Self-directed learning in anatomy: incorporation of case-based studies into a conventional medical curriculum

This paper reports an attempt to develop self-directed learning skills in second-year medical students by introducing case-based projects into the gross anatomy course at a long-established medical school. The programme and students' responses to a questionnaire completed at the end of the year are presented. Information on the various resources used by students to find information is given. The performance of students in the case-based components of the course has been evaluated and also in the more traditional end-of-year written examination. The data confirm that students have recognized that the projects were about obtaining a deeper understanding of the anatomy, and the programme appears to have promoted the use and study of library texts.     

Familias Unidas: The Efficacy of an Intervention to Promote Parental Investment in Hispanic Immigrant Families

This paper reports a test of the efficacy of Familias Unidas, a Hispanic-specific, ecologically focused, parent-centered preventive intervention, in promoting protection against and reducing risk for adolescent behavior problems. Specifically, the intervention was designed to foster parental investment, reduce adolescent behavior problems, and promote adolescent school bonding/academic achievement, all protective factors against drug abuse and delinquency. One-hundred sixty seven Hispanic families of 6th and 7th grade students from three South Florida public schools were stratified by grade within school and randomly assigned to intervention and no-intervention control conditions. Results indicated that Familias Unidas was efficacious in increasing parental investment and decreasing adolescent behavior problems, but that it did not significantly impact adolescent school bonding/academic achievement. Summer-vacation rates of adolescent behavior problems were six times higher in the control condition than in the intervention condition. Furthermore, change in parental investment during the intervention was predictive of subsequent levels of adolescent behavior problems. The findings suggest that Familias Unidas is efficacious in promoting protection and reducing risk for adolescent problem behaviors in poor immigrant Hispanic families.     

Effects of cadaver dissection on the attitudes of medical students

Summary: Summary. A study was conducted to determine whether the attitudes of medical students to death and caring changed during the 3 months following exposure to cadaver dissection. All first-year students were invited to complete a questionnaire immediately before their initial cadaver dissection experience, after 6 weeks, and after a further 3 months. The questionnaire reflected attitudes to death, violent death, death of someone known to the respondent and caring when someone known to the respondent is seriously injured. Ethnicity and previous exposure to dying has no effect on responses, but overall men students' reactions were significantly less than for women ( P < 0.001). The responses given on the final part of the questionnaire after 3 months were significantly lower than those to most questions in the first part of the questionnaire. The exceptions were those questions where the subject in the given scenario was known to the respondent, where reactions were rated significantly greater ( P < 0.001) in the follow-up questionnaire and can be explained on the basis that they were a personal referent.
Students rapidly develop a coping mechanism which enables them to view cadaver dissection as an occupation quite divorced from living human beings. During these early months of training solicitude decreases for those who die who are unknown to them, but concern for personal referents increases. Educators should be aware of the dramatic change of attitudes among students and the process of professionalization which might influence their caring of future patients.     

Independent learning among general practice trainees: an initial survey

Self-directed learning is a natural way for adults to learn. Vocational training for general practice is a preparation for unsupervised clinical work that will be supported, in the main, by continuing medical education. This study uses the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale to investigate factors influencing readiness for such learning among a sample of general practice trainees. Three principal factors emerged from analysis: enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning; a positive self-concept as a learner and a factor suggesting the possibility of a 'reproducing' orientation to learning. These factors may reflect approaches to learning in general rather than these adopted for professional learning, but offer helpful pointers for the development of both vocational training and of continuing medical education.     

