Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
-
Review Comparative Study
Statistical analyses in Swedish randomised trials on mammography screening and in other randomised trials on cancer screening: a systematic review.
We compared calculations of relative risks of cancer death in Swedish mammography trials and in other cancer screening trials. ⋯ The use of unconventional statistical methods in Swedish trials has led to overestimation of risk reduction in breast cancer death attributable to mammography screening. The constant risk reduction observed in screening groups was probably due to the trial design that optimised awareness and medical management of women allocated to screening groups.
-
Comparative Study
Patient perceptions and recall of consent for regional anaesthesia compared with consent for surgery.
In Britain, consent for surgery is documented using a Department of Health form signed by the surgeon and the patient. In contrast, anaesthetic procedures have no formalised consent process. Evidence on the process of consent for regional anaesthesia, and patient perceptions of this, is scarce outside obstetric practice. We aimed to determine patient recall and perceptions of consent for interscalene brachial plexus block and compared this to surgical consent for shoulder arthroplasty. ⋯ Fundamental misunderstandings about the consent process are prevalent. Future work in this area should seek to investigate how documentation of the consent process and patients' understanding of consent for regional anaesthesia can be improved.
-
To study trends in factors influencing junior doctors' choice of future specialty. ⋯ The increasing importance of both domestic circumstances and enthusiasm for their specialty choice in recent cohorts suggest that today's young doctors prize both work-life balance and personal fulfilment at work more highly than did their predecessors. The differences in motivations of older and younger generations of doctors, men and women, and doctors who start medical school relatively late are worthy of note.