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PURPOSE A randomized controlled trial found that patients with diabetes had lower HbA1c levels after 6 months of peer health coaching than patients who did not receive coaching. This paper explores whether the peer coaches in that trial, all low-income patients with diabetes, mastered and utilized an evidence-based health coaching training curriculum. The curriculum included 5 core features: ask-tell-ask, closing the loop, know your numbers, behavior-change action plans, and medication adherence counseling. METHODS This paper includes the results of exams administered to trainees, exit surveys performed with peer coaches who completed the study and those who dropped out, observations of peer coaches meeting with patients, and analysis of in-depth interviews with peer coaches who completed the study. RESULTS Of the 32 peer coach trainees who completed the training, 71.9% lacked a college degree; 25.0% did not graduate from high school. The 26 trainees who passed the exams attended 92.7% of training sessions compared with 80.6% for the 6 trainees who did not pass. Peer coaches who completed the study wanted to continue peer coaching work and had confidence in their abilities despite their not consistently employing the coaching techniques with their patients. Quotations describe coaches' perceptions of the training. CONCLUSIONS Of low-income patients with diabetes who completed the evidenced- based health coaching training, 81% passed written and oral exams and became effective peer health coaches, although they did not consistently use the techniques taught. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We wanted to evaluate novel decision aids designed to help patients trust and accept the controversial, evidence-based, US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations about prostate cancer screening (from 2012) and mammography screening for women aged 40 to 49 years (from 2009).Methods: We created recorded vignettes of physician-patient discussions about prostate cancer screening and mammography, accompanied by illustrative slides, based on principles derived from preceding qualitative work and behavioral science literature. We conducted a randomized crossover study with repeated measures with 27 men aged 50 to 74 years and 35 women aged 40 to 49 years. All participants saw a video intervention and a more traditional, paper-based decision aid intervention in random order. At entry and after seeing each intervention, they were surveyed about screening intentions, perceptions of benefits and harm, and decisional conflict.Results: Changes in screening intentions were analyzed without regard to order of intervention after an initial analyses showed no evidence of an order effect. At baseline, 69% of men and 86% of women reported wanting screening, with 31% and 6%, respectively, unsure. Mean change on a 3-point, yes, unsure, no scale was -0.93 (P = <.001) for men and -0.50 (P = <.001) for women after seeing the video interventions vs 0.0 and -0.06 (P = .75) after seeing the print interventions. At the study end, 33% of men and 49% of women wanted screening, and 11% and 20%, respectively, were unsure.Conclusions: Our novel, persuasive video interventions significantly changed the screening intentions of substantial proportions of viewers. Our approach needs further testing but may provide a model for helping patients to consider and accept evidence-based, counterintuitive recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patient participation in clinical decision making improves outcomes, including quality of life (QOL), but the typical problem-oriented approach may impede consideration of functional goals. We wondered if patients could encourage primary care physicians to pay attention to their QOL goals by writing them on pre-encounter forms.Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing the impact of 2 different pre-visit questionnaires on the content of patient-physician encounters in a family medicine practice at an academic medical center. Using investigator-blinded block randomization, we arranged for 8 faculty and 8 resident physicians to participate in 2 intervention and 2 control videotaped encounters each for a total of 64 encounters. The intervention questionnaire included questions about QOL goals and concerns, while the control questionnaire asked about symptoms. Videotapes were reviewed to determine whether the patients' QOL goals were mentioned and whether they were used in decision making. We also scored encounters using Modified Flanders Interaction Analysis, which assesses and codifies patient and physician communication, and the Modified Carkhuff-Truax Scale, which measures empathy, attending, congruence, and positive regard.Results: Patients were able to record QOL goals and concerns, but QOL issues were mentioned in only 2 of the 64 encounters, once by a patient and once by a physician. In neither case was this information used in decision making. More empathy was expressed by physicians during control encounters (P = .03).Conclusions: Patients were able to articulate their QOL goals on paper, but that did not prime them or their physicians to alter the process or content of the clinical encounters. In fact, providing QOL information was associated with reduced physician empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper describes the impact of a care recommendation (CR) letter intervention on patients with multisomatoform disorder (MSD) and analysis of patient factors that affect the response to the intervention.Methods: One hundred eighty-eight patients from 3 family practices, identified through screening of 2,902 consecutive patients, were classified using somatization diagnoses based on the number of unexplained physical symptoms from a standardized mental health interview. In a