Preliminary Evaluation of Sexual Problems in Combat Veterans with PTSD

This study evaluated the potential relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sexual problems. The Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction was mailed to combat veterans currently in treatment at an outpatient PTSD clinic. Completed questionnaires were received from 90 patients. Results indicated that over 80% of subjects were experiencing clinically relevant sexual difficulties. Impotence and premature ejaculation were the most frequently reported problems that have corresponding psychological diagnoses. The rates of sexual problems for this sample of veterans with PTSD was similar to those reported in other studies and exceeded rates of similar problems found in samples from community samples. These data suggest mat PTSD may be a risk factor for sexual problems.     

Ethical Issues in Psychotherapy

Abstract: The goal of psychotherapy is not only the dissolution of the symptoms, but also to attempt to bring about an improvement in adaptability and deepening the achievement of self-understanding. The nature of psychotherapy is based on the relationship between the therapist and patient. Such a goal and nature mean that some kinds of psychotherapy are beyond the medical model. In this paper ethical issues in psychotherapy are discussed as follows. 1) some complicated matters in informed-consent, 2) the hit or miss techniques of the poorly trained therapist, 3) the protection of privacy, 4) the sexual misconduct of therapists with patients, 5) special consideration for child-adolescent patients.     

The influence of clinical problems, age and social support on outcomes for elderly persons referred to regional aged care assessment teams

Abstract Background: Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) have been established throughout Australia during the past seven years. Early studies of their effect have concentrated on their impact on the rate of institutionalisation of disabled elderly, the clinical characteristics of referred cases and the relationship between disability and recommended care plan. Aims: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between age, clinical features and social characteristics of AC AT subjects with outcomes at 12 months after assessment. Methods: The examination of an arbitrary sample of persons referred to ACATs over a year by one generalist geriatrician with follow-up of all cases by the three ACATs associated with the study was carried out. All analyses were performed on raw data presented as categorical variables in the form of contingency tables. Results: The sample included 324 subjects who suffered from 2030 clinical problems with a mean of 6.5 per person aged 75 or over and 5.5 for those under 75. Cardiovascular and neurological disease were the commonest source of problems. Study of accommodation outcome at 12 months, for those subjects who survived this period revealed that, in the older group, over 60% of subjects with neurological disease were resident in nursing homes while the majority of all other groups remained in the community, as did two-thirds of those aged under 75. Admission to a nursing home was independent of social support for older subjects with neurological disease, but it played a significant role in those with cardiopulmonary or musculoskeletal disease. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that for one-year survivors there is an increased likelihood of admission to a nursing home of people aged 75 or over with neurological disease, while those under 75 were more likely to remain at home. The association was independent of whether spouse, family or friends were living with the subject. (Aust NZ J Med 1994; 24: 378–385.)     

Vessel-encoded arterial spin-labeling using pseudocontinuous tagging.

A new signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) efficient method is introduced for the mapping of vascular territories based on pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (ASL). A pseudocontinuous tagging pulse train is modified using additional transverse gradient pulses and phase cycling to place some arteries in a tag condition, while others passing through the same tagging plane are in a control condition. This is combined with a Hadamard or similar encoding scheme such that all vessels of interest are fully inverted or relaxed for nearly all of the encoding cycles, providing optimal SNR. The relative tagging efficiency for each vessel is measured directly from the ASL data and is used in the decoding process to improve the separation of vascular territories. High SNR maps of left carotid, right carotid, and basilar territories are generated in 6 min of scan time.     

Heat and moisture exchangers as a treatment option in the post-operative rehabilitation of laryngectomized patients

A multi-institutional, prospective clinical study was undertaken to investigate whether the use of a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) in the period following total laryngectomy could prevent the development or reduce the severity of respiratory symptoms. Fifty-nine patients from three hospitals were provided with HMEs, either immediately post-surgery or, in the case of post-surgical radiotherapy, upon completion of the radiotherapy. For the total sample (n= 59) statistically significant improvements over time (between 3 and 6 months) could be found in forced expectoration (P < 0.05), in the perceived voice quality (P < 0.001), social anxiety (P < 0.001), social interactions (P < 0.001) and in feelings of anxiety and depression (P < 0.05). Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated statistically significant group differences over time in forced expectoration and stoma cleaning (P < 0.05). No statistically significant differences over time were noted between the regular and non(regular) HME user groups in voice quality or in various aspects of daily living.     

