Podiatric medicine and disaster response: a survey of the professional leadership.

Background: We surveyed the podiatric medicine professional and academic leadership concerning podiatric medicine professionals as disaster surge responders.

Methods: All US podiatric medical school deans and state society presidents were mailed a self-administered structured questionnaire. The leaders were asked to complete the questionnaire and return it by mail; two repeated mailings were made.

A preliminary study on the relationships between global health/quality of life and specific head and neck cancer quality of life domains in Puerto Rico.

Purpose: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important treatment outcome for head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. By ascertaining the most important HNC HRQOL issues, research and practice can be directed toward enhancing patient QOL.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study of 46 ENT clinic HNC patients in Puerto Rico (PR) was completed.

A survey of optometry leadership: participation in disaster response.

Background: A study was completed to assess the academic and state-level professional optometry leadership views regarding optometry professionals as surge responders in the event of a catastrophic event.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a 21-question, self-administered, structured questionnaire. All U.

Perspectives of San Juan healthcare practitioners on the detection deficit in oral premalignant and early cancers in Puerto Rico: a qualitative research study.

Background: In Puerto Rico, relative to the United States, a disparity exists in detecting oral precancers and early cancers. To identify factors leading to the deficit in early detection, we obtained the perspectives of San Juan healthcare practitioners whose practice could be involved in the detection of such oral lesions.

Methods: Key informant (KI) interviews were conducted with ten clinicians practicing in or around San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Smoking and drinking in relation to depressive symptoms among persons with oral cancer or oral epithelial dysplasia.

Background: We examined whether smoking or drinking during or before the diagnosis-year of oral cancer or oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) was related to "subsequent depression" measured months after the oral diagnosis.

Methods: Incident cases of oral cancer or OED were identified via 3 oral pathology laboratories. A telephone-administered questionnaire included questions on smoking/drinking history through the diagnosis-year and measured depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D); scores of 16+ indicated clinical depression.