The impact of obesity on perceived patient-centred communication

OBJECTIVE

Patient-provider communication has been found to be less patient centred, on average, with patients who are members of stigmatized or minority groups. Obesity is a stigmatized condition, and thus, people with obesity may experience less patient-centred communication (PCC). The objective of this study was to assess the association between patient body mass index (BMI) and self-reported quality of PCC experienced over a 12-month period and whether that relationship differed for men and women.

METHODS

Data collected for the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey were analysed. Respondents who reported a BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m2 and indicated having seen a healthcare provider outside of an emergency room in the last 12 months were included. PCC was measured using a validated six-item scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the odds of reporting PCC greater than the sample median.

RESULTS

Compared with people with normal weight BMIs, no associations were found between overweight (odds ratio [OR] = 0.84, p = 0.17), class I & II obesity (OR = 0.94, p = 0.68) or class III obesity (OR = 0.86, p = 0.47) and PCC. There was a significant interaction (p = 0.015) such that for men, but not women, higher BMI was associated with less PCC.

CONCLUSION

Unlike evidence that women experience more weight stigma, in the healthcare domain, men may be at elevated risk of experiencing communication influenced by weight stigma.

Alcohol and drug abuse among persons with multiple sclerosis

Objective: To examine the one-month prevalence and impact of substance abuse in a large community sample of persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Method: Members of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of King C ounty were surveyed by mail. This multifaceted health survey included questions pertaining to substance abuse. Seven hundred and thirty-nine out of 1374 potential participants (54%) returned the survey, while 708 reported a medically confirmed diagnosis of MS and provided sufficient data. Results: Fourteen per cent of the sample screened positive for possible alcohol abuse or dependence, and 7.4% reported misusing illicit drugs or prescription medicatio ns within the previous month. Possible alcohol abuse and drug misuse were associated with younger age, less severe MS related disability and being employed, as well as greater self-reported depressive symptomatology. Most persons with alcohol problems indicated interest in learning more about ways to stop or cut down. Conclusions: Substance abuse may be present in up to 19% of this sample and contribute to high rates of depression. There may be greater risk of harm due to substance abuse in people with MS because of the potential magnification of motor and cognitive impairments. C omprehensive MS care should include substance abuse screening and advice to cut down or abstain.

The social group influences of US health journalists and their impact on the newsmaking process

The news media play a vital role in disseminating health information, yet little is known about the social characteristics of health journalists or the impact they have on the newsmaking process. This study examines how the social group influences of US health journalists impact two important aspects of news production--'media agenda-setting' and 'framing'. Using data from a national survey of health and medical science journalists, the authors conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to study the links between the gender, age and race/ethnicity of respondents, and the ways in which they utilized news sources, other resources, news priorities and story angles. Female respondents were more likely than males to say that educating people to make informed decisions and disseminating new, accurate information are important priorities. Female and minority journalists were more likely than white males to use a variety of sources, and to say it is important to develop the health and scientific literacy of audiences and influence public health behaviors. The gender and race/ethnicity of journalists play an important role in the production of health news. Health educators can foster improved coverage by learning more about the life experiences of health journalists and developing better working relationships with them.

Death in CHARGE syndrome after the neonatal period

CHARGE syndrome is a multiple congenital anomaly syndrome that can be life-threatening in the neonatal period. Complex heart defects, bilateral choanal atresia, esophageal atresia, severe T-cell deficiency, and brain anomalies can cause neonatal death. As little is known about the causes of death in childhood and adolescence, we studied post-neonatal death in patients with CHARGE syndrome. We collected medical data on three deceased children from a follow-up cohort of 48 CHARGE patients and retrospectively on an additional four deceased patients (age at death 11 months to 22 years). We analyzed the factors that had contributed to their death. In five patients respiratory aspiration had most likely contributed to premature death, one died of post-operative complications, and another choked during eating. From our findings and a literature review, we suggest that swallowing problems, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, respiratory aspiration and post-operative airway events are important contributors to post-neonatal death in CHARGE syndrome. Cranial nerve dysfunction is proposed as the underlying pathogenic mechanism. We recommend every CHARGE patient with feeding difficulties to be assessed by a multidisciplinary team to evaluate cranial nerve function and swallowing. Timely treatment of swallowing problems and gastro-esophageal reflux disease is important. Surgical procedures on these patients should be combined whenever possible because of their increased risk of post-operative complications and intubation problems. Finally, we recommend performing autopsy in deceased CHARGE patients in order to gain more insight into causes of death.

The risks and benefits of being a young female adolescent standardised patient

OBJECTIVE

To follow the progress of young female adolescents, as risk-taking standardised patients (SPs), and to monitor for adverse affects that role-playing may have on the adolescents.

