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Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and in austere, rural, and remote settings. The purpose of this Perspective is to challenge the notion that accurate and actionable diagnosis of the most severe brain injuries should be limited to physicians and other highly-trained specialists located at hospitals. Further, we aim to demonstrate that the great opportunity to improve severe TBI care is in the prehospital setting. Here, we discuss potential applications of prehospital diagnostics, including ultrasound and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for detection of life-threatening subdural and epidural hemorrhage, as well as monitoring of cerebral hemodynamics following severe TBI. Ultrasound-based methods for assessment of cerebrovascular hemodynamics, vasospasm, and intracranial pressure have substantial promise, but have been mainly used in hospital settings; substantial development will be required for prehospital optimization. Compared to ultrasound, NIRS is better suited to assess certain aspects of intracranial pathology and has a smaller form factor. Thus, NIRS is potentially closer to becoming a reliable method for non-invasive intracranial assessment and cerebral monitoring in the prehospital setting. While one current continuous wave NIRS-based device has been FDA-approved for detection of subdural and epidural hemorrhage, NIRS methods using frequency domain technology have greater potential to improve diagnosis and monitoring in the prehospital setting. In addition to better technology, advances in large animal models, provider training, and implementation science represent opportunities to accelerate progress in prehospital care for severe TBI in austere, rural, and remote areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the structure and demographic of medical teams working in Rural General Hospitals (RGHs) in Scotland, and to gain insight into their experiences and determine their opinions on a remote and rural medical training pathway. Design: Structured face-to-face interviews. Interviews were partially anonymised, and underwent thematic analysis. Setting: Medical departments of the six RGHs in Scotland 2018–2019. Participants: 14 medical consultants and 23 junior doctors working in RGHs in Scotland. Inclusion criteria: Present at time of site visit, medical consultant in an RGH or junior doctor working in an RGH who provides care for medical patients. Exclusion criteria: Doctors on leave or off shift. Medical consultants with less than one month of experience in post. Non-medical specialty consultants e.g. surgical or anaesthetic consultants. Results: Of 21 consultant posts in the RGHs, only eight are filled with resident consultants, the remainder rely on locums. Consultants found working as generalists rewarding and challenging, and juniors found it to be a good training experience. Consultants feel little professional isolation due to modern connectivity. The majority of consultants (12/14) and all junior doctors favour a remote and rural medicine training pathway encompassing a mandatory paediatrics component, and feel this would help with consultant recruitment and retention. Conclusion: RGHs medical departments are reliant on locum consultants. The development of a remote and rural training medical training pathway is endorsed by the current medical teams of RGHs and has the potential to improve medical consultant staffing in RGHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clearing the cervical spine in an unconscious blunt trauma patient is an elusive concept. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of cervical spine injury (CSI) in patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study was conducted on patients who underwent imaging of both the cervical spine and the brain in one sitting at a busy government healthcare facility in Pietermaritzburg. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross sectional study of all the trauma patients presenting to a regional hospital emergency department (ED) in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province, who underwent computed tomography (CT) imaging of the brain and the cervical spine in one sitting during the period January 2016 to June 2016. Results: Adult males formed the majority (78.9%) of the study population and had the highest incidence of TBI, the most common identified pathology in CT being parenchymal injuries (41%). The mechanisms that resulted in the majority of injuries sustained were assault (38.7%) and motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) (25%), while seven patients (4.76%) had a combined diagnosis of TBI and CSI. The average Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was 12. Conclusion: Young adult males are at the greatest risk of sustaining TBI, with assault being the most common mechanism of injury. Combined diagnoses of TBI and CSI are rare and were mostly noted in patients involved in MVCs and pedestrian vehicle collisions. While the chance of an abnormal CT scan increased with a decreasing GCS score, 33% of patients with a mild TBI did not have abnormal CT findings, and 25% patients with severe TBI had no abnormal CT findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality in India and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is one of its anomalies, affecting mainly the coronary arterial blood supply and further the functioning of heart muscle. Its subtypes are Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), unstable angina, and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). There are various diagnostic tools available to detect ACS