Treating social phobia in children through group narrative therapy

This study explored the effectiveness of group narrative therapy in treating the symptoms of social phobia among boys. Twenty-four boys, aged 10–11 with a confirmed diagnosis of social phobia were randomly assigned to receive treatment (N = 12) or placed on a waiting list (N = 12) considered as a control group. The treatment group received fourteen 90-min sessions of narrative therapy twice a week. Results showed significant differences in the symptom scores for the intervention and waiting list groups. Assessment by parents and teachers showed that the group narrative therapy had a significant effect on reducing symptoms of social phobia among participants in the treatment group both at home and school settings one week after completion of treatment and sustained after thirty days.     

Targeting Persons With or At High Risk for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by State-based Surveillance

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey is used to estimate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) prevalence and could be expanded to describe respiratory symptoms in the general population and to characterize persons with or at high risk for the disease. Tobacco duration and respiratory symptom questions were added to the 2012 South Carolina BRFSS. Data concerning sociodemographics, chronic illnesses, health behaviors, and respiratory symptoms were collected in 9438 adults ≥ 35 years-old. Respondents were categorized as having COPD, high risk, or low risk for the disease. High risk was defined as no self-reported COPD, ≥ 10 years’ tobacco use, and ≥ 1 respiratory symptom (frequent productive cough or shortness of breath (SOB), or breathing problems affecting activities). Prevalence of self-reported and high-risk COPD were 9.1% and 8.0%, respectively. Overall, 17.3%, 10.6%, and 5.2% of all respondents reported activities limited by breathing problems, frequent productive cough, and frequent SOB, respectively. The high-risk group was more likely than the COPD group to report a productive cough and breathing problems limiting activities as well as being current smokers, male, and African-American. Health impairment was more severe in the COPD than the high-risk group, and both were worse than the low-risk group.

Conclusions: Persons at high risk for COPD share many, but not all, of the characteristics of persons diagnosed with the disease. Additional questions addressing smoking duration and respiratory symptoms in the BRFSS identifies groups at high risk for having or developing COPD who may benefit from smoking cessation and case-finding interventions.     

Basic life support knowledge and skills of Iranian general dental practitioners to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Background:

When cardiopulmonary arrest occurs, the dentist''s ability to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the most important factor to minimize morbidity and mortality. This study assessed the basic life support (BLS) knowledge and performance of general dental practitioners in Hamadan, Iran.

Materials and Methods:

The participants in the study were 80 Iranian general dental practitioners who were chosen randomly. Their CPR knowledge was evaluated by verbal questions and their CPR skills were determined by CPR execution on a special manikin. Nearly 39% (n = 31) of dentists answered none of the questions and only 2.50% (n = 2) answered all of the questions correctly. Thirty six dentists had been participated CPR course after graduation.

Result:

There was a significant difference between dentists who participated in CPR training course and those that did not participate (P value = 0.000). Only 3.75% (n = 3) were able to perform CPR properly.

Conclusion:

The results showed that the amount of CPR knowledge and skills were low in participated Iranian general dental practitioners. However, CPR training courses after graduation increased the amount of knowledge significantly, thus, retraining CPR courses is necessary for dentists.