Pediatrics
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Comparative Study
Adolescent medicine training in pediatric residency programs.
The aim of this study was to provide an assessment of pediatric residency training in adolescent medicine. ⋯ Significant variation and gaps exist in adolescent medicine ambulatory care training in pediatric residency programs throughout the United States. For addressing the shortcomings in many programs, the quality of the block rotation should be improved and efforts should be made to teach adolescent medicine in continuity, general pediatric, and specialty clinics. In addition, renewed attention should be given to articulating the core competencies needed to care for adolescents.
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The objective of this study was to track trends in part-time employment among pediatricians from 2000 to 2006 and to examine differences within subgroups of pediatricians. ⋯ Increases in part-time work are apparent throughout pediatrics. The possible continued growth of part-time is an important trend within the field of pediatrics that will need to be monitored.
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The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of resective pediatric epilepsy surgery for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS). ⋯ Resective epilepsy surgery should be considered for children with LGS, despite abundant generalized and multiregional electroencephalogram abnormalities.
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High emergency department (ED) use has previously been defined as a person's having a large number of ED visits, implying that all frequent users are the same. ED reliance (EDR), the percentage of all health care visits that occur in the ED, considers ED use in relation to primary care use and, thus, may discriminate among high-ED-user populations. Our objective was to determine whether EDR, as a complementary use measure, could differentiate frequent users secondary to increased need for care from those with access issues. ⋯ EDR is a readily available measure in large administrative databases that discriminates among frequent-user populations, differentiating increased need for ED services from lack of access to quality primary care.
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The goal was to assess awareness of the choking game among physicians who care for adolescents and to explore their opinions regarding its inclusion in anticipatory guidance. ⋯ Close to one third of physicians surveyed were unaware of the choking game, a potentially life-threatening activity practiced by adolescents. Despite acknowledging that the choking game should be included in adolescent anticipatory guidance, few physicians reported actually discussing it. To provide better care for their adolescent patients, pediatricians and family practitioners should be knowledgeable about risky behaviors encountered by their patients, including the choking game, and provide timely guidance about its dangers.