like; electrocardiography (ECG), Cardiac stress test, Coronary CT angiography, Coronary angiogram and cardiac biomarkers. Yet, tools for assessment of prognosis are scanty and new prognostic tools are always welcomed, one such is anion gap, which can be detected by assessment of certain ions present in the serum, urine or plasma, etc. In this study we will assess the role of anion gap, in the assessment of prognosis in ACS. Objective: 1. To estimate anion gap (AG) in cases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) at the time of diagnosis; 2. To evaluate association of anion gap (AG) with the prognosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) Methodology: The study will be conducted in the Department of Medicine of a Rural Tertiary Care Hospital. Estimation of anion gap (AG) in cases of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) will be evaluated at the time of admission and after five days of treatment. Anion gap will be calculated or measured as difference between measured cations (Na+ + K+) and the measured anions (Cl- + HCO3-) in serum. Any complications during the management will be noted (Heart failure arrhythmias, Hypotension, Reinfarction, Death) will be correlated with anion gap (AG). Chi square test will be applied to evaluate statistical difference between among anion group quartile groups. Results: The study will play a key role in identifying and assessing various other prognostic tools like anion gap, in assessing the severity of disease to some extent in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Conclusion: High value of serum anion gap levels is associated with poorer prognosis of the disease outcome in patients with acute coronary syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a well‐established connection among water quality, sanitation, and physical health. The potentially important relationship between water and mental health is considerably less studied. Reviewing evidence from ethnography, geography, folklore, indigenous studies, rural medicine, drought research, and large‐n statistical studies, we argue there is now good theoretical rationale and growing evidence of water insecurity as a possible driver of mental ill‐health. Furthermore, some nascent evidence suggests that emotionally meaningful interactions with water might improve mental health outcomes. Leveraging these literatures, we address the many ways in which mental health outcomes are conceptualized and operationalized in water research, including as emotional distress, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, somatic symptoms, and quality of life. We outline arguments supporting seven possible (and likely interlocking) mechanisms that could explain such a relationship: (a) material deprivation and related uncertainty, (b) shame of social failure, (c) worry about health threats, (d) loss of connections to people and places, (e) frustration around opportunity losses and restricted autonomy, (f) interpersonal conflict and intimate partner violence, and (g) institutional injustice or unfairness. However, we explain that as most existing studies are ethnographic, qualitative, or cross‐sectional, a causal relationship between water and mental ill‐health is yet to be confirmed empirically. More research on this topic is needed, particularly given that poorly understood connections may create barriers to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 3 (health) and 6 (water). We further suggest that tracking mental health indicators may provide unique and as‐yet underappreciated insights into the efficacy of water projects and other development interventions. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Water, Health, and SanitationHuman Water > Water as Imagined and Represented [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective There is limited research describing the implementation or outcomes of intern training in rural general practice. In 2018, Tasmania piloted its first rural general practice intern program. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of interns in the first rotation. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 rural general practice interns. Results Six main themes emerged: the social experience of rural/remote placements, the intern role, skill acquisition, challenges experienced by interns, placements reinforcing ideas of rural general practice and advice to future interns. Rural interns were positive about the program, reporting intensive learning experiences from a range of clinical environments. There were some challenges initially implementing the wave consulting model. The main difficulty faced by interns was isolation from peers/social support. Discussion Rural general practice intern terms support rural career pathways. Practice staff need to be mindful of the integration of interns into the practice environment, and programs need to provide training and support for the role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Greenland is a vast country, with immense geographical distances and often extreme weather conditions. Specialized health care is limited to larger cities, and qualified medical care is not always immediately available in rural areas. Telemedicine infrastructure is available throughout the country. Purpose:The purpose of this study was to identify the role of telemedicine in the diagnosis and treatment of acute medical emergencies in remote settlements. Materials and Methods:All medical emergencies were screened from 2015 to 2016 in remote settlements of the Avannaa Health Region in Northwest Greenland, and cases in which telemedicine was utilized were identified. Results:Three illustrative