Journal of general internal medicine
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Multicenter Study
Prevalence and determinants of intimate partner abuse among public hospital primary care patients.
To determine the prevalence, sociodemographic determinants, and depression correlates of intimate partner abuse among an ethnically diverse population of women patients. ⋯ Because a substantial proportion of women patients in primary care settings are abused, screening for partner abuse and depression is indicated. In contrast to other studies, lower socioeconomic status was not associated with partner abuse history.
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Guidelines for oral anticoagulation after deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) have recommended that patients be anticoagulated for at least 3 months after hospital discharge. We sought to determine whether this recommendation was being followed and what patient characteristics predict a shorter than recommended duration of therapy. ⋯ Nearly a quarter of those anticoagulated following DVT or PE received therapy for less than the recommended length of time after hospital discharge, with African Americans more likely to have a shorter than recommended course of treatment. Further research is needed to evaluate the causes of shorter than recommended duration of therapy and racial disparities in anticoagulant use.
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To explore the role of the gender of the patient and the gender of the physician in explaining differences in patient satisfaction and patient-reported primary care practice. ⋯ Our study revealed differences in patient satisfaction related to the gender of the patient and of the physician. While our study cannot determine the reasons for these differences, the results suggest that patients who choose their physician may have different expectations, and the difficulty of fulfi11ing these expectations may present particular challenges for female physicians.
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To determine the association between overweight and obesity and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic conditions typical of those seen in general medical practice, after accounting for the effects of depression and medical comorbidities. ⋯ Overweight and obesity have the largest association with physical function measures. Recent national standards, which have lowered the threshold for defining overweight, identify patients who are more likely to have clinically significant reductions in HRQOL and functional impairment.