Social Determinants of Health Education Within Family Medicine Clerkships: A CERA Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Social determinants of health (SDoH) education has gained popularity in undergraduate medical education; however, emphasis varies, and the curricula or assessment methods are not uniform. This study sought to examine the current SDoH teaching and assessment methods within family medicine clerkships and to identify characteristics associated with SDoH curriculum with multicomponent (two or more) teaching strategies and higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment (Level 3-behavior change and Level 4-results). METHODS: An online survey was conducted through the 2023 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) Clerkship Directors Survey. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 56.8% (96/169). The degree of SDoH emphasis in the medical school was positively associated with the number of teaching strategies (r=0.48; P<.001). We found a trend toward degree of SDoH emphasis being associated with higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment (H[3]=7.83; P=.05). Having an SDoH faculty champion was associated with more teaching strategies (F[1,77]=8.73; P=.004), more types of assessments (F[1,78]=5.88; P=.018), and higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment (H[1]=4.46; P=.035). Underrepresented in medicine clerkship director identity was not associated with the number of teaching strategies or higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Greater degrees of SDoH emphasis and having a faculty champion were associated, or trended toward association, with multicomponent teaching strategies and higher Kirkpatrick levels of assessment, which prepare students to provide SDoH responsive care that could lead to reduction in health inequities.

ADHD in Children: Common Questions and Answers.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a multidimensional chronic neurodevelopmental condition that affects 8.4% of U.S. children between two and 17 years of age and may pose long-term morbidity if untreated. The evaluation for ADHD begins when parents or caregivers present to primary care physicians with concerns about behavior problems or poor school or social function. A comprehensive history and physical examination should assess for comorbid or other conditions that can mimic ADHD. The combination of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed., criteria and validated screening tools completed by parents, teachers, or other adults can aid in establishing the diagnosis. The goals of treatment include symptom reduction and improved social and cognitive function. Psychosocial interventions are the recommended first-line treatment for preschool children (four to five years) and can improve overall function when used as an adjunct therapy in elementary school children (six to 11 years of age) and adolescents (12 to 17 years of age). Stimulant medications are well-established as an effective treatment for reducing symptoms of ADHD in elementary school children and adolescents. Nonstimulant medications are less effective but reasonable as adjunct or alternative therapy when stimulants are ineffective or not tolerated. Regular follow-up is key in the management of ADHD and should assess symptoms, overall function, presence of comorbidities, adverse effects of treatment, and medication use.

How Should Cervical Cancer Prevention Be Improved in LMICs?

Cervical cancer has become rare in high-income countries but is a leading cause of mortality among women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This inequity is due to economic, social, and cultural factors and should be seen as an epidemiological tragedy. This article examines ethical considerations that should compel policymakers and international donors to prioritize cervical cancer prevention in LMICs.

Family Medicine Residents' Attitudes About Training in Ethiopia and the United States.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In Ethiopia, family medicine began in 2013. The objective of this study was to compare family medicine residents' attitudes about training in Ethiopia with those at a program in the United States. METHODS: Family medicine residents at Addis Ababa University in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland completed a 43-item Likert scale survey in 2017. The survey assessed residents' attitudes about residency education, patient care, independence as family physicians, finances, impact of residency on personal life, and women's issues. We calculated descriptive statistics on the demographics data and analyzed survey responses using a two-sample t-test. RESULTS: A total of 18 (75%) Ethiopian residents and 18 (60%) US residents completed the survey (n=36). The Ethiopian residents had a wider age distribution (25-50 years) than the US residents (25-34 years). More US residents were female (72%) compared to the Ethiopian cohort (50%), while more Ethiopian residents were married (72%) compared to the US cohort (47%). There were statistically significant differences in attitudes toward patient care (P=0.005) and finances (P<0.001), differences approaching significance in attitudes toward residency education, and no significant differences in independence as family physicians, the impact of residency on personal life, and women's issues in family medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Across two very different cultures, resident attitudes about independence as family physicians, the impact of residency on personal life and women's issues, were largely similar, while cross-national differences in attitudes were found relative to residency education, patient care, and finances.