cases were identified. Diagnoses were severe asthma, bilateral pneumonia, and heart failure. All three patients were accurately diagnosed through a telemedical consultation, and early treatment was initiated. In two out of three patients, acute medical evacuation by air ambulance was avoided, and the third patient was stabilized by the time an air ambulance arrived. Conclusions:Telemedicine allows for the accurate diagnosis of acute medical emergencies in remote settlements of Greenland and facilitates timely initiation of treatment. This may reduce morbidity and mortality of acute medical illness. In addition, telemedicine may aid in the clinical decision-making on whether or not to arrange for medical evacuation. Avoiding unnecessary medical evacuations reduces cost and risk to air ambulance crews. In addition, telemedicine allows for close monitoring of the patient until the air ambulance arrives. Telemedicine also ensures diagnostic and treatment options when medical evacuation is impossible due to extreme weather conditions. From a global perspective, telemedicine may increase the availability and quality of health care in remote areas and reduce health inequalities between remote and urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postpartum family planning (PPFP) is associated with health, social and economic benefits to a woman and her family. Its uptake, particularly of the more effective, long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), is low. The role of parity in PPFP uptake is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to compare the uptake of PPFP and LARCs between primiparous and multiparous women accompanying their children for the first measles vaccine, which is at 9 months after delivery, in Webuye County Hospital, Kenya. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Study participants were recruited using a systematic random sampling method and data were collected using a pretested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using an independent t-test to compare PPFP uptake between primiparous and multiparous women, whereas chi-square tests (for categorical data) and independent t-tests (for numerical data) were used to compare the various socio-demographic characteristics and occurrence of various predictors of PPFP uptake between the two groups of postpartum women. Factors that were significantly different between the two groups were controlled for using logistic regression. Results: There was a significant difference on PPFP uptake (22.0%; 95% CI: 11.8-32.3; p < 0.001), but none on LARC use (OR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.46-1.66) between the two groups of women. The unadjusted and adjusted OR for the effect of parity on FP uptake was 3.48 (95% CI: 1.88-6.42) and 2.32 (95% CI: 1.15-4.67), respectively. Conclusion: There is a significant difference in the uptake of PPFP, but not LARCs, between primiparous women and multiparous women accompanying their children for the 9-month measles vaccine in Webuye County Hospital. Primiparous women are less likely to initiate the use of PPFP compared to their multiparous counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study was conducted to examine the use of the HEART score for risk stratification of chest pain patients presenting to rural Ontario emergency departments (EDs), assessing both its validity in a rural context and its utility in health-care resource management. Methods: This study was a retrospective chart review of adult patients presenting to the ED with chest pain. The HEART score was assessed for its ability to risk-stratify patients (high, moderate and low) in terms of the likelihood of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) within 6 weeks. The prevalence of follow-up testing for each risk category of patients was then determined such that the potential impact on health resource management was estimated based on the number of tests ordered in low-risk patients. Results: Of the 215 charts included, 24 (11.2%) patients experienced a MACE within 6 weeks. None of the patients with a low HEART score experienced a MACE. In comparison, the incidence of MACE in moderate- and high-risk groups was calculated to be 13.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] [5.91% and 21.89%, respectively]) and 66.7% (95% CI [46.54% and 86.86%, respectively]). Eighteen percent of the low-risk patients received follow-up testing with no positive results suggestive of acute coronary syndrome. Conclusion: Our results provide external validation of the predictive value of the HEART score in determining the risk of MACE in patients presenting to a rural ED with chest pain. Our results also suggest that rates of follow-up testing in low-risk patients may be reduced in communities with limited access to resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines French responses to transnational influences on medical education and rural health in Cameroon in the era of decolonization. As international organizations became increasingly involved in Cameroon in the postwar period, French military doctors claimed authority through specific expertise on medicine in the African "bush." After Cameroon became independent, however, the building of new medical school became a focus of French anxieties about maintaining power in new African institutions of technical expertise and knowledge production. While scholars have begun to foreground the international context of Franco-African relations after independence, this article reveals how the distinct politics of Cameroon's decolonization, growing out of its history as a United Nations (UN) trust territory, shaped French approaches