controlled, single-crossover trial, patients were randomized to have their primary care physician receive the CR letter either immediately following enrollment or 12 months after enrollment. The CR letter notified the physician of the patient's somatization status and provided recommendations for the patient's care. Patients were followed for 24 months with assessments of functional status at baseline, 12, and 24 months.Results: Longitudinal analysis revealed a 12-month intervention effect for patients with multisomatoform disorder (MSD) of 5.5 points (P < .001) on the physical functioning (PCS) scale of the SF-36. Analysis of scores on the MCS scale of the SF-36 found no significant effect on mental functioning. The intervention was more effective for patients with 1 or more comorbid chronic physical diseases (P = .01).Conclusions: The CR letter has a favorable impact on physical impairment of primary care patients with MSD, especially for patients with comorbid chronic physical disease. Multisomatoform disorder appears to be a useful diagnostic classification for managing and studying somatization in primary care patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Positive psychology shows promise in improving positive affect and happiness. We tested a digital version of a positive psychology intervention called Three Good Things (3GT) among health care workers to assess whether gratitude practice improved well-being. METHODS All members of a large academic medicine department were invited. Participants were randomized to an immediate intervention group or control group (delayed intervention). Participants completed outcome measures surveys (demographics, depression, positive affect, gratitude, and life satisfaction) at baseline, and at 1 month and 3 months post-intervention. Controls completed additional surveys at 4 and 6 months (completion of the delayed intervention). During the intervention, we sent 3 text messages per week asking for 3GT that occurred that day. We used linear mixed models to compare the groups and to look at the effects of department role, sex, age, and time on outcomes. RESULTS Of 468 eligible individuals, 223 (48%) enrolled and were randomized with high retention through the end of the study. Most (87%) identified as female. For the intervention group, positive affect improved slightly at 1 month, then declined slightly but remained significantly improved at 3 months. Depression, gratitude, and life satisfaction scores showed a similar trend but were not statistically different between groups. CONCLUSIONS Our research showed adherence to a positive psychology intervention for health care workers created small positive improvements immediately post-intervention but were not sustained. Further work should evaluate whether utilizing different duration or intensity of the intervention improves benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Patients are frequently asked to share their personal health information. The objective of this study was to compare the effects on patient experiences of 3 electronic consent (e-consent) versions asking patients to share their health records for research.Methods: A multi-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted from November 2017 through November 2018. Adult patients (n = 734) were recruited from 4 family medicine clinics in Florida. Using a tablet computer, participants were randomized to (1) a standard e-consent (standard), (2) an e-consent containing standard information plus hyperlinks to additional interactive details (interactive), or (3) an e-consent containing standard information, interactive hyperlinks, and factual messages about data protections and researcher training (trust-enhanced). Satisfaction (1 to 5), subjective understanding (0 to 100), and other outcomes were measured immediately, at 1 week, and at 6 months.Results: A majority of participants (94%) consented to future uses of their health record information for research. No differences in study outcomes between versions were observed at immediate or 1-week follow-up. At 6-month follow-up, compared with the standard e-consent, participants who used the interactive e-consent reported greater satisfaction (B = 0.43; SE = 0.09; P <.001) and subjective understanding (B = 18.04; SE = 2.58; P <.001). At 6-month follow-up, compared with the interactive e-consent, participants who used the trust-enhanced e-consent reported greater satisfaction (B = 0.9; SE = 1.0; P <.001) and subjective understanding (B = 32.2; SE = 2.6, P <.001).Conclusions: Patients who used e-consents with interactive research details and trust-enhancing messages reported higher satisfaction and understanding at 6-month follow-up. Research institutions should consider developing and further validating e-consents that interactively deliver information beyond that required by federal regulations, including facts that may enhance patient trust in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Without supporting evidence, clinicians commonly recommend that warfarin be taken in the evening. