Preoperative interviews were conducted with 36 parents who had been counseled by their surgeons in regard to their children's impending palate surgery, to determine their ideas of how well their child would be able to speak following surgery. (IM)

Offered as an independent, elective, one-credit course available to second-year pharmacy students, a life support course has been taught at the University of Nebraska Medical Center by instructors certified by the American Heart Association. Course structure and materials, student response, and course evaluation are discussed. (LBH)

Traces the development of medical sociology, which deals with sociological perspectives in relation to health care, from trends in Europe and the United States beginning in the early 20th century through the present. Available from: Unipub, Box 433, Murray Hill Station, New York, New York 10016. (AV)

The author foresees increasing government involvement in America's health care system in order to resolve problems of increasing medical costs and decreasing public confidence. (AV)

Combining medical services with counseling services into a closely cooperating team increased the effectiveness of both programs. (JD)

An effort was made to determine whether a comprehensive health benefits plan would be financially feasible by asking what the parents or students would be willing to pay for such a plan offered through the school. (MM)

In this discussion of the prognosis of cancer-infected children, focus is upon the child and the impact of his disease on his relationship to the world, including the definition of "cure," physical and emotional costs of therapy, and the outlook for children with cancer. (MB)

Available from: Arthur Retlaw and Associates, Inc., Suite 2080, 1603 Orrington Avenue, Evanston, Illinois 60201.

Results are presented of a study focusing on the primary employment responsibilities of doctoral- and master's-level social work faculty employed by medical schools. Data from a Faculty Roster System survey show that these faculty members spend 23.5 percent more of their working time in patient service responsibilities than other faculty. (LBH)

The evolution of the family practitioner as a specialist to replace the general practitioner is described. The deficiencies of general practice have been remedied by providing intellectually rigorous postgraduate programs, a unique area of expertise, and specialty status. (Author/LBH)

Use of a child abuse case-finding checklist in the emergency department of a large children's hospital (Montreal, Canada) identified 39 (of 2,211 accident patients) for further evaluation of which 28 (1.3%) were presumed to be victims of abuse or neglect. Incidence of abuse was substantially lower than expected. (Author/DB)

The improved surgical management of children with spina bifida is among the reasons for a decreased number of severely physically and/or mentally affected children. Such improvements have resulted in more spina bifida children attending British ordinary schools and fewer attending special schools. (Author/DB)

A survey of medical students at the University of California-Irvine, California College of Medicine regarding their views on the Medicare and Medicaid programs and the problem of fraud and abuse in these programs is reported. Explanations for fraud and abuse focused on physicians' attitudes and motivations. (Author/MLW)

Information is presented on a number of tests used in genetic counseling (e.g., genetic evaluation, chromosome evaluation, consideration of multifactorial conditions, prenatal testing, and chorionic villus sampling) which help parents with one disabled child make family planning decisions. (CB)