to medical institutions there. Moreover, negotiations over the future of rural medicine in Cameroon highlighted the ways in which the approaches championed by French doctors relied on colonial authority itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article reports on the conceptual development and subsequent implementation of a targeted and attractive general practice teaching program in a rural area for students of human medicine at the medical faculty of Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main. Project description: Since the 2016/2017 winter semester, usually up to 15 interested students a year have had the opportunity to participate in the longitudinal priority program "Landpartie 2.0". The program runs for six semesters during the clinical stage of medical studies and consists of regular internships during which the students receive one-to-one support in a family practice, and participate in a series of seminars and an annual one-day excursion. The aim is to enable students, early on in their studies and without any obligations, to gain uninterrupted experience of providing patient care, and to find out what it means to pursue a career in family medicine. Results: Since the beginning of the annual program, 62 students have been included in it. The initial results show that the different elements of the program fulfil the expectations and requirements of participants and that their overall level of satisfaction is high. Almost 95% of students reported that they felt their knowledge had increased as a result of the internships, and they rated them as a useful part of their medical education. Despite the rural focus of the program, around half of the participants were of urban origin. Conclusion: The "Landpartie 2.0" provides students with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with family health care in a rural area. Further studies should investigate to what extent the program encourages students to continue their training with a view to pursuing a career in family medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C pose a public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa and there are only few studies on co-infection of these viruses done in rural areas in Northern Nigeria. This study provides a rural perspective on HIV-hepatitis co-infection in a Northern Nigerian community. Methods: this cross-sectional study was carried out amongst people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in a rural community hospital over a three-month period. Socio-demographic data and other relevant information were obtained from the participants and case notes using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to Hepatitis C virus were assayed from serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits developed by LabACON®. Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables and logistic regression modelling was used to determine correlates of co-infection in the population. Results: a total of 281 individuals participated in the study. The prevalence of Hepatitis B co-infection, Hepatitis C co-infection and triple infection was 6.0%, 14.6% and 1.1% respectively. Using Chi-square test, none of the socio-demographic characteristics, WHO Clinical Stage, viral suppression had significant association with Hepatitis B co-infection, however marital status was significantly associated with Hepatitis C co-infection and level of education was significantly associated with triple infection (p < 0.05). Logistic regression modelling generated no significant results. Conclusion: co-infection of viral hepatitis (particularly Hepatitis C) in PLWHA is common in rural Northern Nigeria, and significant correlates include lack of formal education and being married. There is need for provider-initiated routine counselling and screening of PLWHA for viral hepatitis, with adequate follow-up and treatment of co-infected individuals and Hepatitis B vaccination for those without co-infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that 60-80 percent of people in African countries including Tanzania use traditional medicine as their primary source of health services despite the presence of the biomedical system. There is scant literature that has paid attention on how traditional medicine coexists with the biomedical system of health services delivery in Tanzania. This article adapts the Helmke and Levitsky model of formal and informal institutions in comparative politics to understand how traditional medicine complements and accommodates biomedicine in health service delivery in Tanzania. It draws on qualitative data from a case study conducted in six villages of Bukoba district, Tanzania in 2016-2017. The study involved traditional health practitioners, biomedical practitioners, household respondents and key informants from the organizations responsible for health services delivery. Data was collected through interviews, key informant interviews, observation, and documentary review. Traditional medicine complemented and accommodated the biomedical system because it addressed various ailments which are hardly treated by the biomedical system at the village level. Traditional medicine does not cause delays in referring patients to biomedical facilities, and it fills the gap of dwindling biomedical facilities in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf species identification leads to multitude of societal applications. There is enormous research in the lines of plant identification using pattern recognition. With the help of robust algorithms for leaf identification, rural medicine has the potential to reappear as like the previous decades. This paper discusses