Depression and anxiety often go unnoticed until they become serious problems. These conditions, when mild, are known as subthreshold depression and anxiety. They can cause a lot of pain and make it hard for people to function. They also lead to more visits to the doctor and higher medical costs. What's more, they can turn into full-blown mental health issues if not a...
In 2019, a clever plan was put into action to change how people in eastern Singapore handle minor health issues. The idea was to steer folks away from crowded emergency rooms and towards local clinics. This plan was called GPFirst. The goal was to make people more aware of GPFirst and to get them to use it. A digital media campaign was launched to spread the word. ...
The year 2022 saw a significant shift in how primary care practices in the United States embraced telehealth. This shift was not random. It was driven by several key factors. Training patients to use telehealth services effectively was one of the most important factors. This training helped more practices to adopt telehealth. Another crucial factor was the expansion ...
Canada has more family doctors and nurse practitioners than ever. Yet, the healthcare system is struggling to meet the needs of its people. Why is this happening? Let's dive in. The country is facing some significant challenges. The population is aging. This means more people need regular medical care. Additionally, medical issues are becoming more complex. People a...
The idea that doctors should talk to patients about food is not new. Many people in the U. S. turn to their primary care doctors for advice on eating better. But how much time should doctors spend on this? And does it even make a difference? These are the questions that some researchers wanted to answer. To find out, they looked at studies done in the U. S. ...
Chengdu, China, has a problem. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are facing workplace violence (WPV) at an alarming rate. This violence comes in many forms, from verbal abuse to physical assault. What's causing this? And what can be done to stop it? First, let's talk about the numbers. A recent study looked at the prevalence of WPV among PCPs in Chengdu. The ...
Adults often struggle with understanding what's healthy and what's not. This is especially true when it comes to sugary products. Many adults have misconceptions about sugar. These misconceptions can lead to poor eating habits. It's important to identify these misconceptions. This way, we can create effective nutritional education strategies. These strategies can hel...
The Mediterranean diet, once a staple in many cultures, is facing stiff competition from modern eating habits. Today, people are moving away from this traditional diet and embracing a more sedentary lifestyle. This shift has led to a rise in health issues like obesity and type 2 diabetes. These conditions are part of a bigger problem known as metabolic syndrome, whic...
Imagine this: You're feeling under the weather with a sore throat or an earache. Instead of waiting for days to see a doctor, you pop into your local pharmacy. This is the idea behind Pharmacy First (PF), a service that has been rolled out in England. This service is part of a bigger plan to make healthcare more accessible and efficient. The National Health ...
AI is becoming a big part of primary care. It could make a huge difference in how doctors make decisions, predict patient outcomes, and spot health issues early. But there's a catch. The studies on AI in primary care aren't always reported properly. This is a problem because if we can't trust the results, how can we know if AI is actually helping or not? Imagine you...