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Biomedical subjects

Y Gidron

Publications and source records attributed to Y Gidron.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Psychological interactions with infertility among women.

Despite the fact that various studies have demonstrated the importance of the mind-body connection and fertility, the psychosocial aspects of infertility have not been adequately addressed. Fertility treatments, ranging from medical monitoring, to hormonal remedies and in vitro fertilization (IVF), are both a physical and emotional burden on women and their partners. Psychological factors such as depression, state-anxiety, and stress-induced changes in heart rate and cortisol are predictive of a decreased probability of achieving a viable pregnancy. A couple that is trying to conceive will undoubtedly experience feelings of frustration and disappointment if a pregnancy is not easily achieved. However, if the difficulties progress and the man and or woman are labelled as having fertility problems, then this may result in a severe insult to self-esteem, body image, and self-assessed masculinity or femininity. Three types of relationships have been hypothesized between psychological factors and infertility. These include: (1) psychological factors are risk factors of subsequent infertility; (2) the experience of the diagnosis and treatment of infertility causes subsequent psychological distress; (3) a reciprocal relationship exists between psychological factors and infertility. The evidence for these three relationships is reviewed and an alternative approach to the treatment of infertility including stress evaluation that precedes or is concurrent to fertility treatment is suggested.

Cost of Illness↗
PubMed2001

Development and cross-cultural and clinical validation of a brief comprehensive scale for assessing hostility in medical settings.

This study presents the development and validation of a brief comprehensive hostility scale. Two items of each subscale from the Buss-Perry (1992) Aggression Questionnaire, most strongly correlated with their subscale score, were selected, yielding the eight-item New-Buss. Internal reliability was .66 to .81, and full and brief scales correlated r = .92 to .94. In Study 1 (95 Israeli students), New-Buss scores were significantly higher in self-rated deviant or speeding drivers than nondeviant or nonspeeding drivers, respectively. In Study 2 (279 American students), New-Buss scores correlated significantly with Barefoot's Ho, Anger-Out, Anger-In, and Agreeableness. In Study 3 (79 Israeli patients undergoing angiography), New-Buss scores were significantly correlated with coronary artery disease severity independent of SBP in men below age 60 alone but not in women. Our findings support the cross-cultural feasibility, reliability, and concurrent, construct, and criterion validity of the New-Buss.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed2001

Translating research findings to PTSD prevention: results of a randomized-controlled pilot study.

Based on therapeutic studies revealing positive prognostic factors and on research findings revealing how trauma is processed, we developed the memory structuring intervention (MSI) in attempt to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The MSI attempts to shift processing of traumatic memory from uncontrollable somatosensory and affective processes to more controlled linguistic and cognitive processes by providing patients organization, labeling, and causality. In a single-blind randomized-controlled pilot study, 17 traffic accident victims at risk for PTSD (heart rate >94 BPM) were assigned to two MSI or two supportive-listening control sessions. Three months later, MSI patients reported significantly less frequent intrusive, arousal, and total PTSD symptoms than controls. A replication study with a larger sample is underway.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

High incidence of severe twin hemodialysis catheter infections in elderly women. Possible roles of insufficient nutrition and social support.

BACKGROUND: Cuffed-tunneled hemodialysis (HD) catheters are recommended as a bridging therapy until peripheral access is available, but their long-term use is controversial. AIM: To evaluate the complications and lifetime of twin-tunneled HD catheters and to identify parameters which could predict their outcome. METHODS: 29 chronic HD patients (19 female and 10 male) were inserted with twin hemodialysis catheters (28 Tesio, 1 Schon Duoflow), followed for up to 9 months or until catheter loss, and evaluated for severe catheter-related complications necessitating catheter removal. Since the most common severe complication was catheter-related infection, we retrospectively examined whether parameters such as age, gender, duration of end-stage renal disease, delivered dose of dialysis, nutrition, diabetes and indices of social support correlate with this outcome. RESULTS: Severe catheter infection requiring catheter removal occurred in 11 patients (10 female). Of these infected female patients, 9 were elderly (> or =67 years) and in 6 of those, catheter infection was fatal (54% of infected cases). At 9 months, severe catheter infection and related patient death rates were 38 and 21%, respectively. Severe catheter infection was significantly related to less social support (p < 0.005), older age, female gender, lower nPCR (all p < 0.05), and tended to be related to shorter end-stage renal disease duration prior to catheter insertion (p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that twin HD catheters are associated with a high incidence of severe catheter-related infections which was most significantly related to social-support as well as inadequate nutrition, older age and female gender. Therefore, we suggest early removal of the catheter, enhancement of social support and dietary counseling for the elderly and lonely HD patients using this type of catheter.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1999

Bus commuters' coping strategies and anxiety from terrorism: an example of the Israeli experience.

