Environmental illness: a controlled study of 26 subjects with ''20th century disease''

Article Abstract:

Environmental illness (EI) is a term used to describe the presence of a variety of symptoms said to result from an imbalance in the immune system, which is caused by common foods and chemicals. Many patients who believe they have EI use clinicians who call themselves clinical ecologists and employ nontraditional medical approaches. Such practitioners and, in fact, the existence of EI itself, have been viewed skeptically by the medical community, many members of which believe that EI patients suffer primarily from psychiatric disorders. To learn more concerning this issue, 26 subjects who had received the diagnosis of EI were studied. They were evaluated with standardized psychiatric assessment tests, and test results were compared with those from an age- and sex-matched group of 46 control subjects, selected randomly from a pool of relatives of people who had been classified as psychiatrically normal on psychiatric tests. Results showed that 16 of the 26 EI subjects were under the care of their clinical ecologists, receiving such treatments as avoidance of offending agents, special diets, vitamins, oxygen masks, ''safe'' rooms, douches or enemas, and serotonin or histamine. EI subjects had a larger total number of psychiatric symptoms than controls, according to test results (28 versus 9), as well as a larger number of psychiatric diagnoses. The case history of one EI sufferer who said he had ''toxic brain syndrome'' is presented. In general, people with EI tend to be female, well-educated, and interested in their diagnosis. They attend support groups, read EI literature, and have a circle of friends that includes many fellow EI victims. Most of the participants in this study were satisfied with their EI clinician, and had been dissatisfied with traditional practitioners. A review of the medical literature concerning EI is presented. It is likely that people with this diagnosis suffer from common psychiatric disorders, and that they are poorly served by traditional physicians, who often fail to sympathize with their suffering and prevent them from participating in their own health care. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Care and treatment, Diagnosis, Demographic aspects, Environmentally induced diseases, Environmental illness

---

Suicide - what can be done?

Article Abstract:

Suicide is the eighth most common cause of death in the US. Individuals who commit suicide are usually suffering from psychological disorders such as depression, mania or schizophrenia. The suicide rate is also high among alcoholics and drug abusers. Suicide prevention programs that mainly consist of listening services have been mostly unsuccessful. A research study found that a significant number of suicides may be prevented by limiting access to handguns. A strong association existed between suicide and the presence of a handgun in the home. Another research study found that numerous suicides would occur soon after graphic reports of a suicide in the media. The suicides that occurred afterwards would often involve the same method as the first suicide. The media need to limit the number of reports that give graphic descriptions of suicides.

Health aspects, Editorial, Prevention, Suicide, Firearms, Suicide prevention

---

Depressed Adolescents Grown Up

Article Abstract:

Teenagers with major depressive disorder (MDD) will may continue to have depressive episodes when they are adults. This was the conclusion of a study of 73 teenagers with MDD and 37 teens without MDD who were followed into adulthood. As adults, teens with MDD were five times more likely to make a first suicide attempt compared to the other teens. They also had twice the risk of MDD as the other teens and were more likely to be hospitalized and be unable to function in a job or in social situations.

Development and progression, Depression, Mental, Depression (Mood disorder), Teenagers, Youth

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Medical treatment and long-term survival in a prospective study of 84 patients with endocrine pancreatic tumors
• Abstracts: Hormonal evaluation of the patient with an incidentally discovered adrenal mass. A 27-year-old woman with Hodgkin's disease and an adrenal mass
• Abstracts: Atrial septal defect: lessons from the past, directions for the future. Surgical closure of atrial septal defect in adults
• Abstracts: Concurrent habits: what would Linus do with his blanket if his thumb-sucking were treated? Do children with primary nocturnal enuresis have clinically significant behavior problems?
• Abstracts: Genital and anal conditions confused with child sexual abuse trauma. part 2 Undiagnosed abuse in children younger than 3 years with femoral fracture

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.