Journal of general internal medicine
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To determine health utility scores for specific debilitated health states and to identify whether race or other demographic differences predict significant variation in these utility scores. ⋯ Comparisons of African-American values with those of whites concerning defined states of debility demonstrate greater than threefold increases in utility scores. This finding suggests that racial differences need to be taken into account when studying the effects of medical interventions on quality of life.
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Although longitudinal care constitutes the bulk of primary care, physicians receive little guidance on the fundamental question of how to time follow-up visits. We sought to identify important predictors of the revisit interval and to describe the variability in how physicians set these intervals when caring for patients with common medical conditions. ⋯ Physicians vary widely in their recommendations for office revisits. Patient factors accounted for only a small part of this variation. Although physicians responded to visits in predictable ways, each physician appeared to have a unique set point for the length of the revisits interval.
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To assess the impact of two programs at the University of Pittsburgh, one that requires and one that encourages volunteer activity. In the program that requires primary care interns to spend 15 hours in a homeless clinic, we measured volunteer service after the requirement was fulfilled. In the program that encourages and provides the structure for first- and second-year medical students to volunteer, we assessed correlates of volunteering. ⋯ Volunteering with underserved communities during medical school and residency is influenced by previous experiences and, among medical students, year in school. Medical schools and residency programs have the opportunity to promote volunteerism and social responsibility through mentoring and curricular initiatives.