Journal of general internal medicine
-
Despite the high prevalence rates of HIV infection in the African-American community, African Americans remain underrepresented in HIV treatment trials. ⋯ Having never been asked to participate in research is a major barrier to the participation of HIV-infected African Americans in HIV treatment trials. African Americans who seek medical care for HIV infection should be asked to participate in HIV treatment trials.
-
We describe a 59-year-old patient who developed acute renal failure because of rhabdomyolysis after extensive red fire ant bites. This case illustrates a serious systemic reaction that may occur from fire ant bites. ⋯ While local allergic reactions to fire ant bites are described in the literature, serious systemic complications with rhabdomyolysis and renal failure have not been previously reported. It is our effort to alert the medical community of the possibility of such a complication that can occur in the victims of fire ant bites.
-
For patients to experience the benefits of total joint arthroplasty (TJA), primary care physicians (PCPs) ought to know when to refer a patient for TJA and/or optimize nonsurgical treatment options for osteoarthritis (OA). ⋯ PCP knowledge with respect to guideline-concordant care for OA could be improved, specifically in deciding when to consider TJA versus optimizing nonsurgical options. Moreover, the perception of the success rate of TJA may influence a clinician's decision making.
-
Patterns of responses on health-related quality of life questionnaires among patients with HIV/AIDS.
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has become an important facet of HIV/AIDS research. Typically, the unit of analysis is either the total instrument score or subscale score. Developing a typology of responses across various HRQoL measures, however, may advance understating of patients' perspectives. ⋯ Patients with HIV respond differentially to various types of HRQoL measures. Health status and utility measures are thus complementary approaches to measuring HRQoL in patients with HIV.
-
Comparative Study
Changes in religiousness and spirituality attributed to HIV/AIDS: are there sex and race differences?
Having a serious illness such as HIV/AIDS raises existential issues, which are potentially manifested as changes in religiousness and spirituality. The objective of this study was (1) to describe changes in religiousness and spirituality of people with HIV/AIDS, and (2) to determine if these changes differed by sex and race. ⋯ Many participants report having become more spiritual or religious since contracting HIV/AIDS, though many have felt alienated by a religious group-some to the point of changing their place of worship. Clinicians conducting spiritual assessments should be aware that changes in religious and spiritual experiences attributed to HIV/AIDS might differ between Caucasian and African Americans.