Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2004
To be a helpless helpoholic--GPs' experiences of women patients with non-specific muscular pain.
To explore and describe what it means to be a GP meeting patients with non-specific symptoms. ⋯ To be a "helpless helpoholic" may make the GPs less patient-centred and may create even more feelings of frustration and helplessness. This can be an important reason why consultations with female patients with non-specific muscular pain often fail.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2004
Ethical dilemmas arising from implementation of the European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. A descriptive epidemiological study.
Our first objective is to describe total, age- and gender-specific prevalences of subjects in a well-defined population for whom medical follow-up is indicated due to unfavourably high blood pressure and/or cholesterol levels, as defined by the 2003 European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. Our second objective is to highlight scientific questions and ethical dilemmas relating to implementation of the guidelines. ⋯ Implementation of the 2003 European guidelines on CVD prevention would label a large majority of Norwegian adults as having unfavourably high cholesterol and/or blood pressure levels. The current biomedical standards appear to invalidate demographic health statistics. The theoretical basis on which the guidelines rest should thereby be scrutinized with regard to scientific methodology and consistency. Important ethical dilemmas arise at the point of guideline implementation, relating to risk labelling and medicalization, as well as resource allocation and sustainability within the healthcare system.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2004
Comparative StudyWhich is the best method to trace group A streptococci in sore throat patients: culture or GAS antigen test?
To compare an antigen detection test (GAS antigen test) with the results from combinations of two various bacteriological test media in general practice patients with sore throat. Furthermore to assess the diagnostic properties of the chosen GAS antigen test and to compare semi-quantitative results of this test with the bacterial load found in the throat culture. ⋯ By using a second, different set of bacteriological media, we identified an additional 17 patients with GAS infections. This raises the question of validity of frequently used reference standards in studies related to streptococcal infections. Compared with the combined results of the two throat cultures, the GAS antigen test used showed high sensitivity and specificity. Semi-quantitative evaluations of the rapid immunological test may also be of clinical value.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialRandomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of feedback in improving test ordering in general practice.
To assess the effectiveness of feedback on the number of pathology tests ordered by general practices. ⋯ Feedback did not have an influence on test ordering by general practitioners in this study. More intensive strategies may be required to change the use of laboratory tests.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2003
Comparative StudyAn observer-participant study in primary care of assessments of inability to work in immigrant patients with ongoing sick leave.
To explore the factors related to doctors' assessments of incapacity to work (IW). ⋯ Factors not clearly related to function had determined doctors' assessments of IW.