How parents cope with the experience of neonatal intensive care

Thirty-two mothers and 25 fathers described their coping efforts during the initial weeks of their preterm infants' hospitalization in a neonatal intensive care unit. Utilizing procedures developed by Lazarus and Folkman (1984) in which coping is linked with a specific stressful event, parents reported what they did to cope with the stressor they perceived to be the most stressful. They also completed the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988). Results showed that there were similarities and differences in the types of coping strategies used by mothers and fathers. In addition, factors such as neonatal morbidity and appraisal of control were differentially associated with the use of certain types of coping strategies. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

The effect of titanium implant abutment surface irregularities on plaque accumulation in vivo

The purpose of this study was 2-fold to: 1) evaluate in vitro the surface texture of titanium implant abutments after exposure to plastic scalers, an air-powder abrasive system, rubber cup polishing with flour of pumice, and untreated control abutments; and 2) compare plaque accumulation in humans on abutments treated with the above methods. In part I, 5.5 mm abutments were instrumented for 30 seconds per 90 degrees segment with the respective methods. The surface character was compared to untreated controls using SEM at 260X magnification. The control abutments revealed prominent milling marks and small pits; plastic scalers slightly smoothed the milling marks and created microscratches; the air-powder abrasive largely obliterated the milling marks and caused some surface pitting; the rubber cup with flour of pumice removed the milling marks and created a smooth swirl pattern. None of the instrumentation appeared to roughen the surface. In the clinical experiment (part II), four abutments, one of each type, were placed in 12 patients for a period of 7 days, during which the patients performed no oral hygiene. At the end of 7 days, the abutments were retrieved and processed for SEM. A digitizer and software program were used to determine the percent of total abutment surface area covered by plaque. The demarcation of supragingival and subgingival plaque was well delineated. The total mean percent surface area of plaque ranged from 52.06% for the air-powder abrasive to 55.29% for the plastic scalers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Short-latency single unit processing in olfactory cortex

Abstract Single-unit recording of layer II-III cells in olfactory (piriform) cortex was performed on awake, unrestrained rats actively engaged in learning novel odors in an olfactory discrimination task. Five of the 67 cells tested had very brief monophasic action potentials and high spontaneous firing rates (30-80 Hz); it is suggested that these units were interneurons. The remainder of the neurons had broader spikes and did not discharge for prolonged periods. Thirty-nine percent of the broad spike cells responded to at least one and usually more of the odors presented to the rats during either of the first two trials on which that odor was present, but, in most cases, these responses occurred only very infrequently over the course of subsequent trials. Six percent of the broad-spike group, how ever, continued firing robustly to a single odor but not to others. From these results it appears that most cells in piriform cortex do not respond to most odors, i.e., coding is exceedingly sparse. A subgroup of the predominant broad-spike cell type does react to several odors but this response drops out with repeated exposure, perhaps because of training. However, a few members of this class (a small fraction of the total cell population) do go on responding to a particular odor, thus exhibiting a form of odor specificity. The results are discussed with regard to predictions from recently developed models of the olfactory cortex.

Social interaction between parents and babies: validation of an intervention procedure

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a set of intervention procedures developed as part of a parent-infant interaction model from a larger research study on social interaction between parents and their handicapped infants. Data is presented for three dyads, selected to illustrate the applicability of the procedures under a variety of different conditions including ages of the babies, target behaviours chosen and intervention situations. Results indicated that interactions could be altered through direct intervention with the mothers. The procedures used in the Social Interaction Assessment and Intervention model thus seem to be valid for bringing about change in interactions in dyads with a variety of interactive problems, in at least two different types of situations, and with babies differing widely in age and extent of delay.

Support for rural families of hospitalized infants: the parents' perspective

The provision of family-centered care in the hospital arena has become a national commitment. Recognizing and supporting the family's role means evaluating whether attitudes, policies, and practices address the immediate and the long-term needs of the total family rather than just the current needs of the child. Results of a study to determine parents' perceptions of supportive services available in the hospital immediately following the birth of their child with special health care needs are reported. In-depth interviews with mothers living in rural areas were conducted. Mothers emphasized the importance of access to their child; the need for timely, honest, straightforward information about their child's condition and progress; the intense emotional reaction to the intensive care environment; and the importance of an early link to community-based early intervention services. Overall, parents conveyed the importance of recognizing the family as an integral part of the child. Implications and recommendations for family-centered services are discussed.

