Breast and testicular self-examination in primary care.

Among a random sample of Michigan family physicians, attitudes about encouraging patients to perform breast and testicular self-examination were very positive. The physicians' self-reported incorporation of such encouragement into their practices was much lower for testicular than breast self-examination. Two hundred seventy-eight randomly selected family physicians in Michigan were surveyed about their beliefs about and professional practices regarding encouraging patients to perform breast self-examination (BSE) and testicular self-examination (TSE). Attitudes were very positive about both techniques. Self-reported incorporation of patient encouragement into professional practice was much lower for TSE than for BSE. The physicians' own personal practices were similarly skewed: female physicians performed BSE for themselves far more regularly than young male physicians did TSE. The barriers they identified to incorporating encouragement into their practices were similar for testicular and breast self-examination, with lack of patient motivation the leading barrier seen.

Preventive medicine: physician practices, beliefs, and perceived barriers for implementation.

Despite increasing recognition of the need for physicians to practice preventive medicine, there is much evidence that performance is well below the ideal recommended by experts. The purpose of this study was to determine what preventive medicine activities physicians practice, whether their personal health practices and beliefs about preventive medicine correlate with professional practices of preventive medicine, and what barriers to practicing preventive medicine physicians identify. Results from a questionnaire mailed to a random sample of 430 family physicians indicated physicians practice health promotion for themselves more than revealed in earlier studies and that physicians frequently incorporate many preventive medicine activities into their professional practices. Several exceptions, however, were noted. When identifying barriers to practicing preventive medicine, respondents overwhelmingly selected lack of patient motivation more than any other factor.

Interferences in collaboration between child psychiatrists and pediatricians: a fundamental difference in attitude toward childhood.

The relationship between pediatrics and child psychiatry has been discussed at length. Opportunities seem to exist for cooperation between the two specialties, and yet difficulties exist. This study compared attitudes toward childhood held by pediatricians and child psychiatrists, as well as by residents at the beginning and end of training in pediatrics, psychiatry, and child psychiatry. The attitudinal assessment tool was a 30-item questionnaire consisting of literary quotations with which respondents were asked to agree or disagree. The results suggest that pediatricians view childhood more positively than do child psychiatrists. These attitudinal differences exist at the beginning of residency training. Recommendations are made regarding how to facilitate better collaboration between pediatricians and child psychiatrists.