Brokering language and culture: can ad hoc interpreters fill the language service gap at community health centers?

The purpose of the research was to explore the ability of ad hoc interpreters to integrate into the organizational climate at a federally qualified community health clinic (CHC) and create satisfactory services for limited-English-proficiency clients. Survey and interview data were gathered from staff (n = 17) and Latino clients (n = 30). The data indicate that clients felt satisfied with interpreters. Some friction existed between the interpreters and the medical staff due to incongruent expectations. The CHC's organizational climate and the interpreters' commitment to the Latino community mediated the impact of these tensions on services and satisfaction. The study offers important insight into how ad hoc interpreters can become professional medical interpreters within a limited-resource service environment.

Injury surveillance in young athletes: a clinician's guide to sports injury literature.

As participation in junior, high-school and college sports has increased dramatically over the last three decades, sports injuries have increased commensurately. In the US alone, sports-related injuries account for 2.6 million visits to the emergency room made by children and young adults (aged 5-24 years). Injuries sustained by high-school athletes have resulted in 500000 doctor visits, 30000 hospitalisations and a total cost to the healthcare system of nearly 2 billion dollars per year. Sports injury surveillance studies have long formed the backbone of injury prevention research, serving to highlight the types and patterns of injury that merit further investigation. Injury surveillance studies have been integral in guiding rule changes, equipment improvement and training regimens that prevent injury. Despite findings that the methodology of injury surveillance studies may significantly influence the design and efficacy of preventative interventions, relatively few sources address epidemiological considerations involved in such studies. The purpose of this review is 3-fold. First, to perform a review of the current injury surveillance literature in order to identify key epidemiological and methodological issues that arise when reading or conducting an injury surveillance study. Second, to identify and describe how injury surveillance studies have addressed these issues. Third, to provide recommendations about the identified issues in order to guide clinicians in the interpretation of data presented in such studies. Searches of Ovid MEDLINE (1966-present) and PubMed were performed. Thirty-three descriptive and review articles addressing epidemiological and methodological considerations in injury surveillance were selected, as well as 54 cohort studies and studies with an experimental design. Data with respect to each study's treatment of the three epidemiological issues of interest were extracted and synthesised into a table. This review identifies the following three key epidemiological issues to consider when reading injury surveillance literature or when designing an injury surveillance study: (i) the definition of a sports injury; (ii) the denominator with which injuries are reported; and (iii) the method of data collection. A meaningful definition of injury should incorporate time lost from participation in order to reduce the bias associated with estimates of incidence. The use of multiple denominators (e.g. both athlete-hours of exposure and total athletes) provides the most precise information about injury rate and injury risk. The method of data collection that captures the widest range of injuries, while also allowing for the collection of exposure data, will vary depending on geographical location and the organisation of youth sports in that area.

Atrial fibrillation ablation leads to long-term improvement of quality of life and reduced utilization of healthcare resources.

In some patients, rapid activation from one or several foci can lead to atrial fibrillation. This study evaluated long-term changes in quality of life and healthcare resource utilization in patients with atrial fibrillation treated by ablation of focal triggers. Thirty-three patients underwent ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Health surveys (SF-36) were obtained at baseline, and after 1 year and 3 years of follow-up. Health care costs were measured for the 3 years before and after ablation. Ablation was successful in 82%, partially successful in 12% (no sustained episodes but on antiarrhythmic drug therapy), and unsuccessful in 6% of patients. The average number of ablation procedures was 1.6 +/- 0.6 per patient. After ablation, patients reported significantly improved quality of life in all SF-36 categories except bodily pain. Healthcare resource utilization was significantly reduced after ablation (Clinic visits: 7.4 +/- 2.5 per year vs. 1.1 +/- 0.6 per year, p < 0.05; Emergency room visits: 1.7 +/- 0.90 per year vs. 0.03 +/- 0.17 per year, p < 0.05; Hospitalization: 1.6 +/- 0.81 vs. 0, p < 0.05). Cost of healthcare (not including procedural costs) was significantly reduced after ablation (Pre-ablation: 1,920 +/- 889 dollars/year vs. post-ablation: 87 +/- 68 dollars/year; p < 0.01). Procedural cost of ablation was 17,173 +/- 2,466 dollars/patient. Ablation of focal triggers of atrial fibrillation is associated with a sustained improvement in quality of life. Although the initial cost of ablation is high, after ablation, utilization of healthcare resources is significantly reduced.

Micosis fungoides con lesiones hipocrómicas / Mycosis fungoides with hypochromic lesions

Se presenta un paciente de raza blanca y 72 años de edad, en estadío IB de una micosis fungoide clásica refiriendo 4 meses de evolución previa, con lesiones eritemato-escamosas intensamente pruriginosas de 4 meses de evolución. En el exámen físico se descubren parches hipocrómicos moteados en antebrazos y flancos que refiere datan de años antes sin poder precisar fecha. En dorso hay lesiones hipocrómicas lenticulares. El estudio histopatológico demuestra lesiones compatibles con micosis fungoide, estadío en parche. El tratamiento con clobetasol local y antihistamínicos no fue efectivo y los retinoides orales no lograron hacer desaparecer las lesiones, aunque mejoraron el prurito. La PUVA terapia fue efectiva, lográndose en 15 sesiones la desaparición de las lesiones y el prurito, efectuando un mantenimiento con UVA sin psoralenos por el aumento de fosfatasa alcalina y transaminasas. Se destaca la rareza de ésta forma clínica (probablemente a veces desapercibida por el aspecto inespecífico de las zonas hipocrómicas), su aparición en un paciente de raza blanca y la notable respuesta a la PUVA terapia

Micosis fungoides con lesiones hipocrómicas / Mycosis fungoides with hypochromic lesions

Se presenta un paciente de raza blanca y 72 años de edad, en estadío IB de una micosis fungoide clásica refiriendo 4 meses de evolución previa, con lesiones eritemato-escamosas intensamente pruriginosas de 4 meses de evolución. En el exámen físico se descubren parches hipocrómicos moteados en antebrazos y flancos que refiere datan de años antes sin poder precisar fecha. En dorso hay lesiones hipocrómicas lenticulares. El estudio histopatológico demuestra lesiones compatibles con micosis fungoide, estadío en parche. El tratamiento con clobetasol local y antihistamínicos no fue efectivo y los retinoides orales no lograron hacer desaparecer las lesiones, aunque mejoraron el prurito. La PUVA terapia fue efectiva, lográndose en 15 sesiones la desaparición de las lesiones y el prurito, efectuando un mantenimiento con UVA sin psoralenos por el aumento de fosfatasa alcalina y transaminasas. Se destaca la rareza de ésta forma clínica (probablemente a veces desapercibida por el aspecto inespecífico de las zonas hipocrómicas), su aparición en un paciente de raza blanca y la notable respuesta a la PUVA terapia (AU)