Journal of general internal medicine
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To examine the relation of patient beliefs about medication usage and adherence to zidovudine (ZDV) therapy in persons with AIDS. ⋯ Patients' beliefs about ZDV were significantly associated with adherence-related behavior. In particular, those who had self-terminated ZDV treatment believed that taking the drug was harmful, were skeptical of its ability to prevent illness, and felt that physician's directives about medication usage in general could be disregarded. These findings highlight the importance of educating patients about ZDV and of establishing regular patient-clinician exchanges concerning patient's experience with and beliefs concerning ZDV.
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Comparative Study
Asian-American patient ratings of physician primary care performance.
To examine how Asian-American patients' ratings of primary care performance differ from those of whites. Latinos, and African-Americans. ⋯ We conclude that Asian-American patients rate physicians primary care performance lower than do whites, African-Americans, and Latinos. Future research needs to focus on Asian-Americans to determine the generalizability of these findings and the extent to which they reflect differences in survey response tendencies or actual quality differences.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Diagnosis and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Practice patterns of primary care physicians.
To define primary care physicians' (PCPs) practices in managing patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH], and to compare these practices to portions of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research BPH guideline and urologists' practices. ⋯ Primary care physicians are actively managing patients with BPH. Some of their diagnostic evaluations vary from the recommendations of a national guideline and urologists' practices. Referral thresholds appear to vary considerably.