Family practice
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Lymphoma has become 1 of the 10 most common cancers with increased prevalence in young- and middle-aged adults in China. This poses a tremendous burden on patients and their families and brings great challenges to maintaining the balance of family functioning in young- and middle-aged patients. ⋯ Healthcare professionals and family scholars should value young- and middle-aged lymphoma patients' family functioning throughout the cancer treatment process, and family interventions should be designed by healthcare providers based on patients' resourcefulness. Moreover, healthcare providers need to pay attention to the risk factors of patients' family cohesion and adaptability, such as low family per capita monthly income, and consider employing corresponding measures to help them.
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Loneliness is a global issue, and primary care physicians play an important role in assessing and intervening with loneliness. This study aimed to examine the association between having a usual source of care (USC) or a good quality of primary care, and loneliness. ⋯ Having USC and a better quality primary care were associated with a lower loneliness score. The quality of primary care could be a factor to mitigate patient loneliness.
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Pseudo-thrombotic microangiopathy (pseudo- thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA)) is a rare presentation of B12 deficiency. Overlapping features like elevated LDH/total bilirubin with low haemoglobin/haptoglobin/platelets could deceivingly suggest thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) resulting in avoidable procedures/treatments. ⋯ Timely diagnosis of pseudo-TMA was exceptionally challenging due to several overlapping features with TTP including normal B12 and normal MCV. B12 levels may falsely appear normal in pernicious anemia due to IF-Ab interference with chemiluminescent immunoassay. Schistocytes lower the MCV in automated cell counters. Lower reticulocyte index (<2%), presence of immature/large platelets and teardrop cells, elevated MMA and a higher LDH (>2500) are indicative of B12 deficiency.
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Australian guidelines recommend people aged 50-70 years old consider taking low-dose aspirin to reduce their risk of colorectal cancer. The aim was to design sex-specific decision aids (DAs) with clinician and consumer input, including expected frequency trees (EFTs) to communicate the risks and benefits of taking aspirin. ⋯ DAs were designed to communicate the risks and benefits of low-dose aspirin for disease prevention. The DAs are currently being trialled in general practice to determine their impact on informed decision-making and aspirin uptake.
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To decrease hospital readmission rates, clinical practices create a transition of care (TOC) process to assess patients and coordinate care postdischarge. As current evidence suggests lack of universal benefit, this study's objectives are to determine what patient and process factors associate with hospital readmissions, as well as construct a model to decrease 30-day readmissions. ⋯ Targeting a practice's MRPs with CCC resources improves the association of TOC components with readmissions and rates decreased. This is a more efficient use of TOC resources.