Annals of Family Medicine articles from September 2005

Annals of Family Medicine archives from September 2005

In this issue: subtle clinical policy.(EDITORIAL)
September 1, 2005... TESTING FOR ACUTE HIV INFECTION DEMANDS A SUBTLE CLINICAL POLICY In this issue, 2 related analyses make the case that it is cost-effective to test for acute HIV disease among outpatients with acute viral illness symptoms. (1,2) An...

Should we screen patients with viral symptoms for HIV disease?
September 1, 2005... In this issue, Coco addresses a vitally important question: Is it cost-effective to test for acute HIV infection among outpatients complaining of viral symptoms and at least 1 risk factor for HIV infection? If so, what is the appropriate method...

The cost-effectiveness of expanded testing for primary HIV infection.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE Primary infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a major factor in the HIV epidemic. Most patients become symptomatic and seek care, but seldom are they tested or is their condition diagnosed. The...

Prevalence of primary HIV infection in symptomatic ambulatory patients.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE Recognizing primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is important for public health. The prevalence in outpatient settings is largely unknown but would be useful in developing testing guidelines. The objective...

'Coming down the line' - patients' understanding of their family history of common chronic disease.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE The family history is becoming an increasingly important feature of health promotion and early detection of common chronic diseases in primary care. Previous studies of patients from genetics clinics suggest a divergence...

Patient-centered communication and diagnostic testing.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE Although patient-centered communication is associated with improved health and patient trust, information about the impact of patient-centered communication on health care costs is limited. We studied the relationship...

Antibiotic treatment and survival of nursing home patients with lower respiratory tract infection: a cross-national analysis.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE Although lower respiratory tract infections are a leading cause of death in frail elderly patients, few studies have compared treatments and outcomes. We assessed the effects of different antibiotic treatment strategies on...

Delivery of clinical preventive services in family medicine offices.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT BACKGROUND This study aimed to elucidate how clinical preventive services are delivered in family practices and how this information might inform improvement efforts. METHODS We used a comparative case study design to observe...

Rochester Participatory Decision-Making Scale (RPAD): reliability and validity.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE We wanted develop a reliable and valid objective measure of patient-physician collaborative decision making, the Rochester Participatory Decision-Making Scale (RPAD). METHODS Based on an informed decision-making model,...

Social network analysis as an analytic tool for interaction patterns in primary care practices.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE Social network analysis (SNA) provides a way of quantitatively analyzing relationships among people or other information-processing agents. Using 2 practices as illustrations, we describe how SNA can be used to...

Efficacy and tolerability of tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs compared with placebo for treatment of depression in primary care: a meta-analysis.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE Depression is common in primary care. There are no systematic reviews of depression treatment comparing antidepressants with placebo; hence, we do not know whether these medications are effective in primary care. ...

Metformin as treatment for overweight and obese adults: a systematic review.
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT PURPOSE We wanted to determine whether metformin is an effective medication for treatment of overweight or obese adults who do not have diabetes mellitus or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS We searched MEDLINE...

The decade dance.(adult child sexual abuse survivor's revelations)
September 1, 2005... ABSTRACT This essay portrays the moment an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse tells his physician about his traumatic past. Because of denial by both parties, the diagnosis had remained buried for years, and opportunities for...

Strength from vulnerability.(ON TRACK)
September 1, 2005... The Annals online discussion since the last issue challenges recent guidelines for hypertension management, informs the use and implementation of electronic health records, draws inspiration from a practice-based research network health...

STFM launches NPI and calls for nominations.(Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, New Partners Initiative)
September 1, 2005... STFM Launches new Partners Initiative My 2005-2006 STFM presidential theme, "Searching for Solutions: Realizing Our Vision, Renewing Ourselves, and Supporting It All," responds to 3 important challenges for the Society. First, STFM...

Family Medicine legislative advocacy: our powerful message.
September 1, 2005... The discipline of family medicine stands at a critical juncture. We face the pressures of dwindling medical student interest and a shift in workforce policy toward a greater emphasis on market-driven forces. Population-based studies show that...

Quality in residency education.
September 1, 2005... In discussing the concept of quality, I am reminded of the old Zenith advertisement, "quality goes in before the name goes on." (1) Quality must be a requisite to be called a family doctor. Concepts and standards of quality continue to...

Research involving Latino populations.
September 1, 2005... The US Latino population, at more than 31 million, is the largest minority group in this country, and their numbers are expected to reach more than 96 million in the next 50 years. (1) This reality, along with the health disparities faced by...

AAFP'S political action committee adds to family physicians' voice in Washington.(FAMILY MEDICINE UPDATES)
September 1, 2005... Family physicians have a new tool for voicing their positions on everything from Medicare physician payment to medical liability reform to incentives for providing health care to the underserved. That tool: FamMedPAC, the AAFP's new federal...

Listening to the diplomates: physicians' feedback on self-assessment modules.
September 1, 2005... The Self-Assessment Module (SAM) is an integral part of the ABFM's Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP) process as well as an important learning opportunity. Contrary to what some may think, the SAMs are not tests, but...