Family practice
-
The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid changes in demand and delivery of primary care services that could have led to increases in antibiotic prescribing. ⋯ Despite complexities of consulting during the COVID-19 pandemic in primary care we found no evidence of an increase in antibiotic dispensing during this time.
-
Recognizing sinonasal cancer in primary care: a matched case-control study using electronic records.
Cancers of the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, and accessory sinuses ("sinonasal") are rare in England, with around 750 patients diagnosed annually. There are no specific National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) referral guidelines for these cancers and no primary care research published. ⋯ This is the first primary care study identifying epistaxis, sinusitis, and rhinorrhoea as part of the clinical prodrome of sinonasal cancer. Although no PPVs meet the 3% NICE referral threshold, these results may help clinicians identify who warrants safety-netting and possible specialist referral, potentially reducing the number of advanced-stage diagnoses of sinonasal cancer.
-
The doctor-patient relationship is usually measured in line with patient needs and demands. This study aimed to develop a scale measuring such a relationship from the perspective of doctors. ⋯ The doctor-patient relationship scale developed in this study is a psychometrically valid tool assessing how medical doctors view and manage their relationship with patients in the hospital setting in China.
-
Few studies exist regarding the management and support of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in family practice. Most of them concern the management of children. As a primary care professional however, the general practitioner (GP) has a role to play at every step of the autistic adult's care pathway. With this study, we sought to identify GPs' experienced difficulties in caring for and managing their adult patients with ASD. ⋯ Improving awareness and training about ASD in adults, as well as harmonizing the diagnostic process and referral pathways, might reduce GPs' experienced difficulties in caring for this population.
-
Approximately 60% of antibiotics issued in primary care are for acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs), which are largely self-limiting and do not require antibiotics. Point-of-care testing (POCT) devices that measure C-reactive protein (CRP)-a biomarker for infection-can be used to guide prescribing decisions. ⋯ CRP POCT reduces antibiotic prescribing, but increases healthcare costs. The most cost-effective program of CRP POCT includes enhanced communication skills training. Further research on the impact of CRP POCT beyond 5 years is warranted, as well as the potential impact on antimicrobial resistance.