Key informants' perspectives on development of family medicine training programs in Ethiopia.

As a very low-income country, Ethiopia faces significant development challenges, though there is great aspiration to dramatically improve health care in the country. Family medicine has recently been recognized through national policy as one potential contributor in addressing Ethiopia's health care challenges. Family medicine is a new specialty in Ethiopia emerging in the context of family medicine development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Addis Ababa University family medicine residency program started in 2013 and is the first and the only family medicine program in the country as of March 2016. Stakeholders on the ground feel that family medicine is off to a good start and have great enthusiasm and optimism for its success. While the Ministry of Health has a vision for the development of family medicine and a plan for rapid upscaling of family medicine across the country, significant challenges remain. Continuing discussion about the potential roles of family medicine specialists in Ethiopia and policy-level strategic planning to place family medicine at the core of primary health care delivery in the country is needed. In addition, the health care-tier system needs to be restructured to include the family medicine specialists along with appropriately equipped health care facilities for training and practice. Key stakeholders are optimistic that family medicine expansion can be successful in Ethiopia through a coordinated effort by the Ministry of Health and collaboration between institutions within the country, other Sub-Saharan African countries, and international partners supportive of establishing family medicine in Ethiopia.

Exploring real-time patient decision-making for acute care: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Research has described emergency department (ED) use patterns in detail. However, evidence is lacking on how, at the time a decision is made, patients decide if healthcare is required or where to seek care. METHODS: Using community-based participatory research methods, we conducted a mixed-methods descriptive pilot study. Due to the exploratory, hypothesis-generating nature of this research, we did not perform power calculations, and financial constraints only allowed for 20 participants. Hypothetical vignettes for the 10 most common low acuity primary care complaints (cough, sore throat, back pain, etc.) were texted to patients twice daily over six weeks, none designed to influence the patient's decision to seek care. We conducted focus groups to gain contextual information about participant decision-making. Descriptive statistics summarized responses to texts for each scenario. Qualitative analysis of open-ended text message responses and focus group discussions identified themes associated with decision-making for acute care needs. RESULTS: We received text survey responses from 18/20 recruited participants who responded to 72% (1092/1512) of the texted vignettes. In 48% of the vignettes, participants reported they would do nothing, for 34% of the vignettes participants reported they would seek care with a primary care provider, and 18% of responses reported they would seek ED care. Participants were not more likely to visit an ED during "off-hours." Our qualitative findings showed: 1) patients don't understand when care is needed; 2) patients don't understand where they should seek care. CONCLUSION: Participants were unclear when or where to seek care for common acute health problems, suggesting a need for patient education. Similar research is necessary in different populations and regarding the role of urgent care in acute care delivery.

Text messaging as a community-based survey tool: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: It is not known whether using text messaging to administer real-time survey questions is feasible and acceptable among low-income, urban African American adults. METHODS: We used a mixed methods approach including paper surveys, surveys administered by text message, and a focus group. Survey questions that included multiple choice, Likert-like scales, and open ended questions were administered by paper and sent via text message daily during varied times of day for six weeks. RESULTS: In our study sample (n = 20), 90% of participants were female, and 100% were African American, with a median age of 30.7 years. Participants responded to 72% (1092/1512) of all multiple choice questions sent by text message and 76% (55/72) of the questions requiring responses on Likert-like scales. Content of responses on the paper and text message surveys did not differ. All participants reported in the focus group that they preferred text message surveys over other survey modalities they have used in the past (paper, phone, internet, in-person) due to ease and convenience. CONCLUSION: Text messaging is not only acceptable and feasible but is the preferred method of collecting real-time survey data in a low-income urban African-American community.

Immigrant and refugee health: medical evaluation.