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of administration time (morning vs evening) on the stability of warfarin's anticoagulant effect.Methods: A total of 236 primary care physicians serving 54 western Canadian communities mailed letters of invitation to all their warfarin-using patients. Eligible patients were community-dwelling warfarin users (any indication) with at least 3 months of evening warfarin use and no plans for discontinuation. Participants were randomized (by web-based allocation) to morning vs continued evening warfarin ingestion. We used the Rosendaal method to determine the proportion of time within therapeutic range (TTR) of the international normalized ratio (INR) blood test month 2 to 7 postrandomization vs the 6 months prerandomization. The primary outcome was the percent change in proportion of time outside target INR range (with an a priori minimum clinically important difference of ±20%). All analyses were intention to treat.Results: Between March 8, 2015 and September 30, 2016, we randomized 109 participants to morning and 108 to evening warfarin use. TTR rose from 71.8% to 74.7% in the morning group, and from 72.6% to 75.6% in the evening group, for a change in TTR of 2.9% in the former vs 3.0% in the latter (difference, -0.1%; P = .97; 95% CI for the difference, -6.1% to 5.9%). The difference in percent change in proportion of time outside the therapeutic INR range (obtained via Hodges-Lehmann estimation of the difference in medians) was 4.4% (P = .62; 95% CI for the difference, -17.6% to 27.3%).Conclusions: Administration time has no statistically significant nor clinically important impact on the stability of warfarin's anticoagulant effect. Patients should take warfarin whenever regular compliance would be easiest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the incremental effect of performance coaching, delivered as part of a multicomponent intervention (Ottawa Model for Smoking Cessation [OMSC]), in increasing rates of tobacco-dependence treatment by primary care clinicians.Methods: In a cluster-randomized controlled trial, 15 primary care practices were randomly assigned to 1 of the following active-treatment conditions: OMSC or OMSC plus performance coaching (OMSC+). All practices received support to implement the OMSC. In addition, clinicians in the OMSC+ group participated in a 1.5-hour skills-based coaching session and received an individualized performance report. All clinicians and a cross-sectional sample of their patients were surveyed before and 4 months after introduction of the interventions. The primary outcome measure was rates of tobacco-dependence treatment strategy (Ask, Advise, Assist, Arrange) delivery. Secondary outcomes were patient quit attempts and smoking abstinence measured at 6 months' follow-up.Results: Primary care clinicians (166) and patients (1,990) were enrolled in the trial. Clinicians in the OMSC+ group had statistically greater rates of delivery for Ask (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.69; 95% CI, 1.05-2.72), Assist (AOR = 1.64; 95% CI, 1.08-2.49), and Arrange (AOR = 2.01; 95% CI, 1.22-3.31). Sensitivity analysis found that the rate of delivery for Advise was greater only among those clinicians who attended the coaching session (AOR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.10-2.49; P = .02). No differences were documented between groups for cessation outcomes.Conclusions: Performance coaching significantly increased rates of tobacco-dependence treatment by primary care clinicians when delivered as part of a multicomponent intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess patient and practice outcomes after introducing the Asthma APGAR (Activities, Persistent, triGGers, Asthma medications, Response to therapy) tools into primary care practices.Methods: We used a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled design in 18 US family medicine and pediatric practices to compare outcomes in patients with persistent asthma aged 5 to 45 years after introduction of the Asthma APGAR tools vs usual care. Patient outcomes included asthma control, quality of life, and emergency department (ED), urgent care, and inpatient hospital visits. The practice outcome was adherence to asthma guidelines.Results: We enrolled 1,066 patients: 245 children, 174 adolescents, and 647 adults. Sixty-five percent (692 patients) completed both baseline and 12-month questionnaires, allowing analysis for patient-reported outcomes. Electronic health record data were available for 1,063 patients (99.7%) for practice outcomes. The proportion of patients reporting an asthma-related ED, urgent care, or hospital visit in the final 6 months of the study was lower in the APGAR practices vs usual care practices (10.6% vs 20.9%, P = .004). The percentage of patients with "in control" asthma increased more between baseline and 1 year in the APGAR group vs usual care group (13.5% vs 3.4%, P =.0001 vs P =.86) with a trend toward better control scores and asthma-related quality of life in the former at 1 year (P ≤.06 and P = .06, respectively). APGAR practices improved their adherence to 3 or more guideline elements compared with usual care practices (20.7% increase vs 1.9% decrease, P = .001).Conclusions: Introduction of the Asthma APGAR tools improves rates of asthma control; reduces asthma-related ED, urgent care, and hospital visits; and increases practices' adherence to asthma management guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to test whether 3 strategies-training and support, financial reimbursement, and an option to direct screen-positive patients to an Internet-based method of giving brief advice-have a longer-term effect on primary care clinicians' delivery of screening and advice to heavy drinkers operationalized with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) tool.Methods: We undertook a cluster randomized factorial trial with a 12-week implementation period in 120 primary health care units throughout Catalonia, England, Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Units were randomized to 8 groups: care as usual (control); training and support alone; financial reimbursement alone; electronic brief advice alone; paired combinations of these conditions; and all 3 combined. The primary outcome was the proportion of consulting adult patients (aged 18 years and older) receiving intervention-screening and, if screen-positive, advice-at 9 months.Results: Based on the factorial design, the ratio of the log of the proportion of patients given intervention at the 9-month follow-up was 1.39 (95% CI, 1.03-1.88) in units that received training and support as compared with units that did not. Neither