SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Knowledge Sources”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

UMLS knowledge for biomedical language processing.

This paper describes efforts to provide access to the free text in biomedical databases. The focus of the effort is the development of SPECIALIST, an experimental natural language processing system for the biomedical domain. The system includes a broad coverage parser supported by a large lexicon, modules that provide access to the extensive Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Knowledge Sources, and a retrieval module that permits experiments in information retrieval. The UMLS Metathesaurus and Semantic Network provide a rich source of biomedical concepts and their interrelationships. Investigations have been conducted to determine the type of information required to effect a map between the language of queries and the language of relevant documents. Mappings are never straightforward and often involve multiple inferences.

Humans↗

PubMed1995

A conceptual graphs modeling of UMLS components.

The Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) of the U.S. National Library of Medicine is a complex collection of terms, concepts, and relationships derived from standard classifications. Potential applications would benefit from a high level representation of its components. This paper proposes a conceptual representation of both the Metathesaurus and the Semantic Network of the UMLS based on conceptual graphs. It shows that the addition of a dictionary of concepts to the UMLS knowledge base allows the capability to exploit it pertinently. This dictionary defines more precisely the core concepts and adds constraints on their use. Constraints are dedicated to guide an "intelligent" browsing of the UMLS knowledge sources.

Dictionaries as Topic↗

PubMed1996

Mapping medical vocabularies to the Unified Medical Language System.

This paper presents our work in automated mapping of medical vocabularies to the National Library of Medicine's Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). We used the UMLS Knowledge Source (KS) tool to map terms from several sources to UMLS Metathesaurus concepts. We compared performance of the KS tools with our own Minimal Representable Units Method (MRUM). The KS tools were able to map terms from 13% to 54% of the time, depending on the term set and the KS options used. Our MRUM method mapped between 96% and 99% of the terms. Based on our experience, we believe that questions remain about the best method by which the UMLS can be used to achieve automated term translation.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1996

The project ARIANE: conceptual queries to information databases.

As information databases we consider all the collections of data records indexed by key-words, stored and delivered by computer systems. In previous research works we demonstrated the interest to design a conceptual model, in the conceptual graphs formalism, and to implement a computational model for information retrieval in large information databases. These models are based on the UMLS knowledge sources. This paper reminds briefly these models and describes tests done in querying a patients database and a bibliographical database.

Databases, Bibliographic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Recruitment of underserved women for breast cancer detection programs.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this correlational, nonexperimental study was to survey a sample of uninsured/underinsured women entering a no-cost, state-funded breast cancer screening program to identify factors that might enhance existing recruitment strategies and adherence to breast cancer screening. OVERVIEW: Inadequate access to breast cancer screening contributes to the high morbidity and mortality that have been documented in low-income American women with breast cancer. Two hundred and four participants in a no-cost cancer screening program at the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center's East Baltimore Community Health Program in Maryland were surveyed by telephone to identify methods to enhance recruitment strategies. The survey solicited information in areas such as demographics, healthcare practices, and recruitment sources. Knowledge about breast cancer and its treatment, perceived control over health matters, and the practice of preventive measures were low in this group. Based on the data obtained, recruitment strategies better tailored to this population were developed and implemented. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Recruiters and clinicians must understand that for impoverished women, day-to-day survival takes precedence over most other issues. The possibility of a condition that may cause illness or death 10 to 20 years from now is of less importance than obtaining food, clothing, and shelter today. This program demonstrates that services such as transportation and child care are important elements of care for this population. Culturally sensitive recruitment strategies, personalized care, and vigilant follow-up are important requisites to breast cancer screening programs. A multidisciplinary team effort is critical in bringing together the elements required for a successful screening program.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

A UMLS-based method for integrating information databases into an Intranet.

The Internet and the World Wide Web provide today end-users with capabilities to access universally to information in various and heterogeneous databases. The biomedical domain benefits from this new technology, specially for information retrieval by searching and browsing various sites. Nevertheless, end-users may be disoriented by specific ways to access information on different servers. In the framework of an Intranet design and development, we present a method for integrating information databases based on knowledge sources of the UMLS. The method provides designers of a Web site with facilities to implement an easy and homogeneous access to information. The pages are built dynamically and displayed according to a style sheet and their content stored in a database during the design phase. The database also describes the links between pages. Moreover, this organization provides administrators with powerful capabilities to manage Web sites.

Databases as Topic↗

PubMed1998

The nature of lexical knowledge.

This paper considers the nature of lexical knowledge and its role in language and information processing. The lexicon is the central component of language and plays a pivotal role in current linguistic theory [3, 4] and, increasingly, in natural language processing systems [5-7]. The lexicon embodies information about the lexical items of the language and serves as the foundation for morphologic, syntactic, and semantic processing. The differences as well as commonalities among dictionaries, thesauri, and lexicons are discussed, and distinctions between words, lexical items, and terms are drawn. Next, the scope and content of the SPECIALIST lexicon are presented, followed by a discussion of certain writing conventions that can be troublesome for text processing applications. One approach to handling orthographic and other lexical variation is discussed in a section that reports on the design and implementation of the SPECIALIST lexical programs. The paper concludes with a discussion of controlled terminologies for the medical domain. Throughout the discussion, examples are drawn from the SPECIALIST lexicon and from the other UMLS knowledge sources [8, 9].

