The European journal of general practice
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Due to the importance of family medicine and a relative shortage of doctors in this discipline, it is important to know how the decision to choose a career in this field is made. ⋯ Students whose intended career choice is family medicine differ from other students in having more positive attitudes towards family physicians' competences and towards characteristics of family medicine and primary care.
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Ageing people show increasing morbidity, dependence and vulnerability. ⋯ The associations of different measures of multimorbidity with disability and frailty differ but their ability to identify patients with disability or frailty is similar. Generally, multimorbidity scores incompletely reflect dependence and vulnerability in this age group.
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The asymptomatic general check-up (AGCU) is a common consultation in primary care. Detractors of the AGCU cite a lack of evidence and the harm of over-investigation. Proponents cite the opportunity for the GP to engage in health promotion and explore hidden concerns of the patient. ⋯ Despite the lack of evidence for its use and frustrations expressed by GPs, the AGCU is a frequent consultation. GPs took very different approaches to the consultation when a patient presented for a check-up. Most responding GPs think it can have some clinical benefit. There is a need for GPs to appropriately challenge mistaken health beliefs pertaining to the AGCU.
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The European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN) and the European Rural and Isolated Practitioner Association (EURIPA) convened a historic joint meeting in Malta in October 2013. Speakers reviewed the inadequacies of the current system and conduct of clinical science research and the use and misuse of the resulting findings. ⋯ Participants discussed several strategies to enhance the capacity and stature of rural health research and practice. EGPRN and EURIPA pledged to work together to develop rural research courses, joint research projects, and a European Rural Research Agenda based on the most urgent priorities and the European definition of general practice research in rural health care.