METHODS

A prospective design was used in which 11 female adolescents, aged 13-15 years, were recruited from 2 schools. The adolescents were trained to portray risk-taking individuals with a medical condition and were interviewed with their SP mother by final-year medical students 1-3 times a month over 6-14 months. A control group was selected from both schools (n = 6). Main outcome measures were pre- and post-interviews using standardised questionnaires [Achenbach's Youth Self-Report (YSR) and Piers Harris Children's Self Concept Scale (SCS),] and focus groups.

RESULTS

The adolescent group simulated 111 interviews (mean per adolescent 10.1, SD = 6.2) each lasting 60-70 minutes. QUANTITATIVE DATA: The pre- and post-scores from the YSR and SCS demonstrated no significant differences within the SP study participants or between the control group vs. the study group. FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS: The initial focus group acted as a debriefing exercise and prompted the adolescents to request that they come out of their role when giving feedback. Subsequent focus group discussion was around the medical student performance and their family doctors.

CONCLUSION

Adolescent females showed no adverse effects when used extensively to portray risk-taking SPs. The focus groups provided the adolescents with an opportunity to debrief together. The adolescent SPs reported benefiting from this study but requested unanimously that they come "out of character" when giving feedback to the medical students.

CHARGE association: an update and review for the primary pediatrician

CHARGE association is a nonrandom pattern of congenital anomalies that occurs together more frequently than one would expect on the basis of chance. This common multiple anomaly condition has an estimated prevalence of 1:10,000. The number of children diagnosed with CHARGE association is increasing, owing presumably to greater awareness of this condition and advances in the care of complex, chronically ill children, resulting in improved survival and outcome. This review of CHARGE association presents diagnostic criteria that may define a concise, recognizable syndrome with a single pathogenetic basis. This review also summarizes our current understanding of the management for this complex and chronic multiple congenital anomaly condition and discusses the pathogenetic basis for this condition.

Reliability of an electrophoretic and image processing analysis of human skeletal muscle taken from m. vastus lateralis

The relative content of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms IIb, IIa and I in human skeletal muscle taken from the m. vastus lateralis of 30 healthy male subjects was analysed using mini-gel electrophoresis. Repeated electrophoretic gels utilizing the same methods were produced for all subjects and the determination of MHC protein bands was performed using a digital scanner and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Image software and laser densitometry. A comparison between the NIH Image processing technique and laser densitometry revealed differences of 6.47%, 6.35% and 6.84% between these measurement techniques for MHC-IIb, -IIa and -I isoforms, respectively. The percentage technical error of measurement (TEM%) between electrophoretic gels was shown to be 19.1%, 17.8% and 14.2%, with regard to percentage of occurrence of MHC-IIb, -IIa and -I isoforms respectively. The variation in electrophoretic gel analyses was shown to be 5.7%, 7.3% and 5.5%, with regard to the percentage of MHC-IIb, -IIa and -I isoforms respectively. Intra-class correlations comparing NIH Image and laser densitometry produced r values in the range 0.38-0.63. Comparisons between and within gel analyses produced r values in the range 0.59-0.94 and 0.93-0.98, respectively. Analyses of variance revealed no significant differences (P < 0.05) between analysis techniques, between gels or within gels for the measurement of MHC-IIb, -IIa and -I isoforms. The inter-gel error between fibre subgroups was moderate for the two type-II MHC populations and less for type-I MHC; the intra-individual error in the measuring technique used for classifying the MHC-IIb, -IIa and -I protein bands was small. The results obtained in this investigation showed consistent trends which may reflect a false classification of the type-II MHC populations for the inter-gel and intra-individual analyses. The NIH Image software and digitizing process was shown to be a valid and reliable method for distinguishing between MHC protein bands of human skeletal tissue as separated by mini-gel electrophoretic techniques.

Psychological and clinical effects of renal biopsy performed using sedation

A sedation regimen using sequential oral trinepazine, intravenous Pethco (pethidine, chlorpromazine and promethazine) and diazemuls was evaluated in children having native kidney (n = 17) and transplant kidney (n = 17) biopsies. Biopsy was successful in all cases, with no serious side effects. A self-reported scale of memory recall and pain perception showed the optimal time for biopsy to be between 30 and 90 min after the intravenous Pethco. The child's level of distress was measured by a self-reported scale, a parent-reported scale and an observational scale for doctors and nurses; 45% of children rated themselves highly distressed prior to the procedure, their parents being the best assessors of this distress. Younger children and those undergoing native kidney biopsy had less understanding of the procedure. Children's worries could be clearly categorised into procedural and outcome issues: those undergoing transplant biopsy were more worried about outcome, whereas those undergoing native kidney biopsy were more worried about the procedure.

