The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are often treated with antibiotics and are a source of antibiotic overuse. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence to be certain of the benefits of methenamine hippurate to prevent UTI. Further research is needed to test the drug's effectiveness in preventing UTIs and as an alternative for antibiotic treatment for UTI.
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Promoting physical activity is an important part of patient care in primary care and has been investigated in many studies with a wide range of intervention characteristics, often including external support. It is unclear, however, if promoting physical activity is effective. ⋯ Counselling to promote physical activity in primary care has a limited effect on patients' behaviour and it might not, on its own, be enough to change physical activity behaviour.
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Prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in male survivors of cancer across cancer types has not been systematically analysed. ⋯ Erectile dysfunction was particularly high in male survivors of cancer and was associated with cancer treatment, cancer site, and age.
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Meta Analysis
Impact of multimorbidity on healthcare costs and utilisation: a systematic review of the UK literature.
Managing multimorbidity is complex for both patients and healthcare systems. Patients with multimorbidity often use a variety of primary and secondary care services. Country-specific research exploring the healthcare utilisation and cost consequences of multimorbidity may inform future interventions and payment schemes in the UK. ⋯ In the UK, multimorbidity increases healthcare utilisation and costs of primary, secondary, and dental care. Future research is needed to examine whether integrated care schemes offer efficiencies in healthcare provision for multimorbidity.
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Growing evidence for the role of GPs' gut feelings in cancer diagnosis raises questions about their origin and role in clinical practice. ⋯ GPs' gut feelings for cancer were conceptualised as a rapid summing up of multiple verbal and non-verbal patient cues in the context of the GPs' clinical knowledge and experience. Triggers of gut feelings not included in referral guidance deserve further investigation as predictors of cancer. Non-verbal cues that trigger gut feelings appear to be reliant on continuity of care and clinical experience; they tend to remain poorly recorded and are, therefore, inaccessible to researchers.