Alaska medicine
-
Review
Consumer access to health care information: its effect on the physician-patient relationship.
Studies have shown that physicians exchange minimal information with patients during a patient encounter. Yet patients of all socioeconomic backgrounds increasingly desire and seek medical information, especially over the Internet. This change in patient behavior is likely to have a profound effect on the physician-patient relationship. ⋯ It is also consistent with patients' desire to obtain on-line information under the guidance of a physician. Such a model can not only aid patient's acquisition of medical information, but also help patients assess the quality of information, and help them apply the information to their personal situation. The adoption of this new role for physicians is likely to enhance the therapeutic aspects of the physician-patient relationship.
-
To describe demographics, causal factors, intent, and incident locations of serious and fatal firearm injuries among children and adolescents in Alaska, for the years 1991 through 1997. ⋯ Firearm injuries are a leading cause of serious and fatal injuries to children and youth in Alaska. This study suggests that many children and adolescents in Alaska who were injured by firearms, or who caused injury to other children or youth by firearms, had easy access to them. Efforts should be made to convince adults not to let children or at risk teenagers have unsupervised access to firearms, and to promote safe storage of firearms.
-
Clinicians who treat patients suffering from cold water near-drowning or hypothermia routinely warm inspire gases greater than body temperature in accordance with care guidelines promulgated by the various organizations. However, humidifiers are designed to prevent heating gases beyond 41 C (assuming the use of a standard six foot aerosol circuit) in order to meet International Standards Organization regulations (ISO). Clinicians must modify equipment in order to deliver care. There are several factors, which can effect the highest temperature that a particular circuit will achieve. Among the factors that are considered most important for maximum circuit are tubing length, gas flow, and the number of heaters (heat source). ⋯ All factors (tubing length, number of heaters, and tubing length) were important determinants of maximum gas temperature. The effect of tubing length can be overwhelmed by higher gas flows.
-
Review
Emerging infectious diseases in Alaska and the Arctic: a review and a strategy for the 21st century.
Emergence of new, previously unknown, and drug-resistant infectious diseases pose a major threat to global health. The emergence of infectious diseases in Alaska and the Arctic parallels the resurgence of infectious diseases worldwide. ⋯ These target areas encompass a number of diseases of special concern in Alaska, such as drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae infections, foodborne botulism, alveolar hydatid disease, viral hepatitis, Helicobacter pylori infections, Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteremia and meningitis, and infections of immunocompromised persons, pregnant women and newborns, and tourists. To address these and other emerging infectious disease issues, including the threat of bioterrorism in Alaska and the Arctic, future issues of Alaska Medicine will include updates on specific emerging infectious diseases for health care providers, clinical laboratory workers, and community public health professionals who form the front lines for recognizing, treating, and preventing emerging infectious diseases.