CNN based approaches for Indian leaf species identification from white background using smartphones. Variations of CNN models over the features like traditional shape, texture, color and venation apart from the other miniature features of uniformity of edge patterns, leaf tip, margin and other statistical features are explored for efficient leaf classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The majority of global HIV infections in children under 10 years of age occur during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding, despite improved coverage of 'prevention of mother-to-child transmission' (PMTCT) guidelines to reduce vertical transmission. This article looks closer at one community-based peer mentorship programme [Mentor Mothers Zithulele (MMZ)] in the Eastern Cape, South Africa which aims to supplement the existing heavily burdened antenatal programmes and improve PMTCT care. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with HIV-positive women participating in MMZ and women receiving standard PMTCT care without any intervention. A focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted with women working as Mentor mothers (MMs) for MMZ to explore their experience of the impact of peer mentoring on the rural communities they serve. Results: Six main themes were identified in the interviews with antenatal patients: (i) MMs were a key educational resource, (ii) MMs were important in promoting exclusive breastfeeding, (iii) encouraging early HIV testing during pregnancy and (iv) providing psychosocial support to patients in their homes, thereby reducing stigma and sense of alienation. Respondents requested (v) additional focus on HIV education. MMs can (vi) function as a link between patients and health-care providers, improving treatment adherence. During the FGD two themes emerged; MMs fill the gap between patients and health services, and MMZ should focus on HIV awareness and stigma reduction. Conclusion: Peer mentoring programmes can play an important role in reducing vertical HIV transmission in resource-limited, rural settings by providing participants with education, psychosocial support, and a continuum of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a widely used imaging modality in the medical field, ultrasound has been applied in community medicine, rural medicine, and even telemedicine in recent years. Therefore, the development of portable ultrasound devices has become a popular research topic. However, the limited size of portable ultrasound devices usually degrades the imaging quality, which reduces the diagnostic reliability. To overcome hardware limitations and improve the image quality of portable ultrasound devices, we propose a novel generative adversarial network (GAN) model to achieve mapping between low-quality ultrasound images and corresponding high-quality images. In contrast to the traditional GAN method, our two-stage GAN that cascades a U-Net network prior to the generator as a front end is built to reconstruct the tissue structure, details, and speckle of the reconstructed image. In the training process, an ultrasound plane-wave imaging (PWI) data-based transfer learning method is introduced to facilitate convergence and to eliminate the influence of deformation caused by respiratory activities during data pair acquisition. A gradual tuning strategy is adopted to obtain better results by the PWI transfer learning process. In addition, a comprehensive loss function is presented to combine texture, structure, and perceptual features. Experiments are conducted using simulated, phantom, and clinical data. Our proposed method is compared to four other algorithms, including traditional gray-level-based methods and learning-based methods. The results confirm that the proposed approach obtains the optimum solution for improving quality and offering useful diagnostic information for portable ultrasound images. This technology is of great significance for providing universal medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many European-trained doctors (ETDs) recruited to work in rural district hospitals in South Africa have insufficient generalist competencies for the range of practice required. Africa Health Placements recruits ETDs to work in rural hospitals in Africa. Many of these doctors feel inadequately prepared. The Stellenbosch University Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health is launching a Postgraduate Diploma in Rural Medicine to help prepare doctors for such work. Aim: To determine the competencies gap for ETDs working in rural district hospitals in South Africa to inform the curriculum of the PG Dip (Rural Medicine). Setting: Rural district hospitals in South Africa. Methods: Nine hospitals in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga were purposefully selected by Africa Health Placements as receiving ETDs. An online survey was developed asking about the most important competencies and weaknesses for ETDs when working rurally. The clinical manager and any ETDs currently working in each hospital were invited to complete the survey. Results: Surveys were completed by 19 ETDs and five clinical managers. The top clinical competencies in relation to 10 specific domains were identified. The results also indicate broader competencies required, specific skills gaps, the strengths that ETDs bring to South Africa and how ETDs prepare themselves for working in this context. Conclusion: This study identifies the important competency gaps among ETDs and provides useful direction for the diploma and other future training initiatives. The diploma faculty must reflect on these findings and ensure the curriculum is aligned with these gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is little information available on the range of conditions presenting to generalist run rural district hospital emergency departments (EDs) which are the first point of acute care for many South Africans. Aim: This study aims to assess the range of acute presentations as well as the types of procedures required by patients in a rural district hospital context. Setting: Zithulele is a 147-bed district hospital in rural Eastern Cape. