Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
Reducing barriers to mental health and social services for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans: outcomes of an integrated primary care clinic.
Despite high rates of post-deployment psychosocial problems in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, mental health and social services are under-utilized. ⋯ Among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans new to primary care, an integrated primary care visit further improved the likelihood of an initial mental health and social services evaluation over background increases, but did not improve retention in specialty mental health services.
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Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Depression and medication adherence in the treatment of chronic diseases in the United States: a meta-analysis.
To conduct a meta-analysis of the association between depression and medication adherence among patients with chronic diseases. Poor medication adherence may result in worse outcomes and higher costs than if patients fully adhere to their medication regimens. ⋯ This analysis provides evidence that depression is associated with poor adherence to medication across a range of chronic diseases, and we find a new potential effect of adherence measurement type on this relationship. Although this study cannot assess causality, it supports the importance that must be placed on depression in studies that assess adherence and attempt to improve it.
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Use of bariatric surgery for severe obesity has increased dramatically. ⋯ Contemporary bariatric surgery appears to result in sustained weight reduction with acceptable costs but rigorous, longer-term (≥5 year) data are needed and a paucity of RCT data on mortality and obesity related comorbidity is evident. Procedure-specific variations in efficacy and risks exist and require further study to clarify the specific indications for and advantages of different procedures.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The patient-doctor relationship and online social networks: results of a national survey.
The use of online social networks (OSNs) among physicians and physicians-in-training, the extent of patient-doctor interactions within OSNs, and attitudes among these groups toward use of OSNs is not well described. ⋯ Personal OSN use among physicians and physicians-in-training mirrors that of the general population. Patient-doctor interactions take place within OSNs, and are more typically initiated by patients than by physicians or physicians-in-training. A majority of respondents view these online interactions as ethically problematic.