Journal of general internal medicine
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Cardiac procedures among American Indians and Alaska Natives compared to non-Hispanic whites hospitalized with ischemic heart disease in California.
American Indians/Alaska Natives (AIAN) experience a high burden of cardiovascular disease with rates for fatal and nonfatal heart disease approximately twofold higher than the U.S. population. ⋯ AIAN were not less likely to receive cardiac procedures as non-Hispanic whites during hospitalizations for ischemic heart disease. Additional research is needed to determine whether differences in specialty referral patterns, patients' treatment preferences, or outpatient management may explain some of the health disparities due to cardiovascular disease that is found among AIAN.
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Because Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans have often been aggregated in federal health surveys, we assessed whether they differ substantially in important health measures. ⋯ Health surveys and policies should distinguish between Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans given the significantly higher rates of health risks and chronic diseases among Pacific Islanders.
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Comparative Study
Improving underrepresented minority medical student recruitment with health disparities curriculum.
Diversity improves all students' academic experiences and their abilities to work with patients from differing backgrounds. Little is known about what makes minority students select one medical school over another. ⋯ The required health disparities course may have contributed to the increased enrollment of URM students at PSOM in 2007 and 2008.
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Comparative Study
Primary care physicians' attitudes regarding race-based therapies.
There is little to no information on whether race should be considered in the exam room by those who care for and treat patients. How primary care physicians understand the relationship between genes, race and drugs has the potential to influence both individual care and racial and ethnic health disparities. ⋯ Primary care physicians' opinions regarding race-based therapy reveal a nuanced understanding of race-based therapies and a wariness of their use by physicians.
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This study was designed to determine risk factors and potential harm associated with medication errors at hospital admission. ⋯ Over one-third of the patients in our study had a medication error at admission, and of these patients, 85% had errors originate in their medication histories. Attempts to improve the accuracy of medication histories should focus on older patients with a large number of medications. Primary care physicians and other clinicians should help patients utilize and maintain complete, accurate and understandable medication lists.