Hawaii medical journal
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Hawaii medical journal · Jun 2004
Physicians and complementary-alternative medicine: training, attitudes, and practices in Hawaii.
There were only few studies addressing the physicians' training, attitudes, and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, compared to the well-documented escalating use of CAM among consumers. Patients who use CAM, however often do not disclose their utilization to their physicians. This study thus surveyed knowledge, attitudes, and practices of complementary and alternative medicine among physicians on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) provided physicians' names and contact information. ⋯ Results indicated that the respondents had knowledge about prayer/spirituality, massage, chiropractic, meditation, hypnosis, and acupuncture, and also rated them as playing a role in conventional medicine, and would refer or have referred patients to. When they had little knowledge about naturopathy, electromagnetic therapies, nutriceuticals, and homeopathy, they rated these therapies as having no role in conventional medicine, and were strongly opposed to in practice or would not refer patients to. Respondents reported the least know abut the Aryurveda and Native American medicine. However, there was no significant correlation between negative attitude and practice patterns. Similarly therapeutic touch and chiropractic were perceived as therapies, but no role in conventional medicine although the respondents reported having some knowledge of these therapies. Thus, knowledge may not be necessarily associated with negative attitudes and practice patterns.
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Hawaii medical journal · Apr 2004
A community-based asthma management program: effects on resource utilization and quality of life.
The Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center (WCCHC) developed an integrated community-based asthma management program in an effort to reduce inappropriate medical utilization and improve quality of life in their pediatric asthma population. ⋯ The community-based asthma management program demonstrated success in improving utilization patterns and reducing asthma-related expense among program participants. Improvement was also noted in quality of life as expressed through frequency and time of asthma symptoms. Other health care institutions may also be positively impacted by developing multidisciplinary team implemented, culturally-adapted, and scientifically-based disease management programs.
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Hawaii medical journal · Mar 2004
Case ReportsFatal postoperative arrhythmia in a man with a remote history of methamphetamine and cocaine use: a case report.
Long-term methamphetamine and cocaine use are associated with significant cardiovascular consequences. Despite these demonstrated associations, adverse effects that persist after cessation of drug use are difficult to establish. Cardiovascular pathology associated with long-term drug use may have subclinical presentations that persist long after cessation of drug use. In asymptomatic persons with a remote history of long-term methamphetamine or cocaine use, it may be prudent to assume existing subclinical cardiovascular pathology with positive methamphetamine or cocaine use history as a cardiac risk factor.