Southern medical journal
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Southern medical journal · Oct 2020
Human-Centered Design for a Women's Health Screening Tool: Participant Experiences.
Screening is a priority in primary care and women's health, and increasingly used for intimate partner violence. Integrating such routine screening into primary care screening may be challenging for clinicians. Human-centered design (HCD) is a participatory process emphasizing stakeholder input and is used increasingly in health care. A growing body of literature has examined the science of patient and community engagement in health research, yet few qualitative studies investigate how participants recruited to collaborate in designing screening tools perceive HCD processes. This study examined participants' perceptions of an HCD process used as an engagement tool to inform the development of a women's health screening tool. ⋯ Although a promising option and valuable process, the HCD process was not equally comfortable for or accessible to all participants. Community engagement beyond the clinical team is important for improving practices in health screening and health care, but it must be undertaken thoughtfully.
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Southern medical journal · Oct 2020
Fatal and Nonfatal Snakebite Injuries Reported in the United States.
Venomous and nonvenomous snakes are found throughout the United States. Two families of venomous snakes are indigenous to this country: the Viperidae, or pit vipers (rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and copperheads), and the Elapidae (three species of coral snakes and a sea snake). Bites from captive nonindigenous venomous snakes such as cobras also may present at medical facilities, given the interest in exotic pet ownership in the United States. Even "dry," nonenvenomating snakebites and those from nonvenomous snakes can result in puncture wounds that require medical evaluation. This article presents updated national estimates of snakebite injuries treated in US emergency departments (EDs). ⋯ Although rare, nonfatal snakebites in this study resulted in an estimated average of 9192 annual visits to EDs (roughly 1 visit per hour) and an average of 6 fatal snakebites per year. Epidemiologic data on snakebite injuries provide healthcare providers, public health officials, and veterinarians with information on populations at risk for snakebites, species of snakes likely to be encountered, and guidance for prevention efforts.
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Southern medical journal · Oct 2020
Improving Preventive Care for Women through a Provider Reminder Tool.
To determine the association of utilization of health maintenance tables (HMTs) as a provider reminder tool within the electronic medical record with the completion of women's preventive health services. ⋯ Despite well-established, evidence-based guidelines for screening tests and immunizations effective in reducing cancer-related morbidity and mortality, significant gaps in routine preventive care remain. The HMT may be a provider-friendly and cost-effective reminder tool to enhance the preventive health care of women.