CHARGE association looking at the future--the voice of a family support group

CHARGE association is a non-random collection of congenital anomalies. The condition is becoming more widely known to medical and educational professionals. The number of children diagnosed is increasing, probably because of the greater awareness of this condition. This paper considers some of the long-term management problems which are often deferred in the early months, when acute life threatening problems take priority. Questionnaires were sent to parents via the CHARGE Association Family Support Group, UK. Thirty-nine were returned and incomplete information was sought by personal contact or telephone. The majority of children were known professionally to one or both authors and information was therefore checked from medical and educational notes. There is still widespread misunderstanding about the impact of multiple disability, especially when this includes multi-sensory impairment, on the early development of the child. Therefore, the information collected from the study has been from an educational and medical perspective, thereby aiding the understanding of these complex problems. At the parents request, information was gathered about certain teratogens, of which Lindane, an organophosphate, is highlighted.

The eye in the CHARGE association

CHARGE association includes patients with at least four features prefixed by the letters of the mnemonic: Coloboma, Heart defects, Atresia of the choanae, Retarded growth and development, Genital hypoplasia, Ear anomalies and/or hearing loss. Many also have facial palsy. We report a series identified by collaboration within one centre of all specialties concerned in the management of the CHARGE association. Ocular abnormalities were found in 44 out of 50 patients with the CHARGE association. Of these, 41 had 'typical' colobomata. The majority had retinochoroidal colobomata with optic nerve involvement, but only 13 patients had an iris defect. Two patients had atypical iris colobomata with normal fundi. Additional features were microphthalmos in 21 patients, optic nerve hypoplasia in four, nystagmus in 12, and a vertical disorder of eye movement in four of the 22 cases with facial palsy. We report an incidence of coloboma in the CHARGE association of 86% (43/50) compared with a previous cumulative reported incidence of 66% (112/170). We believe that there may have been previous underdiagnosis of colobomata in children with multiple congenital abnormalities.

Congenital heart anomalies in patients with clefts of the lip and/or palate

The nature and severity of congenital heart disease in 78 patients who presented with clefts of the lip and/or palate is reported. The prevalence of bilateral cleft lip and palate in patients with heart lesions was much higher than in cleft patients with normal hearts. Cardiac defects were predominantly conotruncal. Tetralogy of Fallot was present in 24 percent of patients; the prevalence of transposition, atrioventricular septal defect, and truncus arteriosus was also disproportionately high. Patients with conotruncal defects had a greater prevalence of either unilateral or bilateral cleft lip and palate. Most patients with congenital heart disease and clefting had additional abnormalities. Anomalies of other systems were found to be present in 87 percent of patients.

Who's in CHARGE? Multidisciplinary management of patients with CHARGE association

Clinical experience of 50 patients with the CHARGE association is reviewed and problems with management of children born with multiple system involvement is highlighted. It was found that the outlook for survival was poor if more than one of the following three features was present: cyanotic cardiac lesions, bilateral posterior choanal atresia, or tracheo-oesophageal fistula. Mortality was largely due not to the structural heart defects or choanal abnormalities, but reflected underlying pharyngeal and laryngeal incoordination, which resulted in aspiration of secretions. Outcome is likely to be improved if collaboration between specialist surgical teams allows necessary procedures to be performed using the minimum number of anaesthetics. Examination of both the short and long term management of these children has stressed the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to their care.

CHARGE association in two monozygous triplets

In an unusual set of triplets, two monozygous girls presented with CHARGE association. Dissimilar surgical management of identical cardiovascular lesions has resulted in a disparate effect on their clinical state. Their case poses interesting questions concerning how CHARGE association may develop.

The effects of profound cryotherapy upon the pulmonary parenchyma

Cryotherapy, the application of supercool temperatures to living tissue, has proved successful in the treatment of many superficial neoplasms. Recent clinical studies have suggested the efficacy of an aggressive surgical excision of multiple pulmonary metastatic nodules. The current experiments were designed to study the effects of profound cryotherapy upon the pulmonary parenchyma as a preliminary to the use of this modality clinically in patients in whom further pulmonary resection is impossible. Six dogs were subjected to temperatures of -120 degrees C on the visceral pleural surface of the lingula for three successive freeze/thaw cycles. Serial roentgenograms were obtained on all animals and surviving animals were killed between 4 and 28 days following cryotherapy. Radiographically, an infiltrate developed in the region of cryotherapy within 3 to 5 days, clearing completely by 28 days. There was no instance of delayed pneumothorax developing. Histologically, a subpleural hemorrhagic infarct developed in the region of cryotherapy with mesothelial proliferation on the overlying pleural surface. Within 28 days the infarct had resolved to a subpleural fibrous scar with normal surrounding pulmonary parenchyma. These studies demonstrate the safety of profound pulmonary cryotherapy and suggest cautions clinical trials.