Annals of family medicine
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As we have traversed the last 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic juxtaposed against an increased awakening to the realities of racial inequities in society and health care, the grief of Black individuals and communities has largely been underrecognized. This reflective essay explores the grief experience of Blacks in the wake of continual losses and acknowledges the impact of racism in these losses. I speak from my experiences as a Black mother, survivor of sibling loss, and pediatric palliative care pediatrician to examine this complex issue and what the medical community can do to stand with Black patients and families in their grief experience.
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Annals of family medicine · Jul 2022
Observational StudyCOPD Population in US Primary Care: Data From the Optimum Patient Care DARTNet Research Database and the Advancing the Patient Experience in COPD Registry.
To describe demographic and clinical characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients managed in US primary care. ⋯ Our findings highlight the high exacerbation, symptom, and treatment burdens experienced by COPD patients managed in US primary care, and the need for more real-life effectiveness trials to support decision making at the primary care level.
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Annals of family medicine · Jul 2022
Call to Action: Eliminate Barriers Faced by Medical Students With Disabilities.
When physicians have a disability or chronic condition, they can offer deeper insight and ability into managing the needs of patients with similar conditions. Yet an alarming 2021 survey found that only 40.7% of physicians feel confident that they provide the same level of care to people with disabilities (PWD) as those without. ⋯ This is because prospective medical students with disabilities face many barriers in medical education and practice. We call for specific changes to medical school admission processes and curricula to promote a more just and diverse workforce which includes more physicians with disabilities.
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Annals of family medicine · Jul 2022
Strategies Associated With Reducing Benzodiazepine Prescribing to Older Adults: A Mixed Methods Study.
Unlike in many community-based settings, benzodiazepine (BZD) prescribing to older veterans has decreased. We sought to identify health care system strategies associated with greater facility-level reductions in BZD prescribing to older adults. ⋯ Initiatives to reduce BZD prescribing to older adults that are primarily limited to passive strategies, such as education and patient identification, might have limited success. Clinicians might benefit from additional recommendations, support, and incentives to modify prescribing practices.