financial reimbursement nor directing screen-positive patients to electronic brief advice led to a higher proportion of patients receiving intervention.Conclusions: Training and support of primary health care units has a lasting, albeit small, impact on the proportion of adult patients given an alcohol intervention at 9 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We conducted this review to identify published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of cancer risk assessment tools used in primary care and to determine their impact on clinical utility (clinicians), screening uptake (patients), and psychosocial outcomes (patients).Methods: We searched EMBASE, PubMed and the Cochrane databases for RCTs of cancer risk assessment tools in primary care up to May 2014. Only studies set in primary care, with patients eligible for screening, and English-language articles were included.Results: The review included 11 trials of 7 risk tools. The trials were heterogeneous with respect to type of tool that was used, type(s) of cancer assessed, and outcomes measured. Evidence suggested risk tools improved patient risk perception, knowledge, and screening intentions, but not necessarily screening behavior. Overall, uptake of a tool was greater if initiated by patients, if used by a dedicated clinician, and when combined with decision support. There was no increase in cancer worry. Health promotion messages within the tool had positive effects on behavior change. Trials were limited by low-recruitment uptake, and the heterogeneity of the findings necessitated a narrative review rather than a meta-analysis.Conclusions: Risk tools may increase intentions to have cancer screening, but additional interventions at the clinician or health system levels may be needed to increase risk-appropriate cancer screening behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Peer support can promote diabetes control, yet research on feasible and effective peer support models is lacking. This randomized controlled trial tested a volunteer-based model of peer support for diabetes control. METHODS Thirty-four volunteer peer leaders were recruited and trained to provide support to 5 to 8 patients each through telephone contact, in-person, individual, and group support. Planned dose was 8 contacts, preferably in the first 6 months. Patients with uncontrolled diabetes were randomly sampled from the medical records of 3 community clinics. After a baseline interview and medical records review to obtain baseline values for the primary outcome, HbA1c, 336 patient participants were randomly assigned to a 12-month peer support intervention or usual care. The assessment protocol was repeated at 6 and 12 months after baseline. RESULTS Thirty peer leaders delivered an average of 4 contacts each per assigned participant (range 1-24). Despite the lack of intervention fidelity, the intervention was effective at reducing glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) among intervention as compared with usual care participants (P=0.05). Similar trends were observed in frequency of meeting fruit and vegetable guidelines (P =0.09), a secondary outcome. Counterintuitively, usual care participants reported checking their feet more days out of 7 than intervention participants (P =0.03). CONCLUSIONS Given the modest changes we observed, combined with other evidence for peer support to promote diabetes control, additional research is needed on how to modify the system of care to increase the level of peer support delivered by volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Interventions tailored to sociopsychological factors associated with health behaviors have promise for reducing colorectal cancer screening disparities, but limited research has assessed their impact in multiethnic populations. We examined whether an interactive multimedia computer program (IMCP) tailored to expanded health belief model sociopsychological factors could promote colorectal cancer screening in a multiethnic sample. METHODS We undertook a randomized controlled trial, comparing an IMCP tailored to colorectal cancer screening self-efficacy, knowledge, barriers, readiness, test preference, and experiences with a nontailored informational program, both delivered before office visits. The primary outcome was record-documented colorectal cancer screening during a 12-month follow-up period. Secondary outcomes included postvisit sociopsychological factor status and discussion, as well as clinician recommendation of screening during office visits. We enrolled 1,164 patients stratified by ethnicity and language (49.3% non-Hispanic, 27.2% Hispanic/English, 23.4% Hispanic/Spanish) from 26 offices around 5 centers (Sacramento, California; Rochester and the Bronx, New York; Denver, Colorado; and San Antonio, Texas). RESULTS Adjusting for ethnicity/language, study center, and the previsit value of the dependent variable, compared with control patients, the IMCP led to significantly greater colorectal cancer screening knowledge, self-efficacy, readiness, test preference specificity, discussion, and recommendation. During the followup period, 132 (23%) IMCP and 123 (22%) control patients received screening (adjusted difference = 0.5 percentage points, 95% CI -4.3 to 5.3). IMCP effects did not differ significantly by ethnicity/language. CONCLUSIONS Sociopsychological factor tailoring was no more effective than nontailored information in encouraging colorectal cancer screening in a multiethnic sample, despite enhancing sociopsychological factors and visit behaviors associated with screening. The utility of sociopsychological tailoring in addressing screening disparities remains uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE This pilot study aimed to determine whether raw milk reduces lactose malabsorption and/or lactose intolerance symptoms relative