Bulletin of the Pan American Health Organization
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Bull Pan Am Health Organ · Jan 1990
ReviewThe relationship of autonomy and integrity in medical ethics.
The emergence of autonomy as a sociopolitical, legal, and moral concept has profoundly influenced medical ethics. It has shifted the center of decision-making from the physician to the patient and reoriented the whole physician-patient relationship toward a relationship more open, more honest, and more respectful of the dignity of the person of the patient. ⋯ As a foundation for medical relationships, the concept of integrity is richer, more fundamental, and more closely tied to what it is to be a whole human person. So, for reasons outlined in this article, we should deepen our grasp of the notion that autonomy depends upon preserving the integrity of persons and that both integrity of persons and autonomy depend on the physician.
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Bull Pan Am Health Organ · Jan 1990
Epidemiology of drug abuse in the United States: a summary of methods and findings.
Epidemiology has recently been used to effectively track and analyze drug abuse patterns. This article generally describes methods used in the United States for estimating and monitoring drug abuse. It outlines the advantages and limitations of such data sources as surveys, indicators, and ethnography, and briefly explores the work and utility of local, national, and international drug surveillance networks. In addition, it describes national and local patterns of heroin, cocaine, and marijuana abuse.
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Bull Pan Am Health Organ · Jan 1990
Alcoholism and other substance abuse: preventive programs in Santiago, Chile.
This paper describes efforts that began in the 1970s to prevent alcohol and drug abuse among adolescents in Chile and discusses current health promotion programs that focus on prevention of health-endangering behaviors. Adolescent substance abuse has been found to be strongly correlated with familial dysfunction and parental drug abuse as well as with certain behavioral characteristics. ⋯ Interventions should be carried out at the individual, school, family, community, and societal levels. It is important to analyze the feasibility of implementing prevention activities and to systematically evaluate their effectiveness.