Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Assessing the effects of COVID-19 on breast cancer screening rates

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the U.S. Early detection of the disease through screening can greatly improve the chances of successful treatment and is an essential preventive service in primary care.

28 May 2024

Understanding organizational factors in medical assistant staffing ratios

Medical assistants (MAs) are among the fastest growing occupations within the U.S. primary care workforce, and many practices have expanded the roles and caregiving responsibilities of primary care MAs.

28 May 2024

Implementing the Surgeon General’s guidelines to tackle loneliness in primary care

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 20% of adult primary care patients identified as lonely, representing a higher prevalence than many diseases commonly seen in primary care such as diabetes.

28 May 2024

Harnessing pharmacists' expertise to treat minor illnesses could save millions in health care costs

Greater use of pharmacists to treat minor illnesses could potentially save millions of dollars in health care costs, according to new research led by Washington State University.

28 May 2024

Study quantifies health and economic benefits of breastfeeding

Breastmilk can promote equitable child health and save healthcare costs by reducing childhood illnesses and healthcare utilization in the early years, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Tomi Ajetunmobi of the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, Scotland, and colleagues.

23 May 2024

New study maps out long COVID patterns in England, showing who is most at risk

A study of 19 million adults in England reveals demographic and clinical patterns of long COVID, highlighting higher rates among women, middle-aged adults, and those with comorbidities, with vaccination linked to lower incidence.

22 May 2024

New dentists may face NHS service requirement under new government plans

Newly-qualified dentists could be required to deliver NHS care for several years after they graduate under a government consultation being launched today.

22 May 2024

Closed Loop Medicine appoints Paul Johnson as Non-Executive Director

Closed Loop Medicine Ltd., a leading TechBio company developing combination prescription drug plus software therapy products that deliver personalized dose optimization, today announced the appointment of Paul Johnson as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

From Closed Loop Medicine 22 May 2024

More than 1 in 5 Canadians lack access to primary care, research finds

More than 1 in 5 adults in Canada did not have access to primary care, with large regional gaps in access, found new research in CMAJ.

21 May 2024

Hallucinations and nightmares could herald the onset of autoimmune diseases

An increase in nightmares and hallucinations – or 'daymares' – could herald the onset of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, say an international team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge and King's College London.

21 May 2024

Emerging crisis of homelessness among older adults in Canada

Homelessness doesn't only happen to young people but also affects older adults in growing numbers, write authors in an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) that describes this emerging crisis.

21 May 2024

Breakthrough study shows benefits of diagnosing hidden respiratory diseases

Finding and treating people with undiagnosed asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) improved their health and reduced their healthcare visits for respiratory symptoms in the year after diagnosis, according to a world-first clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

20 May 2024

Female gastroenterologists linked to lower post-consultation health care use

Patients seen by a female gastroenterologist for an initial consultation are less likely to use medical care in the emergency department, hospital or primary care office for two years after their visit when compared to patients initially seen by male gastroenterologists, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week 2024.

20 May 2024

Varenicline shows promise in first U.S. trial for e-cigarette cessation

The first U.S. trial of varenicline for e-cigarette cessation shows promising results and warrants larger-scale trials, the researchers say.

17 May 2024

The lure of specialty medicine pulls nurse practitioners from primary care

For many patients, seeing a nurse practitioner has become a routine part of primary care, in which these "NPs" often perform the same tasks that patients have relied on doctors for.

17 May 2024

Clinical trial suggests hypertension self-management strategies may be effective to control blood pressure

The study findings suggest that self-management strategies for hypertension may effectively reduce blood pressure levels over 24 months without increasing healthcare resource utilization or adverse events as compared to usual care.

16 May 2024

Closed Loop Medicine and Pharmanovia commence OptiZest study for their first precision medicine combination therapeutic

Closed Loop Medicine Ltd, a leading TechBio company developing combination prescription drug plus software therapy products that deliver personalized dose optimization, and Pharmanovia, a global pharmaceutical company that commercializes novel medicines and revitalizes, extends and expands the lifecycle of established medicines, today announced the initiation of their OptiZest study, ID: NCT06372470, and first patient recruitment.

From Closed Loop Medicine 16 May 2024

Tribal nations invest opioid settlement funds in traditional healing to treat addiction

Outside the Mi'kmaq Nation's health department sits a dome-shaped tent, built by hand from saplings and covered in black canvas.

15 May 2024

Mail delivery of abortion pills is safe and convenient, study shows

Dispensing abortion pills through the mail works as well as requiring patients to get them in person from a clinic or doctor's office, according to new research from UC San Francisco, which comes as the Supreme Court is considering whether to disallow the practice.

13 May 2024

Study reveals latest cancer trends in Canada

The number of cancer cases and deaths in Canada is expected to increase because of a growing and aging population, but the overall rates of people being diagnosed with and dying from cancer will continue to decline, according to the latest cancer trends research in CMAJ.

13 May 2024