Actigraphy in post traumatic stress disorder.

UNLABELLED: Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently complain of sleep disturbances such as insomnia and nightmares. Evaluation of sleep disturbances is often difficult due to the subjective nature of the complaints. Polysomnography (PSG) and other sleep studies are generally not indicated in the evaluation of insomnia or nightmares associated with PTSD. Actigraphy, (electronic activity monitoring) has been used in research to evaluate sleep disturbances in patients with PTSD. We reviewed the literature on the use of actigraphy in evaluation of sleep problems in patients with PTSD. METHODS: A literature search for articles on the topic was conducted on PubMed using the search algorithm (actigraphy[Title/Abstract] OR actigraphic[Title/Abstract]) AND PTSD[Title/Abstract]. Out of 11 search results, 9 studies in which application of actigraphy had relevance to the primary objective and outcome in PTSD patients with sleep problems were selected for review. We also handpicked one additional article from personal communication with our colleagues who have done some of these studies. CONCLUSION: Actigraphy has been used to evaluate circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Use of actigraphy in psychiatry clinics is uncommon. There is no data to support that there are specific actigraphic sleep related findings in PTSD patients. However, it can be a useful tool to complement the use of sleep diaries when assessing sleep and wake patterns in patients with PTSD.

Gender Discrimination among Medical Students in Pakistan: A Cross Sectional Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence and magnitude of gender discrimination experienced by undergraduate medical students, and its repercussions on their academic performance and emotional health. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study of 500 medical and dental students studying at a private medical college in Lahore, Pakistan. RESULTS: Majority (78%) of students reported being victims of gender discrimination. Females were the main perpetrators (70.8%).Most common forms were denied opportunities (63%), followed by neglecting students' needs (44.3%), and unethical talk (43.6%). Most common places of gender discrimination were teachers' offices (43.7%) and lecture halls (37.2%). Most of the perpetrators were clerical staff (48%) and professors (43%).Gender discrimination did not affect the academic performance of most victims (62.6%). The most common emotional responses were anger (57.6%), frustration (46.7%) and helplessness (40.3%). 52.4% of students said that gender discrimination still continues and the majority (83.3%) did not report the problem to college authorities. CONCLUSIONS: RESULTS demonstrate that gender discrimination is widely prevalent in undergraduate medical education. Females are both the main victims as well as the main perpetrators. In most cases gender discrimination does not affect academic performance but does cause emotional distress.