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study assessing all patients presenting to the Zithulele hospital emergency department from 01 October 2015 to 31 December 2015. Data collected included the triage acuity using the South African Triage Scale system, patient demographics, diagnosis, outcome and procedures performed. Diagnoses were coded retrospectively according to the international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems version 10 (ICD 10). Results: Of the 4 002 patients presenting to the ED during the study period, 2% were triaged as emergencies and 45% as non-urgent. The most common diagnostic categories were injuries, infections and respiratory illnesses respectively. Diagnoses from all broad categories of the ICD-10 were represented. 67% of patients required no procedure. Diagnostic procedures (n = 877) were more prevalent than therapeutic procedures (n = 377). Only 2.4% of patients were transferred to a referral centre acutely. Conclusion: Patients with conditions from all categories of the ICD-10 present for management at rural district hospitals. Healthcare professionals working in this setting need to independently diagnose and manage a wide range of ED presentations and execute an assortment of procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safe obstetric care is a worldwide requirement. In Japan, a reduced number of obstetricians has prompted the centralization of obstetric facilities, and Japan's islands are expected to experience problems in handling deliveries. Although many pregnant women "move" to the mainland at later gestational weeks, "transport" from the island to the mainland may be occasionally needed when disorders manifest before the "move." Other women plan within-island deliveries; however, transport is required when complications arise. Managing delivery- or pregnancy-related problems may differ in transport by the population size of islands. We investigated the following issues in relation to the population size of Japan's islands: 1) How were deliveries handled on islands? 2) How many pregnant women were transported to the mainland? 3) What was the reason for and what affected transport? A total of 142 municipalities were selected to participate in a questionnaire survey, and 108 institutions from 106 municipalities responded. A comparative analysis by island size was performed using 2014 data: small-sized (population < 1,000), mid-sized (1,000 to 5,000), and large-sized (= 5,000). The percentage of women transported to the mainland from small-sized islands was significantly higher than that from large-sized islands (6.8 vs. 2.6% of all births in a year, respectively, P < 0.01). Transport was mainly in response to threatened preterm labor. Adverse weather was the most frequent factor affecting transport reliability. Our findings may contribute to a more detailed understanding of the state of obstetric care on Japan's islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including the pestilential effluvia of the misnamed Holy Alliance, staunch partisans of tyranny, continental despots and their insects in power and the official coxcomb.

Aim: Depression is a major disease burden in Thailand. In rural areas, young adults will leave home to work in cities, and older adults are left behind. Loneliness and comorbidities can lead to depression in older adults. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors for geriatric depression. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out. Questionnaires including the Thai Geriatric Depression Scale and family relationship were obtained by healthcare professions by face‐to‐face interviews of 584 older people aged ≥60 years in Ban Nayao community, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. Geriatric depression can be defined as depressive syndromes that arise in adults aged ≥60 years. We excluded those who had visual or auditory disabilities or did not pass the Thai Mini‐Mental Status Examination. The prevalence and associated factors for geriatric depression were obtained. Associated factors were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Results: A total of 433 older people were eligible. The prevalence of geriatric depression was 18.5%. Of the participants, 54.1% lived in an imbalanced family type. Multivariate analysis showed the significance for female sex (adjusted OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.54–7.49, P = 0.01), illiteracy (adjusted OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.19–6.17, P‐value 0.04), current smoker (adjusted OR 4.25, 95% CI 2.12–10.18, P = 0.009) and imbalanced family type (low attachment, low cooperation and poor alignment between each member; adjusted OR 4.52, 95% CI 2.14–7.86, P < 0.001) as risk factors for depression. Conclusions: The prevalence of geriatric depression in rural Thailand is high. Imbalanced family type is an important risk factor for geriatric depression in the rural community. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 1248–1253. