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Mohamed Ali S |
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Emotional factors in the causation of pulmonary tuberculosis.
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Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases Workers Conference,
17th, Cuttack, India, 31 Jan.-3 Feb. 1961, p. 196-203. |
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The purpose of this paper was to emphasize that
the emotional factors preceding the onset of pulmonary TB were of
greater importance than the mere presence of the bacilli. A historical
review of this topic reveals that as early as 1,500 B.C., Hindus
mentioned grief as one factor in the development of TB. The discovery
that micro-organisms caused diseases pushed this and similar observations
into the background with the result that psychological factors,
which gained credence in the 19th century, were paid scant attention.
Wittkower (1949, 1952, 1955) was one of the earliest contributors
to the study of emotional factors in the causation of TB. While
the value of his research findings was greatly reduced because of
a lack of control series, the finding that the predominant personality
trait in TB patients was an "Inordinate need for affection"
was echoed in several studies (Friddmann, Kastelin & Kooperstein
(1946), Westermann (1951) using the psychosomatic approach. A rigorously
designed series of studies by Kissen (1955 - 1957) found emotional
factors preceding the onset of TB in a significantly higher proportion
as compared with controls. The predominant emotional factor was
a break in a love-link. Psychosocial situations corroborating Kissen's
finding are presented and the implication for the choice of home
or hospital treatment is discussed.
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KEYWORDS: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY; INDIA. |