Drug driving from a user's perspective

The bulk of research into drug driving in Australia has been undertaken from a road safety orientation where drug driving is viewed within the broader context of road safety and driver behaviour. Such a specific focus precludes the broader behavioural, contextual and cultural issues associated with substance use. This study aimed to address this issue by focusing on drug driving behaviour within the context of illicit substance use. A series of focused interviews were conducted with 211 illicit drug users from urban and regional centres. A consistent theme identified in the interviews was that drug driving was not necessarily viewed as risky behaviour but rather as an outcome of illicit substance use. Further, some interviewees saw their drug use as enhancing their driving skills and frequently the motor vehicle was viewed as a safe place to use. Overall there was agreement among interviewees that the likelihood of being apprehended for drug driving by police was minimal; this perception was reinforced by past experience. The lack of concern for detection of drug driving behaviour suggests that research should continue into the development and implementation of enforcement programs and roadside detection.     

Disability,depression and somatization in a low back pain population

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in a primary care setting population and examine its association with the symptoms of depression and somatization. Methods: This is a cross‐sectional study, utilising a survey carried out in primary health care clinics (PHCs) in Al‐Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). A multistage stratified sampling design was used and a representative sample of 1304 UAE nationals aged 18–65 years who attended PHC clinics for any reason were included and 1103 (84.5%) subjects agreed to participate and responded to the questionnaire during a period from June 2001 to January 2002. A specially designed questionnaire with three parts was used for the data collection: socio‐demographic information of the studied subjects, modified version of the Roland‐Morris scale for evaluating back‐related functional disability and SCL‐90 R for depression and somatization subscales was used to assess depressive and somatic symptoms. Results: Of the total number of subjects surveyed (1103), 586 (53.1%) were men and 517 (46.9%) women. The mean age was 34.9 ± 13.4 years for men and 33.5 ± 11.8 years for women. The prevalence of LBP in the studied subjects was 64.7% (95% CI, 60.7–68.5] with 46.7% among men and 53.3% among women. There were a significant differences between the subjects with LBP and without LBP with respect to gender (P < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001), occupational status (P < 0.001) and living environment (P = 0.016). Functional disability was higher in patients with LBP. Young patients in aged 15–34 years, patients with preparatory/secondary educational level and students showed higher depressive symptoms. A similar pattern was found in patients with somatic symptoms. Factor analysis revealed a strong association between depression and somatization in LBP patients. Conclusions: Functional disability was higher in with LBP. Furthermore, symptoms of depression and somatization are prevalent among LBP patients.     

Comparison of 99m technetium hexamethylpropylene-amine oxime labelled leucocyte with 111-indium tropolonate labelled granulocyte scanning and ultrasound in the diagnosis of intra-abdominal abscess.

Fifty patients with suspected intra-abdominal abscess were investigated prospectively with ultrasound and with 99mTc-hexamethylpropylene-amine oxime (HMPAO) isotope labelled mixed leucocytes, using 111-In tropolonate granulocyte scanning as the reference standard. Twenty five patients had inflammatory bowel disease (three were postoperative): 21 of these had Crohn's disease and four had ulcerative colitis. The remainder comprised nine with postoperative fever and 16 with fever and abdominal pain. An abscess was diagnosed when focal activity on serial 111-In tropolonate and 99m-Tc-HMPOA images at one, three, and 24 hours resulted in activity at least equal to liver activity at 24 hours. Thirteen abscesses were diagnosed using each type of white cell scanning, resulting in 100% sensitivity for 99m-Tc-HMPAO compared with 111-In tropolonate. Bowel inflammation was easily distinguished from abscess on serial images. Eight of these 13 abscesses were detected by ultrasound. Altogether 17 abscesses were found. Ultrasound detected 12, including four liver abscesses which were not purulent and had not been detected by white cell scanning. Ultrasound had a sensitivity of 71% (12 of 17) and a specificity of 87% (33 of 38) using all confirmed abscesses as the reference standard. White cell scanning showed a sensitivity of 76% (13 of 17: as a result of the four non-purulent liver abscesses) and a specificity of 100%. 99m-Tc-HMPAO scanning is as accurate as 111-In tropolonate scanning, and has several advantages including simplicity, availability, superior image quality, and reduced radiation dose. Both methods are more sensitive and specific than ultrasound for intra-abdominal abscess detection but ultrasound is advisable if a neutrophil infiltrate is not suspected.     

Clinical Efficacy of New Antiepileptic Drugs in Refractory Partial Epilepsy: Experience in the United States With Three Novel Drugs

Summary: A number of new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), including topiramate (TPM), felbamate (FBM), and gabapentin (GBP), are approved or believed to be close to approval for marketing in the United States. Key efficacy findings for these AEDs in refractory partial epilepsy were reviewed. Large and significant drug-placebo differences were observed with TPM in two large dose-finding trials conducted in the United States. The minimal effective dose of TPM in the population studied was determined to be approximately 200 mg/day, and doses above 600 mg/day produced good efficacy but little incremental benefit versus the lower dosages for the overall study population. FBM is active in partial epilepsy, although seizure reduction is less marked and drug interactions complicate the findings. GBP is also active in this population, but only the 1,800 mg/day dosage was significantly better than placebo with respect to percent re-sponders. It may be useful to explore higher dosage ranges for both FBM and GBP if they can be well tolerated.     

A combined course of primary health care practice and family medicine at the University of Gezira

The community-based course presented is a longitudinal course running through four semesters in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Sudan. Students combine their regular work in primary health care centres with attachments to a number of families in Wad Medani town. They continue to visit these families regularly throughout their entire medical course with the aim of studying them and helping them with some of their medical and psychosocial problems.     

Definition of an advanced nursing practice role in the NICU: the clinical nurse specialist/neonatal practitioner.

We surveyed 655 health professionals affiliated with tertiary level neonatal intensive care units in Canada and the United States to define an expanded role for nurses in neonatology and to determine the educational requirements for the role. The role, comprising advanced clinical practice, educational, research, and administrative responsibilities, is a blend of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist activities. Based on survey findings, a neonatal stream within the existing Master of Health Sciences program at McMaster University was developed. To date, 15 clinical nurse specialists/neonatal practitioners (CNS/NPs) are employed in five neonatal intensive care units in Ontario and other related institutions. A randomized trial to evaluate these individuals is in progress.     

Improving the retention rate of newly graduated nurses.

Newly graduated nurses often finish orientation and then believe they still need more support and mentoring than is available. Retention rates suffer as they think it must be better elsewhere. This article reports a community hospital's implementation of an education-based preceptor program. A convenience sample of 40 new graduates participated in the study. Qualitative and quantitative findings indicate a high level of satisfaction (mean visual analogue scale score 93.7), 29% increase in retention, and 9.5% decrease in vacancy.