At Ohio State University, 81 dental hygiene students' attitudes toward homosexual and heterosexual patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or leukemia were assessed using ratings of prejudice, social interaction, and interpersonal interaction. Negative bias toward individuals with AIDS and unwillingness to engage in everyday…

Differences in service utilization and community adjustment between community mental health clients with and without substance abuse disorders were studied for 144 outpatients, 37 percent of whom had dual diagnoses (substance abuse and another disorder). The association of dual diagnosis with poor service use and adjustment is discussed. (SLD)

A study examined the economic relationship between growth in dentistry and supply/demand factors. Output, or real per capita dental expenditures, is seen as a function of consumer income, dental insurance, and dentist supply. Analysis indicates a significant relationship between dental sector growth and economic market factors, including growth in…

A framework and concepts for developing inclusion criteria for meta-analysis are presented and illustrated in a meta-analysis of primary studies in patient education for preventive health services. Of 5,451 citations located and abstracts screened, 64 studies eventually met acceptability criteria. (SLD)

Difficulties inherent in differentiating practice effects from meaningful change in neuropsychological retest data are illustrated in this case study of a personal injury case. Although the patient demonstrated substantial gains on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised, most of the tests given on successive days did demonstrate acceptable…

Client satisfaction with outpatient psychotherapy in New Zealand was studied for 93 adult subjects who completed the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire. Clients reported a high degree of satisfaction, and there were positive correlations between satisfaction and symptom change on both client-related and therapist-related outcome measures. (SLD)

Quantitative and qualitative measures of patient satisfaction with psychiatric outpatient services were compared in interviews with 263 outpatients. Results indicate that expressions of dissatisfaction appear mainly in open-ended questions. Focus on the questions and acceptability of the data gathering procedure appears to influence responses…

Innovations in equipment and changes in social attitudes are tearing down barriers to sports participation for individuals with disabilities. Many people still do not know about the array of opportunities available, and physicians are uniquely positioned to help them discover the sporting events and fitness options open to them. (SM)

Analysis of 61 inpatient medical writeups by 23 third year medicine clerks found smoking history notations in 74 percent but quantification of exposure much less commonly. None detailed patient addiction or willingness to quit, or included smoking cessation in the patient plan. Students' smoking assessment and cessation skills are seen as poorly…

Sixteen parents were prompted to increase their interactions with health care providers during their children's health supervision visits. Compared to 16 controls, prompted parents initiated significantly more interactions with health care providers, and more health and behavioral topics were discussed during their appointments. (Author/JDD)

In standardized patient-based tests of clinical competence, patients are used to present the clinical problem and to rate the actions taken by the student. This approach is evaluated by a microanalysis of 1 case used in a fourth year clinical examination of 98 medical students at the University of Manitoba. (MLW)

A study investigating possible sex bias, concerning both student and standardized-patient genders, in an objective structured clinical examination found that neither men nor women were afforded an advantage by patient or test location. However, women's scores on tests administered by females were higher than corresponding men's scores. (MSE)

Examined utility of cognitive variables (pessimism, perceived and actual problem-solving ability, polarized thinking, self-negativity, construct system constriction and differentiation) as predictors of suicide risk among 79 hospitalized psychiatric patients. Results indicated that hopelessness, self-negativity, and poor problem-solving…

Hospitalized female patients with borderline personality disorder were assessed for Axis II disorders by the Structured Clinical Inventory for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID-II) and for personality traits with the NEO Personality Inventory. The relationship of results to social adjustment and the utility of…

A mother describes her experience and interactions with professionals concerning the birth, surgeries, and early development of her daughter who was born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a condition in which the failure of the diaphragm to form completely compromises the position and functioning of many major organs. (DB)