J Natl Med Assoc
-
To determine whether the pulmonary function deficit documented previously in Fulani children is also present in adult Fulani herdsmen in northern Nigeria. ⋯ The pulmonary function deficits documented previously in Fulani children and adolescents were not present in adult Fulani men. However, the observed elevation in FEV1/FVC in the rural Fulani men as compared to their urban counterparts, which is often seen in restrictive pulmonary patterns, deserves further study.
-
More than one million Americans suffer osteoporotic fractures yearly, resulting in a marked increase in morbidity and mortality. Despite a decrease in bone mineral density with increasing age in all ethnic groups and both genders, preventative and therapeutics efforts in osteoporosis have been focused on caucasian and Asian women. This study assesses the osteoporosis screening practices and the frequency of low bone density in a primarily African-American population of older women. ⋯ Although few women in this population were previously screened for osteoporosis, low bone density occurred in African-American women at substantial rates. Increasing age and low body mass are important risk factors for low bone density in African-American women. Ethnicity should not be used as an exclusion criterion for screening for osteoporosis.
-
Reducing the high morbidity and mortality associated with stroke continues to be a major healthcare challenge in the United States. Recent advances in the management and prevention of atherothrombotic events are significant; however, the clinical application of evidence-based "best practices" is lagging in many hospitals across the country. The "Stroke Best Practices" program was designed to assist institutions that lack established stroke centers integrate recent evidence-based recommendations into individualized, in-hospital initiatives to optimize the management of acute stroke, prevent secondary vascular events, and enhance the quality of care for patients with established cerebrovascular disease. Programs that bridge the gap between evidence-based medicine and clinical practice can improve patient outcomes.
-
Historical Article
Training African-American residents in the 20th century.
Bellevue Hospital, the oldest public hospital in the United States and a lineal descendant of an infirmary for slaves, accepted its first African-American resident, Dr. Ubert Conrad Vincent, in 1918. This occurred at a time when many medical centers were not accepting African-American residents. ⋯ Over the course of the 20th century, Bellevue Hospital has trained increasing numbers of African-American physicians. It is hoped that, like their predecessor, Dr. Vincent, they will provide care to underserved communities and to the community as a whole, as well as serve as role models for generations to come.
-
This retrospective review of eight years of trauma registry data at an inner-city level-1 trauma center was undertaken to discover at what age urban children start to become at high risk of being victims of either a major gunshot wound or stabbing. We reviewed data from 2,191 patients who were the victim of either a gunshot wound or stabbing, were 18 years of age or under, and met pre-established criteria to qualify as a major trauma victim. There was a rise and subsequent fall in both overall crime and intentional injury rates during the eight-year period. Nevertheless, in each of the eight years studied, the risk of being a victim of a major gunshot wound or stabbing rose abruptly at age 14 (p<0.01) and the incidence continued to rise sharply through age 18.