Aust Fam Physician
-
Multicenter Study
Spirometry screening for airway obstruction in asymptomatic smokers.
Screening spirometry might help identify patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) at an earlier stage. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of airway obstruction in a cohort of asymptomatic smokers who underwent spirometry as part of a routine health maintenance examination. ⋯ Spirometry screening of asymptomatic smokers may help detect a small number of patients with airway obstruction who are at high risk for COPD.
-
Adolescents at risk of suicide present a particularly difficult management challenge for all clinicians involved in their care. Adolescents have more suicidal thoughts and behaviours than adults. Management of adolescents at risk of suicide has specific challenges, which are different from those for suicidal adults. ⋯ This article summarises the demographic, clinical, family and environmental and psychological factors associated with adolescent suicide risk. Steps towards the management of suicidal adolescents are presented and include risk assessment and safety planning.
-
Worldwide, 22% of adults aged ≥15 years currently smoke tobacco. Up to half of current smokers will eventually die of a tobacco-related disease, and smoking is the leading cause of ill health, drug-related death and hospital separations in Australia.
-
Alcohol is Australia's most socially acceptable legal drug; however alcohol-related harms have increased significantly over time. Encouraging safer levels of alcohol consumption should be a national health priority and a key focus for health practitioners. ⋯ Research evidence suggests that the most effective policies for reducing alcohol consumption and related harms are those focused on restricting its availability and accessibility; however, such strategies are often not implemented or enforced for political and economic reasons. Undertaking screening and brief intervention are effective ways of addressing problematic alcohol consumption within primary care and can be further supported through promoting community-organised periods of abstinence.
-
This article forms part of our allied health series for 2014, which aims to provide information about the management approach of different allied health professionals, using the case example of uncomplicated, mechanical low back pain.