Residents' attitudes, knowledge, and behavior regarding diagnosis and treatment of alcoholism

Few studies have addressed the variables that affect physicians' practice behavior in treating alcoholism. In the study reported here, the authors hypothesized that alcohol-related training and experience would influence practice behavior more significantly than attitudes or knowledge. In order to assess the most important predictors of practice behavior, the authors conducted a survey of 163 junior and senior medical residents at five training hospitals affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Of these residents, 123 responded (75 percent). Negative attitudes toward alcoholics and knowledge of alcoholism were not significantly related to the residents' estimates of the prevalence of alcoholism among their patients, to their rate of treating alcoholic patients, or to their rate of referring patients for alcoholism therapy. There was a significant relationship between having supervised clinical experience in alcoholism and these three behaviors. These results are consistent with the authors' hypothesis that changing physicians' practice in treating alcoholics may be best achieved by providing relevant clinical experience in alcoholism.     

A committee on well-being of medical students and house staff

A committee on well-being of medical students and house staff was established in a university medical center to address some of the socioemotional aspects of medical education and training. The overall goal was to influence the learning climate in ways that would enhance positively the educational experience. Several problem areas were identified. They included poor communication, stressful effects of medical education both on self and on relationships, a need for advocacy, and a lack of support for house staff members. A series of programs were designed and implemented in response to these issues. With institutional support, a committee on well-being may serve as an effective approach in alleviating some of the stresses of the medical training process.     

对医务人员和大学生同性恋态度的调查研究

目的通过调查了解民众对同性恋的态度,以便推测取消同性恋诊断标准的可行性.方法采用修订过的美国全国同性恋态度调查问卷,调查医务人员500名和普通大学生300名,将调查结果与美国当年的资料进行对比.结果医务人员中57.2%的被调查者认为同性恋是病态,77.2%认为同性恋值得同情和理解,62%认为今后社会应该接受同性恋,而只有19.4%的人接触过同性恋.大学生比医务人员对同性恋的态度更加开放,资料表明我们比当年美国的民意测验对同性恋更加宽容.结论像世界卫生组织一样取消同性恋的诊断而保留自我不和谐的同性恋的诊断的条件已经成熟,这也是比较明智的作法.     

对医务人员和大学生同性恋态度的调查研究

通过调查了解民众对同性恋的态度，以便推测取消同性恋诊断标准的可行性。方法 采用修订过的美国全国同性恋态度调查问卷，调查医务人员500名和普通大学生300名，将调查结果与美国当年的资料进行对比。结果 医务人员中57．2％的被调查者认为同性恋是病态，77．2％认为同性恋值得同情和理解，62％认为今后社会应该接受同性恋，而只有19．4％的人接触过同性恋。大学生比医务人员对同性恋的态度更加开放，资料表明我们比当年美国的民意测验对同性恋更加宽荣。结论 像世界卫生组织一样取消同性恋的诊断而保留自我不和谐的同性恋的诊断的条件已经成熟，这也是比较明确的作法。     

Doctors' practices and attitudes regarding voluntary euthanasia

We report the results of a survey of the attitudes and practices of doctors in Victoria with respect to requests for active help in dying from patients who were suffering from a terminal or incurable disease. Questionnaires were sent to 2000 Victorian doctors who had been selected at random, 869 of whom returned completed questionnaires. The survey indicates that a clear majority of those who responded to the questionnaire support active voluntary euthanasia and that many doctors have provided active help in dying. Forty per cent of doctors indicated that they would practise active voluntary euthanasia if it were legal. We compare the results of our survey with a recent telephone survey of British general practitioners.     

Knowledge and attitudes regarding smoking: a health education experiment with Malay college students

This study investigated whether knowledge and attitudes of Malay college students regarding smoking can be positively influenced by educational intervention. The experiment included a pretest to assess the students knowledge and attitudes regarding smoking, a lecture on the health risks associated with smoking, and a posttest given six weeks later to assess whether any changes had occurred. A profile of the typical Malay student smoker was also elicited. Twenty-seven percent of the study population were smokers. Of the men in the sample, 44% were smokers, while less than 4% of the women were smokers. T-tests indicated that knowledge of the health risks associated with smoking was significantly improved for most groups, while attitudes towards smoking were essentially unchanged.     

Achieving compliance with influenza immunization of medical house staff and students. A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE--To determine the optimal method to increase influenza immunization rates of medical house staff and students. DESIGN--Prospective randomized trial and cross-sectional survey. STUDY GROUP--Four hundred forty-two internal medicine, obstetrics-gynecology, and general surgery residents and junior medical students. MEASUREMENTS--The four interventions employed were (1) an educational memorandum outlining vaccine indications sent to all study group members, (2) a personal letter mailed to a random sample of half of the remaining unimmunized persons, (3) a telephone call to half of the unimmunized letter recipients, and (4) vaccine offered directly to the remaining unimmunized persons in clinics and conferences. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to all persons requesting or offered vaccine. MAIN RESULTS--During the 3 weeks after the memorandum, 87 (20%) of 442 persons were immunized. Five weeks after the letter, 61 (34%) of persons receiving a letter and 30 (17%) of the no-letter controls (P = .0005) had been immunized. After the telephone call, there was a statistically insignificant trend toward increased compliance. In clinics and conferences, 90% of persons reached were immunized and 10% refused, largely extinguishing the effect of prior interventions. At completion of the study, 275 (62%) of 442 participants were immunized, 29 (7%) refused, and 138 (31%) were not reached. Questionnaire results revealed that only 32% had ever been previously immunized against influenza, yet 70% stated that they had worked despite having influenzalike symptoms. CONCLUSION--A high rate of immunization of house staff and medical students can be achieved most effectively by offering vaccine in clinics and conferences. Continued education about influenza immunization is necessary for physicians and medical students.     

Knowledge of aging and attitudes toward older people. A survey of Australian podiatric medical students

Podiatric medical students in Australia were surveyed to evaluate their reasons for entering podiatric medicine, knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older people, perceptions of treatment efficacy, and desire to specialize in geriatrics. Few students plan to specialize in geriatrics upon graduation (4%), with most preferring general practice (25%) or sports medicine (21%). However, knowledge of aging was good, and students had favorable attitudes toward older people and considered treatment of older people to be effective. Few age- or gender-related effects were observed. It is concluded that students' lack of desire to specialize in geriatrics may be due not to unfavorable perceptions of older people but rather to the low profile and limited development of geriatrics as a specialty area within the podiatric medical profession.     

医务人员食源性疾病相关知识、诊疗态度和诊疗行为的调查分析

目的 了解辖区内医务人员对食源性疾病的认知度和态度、行为的现状.方法 采用随机整群抽样方法,对辖区内三甲医院和社区医院的医务人员进行问卷调查.结果 共调查332名医务人员,普遍缺乏食源性疾病相关知识,合格率为34.33％,而诊疗态度及诊疗行为合格率达到88.88％和98.19％.三甲医院医务人员在食源性疾病相关知识的得分[（6.49±2.18）分]低于社区卫生服务中心医务人员[（7.04±2.26）分],差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）,而在诊疗态度及诊疗行为方面的得分两者差异无统计学意义（P＞0.05）.结论 加强食源性疾病相关知识的宣贯有助于医务人员改善对食源性疾病警觉态度,进而有助于改善监测漏报行为.