J Am Board Fam Med
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Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide. Family physicians (FPs) need to differentiate between nonmalignant and malignant skin conditions, but the diagnostic accuracy of FPs has never been studied in primary care. ⋯ The calculated diagnostic accuracy of FPs is high and shows that FPs are especially accurate in excluding malignancy. This research shows the variety of skin problems in primary care and shows that the FP can deliver safe and effective dermatologic care.
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Measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) are frequently ordered jointly in clinical practice. ⋯ In this general adult population with no overt inflammatory disease, the discordant pattern of high ESR and normal CRP was associated with greater age, whereas the pattern of high CRP and normal ESR was associated with higher BMI.
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Increased attention towards infection control measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have brought to light the dermatological consequences of intensified hand hygiene measures. Healthcare workers are inherently at an increased risk of developing both allergic and irritant contact dermatitis. ⋯ Similarly, handwashing practices with soap and alcohol-based hand rubs (ABHRs) undermine the natural skin barriers with increasing frequency of use. We highlight clinical pearls for the frontline healthcare worker experiencing COVID-19 surges and offer practical measures to minimize the development of hand-based dermatitis.
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Black men are disproportionately impacted by prostate cancer (PrCa). Current guidelines recommend that all men make informed decisions about whether to be screened for PrCa. Little is known about the barriers and facilitators of informed decision-making (IDM) about PrCa screening in Black men. ⋯ Our results indicate that Black men may lack the prerequisite information to make informed decisions about PrCa screening, which is notable in light of known PrCa racial disparities. Clinicians can play an important role in facilitating IDM through fostering discussions about the benefits and risks of PrCa screening and educating Black men about racial disparities.
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The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota engaged in a 5-year transformation to expand research and scholarship opportunities to all faculty. A harmonization framework was used to integrate the 3 missions of clinical care, education, and research to ensure that research and scholarship were an ongoing focus of the department. ⋯ Important lessons learned during the harmonized transformation included the following: (1) key elements of the transformation need to be balanced as an ensemble, (2) cultural and organizational shifts take concerted effort and time, (3) embrace iteration: allow "bumps in the road" to propel the work forward, (4) transformation is financially feasible, (5) career research faculty can mutually benefit from clinical faculty engaging in scholarship, and (6) honor skepticism or disinterest and let people cultivate enthusiasm for research and scholarship rather than being forced.