Local OCT Structural Correlates of Deep Visual Sensitivity Defects in Early Atrophic Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To determine local OCT structural correlates of deep visual sensitivity defects (threshold of ≤10 decibels on microperimetry) in early atrophic age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Prospective observational study.

Participants: Forty eyes from 40 participants, with at least incomplete retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and outer retinal atrophy, or more advanced atrophic lesion(s).

Longitudinal Changes of Visual Sensitivity With Geographic Atrophy Progression Assessed by Defect-Mapping Microperimetry.

Purpose: To determine the relationship between structural and functional changes over time in the progression of geographic atrophy (GA) as assessed by defect-mapping microperimetry, an approach optimized to characterize the spatial extent of deep visual sensitivity losses.

Methods: A total of 57 eyes from 50 participants underwent defect-mapping microperimetry testing of the central 8° radius (with a 10-dB stimuli presented once each at 208 locations) over a median of five visits, scheduled at 3-monthly intervals. GA lesion(s) on fundus autofluorescence in the corresponding region tested on microperimetry at each visit were manually annotated.

Visual Sensitivity Loss in Geographic Atrophy: Structure-Function Evaluation Using Defect-Mapping Microperimetry.

Purpose: To examine the structure-function relationship in eyes with geographic atrophy (GA) using defect-mapping microperimetry, a testing strategy optimized to quantify the spatial extent of deep visual sensitivity losses.

Methods: Fifty participants with GA underwent defect-mapping microperimetry testing of the central 8°-radius region (208 locations tested once with a 10-decibel stimuli) and fundus autofluorescence imaging in one eye. The GA extent in the corresponding central 8°-radius was derived by manual annotations and image co-registration to examine the global structure-function relationship.

Functional Evaluation of Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Outer Retinal Atrophy by High-Density Targeted Microperimetry Testing.

Purpose: Complete retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA) on OCT imaging has recently been proposed to describe end-stage atrophy in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by international consensus and expected to be associated with a , but such functional evidence is lacking. This study sought to examine the visual sensitivity defects associated with cRORA and to determine OCT features associated with deep defects.

Design: Observational study.

Negative opinions about cancer screening and contraceptive measures by female emergency department patients.

We sought to determine the extent to which adult female emergency department participants viewed two women's cancer screening and two contraceptive measures negatively. The study also explored the relationship between having a negative opinion about these measures and participant demography, lack of knowledge, and lack of usage of these measures. Few women expressed negative opinions about these measures.

Patients' emergency contraception comprehension, usage, and view of the emergency department role for emergency contraception.

Female Emergency Department (ED) patients were surveyed to determine their comprehension of the concept of emergency contraception (EC), to assess how often they had used EC in comparison to other forms of contraception, and to learn which patients want the ED to provide EC services. Most of the 761 respondents were aged < 35 years (62.1%), never married (42.

Comparison of patient comprehension of rapid HIV pre-test fundamentals by information delivery format in an emergency department setting.

Background: Two trials were conducted to compare emergency department patient comprehension of rapid HIV pre-test information using different methods to deliver this information.

Methods: Patients were enrolled for these two trials at a US emergency department between February 2005 and January 2006. In Trial One, patients were randomized to a no pre-test information or an in-person discussion arm.

Correlates of women's cancer screening and contraceptive knowledge among female emergency department patients.

Background: Lack of knowledge regarding preventive health services for women might impede campaigns to expand these services in the emergency department setting. For 18-55-year-old English-speaking women visiting an urban emergency department, we aimed to: (1) Ascertain their knowledge regarding the applicability, purpose, and recommended intervals of three women's cancer screening and three contraceptive methods; and (2) Determine if patient age, race/ethnicity, medical insurance status, and current or recent usage of these methods are associated with greater or lesser knowledge about them.

Methods: Emergency department-based survey on recent or current usage and knowledge about Pap smears, breast self-examinations, mammograms, condoms, birth control, and emergency contraception.

Implications of question format in emergency department preventive health knowledge surveys.

Objectives: To determine if respondents differed by their demography (age group, race or ethnicity, and insurance status) in their tendency to correctly answer knowledge-based questions when they were in an agree-disagree instead of a multiple-choice format.

Methods: Women aged 18-55 years seeking treatment in the emergency department completed surveys of preventive health knowledge on three cancer screening tests (Pap smears, breast self-examinations, and mammograms) and two contraceptive measures (birth control pills and emergency contraception) that contained paired versions of questions in two different formats (agree-disagree format and multiple-choice format). Linear and ordinal regressions were used to determine demographic correlates of correctly answering the agree-disagree questions more often than the corresponding multiple-choice questions.

Contraceptive usage, knowledge and correlates of usage among female emergency department patients.

Objectives: For female emergency department (ED) patients, we sought to assess the prevalence of contraceptive usage as well as the extent of contraceptive knowledge and to determine if demographic and sexual health history factors, comprehension of contraceptive methods and moral/religious opinions on contraception were associated with current usage of birth control pills (BCPs), prior usage of emergency contraception (EC) and frequency of condom usage.

Methods: English-speaking female ED patients aged between 18 and 55 years at a northeastern United States urban ED were surveyed on their usage, comprehension and opinions regarding BCPs, EC and condoms.

Results: Of the 539 respondents (64.

Nonprescription availability of emergency contraception in the United States: current status, controversies, and impact on emergency medicine practice.

In October 2004, the American College of Emergency Physicians Council joined more than 60 other health professional organizations in supporting the nonprescription availability of emergency contraception. This article reviews the history, efficacy, and safety of emergency contraception; the efforts toward making emergency contraception available without a prescription in the United States; the arguments for and against nonprescription availability of emergency contraception; and the potential impact nonprescription availability could have on the practice of emergency medicine in the United States.