北京、广州、上海城市居民营养知识、态度、行为的调查

对北京、广州和上海三大城市随机抽取的９６５名年龄在２０～５０岁的城市居民进行有关营养知识、态度和行为（Ｋ－Ａ－Ｐ）的调查。结果显示，三地区调查对象的营养知识水平不高。营养知识的得分与其自身受教育程度有相关性（ｒ＝０．３０１１，Ｐ＜０．０１）。年龄在３５岁以上的对象，营养知识的得分高于年轻人；三地区调查对象对营养知识的获取，合理的膳食模式，卫生的饮食习惯均持有积极、肯定的态度。食物消费频度调查结果表明，米／面、肉／禽、蔬菜、水果、奶及奶制品的消费量较高。此外，８９．５％，７８．８％和４７．８％的调查对象分别选择报纸、电视、广播作为其主要营养信息来源。本次调查为将来的营养宣教的内容和方法提供依据。     

青年医师如何看待医疗纠纷

作者针对青年医师面对医疗纠纷的困惑,从各角度分析了医疗纠纷的成因,指出应以正向心态对待医疗纠纷。     

嘉兴外来人员生活环境与肠道传染病相关知信行现况调查分析

目的了解城郊结合部外来人员聚集地生活环境现况和霍乱等肠道传染病健康知信行情况,进一步明确肠道传染病防治健康教育与健康促进工作的重点开展方向。方法采用随机抽样的方法,运用统一设计的调查问卷对嘉兴市5县2区城郊结合部等外来人员聚集地进行流行病学调查。结果93.06%的调查对象以租房为主,90.61%的生活用水来源于自来水,9.25%用井水;78.61%的人知道霍乱传播途径,21.53%的人知道霍乱主要临床症状,28.03%的人知道肠道传染病全部预防措施;77.31%的知识来源于电视,其他顺位依次为书刊、广播、家人或朋友处;希望获得宣传资料形式:传单占46.68%,墙报占31.21%。结论外来人员租房人数居多,有部分人使用井水;肠道传染病相关知识了解的较少。应采取多部门齐抓共管来改善外来人员聚集地的生活环境,因地制宜地对外来人员开展有针对性的预防肠道传染病健康教育。     

Early separation and suicidal behaviour in the parental homes of 40 consecutive suicide attempters

Forty suicide-attempt patients who were consecutively admitted to an intensive-care unit, their significant others and treatment personnel were investigated by semistructured interviews. The patients were divided into neurosis (n = 14), abuse (n = 19) and psychosis (n = 7) groups. Twenty-one of the patients (52%) had lost contact with one or both parents before the age of 18, in 25% of cases owing to death and in 27% because of the parents' divorce or separation. Parents and/or siblings of 19 patients (47%) had shown suicidal behaviour in the form of attempted suicide and/or suicide. Differences between the groups were not significant. Alcohol abuse in the parental home was overrepresented in the abuse group compared with the other groups. The role of identification with the dead and suicidal parent in prompting suicidal actions in adulthood is discussed, as well as that of the impeded evolution of stable external object relations owing to parental losses.     

Prematurity Stereotyping by Mothers of Premature Infants

Previous research has experimentally documented a prematuritystereotype in college students and mothers of full-term infants.The present investigation extends the scope of earlier studiesto mothers of premature infants. Thirty-two mothers of prematureinfants viewed four videotapes of 9-month-old full-term infants,each labeled either full-term or premature and either male orfemale. When infants were labeled premature the mothers perceivedthem as littler, finer featured, weaker, more passive, and slowerthan infants labeled full-term. The mothers also perceived labeledboys as bigger than labeled girls. Differences in stereotypingbetween the mothers in this study and both mothers of full-terminfants and college students are identified and discussed. Resultssuggest that mothers of premature infants expect deficits inpremature infants' physical development but not in prematureinfants' mental or social development. The likely sources andpossible self-fulfilling nature of these biased perceptionsare considered     

宁夏高校新生乙型肝炎知识和正向态度的调查

目的：调查宁夏地区大学生新生有关乙型肝炎防治知识的认知情况，为开展健康教育提供基线资料。方法：采取分层整群抽样方法，对宁夏1000名大学新生进行问卷调查。结果：对乙型肝炎一般知识、传播途径的正确回答率宁夏医学院新生高于宁夏大学和宁夏农学院新生，传播途径得分女生高于男生；正向态度得分宁夏大学新生高于其它2校，汉民高于回民；乙肝的一般知识、传播途径及正向态度得分城市学生均高于农村，差异均有显著性。结论：大学生对乙肝的防治知识有一定了解，但不全面，不系统，不均衡，开展健康教育非常重要。