Family practice
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Prediabetes increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). Improving diet quality is key in preventing this progression, yet little is known about the characteristics of individuals with prediabetes or the nutrition care they receive. ⋯ There are gaps in the current management of prediabetes in Australia. Low rates of prediabetes diagnosis and an ambiguous experience of receiving this diagnosis suggest an area of health service improvement. With no difference in diet quality between individuals with and without a previous prediabetes diagnosis, the nutrition care during prediabetes may be more important than the diagnosis itself in delaying the onset of T2D.
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Housing is a growing challenge for US adults in an increasingly unaffordable housing market. These housing challenges can create barriers to effective management and control of Type II Diabetes. However, little is known about how housing challenges are perceived and navigated by clinicians who care for patients with Type II Diabetes. ⋯ In highlighting the challenges that clinicians face in maintaining a standard of care for unstably housed diabetes patients, our findings speak to the need for more guidance, resources and support to address housing in a clinical setting.
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Antibiotic prescribing for acute self-limiting respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in Australia is higher than international benchmarks. Antibiotics have little or no efficacy in these conditions, and unnecessary use contributes to antibiotic resistance. Delayed prescribing has been shown to reduce antibiotic use. GP registrars are at a career-stage when long-term prescribing patterns are being established. ⋯ Better awareness and understanding by GP registrars of the evidence for delayed antibiotic prescription may be a means of reducing antibiotic prescribing. Understanding both registrar and supervisor usage, uncertainties and attitudes should inform educational approaches on this topic.
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Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) services in England offer psychological therapy for patients with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety disorders. ⋯ Neither certain age or gender, nor the mode of patient referral to IAPT is associated with eventual attendance. Future research is indicated to identify in more detail if any specific mental health conditions are more likely to lead to non-attendance. Furthermore, there may be scope for a targeted approach for subgroups of patients, e.g. those who indicate they are feeling mentally too unwell, to enable them to attend IAPT screening and therapy appointments.
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Many studies examined gender inequalities in research, but only a few data are available for general biomedical journals. We assessed the prevalence of female first authorship in general biomedical journals and examined its variations across a number of author, article and journal characteristics. ⋯ The underrepresentation of women in articles published by general internal medicine journals, in articles from the non-Western world and in systematic reviews and trials should be addressed.