Benzodiazepine hypnotics bear a higher risk of high dose dependence than benzodiazepine anxiolytics, according to a recent study in Luxemburg. This article summarizes the main indications of these molecules and the current treatment recommendations. It provides an overview of public health actions of the past and the future to reduce their excessive consumption.
Over a short period of one month we undertook a systematic review of all medications of our residents in the nursing home. Prior to this we examined the patients with great care and where necessary, laboratory tests or other further investigations took place. By the end of this procedure, we analysed the medications prescribed and on the recommendations of the program Stopp and Start, several adaptations were done. In summary, some medications increased, mainly for osteoporosis prevention and some other could be reduced, mainly the psychotropic drugs. A systematic review for patients in nursing homes, twice a year seems sufficient for the adaptations of chronically used medications. Psycho-Geriatric patients - Medications - Stopp and Start programme.
The psychological and neuropsychological characteristics of gifted children andadolescents are analysed, as well as the emotional and behavioural risks linkedto this condition.A prospective follow-up study of N=93 highly gifted students suffering fromschool failure at the beginning of adolescence was implemented. They weretreated with an integrated form of music psychotherapy and verbal psychotherapyin 5 separate groups. The methodology of treatment combined active musicalimprovisation with the writing of stories or the production of drawings undermusical induction, followed by verbal elaboration in the cognitive-psychodynamicpsychotherapeutic tradition.The evaluation was based on a mixed-methods design, combining psychometricscales, projective tests and expressive tests. Comparative pretest-posttest,correlational and multidimensional analyses were computed, using non-parametricstatistical procedures adapted to small samples and data belonging to a mixedlevel of measurement. We present a meta-analysis of the confirmatory results in5 subgroups.There was a significant increase in the capacity of concentration, the capacityof imaginary and symbolic elaboration, the pictorial and literary creativity,self-esteem, the quality of coping strategies, as well as in school marks. Therewas a significant decrease in defensive functioning and in embitterment andresignation. The latent dimensions extracted with Optimal Scaling proceduresfrom the correlational matrixes of the Delta values of TAT and TSD-Z weremeaningful at the light of the state-of-the-arts.The results of the study confirm a prior theoretical modelization coming out ofthe preparatory stage of the research project. They are interpreted at the light ofrecent findings in developmental and clinical psychology of adolescence and theyopen many tracks for future research.
Savoy, annexed by the French Revolution from 1792 to 1815, became again Sardinian within the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia until 1860, the year of annexation to France. These changes have not prevented many students from Savoy to come to France for their medical studies, mostly in Paris. While disorganized by the Revolution, medical training and education systems were put in order as of 1803. The Theses of 142 Savoy students (found largely thanks to foreign students in Paris file prepared by Pierre Moulinier) could be consulted in the archives of the Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de santé de Paris. Accordingly, were studied the geographical origin of candidates, thesis topics, age of the students, the philanthropic Savoisienne society of Paris, the Savoy students who exercised in Paris, the students who were former militaries and the doctors who had a local or national political mandate. A similar study at the Faculty of Turin would allow to better understand the migratory flows of these students.
Regular practice of physical activity (PA) has many health benefits in both healthy individuals and in people with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In order to disseminate this evidence and to strengthen the promotion of PA in people with NCDs, the Sport-Santé project was created in Luxembourg and officially launched in April 2015. In 2014, a stocktaking of the different organizations offering PA for people with NCDs was realized in order to develop the Sport-Santé project. Different communication tools were used to promote Sport-Santé as well as the aforementioned organizations. The present study aimed to re-evaluate the offers of PA for people with NCDs in Luxembourg one year after the launch of the project. The organizations offering PA for people with NCDs (orthopaedics, obesity and overweight, neurology and rare diseases, oncology and cardiology) were screened in 2014 and in 2016. The number of weekly offered hours of PA for people with NCDs were collected and the participation rate was observed. Participants (192 in 2014 and 196 in 2016) volunteered to answer a survey, which contained questions regarding their age, sex, time since enrolment, travel distance, former and current PA participation, and type of recruitment. Additional items regarding prescription and refund were explored only in 2016. In 2016, more than 55 hours per week of PA were offered for people with NCDs in Luxembourg (≈44 hours per week were identified in 2014). However, this increase was not statistically significant. No difference was observed between 2014 and 2016 regarding the participation rate (2014: 8.9 ± 5.1 participants per hour; 2016: 8.4 ± 5.7 participants per hour). Participants were younger in 2016 than in 2014. The time since enrolment was shorter in 2016 than in 2014. No difference between 2014 and 2016 was observed for travel distance, sex distribution, former and current PA participation, and type of recruitment. Participants were mainly recruited by the healthcare professionals. More than 69 % of the participants would like to receive a medical prescription for the PA. Fifty-two percent of the participants would appreciate a refund of the participation fees by their health insurance. The increasing efforts of Sport-Santé and the organizations offering PA for people with NCDs lead to increase the offer. However, the participation rate remains unchanged. The decrease in age and in time since enrolment observed in 2016 could be explained by the creation of new activities, a larger participant's turnover or high number of withdrawals among long-term participants. Even if participants are mainly recruited by healthcare professionals, this type of recruitment can be attributed to very few idealists. All healthcare professionals should be aware of the offers of Sport-Santé and advise their patients to participate in a PA program. It is now time to advance the idea of prescription of PA as a privileged treatment option and to convince the policymakers to take action against sedentary behaviours in Luxembourg. Nevertheless, this type of promotion is not enough to increase the number of participants and additional strategies must be explored and developed. The best sustainable strategies are always those that approach the problem from different viewpoints.