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medical needs of the New Order Amish (NOA) remain poorly understood. The NOA community in Pawnee County, Nebraska was founded in 2011 by members from across the Midwest. Understanding what this community wants from their medical providers informs how rural hospitals may best serve the needs of growing NOA populations. To address this, the current utilization of the closest healthcare resource to community were assessed. Medical records data for Amish patients were obtained at Pawnee County Memorial Hospital and Rural Health Clinic from 2011 to 2016. Subjective data were obtained by surveys and interviews administered to Amish in Pawnee County. The 422 complete interactions in the medical record covered most primary care complaints. The fifteen survey respondents valued direct interaction with providers and expressed concerns about cost, emergencies, and access to obstetric practice. Surprisingly, though surveys indicated minimal use of health establishments for many common health complaints, medical records indicated frequent doctor visits for myriad reasons. Naturalistic books were the most utilized source of health information. The NOA utilize formal medicine, but may feel excluded in medical decision-making. They desire better access to obstetric care and culturally sensitive medical practice. Providers should ensure appropriate communication to increase healthcare-related comfort of this underserved population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The pressures of general practice contribute to high levels of stress, low morale, and burnout in some GPs. In addition, rurally-based doctors may experience significant professional isolation. Participation in continuing medical education (CME) appears to reduce stress, and may improve the retention of rural GPs. Aim: As part of a larger study devised to examine the effectiveness of regular participation in CME small group learning (SGL) on rurally-based Irish GPs, this study explored whether CME-SGL had any impact on GP stress, morale, and professional isolation. Design & setting: This was a qualitative study involving four CME-SGL groups based in rural Ireland. Method: Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted in established CME-SGL groups in four different rural geographical locations. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. Results: All members of these CME-SGL groups (n = 43) consented to interview. These GPs reported that regular meetings with an established group of trusted colleagues who are 'in the same boat' provided a 'safe space' for discussion of, and reflection on, both clinical concerns and personal worries. This interaction in a supportive, non-threatening atmosphere helped to relieve stress, lift morale, and boost self-confidence. The social aspect of CME-SGL sustained these rural GPs, and served to alleviate their sense of professional isolation. Conclusion: Delivery of CME through locally-based SGL provides as an important means of supporting GPs working in rural areas. The non-educational benefits of CME-SGL, as described by these Irish GPs, are of relevance for rural doctors in other countries. How [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is characterized by high blood sugar levels resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both, in the absence of treatment. Approximately 90% of people with diabetes are classified as having type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 8% have type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and 2% have a rare type of diabetes. Crescentia cujete Linn., commonly known as Calabash Tree, had previously been reported to possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, and antidiabetic properties. It had been widely used as an herbal medicine in rural areas of the Davao region in the Philippines. The present study aims to investigate the in vitro antidiabetic potential of the different solvent extracts from the air-dried leaves of Calabash Tree. Methods: Secondary metabolites of the crude ethanol, partitioned ethanol/hexane, and ethyl acetate extracts of the air-dried leaves of Crescentia cujete Linn. were assessed qualitatively. In vitro a-amylase and a-glucosidase inhibition assays were conducted. Results: Qualitative screening of the secondary metabolites showed the presence of flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids, saponins, reducing sugars, and condensed tannins in all the solvent extracts. Notably, the ethyl acetate solvent extract exhibited significant inhibition of 75.43% against a-amylase and ethanol solvent extract demonstrated significant inhibition of 57.12% against a-glucosidase. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that air-dried leaves of Crescentia cujete Linn. could serve as a valuable source of secondary metabolites capable of combating a-amylase and ⛙-glucosidase activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the ongoing crisis facing family medicine in British Columbia and highlights the positive changes that occurred in 2023. The introduction of the Longitudinal Family Physician Payment Model in early 2023 aimed to promote good medicine and provide improved compensation for family physicians. However, the model does not address the intense workload and 24/7 obligations that family physicians face, and there is still a shortage of family physicians in the province. The article also mentions the interest of newer family physicians in flexibility and diversity without the burden of fiscal and administrative obligations. Despite these challenges, some new graduates are considering joining practices or taking over retiring physicians' practices due to the payment model. The article concludes by suggesting the need for a common platform for communication among family physicians, specialists, hospitalists, and long-term care physicians to improve efficiency and eliminate redundancy of services. The author encourages collaboration and communication among healthcare professionals and expresses the willingness of the British Columbia Medical Journal to listen to concerns, successes, and solutions. [Extracted from the article]

