The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
A randomised controlled trial of a self-management plan for patients with newly diagnosed angina.
There are approximately 1.8 million patients with angina in the United Kingdom, many of whom report a poor quality of life, including raised levels of anxiety and depression. ⋯ The Angina Plan appears to improve the psychological, symptomatic, and functional status of patients newly diagnosed with angina.
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Comparative Study
Comparison between children and adolescents with and without chronic benign pain: consultation rate and pain characteristics.
The aim of the study was to determine whether children with chronic benign pain are in contact with their general practitioner (GP) more frequently than those without chronic benign pain. A random sample of children and adolescents aged between 0 and 18 years of age was drawn from the records of ten general practices. ⋯ No significant age and sex differences were found. Chronic benign pain in childhood and adolescence is not related to increased use of healthcare services, suggesting that somatisation does not play a major role in children with chronic benign pain.
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Comparative Study
The impact of a general practice group intervention on prescribing costs and patterns.
The formation of primary care groups (PCGs) and trusts (PCTs) has shifted the emphasis from individual practice initiatives to group-based efforts to control rising prescribing costs. However, there is a paucity of literature describing such group initiatives. We report the results of a multilevel group initiative, involving input from a pharmaceutical adviser, practice comparison feedback, and peer review meetings. ⋯ We suggest that practices with diverse prescribing patterns can work together effectively within a PCT locality to control prescribing costs.
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The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between retinopathy and the levels of diabetic control found in type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients. The study covered a four-year period and used retrospective, routinely recorded general practice and optometry records from 260 patients; those with retinopathy (n = 38) and those without retinopathy (n = 222). ⋯ Blood pressure, cholesterol, body-mass index, and smoking status showed little association with the presence of retinopathy. We conclude that retinopathy, assessed by community optometrists, is a significant correlate of poor diabetic control.