Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

For California farmworkers, telehealth visits with Mexican doctors fill a gap

This coastal valley made famous by the novelist John Steinbeck is sometimes known affectionately as "America's salad bowl," though the planting and harvesting is done mostly by immigrants from Mexico.

4 Feb 2025

Early adversity in firstborns increases mental health risk for siblings

Children are nearly three-quarters (71%) more likely to develop mental health problems between the ages of five and 18, if the firstborn child in their family experienced adversity during their first 1,000 days, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

3 Feb 2025

Prescription trends for obesity medications surge, tied to growing interest in GLP-1 drugs

Obesity medication prescriptions reached 1.5 million, driven by GLP-1 agents semaglutide and tirzepatide, as public interest influences prescription trends.

3 Feb 2025

Longer caregiving hours tied to worse menopause symptoms in women

Researchers have identified a link between the number of caregiving hours per week a woman performs and menopause symptom burden.

30 Jan 2025

Can AI recognize the signs of depression in people’s voices?

Machine learning analysis of voice recordings shows promise for detecting depression, with over 70% accuracy, improving screening in healthcare settings.

30 Jan 2025

Sports betting is coming to Missouri. A fund to help prevent problem gambling will follow.

Listen as senior producer Zach Dyer reports on the public health concerns over online sports betting and a fund in Missouri that might help with addiction treatment and prevention.

29 Jan 2025

Study reveals rising affiliation of primary care providers with hospitals and private equity

A study by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health shows that nearly half of all primary care providers (PCPs) in the United States are affiliated with hospitals, while the number of PCPs affiliated with private equity firms is growing and concentrated in certain regional markets.

28 Jan 2025

Rural clinics significantly boost buprenorphine prescribing with support program

Despite the removal of the X-waiver requirement, which once restricted clinicians from prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD), only a small percentage of primary care clinicians currently prescribe medication for OUD (MOUD).

27 Jan 2025

Using AI to tackle administrative burdens in primary care

Primary care clinicians face significant burnout, driven by excessive administrative tasks and time spent on electronic health records (EHRs).

27 Jan 2025

Practice-centered, flexible intervention may improve integration of behavioral health in primary care

Integrated behavioral health (IBH), which combines behavioral health and primary care, improves patient outcomes and experience.

27 Jan 2025

Machine learning could be a complementary decision-support tool for assessing depression

Depression impacts an estimated 18 million Americans each year, yet depression screening rarely occurs in the outpatient setting.

27 Jan 2025

Study examines how GPs identify and address treatment burdens in diabetes care

Managing type 2 diabetes involves complex treatment, workload, and costs that impose a significant burden on individuals, impacting their physical and mental health.

27 Jan 2025

Study investigates ambiguities in ICD coding for respiratory infections

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system standardizes diagnostic codes globally, enabling accurate comparisons of health data. This study investigated regional differences in respiratory infection diagnoses in Poland to identify potential ambiguities in ICD coding and their implications for data comparability.

27 Jan 2025

American Heart Association launches initiative to improve heart failure care

About 6.7 million American adults are living with heart failure (HF), and prevalence is expected to reach more than 8 million by 2030.

27 Jan 2025

Study reveals significant life expectancy deficit in adults with diagnosed ADHD

A study shows UK adults with ADHD have a life expectancy 6.78 years lower than the general population, underscoring the need for improved healthcare support.

27 Jan 2025

Singapore’s respiratory health gets a boost with $10 million research grant

The Academic Respiratory Initiative for Pulmonary Health (TARIPH) Centre, a national research platform led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore's (NTU Singapore) Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine), will lead a multi-institutional research programme after being awarded Singapore's first national research grant for respiratory health.

23 Jan 2025

Adults with ADHD found to have reduced life expectancy

Adults who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be living shorter lives than they should, finds a world-first study led by UCL researchers.

23 Jan 2025

Study reveals gap between heart health monitoring and doctor sharing

Advances in technology have made it increasingly easier for people to self-monitor their heart health whether it's via a smart device on their wrist or finger or a blood pressure monitor. However, a new national survey commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that while many Americans use a device to monitor their heart, few share that data with their doctor.

22 Jan 2025

Parents open to child weight support through adult weight management programs

Parents attending an adult weight management programme, who were worried about their child's weight, would accept support and signposting to services for their child if it was offered, new research led by the University of Bristol has found.

20 Jan 2025

Exploring the use of genomic classifier tests in prostate cancer risk stratification

A systematic review found that while genomic classifier (GC) tests may influence risk classifications or treatment decisions for patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa), there is a need for better data on their cost-effectiveness, clinical utility, and their impact on racial and ethnic groups, particularly Black men.

20 Jan 2025