Georgetown
Journal
of Health Sciences
A Peer-Reviewed Undergraduate
Research Journal
Volume 1 No 3, April 1, 2004
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Health Studies Students with GUS, the human simulator
Human Simulator Evaluation of Physiological Adaptation to Extreme Exercise By: Jaclyn Artuso ‘04, MiJin Kang ‘04, Julee Pulverenti ‘04, and Samantha Tryon ‘05 This investigation is designed to evaluate human simulation technology to study the physiologic response of the body to the stress of exercise in a diseased individual and a healthy individual. Highlights from this Issue
By: Stephanie Deutsch, NHS '04
For years the fight for universal national health care coverage has failed, largely because of interest group influence, ideological differences, cultural values like rugged individualism and self-reliance, the entrepreneurial character of American medicine, the rise of powerhouse companies like Blue Cross and other private insurance plans, the association of public programs with charity and poverty, and fragmentation of public policy (Physicians for a National Health Program). Health care has risen to be a commercial giant driven by financial incentives, and professionals have made a lot of profit in the system. However, the pluralistic, market-justice based character of the health care delivery system has resulted in disparities in quality of health care services and disparities in who receives these services. As the system continues to become entrenched in bureaucratic waste and rising costs, and as millions continue to be denied the care they need, the question arises as to whether or not legislation should be passed to institutionalize a government-funded, universal health care program in the United States.
International Recruitment of Nurses in the UK: A perspective from WalesBy: Katie LaRusso, NHS '03 This report is a closer analysis of Wales’ nursing labor market and how NHS Trusts have responded [to the current nursing shortage], and what steps the Welsh Assembly Government are taking to recruit and retain more nurses. A series of interviews were conducted with all the major stakeholders in the system. Government officials, policy experts, overseas nurses, hospital managers, workforce planners and nursing agencies were all interviewed. As research was conducted it became clear that the more significant issue surrounding the nursing situation in Wales was not necessarily recruiting nurses from abroad because of vacancies, but inadequate workforce planning.
Education of Girls and Women Key in HIV/AIDS Prevention
By: Christine Bell, NHS '05
HIV/AIDS is the fourth biggest killer in the world (after heart disease, stroke and respiratory diseases) and serves as the largest cause of death in Africa (World AIDS Day, 2003). Of AIDS deaths, 85% have occurred in sub-Saharan Africa, a reality that serves as a barrier not only for the region’s stabilization of public health but also to its struggle for economic, political and social development. As the HIV/AIDS epidemic remains on the top of the global health agenda of agencies such as the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United Nations, current initiatives to address HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa (e.g. the Global Fund) primarily involve foreign aid to provide expensive medications to HIV-infected people. What global health leaders and national governments must develop is a practical approach to HIV/AIDS prevention, which will enhance the health behaviors and individual well being of the sub-Saharan cultures and communities affected. Perhaps the most important step for HIV/AIDS prevention is the education of girls, which not only will teach them about their health but also will ultimately empower them in their society.
By: Scott Richey
Assessment of collateral circulation of the hand is performed frequently by health care professionals for different purposes. The modified Allen’s test has been the standard assessment tool for the evaluation of collateral circulation of the hand. Researchers and clinicians have found this test easy to apply but suggest that it can be unreliable due to lack of patient cooperation, poor lighting conditions, or differences in skin pigmentation. To help prevent discrepancies of subjectivity researchers have looked into other ways to more objectively assess collateral circulation. One of these techniques is pulse oximetry with plethysmography. The display of the plethysmographic waveform is easier to see than the palmar blush of the modified Allen’s test, making it seem more objective. In order to consistently use pulse oximetry with plethysmography for evaluation of collateral circulation inter-user reliability is necessary. A total of 160 samples were collected, half from each technique, and all were supervised by the author. Out of these samples the modified Allen’s test was normal in all cases. Conversely, the pulse oximetry with plethysmography had two negative results. The modified Allen’s test provided a greater inter-user reliability, which increased with frequency of use.
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by HIV/AIDS Patients By: Mansi Shah, NHS '04 The disease caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that progresses to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) does not have a cure, even after more than twenty years of its introduction to the world. There are a wide variety of conventional, effective antiretroviral medications (ARV) that have been produced to combat HIV/AIDS, yet there are many concerns associated with the ARVs (2). Therefore, a significant number of HIV/AIDS patients look towards complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) as adjunct therapy.
Succinic Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase Deficiency By: Emily Robbins, NHS '06 Succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) deficiency, a rare autosomal recessive disorder identified in approximately 350 individuals worldwide is caused by an enzyme deficiency in the degradation of gaba-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Normally, GABA is converted to succinic semialdehyde, which is then, via succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, oxidized to succinic acid. In the absence of succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase, succinic semialdehyde is reduced to gaba-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), the neurotoxic agent that accumulates in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), urine, and serum of patients with SSADH deficiency, and is believed to cause the clinical manifestations of the disorder. About half of the SSADH deficiency patients suffer from seizures. GHB, an addictive drug of abuse, has a wide range of applications, including the management of alcohol and opiate withdrawal, as well as to subdue victims for sexual assault. I am participating in research at the National Institute of Health in the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s epilepsy lab with a murine model of this disorder, in which the gene encoding SSADH is disrupted. Understanding SSADH deficiency will allow us to move towards treating this disease, and also, will provide a better understanding of GHB, and increase our understanding of many neuropsychiatric disorders involving substance abuse and psychosis. Copyright © 2003 Georgetown Journal
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