The Medical clinics of North America
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Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 2023
ReviewDefining Meaningful Change in Antihypertensive Medication Adherence in Adults with Established Hypertension: Implications for Clinical Practice.
Uncontrolled hypertension and low antihypertensive medication adherence remain significant clinical challenges. There is a critical need to detect meaningful change in adherence in clinical settings. ⋯ Among a sample of participants in an ongoing clinical trial, 5.9% experienced a decline in adherence, which was associated with higher blood pressure (BP) and a higher prevalence of uncontrolled BP at 6 months. Meaningful change in medication adherence behavior may be key in managing hypertension to improve BP control and health outcomes.
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Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 2023
ReviewThe Current State of Alcohol Screening and Management in Virginia Primary Care Practices: An Evaluation of Preventive Service Use.
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening and behavioral counseling for adults over 18 years for unhealthy alcohol use. Recommended screening instruments include the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise and or Single Alcohol Screening Question. ⋯ Baseline data for a practice facilitation trial demonstrated clinicians appropriately screened only 10.8% of patients and only identified 9.6% as having risky drinking. Yet, 24% of patients reported risky drinking on a survey, demonstrating the implementation gap of the USPSTF recommendation and opportunity to improve health.
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Med. Clin. North Am. · Nov 2023
ReviewAcceptance of a Future Gonorrhea Vaccine in a Post-Coronavirus Disease 2019 World: Impact of Type of Recommendation and Changing Levels of Trust in Health Institutions and Authorities.
Widespread uptake of a future gonorrhea vaccine could decrease the burden of disease and limit the spread of antibiotic resistance. However, gonorrhea vaccination will occur in the backdrop of the roll-out of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, which could have influenced parental perceptions about other, non-COVID-19 vaccines. In an internet-based cross-sectional survey, 74% of parents would get a gonorrhea vaccine for their child, and this was higher among those whose trust in pharmaceutical companies increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. About 60% of adults aged 18 to 45 would receive a vaccine for themselves.