Necessity for Vitamin D Screening among Urban Bedouin Women of Childbearing Age

Vitamin D (Vit D) plays multiple roles in bodily functions. Vit D deficiency is a common, but often under-diagnosed condition with possible serious complications. According to some research, Vit D is important particularly among women and children. No data were found concerning the Vit D status among urban Bedouin women of childbearing age. The research study is retrospective and descriptive. We analyzed 202 medical histories of patients undergoing blood tests for Vit D level for various reasons. The main objectives of the research were: 1) determining the prevalence of the Vit D deficiency among the Bedouin women of childbearing age;2) identifying the causes for the physicians’ reasons for suspecting Vit D deficiency: the complaints or symptoms which cause the doctor to test for Vit D level. As a result, in 80.7% of those tested for Vit D, levels were less than 10 ng/ml, and in 19.3%, levels of 10 to 20 ng/ml were found. In lieu of our findings and in order to prevent serious health problems, Vit D screening plan should be seriously considered and discussed in the Bedouin population with high risk of deficiency.

A Review of Methods to Control Bleeding from Life-Threatening Traumatic Wounds

The large selection of techniques and modalities for field treatment of the bleeding wound may appear as a potpourri of arbitrarily introduced devices. Nevertheless, if we analyze the various offered solutions systematically in an orderly approach, they can be differentiated into set categories. It is necessary to recognize the pros and cons of each available product in order to decide when and where each is the most applicable for any given clinical scenario. Identification, development and evaluation of new products and technologies capable of stopping life threatening hemorrhage are still ongoing. Despite paucity of research on this topic recently more and more information has accumulated to assist in supporting those techniques of superior efficacy. The objective of this review is to guide the reader through the diverse products according to mechanism of action and expose the important literature relevant to this topic. Justification is found for use of each of the categories: tourniquets, hemostatic agents and compression dressings however close scrutiny is needed to select the most appropriate choice in each group. Hopefully, continuing appraisal of these devices together with the growing experience of trauma teams and combat medics can assist to establish the superior products in each class for the benefit of all casualties and trauma victims.

Using music to reduce anxiety among older adults in the emergency department:a randomized pilot study

BACKGROUND： An emergency department （ED） visit may be distressing and anxiety-provoking for older adults （age 〉 65 years）. No studies have specifically evaluated the effect of music listening on anxiety in older adults in the ED. OBJECTIVE： The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of music listening on anxiety levels in older ED patients. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTIONS： This was a randomized pilot study in the geriatric ED of an urban academic tertiary medical center. This was a sample of English-speaking adults （age 〉 65 years） who were not deaf （n = 35）. Subjects consented to participate and were randomized to receive up to 60 min of music listening with routine care, while the control group received routine care with no music. Subjects in the music treatment group received headphones and an electronic tablet with pre-downloaded music, and were allowed to choose from 5 selections. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： The primary outcome was change in anxiety levels, measured by the state- trait anxiety inventory （STAI）, at enrollment and 1 h later. RESULTS： A total of 35 participants were enrolled： 74% were female, 40% were white, and 40% were black; of these, 32 subjects completed the study protocol. When comparing control （n = 18） against intervention subjects （n = 17）, there were no significant differences in enrollment STAI scores （43.00 ± 15.00 vs. 40.30± 12.80, P = 0.57）. STAI scores 1 hour after enrollment （after the music intervention） were significantly reduced in the intervention subjects compared to the control subjects （with reduction of 10.00± 12.29 vs. 1.88 ± 7.97, P = 0.03）. CONCLUSION： These pilot results suggest that music listening may be an effective tool for reducing anxiety among older adults in the ED.