Humans↗

PubMed1998

The Copernican era of healthcare terminology: a re-centering of health information systems.

Health terminology and classifications have been an unseen backwater in healthcare practice and information systems development. Today however, the recognized need for comparable patient data is driving a new discovery about its strategic importance. Consistent patient descriptions and concept-centered data representations are crucial for efficient discovery of optimal treatments, best outcomes, and efficient practice patterns. The fabled linkage of knowledge sources at the time and place of care requires the conceptual intermediary of common terminology. A brief history overviewing the evolution of health classifications will provide the foundation for considering present and evolving health terminology developments. Their roles in health information systems will be characterized. Discussion will focus on the likely influences of the HIPAA legislation nationally and the new ISO Healthcare Informatics Technical Committee internationally, on terminology adaptation and incorporation.

Disease↗

PubMed1998

Clinical application of the UMLS in a computerized order entry and decision-support system.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center uses the UMLS as a dictionary, an interlingua, and a knowledge source within the WizOrder system. WizOrder provides direct care-provider order entry and integrated clinical decision-support capabilities. Linking the two functions enables efficient decision-support during the "normal" workflow of care providers, at the point where decisions are made. WizOrder uses the UMLS as a dictionary to encode free-text entries into controlled vocabularies such as ICD9. As an interlingua, the UMLS provides mapping between vocabularies, allowing to translate patient-specific information to MeSH terms and perform automated literature retrieval. WizOrder uses the tables of co-occurring concepts and the Semantic Network to provide sensible lists of potential drug interactions and adverse drug reactions, and generate fully-formed MEDLINE queries for PubMed.

Decision Support Systems, Clinical↗

PubMed1998

Identification of anatomical terminology in medical text.

We report on an experiment to use the natural language processing tools being developed in the SPECIALIST system to accurately identify terminology associated with the coronary arteries as expressed in coronary catheterization reports. The ultimate goal is to map from any anatomically-oriented medical text to online images, using the UMLS as an intermediate knowledge source. We describe some of the problems encountered when processing coronary artery terminology and report on the results of a formative evaluation of a tool for addressing these problems.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

PubMed1998

A declarative explanation framework that uses a collection of visualization agents.

User acceptance of a knowledge-based system depends partly on how effective the system is in explaining its reasoning and justifying its conclusions. The WOZ framework provides effective explanations for component-based decision-support systems. It represents explanation using explicit models, and employs a collection of visualization agents. It blends the strong features of existing explanation strategies, component-based systems, graphical visualizations, and explicit models. We illustrate the features of WOZ with the help of a component-based medical therapy system. We describe the explanation strategy, the roles of the visualization agents and components, and the communication structure. The integration of existing and new visualization applications, the domain-independent framework, and the incorporation of varied knowledge sources for explanation can result in a flexible explanation facility.

Artificial Intelligence↗

PubMed2003

Ethnic differences in adolescent smoking behaviors, sources of tobacco, knowledge and attitudes toward restriction policies.

The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic differences in adolescent smoking behavior, sources of tobacco, knowledge of and attitudes toward youth tobacco restriction policies, and perceptions of tobacco availability by adolescents. The study is important as it will add to the growing body of literature regarding tobacco use by minors, and will help policymakers and public health professionals develop efficacious policies and interventions to prevent and reduce tobacco use among adolescents. Minors obtain tobacco from social and commercial sources. Previous studies have emphasized rural homogeneous populations and so the present study addresses the need to determine these sources of tobacco to youth in a large urban, heterogeneous population, such as Philadelphia. A stratified multistage purposive sampling procedure was used to ensure an ethnically/racially sample. A 68-item questionnaire was administered to 645 students in Grades 8-10 in five public and nonpublic funded schools in a culturally diverse part of Philadelphia. Correlations between selected independent variables and smoking behavior were determined. Results from this study indicate that rates of smoking are high among students, with 50% of students ever having smoked, 19% within the last month, 17% weekly, and 15% smoke daily. Further, there were differences in rates of smoking between ethnic/racial groups. Social sources were the most common sources of tobacco reported, with friends being the most frequent source. There were differences in social and commercial ever sources of cigarettes between ethnic/racial groups and in perceived school and parental sanctions for tobacco use. The results of this study suggest that more financial and educational resources should be committed to prevent and reduce smoking behaviors among adolescents. Educational prevention programs, especially parenting programs should be employed to reduce smoking.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Symptoms as a source of medical knowledge: understanding medically unexplained disorders in women.

In cases where a traditional medical frame of reference does not fully offer an adequate tool for understanding, the resident may find it perplexing to apply knowledge from medical school, where disease implies symptoms, findings, diagnosis, and cure. Medically unexplained disorders, mostly occurring in women, are chronic and disabling conditions, presenting with extensive subjective symptoms, although objective findings or causal explanations are lacking. Acquiring the knowledge and skills needed for adequate care of patients with chronic fatigue or pain syndromes is not an easy task. This paper presents a strategy for teaching, intended to facilitate understanding through appreciation of symptoms as a source of knowledge. The clinical approach is based on empowering practices supported by theoretical perspectives about signs, narratives, knowing, and gender. Also examined is the impact of commonly occurring teaching traps related to gender, psychosocial labeling, universalistic understanding, omnipotence, and power.

