Vibration absorbing brace for study of work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

The use of hand-held power tools can result in absorption of significant vibration energy by the worker's hand and arm, and is a causal factor in the development of various muskuloskeletal disorders (MSD's) such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAYS). A novel brace incorporating vibration damping materials is proposed that could reduce this energy absorption, resulting in lower incidence of vibration-related occupational MSD's. The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) has identified this type of injury as a priority research area.

The frequency and persistence of depressive symptoms in the alcohol abuser.

A survey of 61 outpatients admitted to a mental health center for the treatment of alcoholism determined that a majority of them (59 per cent) were clinically depressed. The depressive symptoms were rarely treated with anti-depressant agents and, at 1-year follow-up, were found to persist even though the patients had attended the standard treatment program for alcoholics. There is need for new treatment strategies that recognize the diagnostic heterogeneity of the alcoholic and that consider the use of appropriate psychopharmacological agents.

Hedonic deficit in chronic schizophrenia.

Forty-two chronic schizophrenic patients were evaluated for extent of hedonic deficit and compared with a demographically matched sample of normals. Schizophrenics rated themselves as experiencing significantly less pleasure on four of ten pleasure factors. When the schizophrenic sample was divided into depressed and non-depressed subgroups, the depressed subgroup was found to account for these differences in pleasure between schizophrenics and normals.

Assessing depressive symptoms in five psychiatric populations: a validation study.

Data from five psychiatric populations and a community sample are presented on the CES-D, 20-item self-report depression symptom scale developed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies. Results show that the scale is a sensitive tool for detecting depressive symptoms and change in symptoms over time in psychiatric populations, and that it agrees quite well with more lengthy self-report scales used in clinical studies and with clinician interview ratings. Although a symptom scale cannot differentiate between diagnositc groups, the CES-D has demonstrated its validity as a screening tool for detecting depressive symptoms in psychiatric populations.

Symptom patterns in primary and secondary depression. A comparison of primary depressives with depressed opiate addicts, alcoholics, and schizophrenics.

The primary-secondary distinction in affective disorders has been proposed to reduce the heterogeneity of depression. An investigation of the frequency of secondary depression and its nature in depressed opiate addicts, alcoholics, and schizophrenics was undertaken. Findings show that secondary depression in ambulatory patients with other psychiatric disorders is relatively common.