Malakoplakia.

Malakoplakia is a rare, chronic disease with pleomorphic presentation. It occurs most frequently in immunocompromised patients. It is believed that this entity represents an unusual response to bacterial infection in which macrophages fail to phagocytose them properly.

Palmoplantar eccrine hidradenitis: seven new cases.

Palmoplantar eccrine hidradenitis is a self-limited disease characterized by painful erythematous papules and nodules of abrupt onset on the soles, and less frequently on the palms, of young individuals in good health. We describe seven children, four girls and three boys, between 4 and 12 years of age, with characteristic cutaneous and histopathologic findings of palmoplantar eccrine hidradenitis. All patients had complete resolution of their lesions within 2-4 weeks without treatment, however, one child experienced recurrences.

Annular pustular psoriasis--most common form of pustular psoriasis in children: report of three cases and review of the literature.

Annular pustular psoriasis (APP) is a rare form of pustular psoriasis with a chronic recurrent course and good prognosis. We report three cases of APP in children, two of whom were siblings. Review of the medical literature reveals that a disproportionately high percentage of cases of APP occur in children.

Trends in perceived cost as a barrier to medical care, 1991-1996.

Objectives: This study examined trends in perceived cost as a barrier to medical care.

Methods: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was used to analyze monthly telephone survey data from 45 states.

Results: Overall, the percentage of persons perceiving cost as a barrier to medical care increased from 1991 until early 1993 and then declined to baseline values in late 1996.

Parent and peer communication effects on AIDS-related behavior among U.S. high school students.

Data from a 1989 national probability sample of 8,098 high school students in the United States indicate that young people's discussions about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with parents and with peers are highly correlated and have opposite effects on behavior. Students who discussed HIV with their parents were less likely than those who did not to have had multiple sex partners, to have had unprotected sexual intercourse and to have ever injected drugs; on the other hand, students who discussed HIV with their peers were more likely than those who did not to have had multiple partners and to have had unprotected sexual intercourse. Subgroup analyses show that young women were influenced more by HIV discussions with parents, while young men were influenced more by discussions with peers; some communication effects differed by race and ethnicity.