Postpartum major depression: detection and treatment.
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Postpartum major depression occurs in approximately one of 10 childbearing women and is considerably underdiagnosed. If left untreated, the disorder can have serious adverse effects on the mother and her relationship with significant others, and on the child's emotional and psychologic development. A simple screening instrument can be used to increase the detection of postpartum major depression. Although few well-controlled studies have been done to support the use of any one modality, the mainstay of treatment has been antidepressant therapy, alone or in combination with psychotherapy. Plasma concentrations of antidepressant drugs are usually low in the breast-fed infant, and most studies demonstrate that certain antidepressants can be used during lactation without any important adverse effects on the infant. (+info)
Recognition and management of Tourette's syndrome and tic disorders.
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Tic disorders and Tourette's syndrome are conditions that primary care physicians are likely to encounter. Up to 20 percent of children have at least a transient tic disorder at some point. Once believed to be rare, Tourette's syndrome is now known to be a more common disorder that represents the most complex and severe manifestation of the spectrum of tic disorders. Tourette's syndrome is a chronic familial disorder with a fluctuating course; the long-term outcome is generally favorable. Although the exact underlying pathology has yet to be determined, evidence indicates a disorder localized to the frontal-subcortical neural pathways. Tourette's syndrome is commonly associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, behavior problems and learning disabilities. These comorbid conditions make the management of Tourette's syndrome more challenging. Management of Tourette's syndrome should include timely and accurate diagnosis, education, and behavior or pharmacologic interventions. Use of neuroleptic medications and dopamine D2 antagonist drugs can be effective but may be associated with significant side effects. (+info)
Prevention of relapse in women who quit smoking during pregnancy.
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OBJECTIVES: This study is an evaluation of relapse prevention interventions for smokers who quit during pregnancy. METHODS: Pregnant smokers at 2 managed care organizations were randomized to receive a self-help booklet only, prepartum relapse prevention, or prepartum and postpartum relapse prevention. Follow-up surveys were conducted at 28 weeks of pregnancy and at 8 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum. RESULTS: The pre/post intervention delayed but did not prevent postpartum relapse to smoking. Prevalent abstinence was significantly greater for the pre/post intervention group than for the other groups at 8 weeks (booklet group, 30%; prepartum group, 35%; pre/post group, 39%; P = .02 [different superscripts denote differences at P < .05]) and at 6 months (booklet group, 26%, prepartum group, 24%; pre/post group, 33%; P = .04) postpartum. A nonsignificant reduction in relapse among the pre/post group contributed to differences in prevalent abstinence. There was no difference between the groups in prevalent abstinence at 12 months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Relapse prevention interventions may need to be increased in duration and potency to prevent post-partum relapse. (+info)
Preventing weight gain in adults: the pound of prevention study.
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OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether weight gain with age could be prevented through the use of a low-intensity intervention. METHODS: Participants, 228 men and 998 women recruited from diverse sources, were randomized to one of the following groups: (1) no-contact control, (2) education through monthly newsletters, or (3) education plus incentives for participation. All participants were weighed and completed questionnaires about behaviors and attitudes related to weight at baseline and annually for 3 years thereafter. RESULTS: Individuals in intervention groups reported favorable changes over time in frequency of weighting and healthy dieting practices relative to those in the control group. These behavior changes were in turn related to a reduced rate of weight gain over time. However, weight gain over 3 years did not differ significantly by treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: This low-intensity educational approach to weight gain prevention sustained interest over a lengthy time period and was associated positively with behavior change, but it was not strong enough to significantly reduce weight gain with age. (+info)
The Resource Mothers Program for Maternal Phenylketonuria.
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OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to measure the effectiveness of resource mothers in reducing adverse consequences of maternal phenylketonuria. METHODS: Nineteen pregnancies in the resource mothers group were compared with 64 pregnancies in phenylketonuric women without resource mothers. Weeks to metabolic control and offspring outcome were measured. RESULTS: Mean number of weeks to metabolic control was 8.5 (SE = 2.2) in the resource mothers group, as compared with 16.1 (SE = 1.7) in the comparison group. Infants of women in the resource mothers group had larger birth head circumferences and higher developmental quotients. CONCLUSIONS: The resource mothers program described here improves metabolic control in pregnant women with phenylketonuria. (+info)
Weight loss counseling by health care providers.
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OBJECTIVES: This study explores the pattern of weight loss counseling by health care providers in Connecticut and the associated weight loss efforts by patients. METHODS: Data from the 1994 Connecticut Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey were analyzed to determine (1) the frequency of weight management counseling by health care providers of overweight adults with and without additional cardiovascular risk factors and (2) the current weight loss practices of overweight subjects. RESULTS: Only 29% of all overweight respondents and fewer than half with additional cardiovascular risk factors, reported that they had been counseled to lose weight. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a need for more counseling of overweight persons, especially those with cardiovascular disease risk factors. (+info)
Clustered randomised trial of an intervention to improve the management of asthma: Greenwich asthma study.
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OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of an asthma resource centre in improving treatment and quality of life for asthmatic patients. DESIGN: Community based randomised controlled trial. SETTING: 41 general practices in Greenwich with a practice nurse. SUBJECTS: All registered patients aged 15-50 years. INTERVENTION: Nurse specialists in asthma who educated and supported practice nurses, who in turn educated patients in the management of asthma according to the British Thoracic Society's guidelines. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality of life of asthmatic patients, attendance at accident and emergency departments, admissions to local hospitals, and steroid prescribing by general practitioners. RESULTS: Of 24 400 patients randomly selected and surveyed in 1993, 12 238 replied; 1621 were asthmatic of whom 1291 were sent a repeat questionnaire in 1996 and 780 replied. Of 24 400 patients newly surveyed in 1996, 10 783 (1616 asthmatic) replied. No evidence was found for an improvement in asthma related quality of life among newly surveyed patients in intervention practices compared with control practices. Neither was there evidence of an improvement in other measures of the quality of asthma care. Weak evidence was found for an improvement in quality of life in intervention practices among asthmatics registered with study practices in 1993 and followed up in 1996. Neither attendances at accident and emergency departments nor admissions for asthma showed any tendency to diverge in intervention and control practices over the study period. Steroid prescribing rates rose steadily during the study period. The average annual increase in steroid prescribing was 3% per year higher in intervention than control practices (95% confidence interval -1% to 6%, P=0.10). CONCLUSIONS: This model of service delivery is not effective in improving the outcome of asthma in the community. Further development is required if cost effective management of asthma is to be introduced. (+info)
Patient education in nuclear medicine technology practice.
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This is the second article of a two-part series on patient education. This article builds on the first one by discussing some of the unique considerations in providing patient education in the nuclear medicine department. Concrete strategies for nuclear medicine technology practice are discussed here. After reading this article, the technologist should be able to: (a) describe the affective and technical aspects of the nuclear medicine technologist's role as a patient educator; (b) identify some strategies that nuclear medicine technologists can use to become better teachers; and (c) describe factors that affect patient learning in the nuclear medicine department and some approaches to overcome or minimize learning barriers. (+info)