Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Talking therapy by GPs eases PTSD symptoms after critical illness

A brief spell of talking therapy with a general practitioner reduces symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for survivors of critical illness, finds a trial from Germany published by The BMJ today.

8 May 2025

New predictive algorithms improve early detection of undiagnosed cancers

Two new advanced predictive algorithms use information about a person's health conditions and simple blood tests to accurately predict a patient's chances of having a currently undiagnosed cancer, including hard to diagnose liver and oral cancers.

7 May 2025

Survey shows many U.S. adults know plant-based diets improve health

Half of U.S. adults say they know eating a plant-based diet can improve their health and help prevent chronic diseases, according to a new Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult survey.

7 May 2025

NCCN hosts Oncology Policy Summit to bridge primary and cancer care

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network hosted an Oncology Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., today, focused on improving care coordination between primary care and oncology providers.

6 May 2025

Tomato and fruit juice improve quality of life for kids with asthma

Study suggests these antioxidant-rich juices may be a well-tolerated, practical addition to standard childhood asthma management.

6 May 2025

Covered California pushes for better health care as federal spending cuts loom

Faced with potential federal spending cuts that threaten health coverage and falling childhood vaccination rates, Monica Soni, the chief medical officer of Covered California, has a lot on her plate — and on her mind.

2 May 2025

Clinical trial underway to assess effectiveness and safety of potential Long Covid treatment

A clinical trial is underway to assess the effectiveness and safety of sipavibart, AstraZeneca's long-acting monoclonal antibody designed to provide protection against Covid-19, as a potential treatment for Long Covid, the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and the Schmidt Initiative for Long Covid (SILC) announced today.

1 May 2025

California’s primary care shortage persists despite ambitious moves to close gap

Sumana Reddy, a primary care physician, struggles on thin financial margins to run Acacia Family Medical Group, the small independent practice she founded 27 years ago in Salinas, a predominantly Latino city in an agricultural valley often called "the salad bowl of the world."

1 May 2025

Digital cognitive assessments may offer a feasible way to screen older adults for dementia

Many adults aged 65 and older never receive a cognitive check during regular primary care visits. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a digital cognitive assessment for Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) screening into primary care.

30 Apr 2025

AI tools show promise in detecting early heart dysfunction in women

This study evaluated the performance of an artificial intelligence–enabled electrocardiogram (AI-ECG) and an AI-powered digital stethoscope to see how well they could detect early signs of heart dysfunction in women of reproductive age.

30 Apr 2025

Mindfulness-based therapy found to decrease opioid cravings and improve emotional health

Researchers from the University of California San Diego have found that Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) can help rewire the brain's response to natural healthy pleasure, leading to improved mood, greater attention to positive experiences and reduced opioid cravings.

30 Apr 2025

AI tools could prevent maternal heart-related deaths

Every year, some mothers die after giving birth due to heart problems, and many of these deaths could be prevented.

29 Apr 2025

Telehealth in pediatric primary care linked to responsible antibiotic use

Children treated with primary care telehealth visits were less likely to receive antibiotics for acute respiratory tract infections than those examined in person, according to a new study.

25 Apr 2025

Shingles vaccine eligibility lowers dementia risk in older adults

A large quasi-experimental study in Australia found that adults eligible for free shingles vaccination based on their date of birth were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with dementia over a 7.4-year period. The findings reinforce previous results from Wales and suggest a potential preventive role for HZ vaccination.

24 Apr 2025

Simple intervention during ER visits lowers blood pressure long term

A simple consultation during unrelated visits to the emergency room can help patients with high blood pressure - "the silent killer" - manage the condition, even before they experience symptoms, according to new research from the University of Illinois Chicago.

24 Apr 2025

AI and physicians offer distinct strengths in virtual urgent care treatment

Do physicians or artificial intelligence (AI) offer better treatment recommendations for patients examined through a virtual urgent care setting? A new Cedars-Sinai study shows physicians and AI models have distinct strengths.

23 Apr 2025

Clinical AI tool scores highest yet on the United States Medical Licensing Exam

A powerful clinical artificial intelligence tool developed by University at Buffalo biomedical informatics researchers has demonstrated remarkable accuracy on all three parts of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (Step exams), according to a paper published today (April 22) in JAMA Network Open.

22 Apr 2025

Hospitals can play key role in treating alcohol use disorder

Nearly 30 million adults in the United States experience alcohol use disorder (AUD), but the vast majority of people with this condition do not receive treatment.

21 Apr 2025

Researchers use algorithm to pinpoint disease risk mutations in noncoding DNA

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Medicine) have successfully employed an algorithm to identify potential mutations which increase disease risk in the noncoding regions our DNA, which make up the vast majority of the human genome.

17 Apr 2025

Beyond Ivy League, RFK Jr.’s NIH slashed science funding across states that backed Trump

The National Institutes of Health's sweeping cuts of grants that fund scientific research are inflicting pain almost universally across the U.S., including in most states that backed President Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

17 Apr 2025