Family medicine
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This study determined the proportion of community-dwelling Hispanics who present for medical care for their panic attacks and identified factors associated with seeking care. We also compared characteristics of Hispanic subjects with those of non-Hispanic white panic sufferers. ⋯ Half of the Hispanics with panic attacks seek no medical care for their attacks. Predictors of seeking care among Hispanics in San Antonio included coping style, symptom perceptions, and access to transportation.
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Ethnic background and family resources have not been sufficiently examined in relation to emotional disorders and their treatment in primary care settings. This study examined the diagnosis and management of psychological disorders in family practice patients to explore how ethnicity may affect the diagnosis and treatment of emotional disorders. ⋯ Women's ethnicity is significantly associated with the diagnosis of emotional disorders and their treatment.
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Race and ethnicity are variables frequently used in medical research. However, researchers employ race and ethnicity in different ways and with differing intent. This leads to confusion over the interpretation of racial or ethnic differences. This study sought to determine how race and ethnicity are used in research on infant mortality. ⋯ There are several problems and ambiguities in the use of race and ethnicity in clinical research. Researchers who use racial or ethnic categories should do so for specified reasons and adopt clear definitions of the categories used.
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The physical activity levels of US children are declining. Opportunities for physical activity within city schools are constrained by time and space limits. This study determined whether a supplemental program of physical activity would significantly alter the fitness levels of low-income, minority, urban elementary schoolchildren. ⋯ This investigation indicates that a program of fitness activities conducted within the classroom can significantly improve levels of fitness in urban elementary schoolchildren.
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Since their inception, family practice residency programs have been designed on a rotation-based format. It has been assumed that by having residents rotate through a series of educational experiences, they would assimilate the skills necessary to effectively serve as a family physician. An alternative approach is based on the attainment of competency, rather than on the completion of a set of experiences. ⋯ In response to the growing need to discuss these and other related issues, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) Board created the Task Force on Competency-based Education. Its mission is to disseminate this educational theory to STFM's membership. This article reviews the theory of competency-based education, describes development of a competency-based curriculum model, and discusses the academic issues surrounding adaptation of this form of education to family practice residency programs.