Family practice
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An unprecedented health and economic crisis in small island communities during the COVID-19 pandemic indicated the importance of studying its harmful effects on residents' mental health. ⋯ The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need to protect mental health in isolated island areas specially for singles and people of low socioeconomic status.
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As the proportion of women in family medicine increases, their well-being and job satisfaction become concerns. ⋯ Women family physicians around the world are overall satisfied with their careers. However, variation in certain working conditions among countries leaves room for improvement, drawing attention to the need for national review of working environments and pay scales.
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There are substantial differences in hospital referrals between general practitioners (GPs); however, there is little research on the consequences for patient safety and further healthcare use. ⋯ GPs' prior admission proportion was strongly associated with unplanned hospital admissions. We found little effects on 30-day mortality, but more restrictive referral practices may threaten patient safety through missing out on critical cases.
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Men are more likely to develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and gout as they age. However, the role of alpha-1-adrenergic antagonists, the medication for BPH, in the development of gout is uncertain. ⋯ Patients who received more doses of alpha-1-adrenergic antagonists per year had a higher risk of developing gout. A causal proof of the role of alpha-1-adrenergic antagonists use in gout development should be analysed in future studies designed as double blind randomized controlled trials.