to pasteurized milk. METHODS We performed a crossover trial involving 16 adults with self-reported lactose intolerance and lactose malabsorption confirmed by hydrogen (H2) breath testing. Participants underwent 3, 8-day milk phases (raw vs 2 controls: pasteurized, soy) in randomized order separated by 1-week washout periods. On days 1 and 8 of each phase, milk consumption was 473 mL (16 oz); on days 2 to 7, milk dosage increased daily by 118 mL (4 oz), beginning with 118 mL (4 oz) on day 2 and reaching 710 mL (24 oz) on day 7. Outcomes were area under the breath H2 curve (AUC ΔH2) and self-reported symptom severity (visual analog scales: flatulence/gas, audible bowel sounds, abdominal cramping, diarrhea). RESULTS AUC ΔH2 (mean ± standard error of the mean) was higher for raw vs pasteurized on day 1 (113 ± 21 vs 71 ± 12 ppm·min·10-2, respectively, P = .01) but not day 8 (72 ± 14 vs 74 ± 15 ppm·min·10-2, respectively, P = .9). Symptom severities were not different for raw vs pasteurized on day 7 with the highest dosage (P >.7). AUC ΔH2 and symptom severities were higher for both dairy milks compared with soy milk. CONCLUSIONS Raw milk failed to reduce lactose malabsorption or lactose intolerance symptoms compared with pasteurized milk among adults positive for lactose malabsorption. These results do not support widespread anecdotal claims that raw milk reduces the symptoms of lactose intolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a pragmatic, factorial, cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted to assess the effect of family physicians' use of C-reactive protein (CRP) point-of-care testing and physician training in enhanced communication skills on patients with respiratory tract infections. It concludes that physicians' use of CRP point-of-care testing and training in enhanced communication skills do not affect office visit rates related to respiratory tract infections.

The article presents a cluster-randomized controlled trial that evaluates the effect of a contraceptive vital sign on primary care documentation on the use of contraceptives. It highlights the importance of the so-called contraceptive vital sign to help primary care physicians identify patients who need preconception or contraceptive counseling. It further concludes that the contraceptive vital sign has significantly improved the documentation of contraceptive use.

The article focuses on the study that investigates the effect of a community-based home-visiting program for adolescent mothers and its outcomes on parenting, maternal life course and primary care linkage. The study focuses on low income pregnant adolescents aged 12 to 18 of African Americans coming from urban prenatal care sites. The study determined that the community-based home-visiting program developed adolescent mothers' parenting attitudes and school continuation.

The article focuses on the study to calculate the sufficiently important difference (SID) for the common cold. The researchers have conducted interviews to assess total severity reduction using an evidence-based outline for common cold treatments including vitamin C, herbal medicines and unlicensed antiviral pleconaril. The study determined that SDI should be further developed for use in other disease cases since it does not support large benefits for common colds.

The article aims to investigate the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of inhaled corticosteroids with respect to health outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The findings revealed that 13 double-blinded randomized controlled trials determined the efficacy of an inhaled corticosteroid compared with placebo while 11 additional studies confirmed the safety of inhaled corticosteroid treatment in patients with asthma or COPD.

Background: Maximizing the accuracy of human papillomavirus (HPV) detection from a single sample is important for clinical and research purposes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cyclic hormonal variation, recent sexual intercourse, interval between samplings, and the technique used to sample affect the detection of HPV.Methods: This study was a prospective, longitudinal, randomized controlled trial. Three techniques for self-sampling (2 consecutive synthetic polyester fiber [Dacron] swabs, a single Dacron swab, and a tampon) were repeated at 3 different sampling times during a period of 4 to 6 weeks in addition to 1 clinician-directed sampling of the ectocervix and endocervix at the first sampling time. All self-samplings were taken in a proscribed randomized order. Women (aged 18 to 68 years) attending a colposcopy clinic for abnormal cytology or abnormal cervical appearance participated in the study. The outcome measure was the detection of HPV by polymerase chain reaction amplification.Results: The 103 participants provided 1,189 cervicovaginal samplings. Logistic regression indicated that intercourse within 48 hours of sampling did not result in a greater detection of high-risk or any HPV type (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-1.69; OR = 1.08, 95% CI, 0.73-1.60, respectively). Among those women who have regular menstrual cycles, there was no cyclic effect on HPV detection for high-risk and any HPV types. Time from previous sampling did not affect HPV detection. Among the self-sampling techniques, using a single self-swab and the tampon resulted in the detection of HPV between 10% and 35% less often than using 2 consecutive swabs (P < .025). Self-sampling with 2 swabs was not significantly different from clinician sampling for detecting high-risk HPV types (OR for self-sampling = 0.87 (95% CI, 0.66-1.13)).Conclusions: HPV detection is not dependent on menstrual cycle timings, the recency of intercourse, or the time between samplings, but it is dependent on the sampling technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]