Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Mar 2014
Underrepresented minorities in academic medicine: is Florida better off?
The state of Florida has experienced challenges recruiting and retaining underrepresented minority faculty in academic medicine, as well as maintaining a population-like balance of minority physicians practicing in the state. We sought to quantify the percentage of practicing minority physicians as compared to the general population of Florida and focus specifically on black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander physicians in academic medicine. We hypothesized that because of the diversity of the state, the number of underrepresented minority academic physicians in Florida would be higher than the national average. ⋯ There is disparity in clinical practice and academic medicine for blacks and Hispanics. Despite the diversity of the state, the disparity of blacks in academic medicine in Florida only marginally exceeds the national average. Asians and Hispanics make up the same percentage of academic physicians, but there are 10 times more Hispanics in the state. More research and programming are needed to further define and arrive at solutions to this problem.
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Southern medical journal · Mar 2014
Epidemiology of the reported severity of cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) snakebite.
The goal of this study was to analyze trends in the annual rates of reported medical outcomes of cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) snakebites in the United States, published in the annual reports of the American Association of Poison Control Centers in the course of 29 years. ⋯ Annual rates of cottonmouth snakebites producing no effects decreased significantly, those producing minor outcomes did not change significantly, those producing moderate outcomes increased significantly, and those producing major outcomes did not change significantly, from 1985 through 2011.
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Southern medical journal · Mar 2014
Perceived access to health services and provider information and adverse birth outcomes: findings from LaPRAMS, 2007-2008.
Despite targeted public health efforts, racial disparities and poor birth outcomes are still apparent, particularly in the southern United States. Previous research through qualitative and modest quantitative research demonstrates a possible link between disparities in patient-provider conversations during prenatal visits, perceived access to prenatal care, and poor birth outcomes. ⋯ Findings support the need for a better understanding of discriminatory experiences and their impact on women's experiences during prenatal care and poor birth outcomes.
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Southern medical journal · Mar 2014
Advance care planning and proxy decision making for patients with advanced Parkinson disease.
To examine advance care planning practices and proxy decision making by family healthcare proxies for patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD). ⋯ Advance care planning is effective when patients, families, and healthcare professionals together consider future needs for EOL care decisions. Further efforts are needed by healthcare professionals to provide evidence-based education about care options and facilitate advanced discussion and shared decision making by the patient and families.