Overseas medical screening by panel physicians for conditions that might jeopardize US public health is required for admission to the United States by immigrant visa or refugee status. According to protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conditions such as active tuberculosis and substance dependence, when detected, prohibit entry to the United States, whereas close medical follow-up after arrival is required for individuals with other conditions. Refugees and asylees should undergo further medical assessment by a US civil surgeon as soon as possible after arrival. Applicants for legal permanent residence in the United States, whether by immigrant visa or adjustment of status, must receive vaccinations comparable to those recommended for citizens. When immigrants and refugees present to a primary care physician, the vaccination process may not be complete, and documentation of the extent to which it is complete might be lacking. Immigrants and refugees may have a variety of unrecognized or untreated musculoskeletal conditions, mental health conditions, infectious diseases, and chronic conditions.

Immigrant and refugee health: mental health conditions.

Immigrants leave their homes for unfamiliar destinations in search of better lives for themselves and their families. Many immigrants experience profound loss and emotional distress as they adjust to life in different societies. Despite these challenges, the prevalence of mental health conditions among immigrants is low, whereas children of immigrants have rates equal to those of native populations. The prevalence of mental health conditions is high among refugees, who comprise a specific subgroup of immigrants who have been displaced forcibly and often have experienced severe trauma. Cultural factors, such as stigma and somatization of emotional symptoms, make it less likely that immigrants and refugees from certain groups will ever present to mental health subspecialists. Strong therapeutic relationships, cultural sensitivity, involvement of family members, judicious use of medications, and knowledge of available community resources are important tools that can aid clinicians who treat immigrants and refugees with mental health conditions.

Immigrant and refugee health: common infectious diseases.

Immigrants and refugees are at risk of infectious diseases (IDs) that are rare in the United States. Screening and treatment before entry into the United States are required for some of these diseases, whereas quarantine is mandated for others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has published specific recommendations for the evaluation and treatment of immigrants and refugees before and after they arrive in the United States. In addition, immigrants and refugees who return to their home countries are at greater risk of IDs than other travelers. Health care professionals are required to report certain IDs to state or local health departments.

Immigrant and refugee health: cross-cultural communication.

Physicians in the United States increasingly care for culturally, linguistically, and educationally diverse immigrants with limited English proficiency. Language barriers contribute significantly to the health disparities experienced by patients with limited English proficiency. Qualified professional interpreters should be used instead of ad hoc interpreters, such as a patient's friend or family member, an untrained bilingual staff member, or a bilingual stranger. Children should not be used as interpreters. Physicians and other health care professionals must be fluent to communicate with patients in another language. Use of electronic translation systems should be avoided. Cultural competence refers to the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to work well in cross-cultural situations and effectively provide care to diverse populations. Stereotypes are perpetuated when members of a group are assumed to share cultural values, beliefs, or attitudes. Attempting to memorize a list of what to do and what to avoid when working with any particular group is ineffective. Every patient's culture is multidimensional and dynamic and is not defined by race or language group.

An in-depth review of the evidence linking dietary salt intake and progression of chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Dietary salt has been debated for decades as having a potentially deleterious influence on human health. OBJECTIVES: To determine the quality of research and the relationship between dietary salt and markers for progression of kidney disease. METHODS: Data sources included 7 electronic databases comprehensively searched for literature published between January 1, 1966, and August 31, 2004, and a manual search of bibliographies of relevant papers, and consultation with experts in the field. Differences between the paired reviewers were reconciled through consensus or by a content expert. RESULTS: Sixteen studies met the inclusion-exclusion criteria and were identified for review; however, the study methodologies were extremely heterogeneous. Conclusions commonly cited in the studies include: variations in salt consumption are directly correlated with albuminuria, and an increase in salt consumption is associated with an acute increase in glomerular filtration rate, while a reduction in salt consumption may slow the rate of renal function loss. CONCLUSIONS: The available published information, while highly variable in methods and quality, suggests that variations in dietary salt consumption directly influence albuminuria, with increasing salt intake associated with worsening albuminuria; however, results are inadequate and conflicting on the effects of dietary salt consumption on renal function, especially over a prolonged time. There was no evidence of a detrimental effect of reduced salt intake. On the other hand, there is consistent experimental evidence to link increased salt exposure with kidney tissue injury. On the basis of these data, we believe that dietary salt restriction should be considered in patients with chronic kidney disease.