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Carl-Albrecht Haensch, a respected physician and researcher, passed away at the age of 58. He was known for his work on autonomic nervous system disorders and the relationship between sleep and autonomic control mechanisms. Haensch was also dedicated to teaching and held leadership positions in the German Autonomic Society. In addition to his professional pursuits, he enjoyed attending rock concerts, soccer games, and exploring different cultures with his family. Haensch's research focused on topics such as postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), chronic complex regional pain syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. He also studied the interaction between medications and the autonomic nervous system. Haensch's contributions to the field of neurology and his patient-centered approach will be remembered by his colleagues, students, and friends. [Extracted from the article]

Integration of behavioral health care into primary care can improve health and economic outcomes. This study adapted the Behavioral Health Integration in Medical Care (BHIMC) index to the Colombian context and assessed the baseline level of behavioral health integration in a sample of primary care organizations. The BHIMC was able to detect the capacity to provide integrated behavioral care in Colombian settings. Results indicate a minimal to partial integration level across all sites, and that it is possible to measure the degree of integrated care capacity and identify improvement areas for better behavioral health care provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Substance use frequently goes undetected in primary care. Though barriers to implementing systematic screening for alcohol and drug use have been examined in urban settings, less is known about screening in rural primary care.Objective: To identify current screening practices, barriers, facilitators, and recommendations for the implementation of substance use screening in rural federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).Design: As part of a multi-phase study implementing electronic health record-integrated screening, focus groups (n = 60: all stakeholder groups) and individual interviews (n = 10 primary care providers (PCPs)) were conducted.Participants: Three stakeholder groups (PCPs, medical assistants (MAs), and patients) at three rural FQHCs in Maine.Approach: Focus groups and interviews were recorded, transcribed, and content analyzed. Themes surrounding current substance use screening practices, barriers to screening, and recommendations for implementation were identified and organized by the Knowledge to Action (KTA) Framework.Key Results: Identifying the problem: Stakeholders unanimously agreed that screening is important, and that universal screening is preferred to targeted approaches. Adapting to the local context: PCPs and MAs agreed that screening should be done annually. Views were mixed regarding the delivery of screening; patients preferred self-administered, tablet-based screening, while MAs and PCPs were divided between self-administered and face-to-face approaches. Assessing barriers: For patients, barriers to screening centered around a perceived lack of rapport with providers, which contributed to concerns about trust, judgment, and privacy. For PCPs and MAs, barriers included lack of comfort, training, and preparedness to address screening results and offer treatment.Conclusions: Though stakeholders agree on the importance of implementing universal screening, concerns about the patient-provider relationship, the consequences of disclosure, and privacy appear heightened by the rural context. Findings highlight that strong relationships with providers are critical for patients, while in-clinic resources and training are needed to increase provider comfort and preparedness to address substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand differences in perceptions of patient-reported outcome domains between children with asthma and children from the general population. We used this information in the development of patient-reported outcome items for the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Pediatrics project. We conducted focus groups composed of ethnically, racially, and geographically diverse youth (8–12, 13–17 years) from the general population and youth with asthma. We performed content analysis to identify important themes. We identified five unique and different challenges that may confront youth with asthma as compared to general population youth: (1) They experience more difficulties when participating in physical activities; (2) They may experience anxiety about having an asthma attack at anytime and anywhere; (3) They may experience sleep disturbances and fatigue secondary to their asthma symptoms; (4) Their health condition has a greater effect on their emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships; and (5) Youth with asthma report that asthma often leaves them with insufficient energy to complete their school activities, especially physical activities. The results confirm unique experiences for children with asthma across a broad range of health domains and enhance the breadth of all domains when creating an item bank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]