Annals of family medicine
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Annals of family medicine · Nov 2023
Randomized Controlled TrialPractice Facilitation to Support Family Physicians in Encouraging COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake: A Multimethod Process Evaluation.
We offered a practice facilitation intervention to family physicians in Ontario, Canada, known to have large numbers of patients not yet vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). ⋯ Strategies to help underresourced family physicians serving high-needs populations for issues of public health importance, such as vaccine promotion, must acknowledge the scarcity of physicians' time and provide new resources. To successfully engage family physicians, practice facilitators should seek to build trust and relationships over time, including with front-office staff.
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Annals of family medicine · Nov 2023
Observational StudyHome Monitoring of Asthma Exacerbations in Children and Adults With Use of an AI-Aided Stethoscope.
The advent of new medical devices allows patients with asthma to self-monitor at home, providing a more complete picture of their disease than occasional in-person clinic visits. This raises a pertinent question: which devices and parameters perform best in exacerbation detection? ⋯ The AI-aided home stethoscope provides reliable information on asthma exacerbations. The parameters provided are effective for children, especially those younger than 5 years of age. The introduction of this tool to the health care system might enhance asthma exacerbation detection substantially and make remote monitoring of patients easier.
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Family physicians rapidly shifted to using virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet it is largely unknown if this change has impacted their workplace motivation. A better understanding of this matter is essential for optimizing the integration of virtual care into standard practice and for supporting family physician well-being. Using a self-determination theory lens, we examined if family physicians experienced autonomous (vs controlled) motivation toward using virtual care, how this related to their subjective well-being, and whether satisfaction (vs frustration) of their basic psychological needs at work mediated that relationship. ⋯ In line with self-determination theory, findings suggest that when family physicians' motivation toward using virtual care is less self-determined, it will lead to poorer subjective well-being, because of basic psychological need frustration. Potential implications of the findings are discussed within the contexts of virtual health and primary care.
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Annals of family medicine · Nov 2023
Patients Who Seek to Hasten Death by Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking: A Qualitative Study.
Voluntary stopping of eating and drinking (VSED) is a controversial method to hasten death. Little is known about why and how people come to VSED. This study assessed patients' motives, how patients decide on VSED, and the ways in which they prepare for VSED and involve others. ⋯ Patients embarking on a trajectory toward VSED are a very diverse group, with different care needs. Guidance for care during VSED needs to be applicable to all 3 groups.