大学生在SARS流行时期心理卫生状况及对策研究

目的 研究大学生群体在SAPS流行时期心理行为表现及预防对策。方法 采用随机、分层、整群抽样的方法，于2003年4-5月(高校实行封闭式管理时期)对广州市某高校在校生及被隔离学生进行SARS相关知识问卷调查。结果 调查798名大学生中，对SARS基本知识综合认知状况为很清楚占12．28％，清楚占32．83％，了解占38．09％，不清楚占10．53％；大学生对SARS严重程度综合认知状况为认为非常可怕占9．15％，可怕占31．83％，不可怕占47，12％，无所谓占5．64％；大学生对SARS疫情公告、学校封闭式管理、隔离措施综合认知状况认为很必要占56．27％，必要占28．45％，一般占8．39％，不必要占4．76％。结论 SARS流行时期应做好大学生心理行为的干预。     

Management of infant sleep problems in a residential unit

Torrens House provides a short residential programme for families with a baby (8–12 months of age) identified by parents as having a sleep problem such as waking frequently at night and being difficult to settle. The programme involves the promotion of infant self-settling by the use of a controlled crying technique, together with wrapping, cessation of night feeds and establishment of a day-time routine. Twenty families (with 23 babies) were followed through the programme and for 3 months afterwards. There were significant decreases in the number of times the babies woke, the number of night-feeds and the length of time awake at night at 1 month follow-up, with a reduction in depressive symptomatology of the parents and a perceived improvement in their infants' behaviour. Twenty of the 23 babies were sleeping well at 3 month follow-up.     

大学生心理障碍干预实验研究

目的　探索有效的心理障碍治疗方法 ,降低大学生心理障碍发病率。方法　以经SCL - 90测试分析筛检出≥ 2项因子分在 2 3以上的心理障碍者 2 0 5人为研究对象 ,采取心理治疗、中药治疗、中药与心理疗法结合治疗 3种干预模式对实验组心理障碍者进行为期半年治疗 ,对实验组与空白对照组测试情况比较、各实验组组间比较 ,干预前、后测试结果比较 ,对干预效果进行评价。结果　 3个干预实验组与对照组相比 ,SCL - 90测试结果均低于对照组 ;干预前后SCL - 90测试总分、总均分、各因子分差异有显著性意义 (P <0 0 0 1)。结论　 3种干预方式对心理障碍均有不同程度的疗效 ,以中药与心理疗法结合治疗效果最佳。     

Differential Diagnosis in Pseudoepileptic Seizures

Summary: With increasing use of intensive video-EEG monitoring, publications concerning pseudoepileptic seizures have burgeoned, but without clarification concerning differing psychopathologic mechanisms and without distinction of different syndromic varieties. The frequent concurrence of pseudoepileptic and epileptic seizures has not been sufficiently recognized, and an undue reliance on clinical experience on the one hand and individual tests such as EEG on the other has proven equally misleading in this group of cases.     

广东省科技期刊编辑个性心理特征的分析

目的探索广东省科技期刊编辑的个性特征,为管理部门对其进行继续教育提供依据。方法2004年10月至2005年5月采用艾森克个性问卷(EPQ)和症状自评量表(SCL-90),对广东省65家科技期刊的编辑人员进行问卷调查,并进行统计学分析。结果共调查129名编辑人员,其SCL-90总分(123±39)、强迫症状、人际关系敏感、焦虑、敌对、恐怖、偏执因子评分均低于全国成人常模(P<0.05或P<0.01);心理症状阳性检出率为22.5%;男性的强迫症状、偏执因子评分高于女性(P<0.05);编辑组男、女性与成人常模组比较,EPQ中精神质因子(P)与神经质因子(N)得分较低,而内外向因子(E)与掩饰性因子(L)得分较高(P<0.05或P<0.01);EPQ中N因子是编辑心理健康的影响因素(P<0.01)。结论广东省科技期刊编辑总体心理健康状况较好,但少部分编辑存在心理问题,仍需对编辑群体加强编辑心理与心理健康方面的教育。