Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
Clinician stress and patient-clinician communication in HIV care.
Clinician stress is common, but few studies have examined its relationship with communication behaviors. ⋯ Although higher stress was associated with verbal dominance and lower patient ratings, moderate stress was associated with some positive communication behaviors. Prospective mixed methods studies should examine the complex relationships across the continuum of clinician well-being and health communication.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Improving Medication Adherence through Graphically Enhanced Interventions in Coronary Heart Disease (IMAGE-CHD): a randomized controlled trial.
Up to 50 % of patients do not take medications as prescribed. Interventions to improve adherence are needed, with an understanding of which patients benefit most. ⋯ The interventions did not improve adherence overall. Illustrated medication schedules may improve adherence among patients with low self-efficacy, polypharmacy, or baseline non-adherence, though this requires confirmation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Racial differences in the effect of a telephone-delivered hypertension disease management program.
African Americans are significantly more likely than whites to have uncontrolled hypertension, contributing to significant disparities in cardiovascular disease and events. ⋯ The combination of home BP monitoring, remote medication management, and telephone tailored behavioral self-management appears to be particularly effective for improving BP among African Americans. The effect was not seen among non-Hispanic white patients.
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It is increasingly apparent that human health is reliant on our fellow travellers, the innumerable microorganisms that inhabit our bodies. This realization has led to the concept of the superorganism, which suggests that shared metabolic and signalling pathways are crucial for optimal existence of both host and commensal microflora. This commentary focuses on implications of this paradigm for personalized medicine and therapeutics. ⋯ Probiotics can potentially modulate the superorganism for therapeutic benefit. However, the probiotics industry will need to undergo a transformation, with increased focus on stringent manufacturing guidelines and high-quality clinical trials. Ultimately, we suggest that healthcare will move beyond its prevailing focus on human physiology, and embrace the superorganism as a paradigm to understand disease.
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Comparative Study
"Did I do as best as the system would let me?" Healthcare professional views on hospital to home care transitions.
Patients are vulnerable to poor quality, fragmented care as they transition from hospital to home. Few studies examine the discharge process from the perspectives of multiple healthcare professionals. ⋯ Hospital to home care transitions are critical junctures that can impact health outcomes, experience of care, and costs. Transitional care quality improvement initiatives must address system fragmentation, reduce communication barriers within and between settings, and ensure adequate professional training.