Chronic Disease↗

PubMed2005

[Stroke. Public knowledge and information sources].

Modern stroke care requires urgent initiation of treatment. Thus, rapid recognition of cerebrovascular incidents by medical laypersons is mandatory. Accordingly, public knowledge of stroke warning signs and adequate action is very important. Little is known about the level of knowledge among the general public and use and effect of various sources of information. In first aid training programs conducted by the St. John Ambulance in Bavaria, participants were questioned if and from what source they already got information about stroke. Additionally they were asked to list stroke warning signs and to describe what a stroke is. Altogether 532 subjects filled out the questionnaire; 419 stated that they already had heard something about stroke (53.7% male, mean age 29.4 years). Sources of information were: personal experience with affected patients (30.1%), TV/radio (22.1%), newspaper (18.4%) and relatives/friends (17.2%). Subjects with prior information listed significantly more warning signs/symptoms compared with those without previous information (1.76 vs. 0.63; p<0.01). Participants using the source "TV/radio" named fewer warning signs than those using the sources "newspaper" or "affected patients" (p<0.01). Prior information was effective in enhancing knowledge about stroke. However, we found significant differences related to the source of information. Since experiences gathered from personal contact with affected patients were stated most frequently, leading to better knowledge than information gained from mass media, subsequently acute care and rehabilitation would be a good opportunity for providing information about stroke to proxies and visitors of the patients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

How do parents learn about adolescents' experiences? Implications for parental knowledge and adolescent risky behavior.

Cluster analysis was used to identify groups defined by the patterning of fathers' and mothers' sources of knowledge about adolescents' experiences in a sample of 179 families with adolescents (M = 16.5 years). Three clusters emerged for fathers (relational, relies on spouse, relies on others) and mothers (relational, questioners, relies on others). Cluster membership was associated with socioeconomic status, work hours, personal characteristics, and parent-child relationship quality. Longitudinal path analyses revealed that knowledge sources predicted levels of knowledge, which in turn predicted risky behavior 1 year later, indirect paths that were more consistent for fathers than for mothers. Although direct associations between sources of knowledge and subsequent risky behavior were scant, when fathers relied on spouses, youth engaged in less risky behavior.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Knowledge, attitudes and sources of information on breast feeding among medical professionals in Baghdad.

A questionnaire to assess doctors' knowledge, attitudes and training about breastfeeding was answered by 320 medical students, 75 resident doctors and 50 general practitioners in Baghdad, Iraq. Although attitudes towards breastfeeding were generally positive, less than 50% of medics had adequate scores on knowledge questions (> or = 50% correct). Most general practitioners (86.0%) agreed that breast-feeding was the preferred type of feeding compared with only 58.4% of medical students and 57.3% of resident doctors. General practitioners who had been on training courses scored better than those who had not. The main sources of breastfeeding information were community medicine and paediatric courses and the main modes of breastfeeding instruction were lectures and clinical sessions. Medical school curricula and residency training do not adequately prepare physicians for their role in breastfeeding promotion.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2001

Knowledge of Down syndrome in pregnant women from different ethnic groups.

The uptake of any screening test is influenced by knowledge of the condition being screened for. In the present study, the knowledge and the source of knowledge of women offered antenatal screening for Down syndrome (DS) was assessed by means of a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to 300 consecutive women booking for antenatal care, of the 245 (82%) women who completed and returned the questionnaire, 117 (48%) were Caucasian, 85 (35%) were Asian born outside the UK, 32 (13%) were Asian born in the UK and ten (4%) belonged to other categories. Only 30% of the cohort had a good understanding of the condition. Racial groups other than Caucasian had a poorer understanding of DS. The factors which affected knowledge of DS included quality of spoken English, knowing an affected child, parity and religion. The most significant factor affecting acceptance of screening was the woman's knowledge of DS. The source of information for the condition varied widely: 42% from a general practitioners (GP), 24% from the hospital and 16% from midwives. The proportion with good knowledge was similar in those women whose source of information was the GP (45%) and the midwife (41%). These proportions were, however, higher (though not significantly) when the source of information was from magazines and newspapers (67%) and from friends (53%). Uptake of the screening test was best in those with good knowledge (53%) compared to those with poor knowledge (23%) (p<0.02). Between 28% and 66% (depending on the ethnic group) of women had a screening blood test "allegedly" without knowing why it had been performed. In order to improve uptake of the screening test for DS there is need for better education and counselling of women attending for antenatal care.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Level of knowledge and information sources used by patients with psoriasis.

One-hundred and eight patients with psoriasis completed a questionnaire concerning their knowledge about the condition. This was carried out at two departments of dermatology, at Bridgend General Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary. There were no significant differences between the two centres, and the main source of the patients' information about psoriasis was from a dermatologist, but several other sources such as newsletter were of help.

Adolescent↗