J Am Board Fam Med
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Given the significant turmoil during the COVID-19 pandemic, the authors evaluated burnout and other types of emotional distress experienced by family physicians in Kansas during the second year of the pandemic. The authors compared findings of this study to a similar study conducted 3 months into the pandemic. ⋯ As the COVID-19 pandemic continued, there are significant and worsening rates of professional burnout and other forms of emotional distress among family physicians. These findings suggest timely need for appropriate psychological supports.
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Gun violence is a growing public health epidemic that disproportionately affects underserved and minority communities. Our study sought to document patient experiences of community gun violence as a theme that emerged in the context of interviews exploring community-level factors influencing patients' engagement in primary care within the context of a larger study on cardiovascular health. ⋯ The effects of gun violence on not only cardiovascular health but also all aspects of health emerged unprompted in qualitative interviews about community level factors influencing management of cardiovascular health. Given the widespread negative effects of experiencing gun violence on health, family physicians could play an important role in identifying and managing the effects of gun violence. Future studies on how primary care clinicians can address gun violence in the caring for their patients comprehensively are needed.
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To investigate the effect of video directly observed therapy (VDOT) on stigma levels in tuberculosis (TB) patients. ⋯ Our results confirm that TB patients who receive VDOT has less stigmata compared with homecare DOT.
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I present a reflection of my last months with my mother as I cared for her during her battle with breast cancer. A practicing internist, I made the decision to bring my mother from New Jersey to Georgia so that I could continue working and so that my husband and I would be able to continue caring for our 2 sons, who were ages 3 and 5 at the time. The following describes the warmth my mother felt and I witnessed in the office waiting room from other patients-strangers, ready to extend genuine Southern hospitality and love for my mother from the first appointment and how I cared for her during that time. ⋯ I had the honor of caring for a woman who gave everything for her children and I had the chance to be there for her in a role reversal. As the second oldest of 4 daughters, I was always sharing my mother. I had the unique pleasure of having her all to myself and I treasured that.