Journal of general internal medicine
-
Black women have a disproportionately higher incidence of cardiovascular disease mortality than other groups and the reason for this health disparity is incompletely understood. Underestimation of personal cardiac risk may play a role. ⋯ Urban, disadvantaged black women in this study had many cardiac risk factors, yet routinely underestimated their risk of heart disease. We found that the strongest correlates of underestimation were perceived stress and lower personal income.
-
Although a variety of validity evidence should be utilized when evaluating assessment tools, a review of teaching assessments suggested that authors pursue a limited range of validity evidence. ⋯ Content and Internal Structure evidence is well represented among published assessments of clinical teaching. Evidence for Relation to Other Variables, Consequences, and Response Process receive little attention, and future research should emphasize these categories. The low interrater reliability for Response Process and Consequences likely reflects the scarcity of reported evidence. With further development, our method for rating the validity evidence should prove useful in various settings.
-
Product labeling and published guidelines reflect the importance of monitoring laboratory parameters for drugs with a risk of organ system toxicity or electrolyte imbalance. Limited information exists about adherence to laboratory monitoring recommendations. The objective of this study was to describe laboratory monitoring among ambulatory patients dispensed medications for which laboratory testing is recommended at therapy initiation. ⋯ Substantial opportunity exists to improve laboratory monitoring of drugs for which such monitoring is recommended. This study emphasizes the need for research to identify the clinical implications of not conducting recommended laboratory monitoring, existing barriers to monitoring, and methods to improve practice.