This study examined the use of three coping strategies: (1) emotion-focused coping (calming-distraction); (2) problem-focused coping (checking-behavior); and (3) denial (reduced perceived vulnerability), and their relationship to anxiety from terrorism among 50 Israeli bus commuters. Their mean age was 31 years (60% females). Commuting frequency was negatively correlated, and problem-focused coping was positively correlated with anxiety from terrorism. Ratios of problem-focused coping/denial and of problem-focused/emotion-focused coping were each positively correlated with anxiety from terrorism. Coping ratios accounted for 15% of the variance in anxiety from terrorism, after considering commuting frequency. Combining minimal problem-focused preventative acts with distraction and reduced perceived vulnerability may be beneficial.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

The short-term effects of a hostility-reduction intervention on male coronary heart disease patients.

This preliminary study examined the effects of a hostility-reduction intervention on patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Twenty-two high-hostile CHD men were matched on age and hostility and then randomly assigned to a hostility intervention (N = 10) or an information-control group (N = 12). Patients were reassessed immediately and 2 months posttreatment on hostility (with self-report and structured interview) and resting blood pressure. The intervention's overall effect size was moderately strong (d' = .62). Intervention patients reported at both reassessments and were observed at follow-up to be less hostile than controls. At follow-up, intervention patients had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure (DBP) than controls. Finally, reductions in hostility were significantly and positively correlated with reductions in DBP. Replication with a larger sample and CHD outcomes is recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Increasing constructive anger verbal behavior decreases resting blood pressure: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled hostility intervention.

We hypothesized that increasing anger verbal behavior in an assertive, constructively motivated style should decrease resting blood pressure (BP) and that this behavior may be one mechanism through which hostility relates to BP. We tested this hypothesis by conducting secondary analyses on a single-blind, matched, randomized controlled study of hostility modification and BP. A total of 22 high-hostile male patients with coronary heart disease were matched on age and hostility level and were randomly assigned to either an 8-week cognitive-behavioral hostility treatment (n = 10) or an information-control group (n = 12). Patients were reassessed after treatment and at 2-month follow-up on hostility, observed anger expression, and resting BP. We found that decreases in hostility predicted increases in constructive anger behavior-verbal component, which in turn predicted decreases in resting BP at follow-up. Thus, one of the mechanisms underlying the hostility-BP association may be the lack of constructive anger expression.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Development and preliminary testing of a brief intervention for modifying CHD-predictive hostility components.

Hostility is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), and certain hostility subscales (e.g., Barefoot's refined Ho) predict CHD and mortality more powerfully than global hostility measures. An intervention for modifying CHD-predictive hostility components was developed and tested. Twenty-two healthy, high-hostile males, who were matched on age and hostility level, were randomly assigned to either an experimental hostility-reduction treatment group or an information-control group. The experimental group received eight 90-min weekly sessions for altering antagonism, cynicism, and anger reactions. After controlling for pretreatment levels, subjects' group status accounted for an additional and significant 28 and 19% of the variance in improvement of observed Anger-Out scores and Barefoot's refined Ho scores, respectively. Thus, this treatment may reduce CHD-predictive and mortality-predictive hostility levels. The possible clinical significance of these results was tested, and future large-scale and long-term trials are recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The physical and psychosocial predictors of adolescents' recovery from oral surgery.

The purpose of this study was to expand medical models of recovery from surgery in adolescents. Sixty-seven adolescents undergoing third molar surgery and their parents participated. Adolescents' negative affectivity, expectancies about recovery, coping styles, and parents' anticipated encouragement of illness behavior were assessed preoperatively. Extent of surgery was assessed by the oral surgeon. Outcome measures included mouth opening, disability, and pain. Extent of surgery did not predict recovery. After controlling for extent of surgery, the psychosocial parameters accounted for an additional 19% of the variance in mouth opening and 21% of the variance in disability. Adolescents' expectancies about recovery and parents' anticipated "pampering" responses predicted mouth opening. Adolescents' expectancies predicted disability. Expectancies about recovery and parental encouragement of illness behavior add predictive power to models of adolescents' recovery from surgery. Limitations of the study, future research directions, and clinical implications are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