[German version of the de Morton mobility index. First clinical results from the process of the cross-cultural adaptation]. / Deutsche Version des De Morton Mobility Index. Erste klinische Ergebnisse aus dem Prozess der interkulturellen Adaptation.

BACKGROUND: The English version of the de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) enables allied health professions in an inpatient setting to assess the mobility of geriatric patients in a reliable, valid, easy and fast way, without showing any floor or ceiling effects. The aim of this study was the DEMMI's cross-cultural adaption into German language with further analysis of some of its psychometric properties based on this process. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Translation was done in a multistage procedure following international recommendations. Within clinical pilot testing the DEMMI was routinely applied over a period of 3 weeks in a geriatric hospital. User experiences were evaluated in a qualitative way and DEMMI test results were analyzed with the focus on practicability and responsiveness. RESULTS: A German DEMMI version has been translated and performed with 133 patients. The test takes approximately 10 min to administer, is save and easy to use and does not show any floor or ceiling effects. The DEMMI is valid for the whole mobility spectrum, that is why mobility changes can be realized sufficiently in contrast to the Timed Up And Go Test. CONCLUSION: The DEMMI is already applicable in the German-speaking world. However, further research on its validity and reproducibility are desirable.

SHIP: the Seafarers Health Improvement Program.

The Seafarers Health Improvement Program (SHIP) was initiated in 1978 by the United States Public Health Service to improve the health status of seafarers, their health environment, medical care and safety aboard ship, and communication between parties responsible for the health and safety of American seafarers. The program is a collaborative effort of representatives of the maritime industry, physicians, and concerned governmental agencies. Principal achievements of SHIP include establishment of Entry Level Standards and Retention Guidelines for seafarers, development of the Seafarer Emergency Medical Training Program, and initiation of a program making medical records available on board.

Long-term therapy for chronic bacteriuria in men. U.S. Public Health Service cooperative study.

Response to therapy, renal function, and mortality were analyzed in a prospective study of 249 men with bacteriuria followed for up to 10 years. All patients received initial organism-specific antibiotic therapy followed by 2 years of continuous treatment with sulfamethizole, nitrofurantoin, methenamine mandelate, or placebo. Continuous therapy with active drugs delayed recurrence of bacteriuria and reduced acute clinical exacerbations of infection. Patients with pure Escherichia coli bacteriuria, normal intravenous pyelogram, no previous therapy, and a normal prostate had a good prognosis with short-term antibiotic therapy alone. The presence of prostatic or upper urinary tract calculi, pyelonephritic scars, or mixed or enterococcal infections predicted a poor bacteriologic prognosis. In the absence of severe urologic disease or concomitant noninfectious renal disease no patients with persistent bacteriuria developed renal failure. Continuous antibiotic therapy is of value in selected male patients with bacteriuria in reducing recurrence and acute clinical exacerbations of urinary tract infection.