fear of being infected with the HI-Virus and, in particular, considers the influence of a relationship and of sexual orientation. The population studied included 72 homosexual and 54 heterosexual male students. RESULTS: (1) Only 7% of the heterosexuals, but 68% of the homosexuals report changes in their sexual behaviour pattern. (2) Among the homosexual group practice-oriented alterations (avoiding oral and anal sex or using condoms for these practices) and relationship-oriented alterations (reducing the number of sex partners) occur likewise. (3) Practice-oriented changes are less frequent among homosexuals with partners than those without. (4) Those homosexuals questioned who are in conflict with their homosexuality have less confidence in potential sex partners. They are more inclined to have "monogamous" relationships.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

Profile analysis as a method of comparing intergenerational differences in sexual behavior.

Profile analysis can be used in sex research as a statistical procedure to assess the degree of similarity between various samples on different parameters of sexual behavior. Data are presented to analyze intergenerational changes comparing three independent samples including a time interval of approximately four decades. Profile analysis can differentiate the intergenerational trend. Results show (i) a clear trend of male-female profile-convergence over time; (ii) intergenerational changes in males are few with male sexual behavior seemingly little influenced by social changes; (iii) females show large intergenerational differences. These asymmetric trends demonstrate that the sexual changes within the last four decades are a one-sided process of females liberating from the "behavioral double standard."

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[HIV infection--psychological coping and political reality].

The authors warn against a trivialization of the AIDS problem and against the call for state control. Since sexuality is ultimately uncontrollable, they plead instead for the greater clarification of the conflicts which those who are infected with HIV and those who are not infected experience in dealing with each other. The continuing mystification of these conflicts would result in mutual jeopardy through acting-out.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1989

[HIV infection: trauma and coping with trauma].

The initial results of a German-Swedish research project demonstrate the at times active-resistant and at times passive-resigned approaches of AIDS patients toward their illness.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1984

Changes in sex differences in sexual behavior: a replication of a study on West German students (1966-1981).

In 1966, at the start of the student movement and the sexual liberalization process, we studied the sexual behavior and attitudes of 3,666 male and female students from 12 West German universities by mailed questionnaires. In 1981 we replicated this study with 1,922 students from 13 universities (10 the same as 1966, 3 founded after 1966). In both studies the students were selected at random. Results of these comparative studies are presented with a view to the changes in sex differences. Sex differences in masturbation behavior have considerably decreased since 1966; masturbation is nonetheless still the form of sexual behavior with the most striking differences between the sexes. The sex differences in coital behavior are now reversed, female students being earlier and more active than males. As regards the tendency to change partners or for sexual relations outside a steady relationship, the differences between men and women have disappeared. In their attitudes to sexuality, female students in 1981 are somewhat more liberal than their male counterparts, whereas hardly any difference could be found in 1966. These changes in sex differences are observed in all subsamples, i.e., in young and old, in strictly religious and nonreligious students, and in students from both upper- and lower-class backgrounds (educational level of parents).

Adult↗