Let's talk: the effect of maternal hearing status on interactions with toddlers who are deaf

Eight dyads comprised of deaf toddlers and their deaf mothers (D-D dyads) and eight dyads in which only the toddlers were deaf (D-H dyads) were compared on the use and success of various means for establishing mutual attention for communication. Three different sequences of invitation and response resulting in mutual attention for communication were examined. Results indicated that for two of the types of invitation, the D-D dyads experienced significantly more episodes of mutual attention, not only because the deaf mothers were more active, but also because their deaf toddlers were more responsive. The relevance of these differences for development and for communication was explored, and implications were discussed for early intervention with D-H dyads.

Parent playfulness: a case study of infant twins with handicaps

This longitudinal case study was designed to provide descriptive data on game playing between one mother and father and their infant twin sons, each of whom had handicaps. Specific issues addressed were the proportion of interaction time spent playing parent/infant games, the types and characteristics of the games played, whether these varied between the mother and father, and whether there was a relationship between parental game playing and the developing but different abilities of the infants. Results showed many parallels with existing literature on parent/infant games and on differences between mothers and fathers. Results also indicated variations in game playing in relation to the extent of handicap in the infant.

Looking patterns of mentally retarded and nonretarded infants in play and instructional interactions

Gaze patterns of mentally retarded and nonretarded infants during play and instructional episodes with their mothers were compared at two developmental ages. Dyads were videotaped in their homes. Measures were derived from second-by-second coding of the videotapes. Results indicated that regardless of group, situation, or age, infants were overwhelmingly oriented toward the toys. Situational differences were more distinct in the nonretarded infants. Moreover, configurations of looking patterns were more consistent across ages in the nonretarded infants than in the retarded infants. These results were discussed in relation to implications for understanding characteristics of interactions between retarded infants and their caregivers.

Communities conquering COVID-19: Black and Latinx community perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 in regions of Michigan hardest hit by the pandemic

Introduction

In Michigan, the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted Black and Latinx communities. These communities experienced higher rates of exposure, hospitalizations, and deaths compared to Whites. We examine the impact of the pandemic and reasons for the higher burden on communities of color from the perspectives of Black and Latinx community members across four Michigan counties and discuss recommendations to better prepare for future public health emergencies.

Methods

Using a community-based participatory research approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 40) with Black and Latinx individuals across the four counties. Interviews focused on knowledge related to the pandemic, the impact of the pandemic on their lives, sources of information, attitudes toward vaccination and participation in vaccine trials, and perspectives on the pandemic's higher impact on communities of color.

Results

Participants reported overwhelming effects of the pandemic in terms of worsened physical and mental health, financial difficulties, and lifestyle changes. They also reported some unexpected positive effects. They expressed awareness of the disproportionate burden among Black and Latinx populations and attributed this to a wide range of disparities in Social Determinants of Health. These included racism and systemic inequities, lack of access to information and language support, cultural practices, medical mistrust, and varied individual responses to the pandemic.

Conclusion

Examining perspectives and experiences of those most impacted by the pandemic is essential for preparing for and effectively responding to public health emergencies in the future. Public health messaging and crisis response strategies must acknowledge the concerns and cultural needs of underrepresented populations.

Latex allergy literature review: evidence for making military treatment facilities latex safe

Latex allergy has become the epidemic of the 1990s for health care workers, as indicated by a remarkable increase in its prevalence. This literature review provides a brief background to the latex problem, strategies for prevention and management, a cost analysis of glove substitution in a clinical setting, and the implications for the military environment. Primary care providers must recognize the financial, medico-legal, occupational, and personal ramifications of latex allergy. Risk managers should realize that moving to a latex-free environment will reduce liability.