Journal of general internal medicine
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Alcohol use disorder (AUD) imposes a high mortality and economic burden. Effective treatment is available, though underutilized. ⋯ Medications for AUD are infrequently prescribed, but there is considerable variation among PCPs. Increasing the use of pharmacotherapy by non-prescribers may increase abstinence from alcohol.
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Racial/ethnic minority communities are experiencing an undue burden from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the availability of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized vaccines is critical for improving population health. National surveys assessing vaccination willingness and reports of vaccination administration by race/ethnicity indicate at least two areas that warrant attention: elevated vaccine hesitancy among African American and Latino adults, and the need to ensure equitable access to vaccination. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is not uniform within racial/ethnic minority populations; yet, given the disproportionate impact, understandable distrust, and widespread misinformation, there is an imperative to overcome challenges associated with vaccination willingness and uptake, as well as implementation and access. ⋯ It also highlights two initiatives at the National Institutes of Health. One is focused on addressing misinformation and distrust through academic-community partnerships, and the other on community-engaged behavioral interventions to address the population-specific reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, support informed decision-making, and promote equitable access among populations with health disparities. For the foreseeable future, proactive and persistent efforts around COVID-19 mitigation strategies, including vaccination, will remain of paramount importance for health equity.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Text Messaging and Opt-out Mailed Outreach in Colorectal Cancer Screening: a Randomized Clinical Trial.
Routine screening reduces colorectal cancer mortality, but screening rates fall below national targets and are particularly low in underserved populations. ⋯ Serial text messaging with opt-out mailed FIT kit outreach can substantially improve colorectal cancer screening rates in an underserved population.
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Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) and performance-enhancing drug (PED) use is a prevalent medical issue, especially among men, with an estimated 2.9-4 million Americans using AAS in their lifetime. Prior studies of AAS use reveal an association with polycythemia, dyslipidemia, infertility, hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, and multiple behavioral disorders. AAS withdrawal syndrome, a state of depression, anhedonia, and sexual dysfunction after discontinuing AAS use, is a common barrier to successful cessation. ⋯ Medical education regarding the management of AAS use disorder is paramount to improving care of this currently underserved patient population. Management of these patients must be non-judgmental and focus on patient education, harm reduction, and support for cessation. The approach to harm reduction should be guided by the specific AAS/PEDs used.