OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine if there were any long-lasting elevated anxiety levels in women attending colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Malm�?�¶ University Hospital, Sweden. POPULATION: One hundred consecutive women were invited to participate when referred for colposcopy. METHODS: Women in the study group completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale-self-rate (MADRS-S) and had a psychosocial interview prior to colposcopy at their two follow-up visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: State anxiety levels and depression scores at first visit, 6 months and 2 years. RESULTS: At follow up, levels of state anxiety and the depression scores of the women studied had decreased and were comparable to those of Swedish normative data. Two variables from the MADRS-S, 'ability to focus on different activities' and 'emotional involvement with others and in activities' were the most prominent for women with moderate to severe depression. At the 2-year visit, 30% of the women still had a fear of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Referral for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear does not seem to result in long-lasting anxiety and depression. However, a subgroup of women, with the initially highest depression scores, still had at 2-year state anxiety levels and depression scores significantly higher than normal. Almost one-third of the women still had a fear of cancer in spite of lower 2-year state anxiety levels.
Over a period of two months in 1988 and 1989 general practitioners in the Norwegian county of Møre and Romsdal recorded all contacts with their patients. Participation was close to 100%. We report data from 10,850 surgery consultations with elderly patients (65 years and older). 60% of the consultations involved female patients, and 58% of the patients were 65-74 years old. New diagnoses were made in one-third of the cases; two-thirds were follow-ups. The most common groups of diagnoses were cardiovascular (28%), musculoskeletal (13%), psychiatric (8%) and respiratory diseases (8%). Almost 10% of all consultations were for hypertension. Drugs were prescribed in 45% of all cases. 27% of all prescriptions were for cardiovascular drugs, and 25% were for drugs for the nervous system. The 20 most common diagnoses made up more than half of the total number of diagnoses. Almost 70% of all prescriptions were for the ten most common therapeutic groups.
The prevalence of dementia is placing an increased burden on specialists.
Canadian neurologists responded to a structured questionnaire to assess reasons for referral and services provided as well as to compare the neurologists' perceptions of their practice characteristics against cases seen over a 3-month period.
The audit confirmed the participants' perception that family practitioners are the main referral source (358/453, 79%). Sixty-two percent of patients had undergone clinical investigation for dementia prior to being seen by the neurologist; 39% (177/453) were on pharmacotherapy at the time of referral, 68% were initiated on pharmacotherapy by the neurologist. A fifth of the referrals did not meet clinical criteria for dementia, which may be directly related to the prevalence of prior workup that did not include mental status testing.
Neurologists currently treat patients referred for dementia who may already have been adequately evaluated and treated by primary care providers.
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Comment In: Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2008 Dec-2009 Jan;23(6):513-519222144
BACKGROUND: Few studies have addressed physicians' home calls in Norway. The aim of this study is to analyse home calls during daytime in Oslo in relation to patients (age, sex, district), diagnoses, request procedures, and clinical outcome. METHODS AND MATERIAL: General practitioners in the City of Oslo emergency medical centre recorded their home calls during three months using a standardised form. RESULTS: Calls to 337 patients (mean age 70, median 77 years; two thirds females; seven to children below two years of age) were recorded. The home calls were requested by relatives (36%), the patients themselves (32%), community care nurses (11%), and nursing homes (7%). The assessments made by the operators of the medical emergency telephone were generally correct. Physicians reported 77% full and 20% partial match between reported and found medical problem. The physicians assessed that 22% of the patients would have been able to go and see a doctor. 39% of all patients were admitted to hospital, 34 % needed ambulance transportation. The admitting GPs received hospital reports only after 27% of admissions. INTERPRETATION: Access to acute home calls by a physician during daytime is a necessary function in an urban public health service.
In August 1991, three rural Alaska Public Health dentists made a professionally significant return visit to the Soviet Far East. The city of Magadan was the site for the first actual demonstration of portable American dental equipment and treatment techniques in this remote region of Russia. This exchange was held at several clinical locations and took place during the time of the attempted USSR government coup.
Periodically surveying wait times for specialist health services in Canada captures current data and enables comparisons with previous surveys to identify changes over time.
During one week in April 2012, Canadian gastroenterologists were asked to complete a questionnaire (online or by fax) recording demographics, reason for referral, and dates of referral and specialist visits for at least 10 consecutive new patients (five consultations and five procedures) who had not been seen previously for the same indication. Wait times were determined for 18 indications and compared with those from similar surveys conducted in 2008 and 2005.
Data regarding adult patients were provided by 173 gastroenterologists for 1374 consultations, 540 procedures and 293 same-day consultations and procedures. Nationally, the median wait times were 92 days (95% CI 85 days to 100 days) from referral to consultation, 55 days (95% CI 50 days to 61 days) from consultation to procedure and 155 days (95% CI 142 days to 175 days) (total) from referral to procedure. Overall, wait times were longer in 2012 than in 2005 (P
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Cites: Can J Gastroenterol. 2006 Jun;20(6):411-2316779459
[A 5-year prospective epidemiological study from 1976 to 1981 of the 1936 population in Glostrup. Case material, methods, representative data and referrals]
AACVPR/ACC/AHA 2007 performance measures on cardiac rehabilitation for referral to and delivery of cardiac rehabilitation/secondary prevention services endorsed by the American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Sports Medicine, American Physical Therapy Association, Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation, European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Inter-American Heart Foundation, National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.
