Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

New findings on insomnia

Those persons who are labeled a 'night owl' report more pathological symptoms related to insomnia, despite many having the opportunity to compensate for their nocturnal sleeplessness by extending their time in bed and being able to gain more total sleep time, according to a study published in the April 15th issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM).

16 Apr 2007

Should primary care doctors assess safety of older drivers?

In an editorial published in the April issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, Malaz Boustani, M.D., M.P.H., of the Indiana University Center for Aging Research and the Regenstrief Institute, Inc. writes that assessing the safety of older drivers is not a responsibility that should reside with the primary care physician.

16 Apr 2007

Nationwide survey of state Medicaid programs on "pay-for-performance" practices

In the first published nationwide survey of state Medicaid programs on “pay-for-performance” practices, more than half of all programs state that they provide financial incentives to health care providers for better quality care.

15 Apr 2007

Aftermath of suicide attempts - helping families cope

When a child attempts suicide, these emotions hit families like a Mack truck. Some family members bury their feelings deep inside and refuse to accept the stark reality.

15 Apr 2007

Mount Sinai makes Presidential honor roll

Mount Sinai School of Medicine has been named to the first-ever President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, an honor that recognizes students, faculty, and staff for building a culture of service and civic engagement.

12 Apr 2007

Cancer patients relying more on friends, family for treatment advice

More cancer patients and their loved ones are making decisions on what treatments to undergo based on the advice of their friends and family, according to a study commissioned by the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO).

12 Apr 2007

More aggressive breast cancer in Hispanics independent of healthcare utilization

A new study provides evidence that racial differences in the clinical presentation of breast cancer may be due more to biological factors rather than differences in access to healthcare alone.

9 Apr 2007

Physician's role in getting patients active

Physicians and their patients alike know that physical activity is an important component of a healthy lifestyle, but what is less clear is what kind of a role doctors should have in increasing their patients' activity levels.

7 Apr 2007

Ibuprofen interferes with the blood thinning properties of aspirin in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease

Doctors who treat the painful condition of osteoarthritis in patients with increased cardiovascular risk need to be cautious.

7 Apr 2007

Safeguarding patient services, maintaining cost-effectivenes

GPs struggling to balance their books in the face of rising expenses and a zero percent increase in funding will have to take tough, business-minded decisions to minimise the effect on both their practices and patient services, advises the BMA's General Practitioners Committee (GPC).

5 Apr 2007

Children with autism are less likely to receive the type of primary medical care that we hope for all children

Children with autism do not receive the same quality of primary care as children with other special health care needs, according to research from the University of Minnesota Medical School.

4 Apr 2007

New and improved techniques to treat cardiac arrest

Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has been named Director of Penn's new Center for Resuscitation Science.

4 Apr 2007

Women need to be well-informed about mammography screening

Should all women in their 40s be routinely screened for breast cancer? Not necessarily, according to the American College of Physicians.

4 Apr 2007

People without health insurance more likely to forego routine physical exams

The lack of health insurance prompts people to forego routine physical exams and have a reduced awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and is associated with increased rates of stroke and death, researchers have concluded.

4 Apr 2007

Inhaled corticosteroids deserve further consideration for lung cancer chemoprevention

Among a group of mostly older male veterans suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an illness that offers a greater susceptibility to lung cancer, researchers found that regular use of high dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) lowered the risk of developing lung cancer.

4 Apr 2007

Less children and teens taking antidepressants

The number of children and teenagers prescribed antidepressant medications appears to have decreased following public warnings about suicidal behavior potentially associated with the drugs, according to a report published in the April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4 Apr 2007

Effects of changing Paracetamol pack size regulations in UK

Fatal poisonings involving paracetamol (acetaminophen) fell after a law introduced in the UK restricted the number of tablets that could be sold across the counter.

4 Apr 2007

Supermarket surgeries - back door way of privatising the NHS

Last week, the government announced plans to let supermarkets and retail pharmacies provide GP services, particularly in under doctored areas.

3 Apr 2007

Preventive health examinations may provide opportunities for cancer screening

Health plan members who receive preventive health examinations, as opposed to going to a physician only when they are sick, appear more likely to undergo testing for colorectal, breast and prostate cancers, according to a report in the March 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

3 Apr 2007

Regular health exams increase likelihood that older adults will get recommended cancer screenings

If you're 50 or older, seeing your doctor every year or two for a checkup may be a good defense against cancer, according to a new study by researchers at UC Davis, the University of Washington, and Group Health Cooperative in Seattle.

2 Apr 2007