Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

St. Lawrence University in pilot project to improve depression screening

Fifteen percent of college students suffered from depression last year, up from 10 percent in 2000, according to The American College Health Association. Mental health professionals on college campuses expect the percentage to rise again this year.

1 May 2007

House subcommittee debates rural veterans' access to care

House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee members on Thursday discussed several bills to improve veterans' access to health care, particularly in rural areas, CQ HealthBeat reports.

30 Apr 2007

Employers can blame hay fever for the loss of millions of hours of work productivity this spring

A new study of nearly 600 people with hay fever symptoms, including sneezing, watery eyes and runny and itchy noses, found that workers missed an hour of work per week during peak hay fever season.

27 Apr 2007

NHS together now?

Health minister Andy Burnham got a mixed reception when he spoke to UNISON's health conference in Brighton.

25 Apr 2007

Overcrowded hospitals may hinder patient safety

Hospitals that operate at or over their capacity may be at increased risk of adverse events that injure patients, according to a study led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Brigham and Woman's Hospital (BWH).

24 Apr 2007

Low vitamin D levels linked to poor physical performance in older adults

Older adults who don't get enough vitamin D - either from their diets or exposure to the sun - may be at increased risk for poor physical performance and disability, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.

24 Apr 2007

Inflammatory bowel disease linked to nerve damage and other neurological problems

People with inflammatory bowel disease may also be at risk for developing nerve damage and other neurological problems, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 , May 5, 2007.

24 Apr 2007

Talk beyond pain: Understanding diabetic nerve pain

Results from a new survey of more than 600 physicians who treat diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain, or diabetic nerve pain, reveal that nearly all (97 percent) believe that the condition is often misdiagnosed.

20 Apr 2007

Antibiotics before dental procedures may do more harm than good

Taking a precautionary antibiotic before a trip to the dentist isn't necessary for most people, and in fact, might create more harm than good, according to updated recommendations from the American Heart Association.

20 Apr 2007

Cigarette smoking status can be used as a clinical indicator for alcohol misuse

Where there is cigarette smoking there is probably misuse of alcohol too, according to a study by Yale School of Medicine researchers in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

19 Apr 2007

Short and simple interventions can reduce drinking in the general population

Five minutes of straight talk between doctors and problem drinkers could help reduce the toll of alcohol-related injuries, violence and accidents.

19 Apr 2007

Should primary care doctors be assessing the 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.

17 Apr 2007

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