Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

New drug resistance screening method

A growing number of drug-resistant strains of HIV are a threat to the effectiveness of current treatments despite anti-HIV drug cocktails decreasing the number of HIV-related deaths and improving the quality of life for HIV patients.

29 Jun 2007

How will global warming affect human health?

Global warming will cause more deaths in summer because of higher temperatures but these will not be offset by fewer deaths in milder winters finds an analysis published online ahead of print in Occupational and Environment Medicine.

28 Jun 2007

Doctors need to shut up and listen!

Doctors it seems often waste time talking about their own problems in a well-intentioned effort to establish a patient relationship, rather than find out what is actually wrong with their patient.

26 Jun 2007

Decline in mental health after SARS

Most patients who survived severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) had good physical recovery, but they or their caregivers often reported a decline in mental health one year later, according to a study in the June 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

26 Jun 2007

Personal comments by physicians distract from patient needs

In well-intentioned efforts to establish relationships, some physicians tell patients about their own family members, health problems, travel experiences and political beliefs.

26 Jun 2007

Women need to start thinking about heart disease prevention before menopause

Studies in female monkeys helped raise important questions about hormone therapy that were addressed in a Women's Health Initiative study reported last week in the New England Journal of Medicine .

26 Jun 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids appear to slow prostate cancer

Research in mice suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil and certain types of fish could potentially improve the prognosis of men who are genetically prone to develop prostate cancer.

23 Jun 2007

Men fall short when it comes to managing their personal health

From skipping important health screenings to avoiding a visit to the doctor altogether, new results from a survey released by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) indicate men continue to fall short when it comes to managing their personal health.

20 Jun 2007

Educating OSA patients about continuous positive airway pressure critical to successful treatment

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition in which enhancement of patient self-efficacy is critical for long-term management.

17 Jun 2007

Patient-physician time in the U.S. lower than New Zealand and Australia

The average American spends a total of about 30 minutes a year with a primary care physician in a system that is less comprehensive than that of Australia or New Zealand, according to a new study comparing primary care practice in the three countries.

17 Jun 2007

Cognitive behavioral therapy workshops effective at getting men to seek help for insomnia

Despite the positive results that it brings in the treatment of insomnia, access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been difficult given the limited awareness of CBT services amongst referrers such as primary care providers.

17 Jun 2007

Type of insurance coverage linked to more advanced cancers

Two new studies find the uninsured and people with certain types of public health insurance are more likely to be diagnosed with more advanced cancer compared to those with private insurance.

16 Jun 2007

Sleep problems can influence a person's diet

Sleep problems can influence a person's diet.

16 Jun 2007

Lack of sleep compromises airport baggage screeners' ability to detect rare targets

A lack of sleep may affect the performance of airport employees, which can, in turn, compromise the safety of airline passengers.

16 Jun 2007

CPAP is the best treatment for sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a major public health problem that, if untreated, can be deadly.

14 Jun 2007

Mild cognitive disorder often an early symptom of Alzheimer's disease

Using new MRI techniques to analyze tissue composition and structure in the brain, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the National Institute on Aging successfully detected mild cognitive disorder (MCI), a condition in which patients suffer mild memory problems and is often an early symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

14 Jun 2007

Doctors do not address patients by name in half of first-time visits

...even though nearly all patients want this personal greeting, according to new research from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

14 Jun 2007

Continuous positive airway pressure improves sleep in patients with both Alzheimer's and a sleep-related breathing disorder

Patients with both Alzheimer disease and a sleep-related breathing disorder (SRBD) experience disrupted sleep, resulting in increased nocturnal awakenings and a decreased percentage of REM sleep.

14 Jun 2007

Addressing multiple unhealthy behaviors at once may be more effective than sequential approach

Physicians trying to help patients change more than one behavioral risk factor may have more success approaching several topics at once rather than addressing them separately over time, according to a report in the June 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

14 Jun 2007