In the opening paragraphs of this perspective, authors Taylor Zabel and Matthew Tobey cite from Cosby et al.[1], and note that US rural and urban mortality began to diverge in 1990 and the gap has continued to widen ever since. The data suggests that while increasing the availability of health care providers alone may not be sufficient to eliminate the mortality gap between urban and rural populations, it is a necessary step towards achieving the goal of health equity for all. [Extracted from the article]

Comprehensive care through family medicine can enhance the approach to multimorbidity, interprofessional collaboration, and community care, and make medical care more sustainable for older people. This study investigated the effect of implementing family medicine and the comprehensiveness of medical care in one of the most rural communities. This implementation research used medical care data from April 2015 to March 2020. Patients’ diagnoses were categorized according to the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Disease and Related Health Problems (ICD-10). In 2016, family medicine was implemented in only one general hospital in Unnan. The comprehensiveness rate improved in all ICD-10 disease categories during the study period, especially in the following categories—infections; neoplasms; endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases; mental disorders; nervous system; circulatory system; respiratory system; digestive system; skin and subcutaneous tissue; musculoskeletal system and connective tissue; and the genitourinary system. Implementing family medicine in rural Japanese communities can improve the comprehensiveness of medical care and resolve the issue of fragmentation of care by improving interprofessional collaboration and community care. It can be a solution for the aging of both patient and healthcare professionals. Future research can investigate the relationship between family medicine and patient health outcomes for improved healthcare sustainability.

Rural habitat poses several disadvantages to the rural population. Challenges are immense when it comes to organizing the provision of general medical and healthcare services to rural communities. Rural communities are sparingly populated and often remotely located in difficult terrains. Organizing healthcare services such as location is not only difficult logistically but also an expensive proposition. Services are generally planned according to the population and density from the public health perspective. However, human needs are equal for rural people as compared to their urban counterparts. For the rural population to have access to necessary and quality healthcare; the services must be available and obtainable within the rural communities in the primary care setting.

The Brandenburg Medical School “Theodor Fontane” (MHB) was founded in 2014 by municipal and non-profit institutions in Bernau, Brandenburg an der Havel and Neuruppin to train more physicians for the non-metropolitan region of Brandenburg. Since the 2015 summer term, 48 medical students have been enrolled each year, accepted through the university’s own selection process in which the score on the German school-leaving exam and time spent on the waiting list play subordinate roles. Tuition fees can be partially financed through scholarship agreements with regional hospitals if the applicants commit themselves to medical specialist training at a particular hospital. The main places of study are Neuruppin and Brandenburg an der Havel; there is a decentralized study phase from the eighth to tenth semester of study. The Brandenburg Reformed Medical Curriculum (BMM) complies with the model clause contained in the German regulations governing the licensing of medical doctors . The curriculum is based on problem-based learning (PBL) and focused on competencies and consists of integrated interdisciplinary modules that combine, from the very beginning, basic sciences with clinical and theoretical medical subjects. The focus on general practice is visible in the regularly held “Practical Days” during which second-year students and above have the opportunity to observe at participating medical practices and familiarize themselves with primary care in Brandenburg. A special focus of BMM is on the acquisition and development of communication and interpersonal skills. These are imparted through a longitudinal curriculum referred to as “Teamwork, Reflection, Interaction, Communication” (TRIK). High value is placed on critical thinking and scientific scholarship and this is reflected in an eight-week academic placement in which the students independently write a research paper. Several different teaching formats ensure that, along with learning specific subjects, sustained personal development can also take place. BMM’s decentralized study phase starting in the eighth semester represents a special part of the curriculum in which students complete their clinical training in small groups at selected cooperating hospitals in Brandenburg. This phase encompasses not only hospital placements and other local patient-centered courses, but also centralized instruction via video conferencing to assure that basic sciences and clinical theory continue to be covered. Knowledge- and performance-based semester assessments, in particular OSCEs, reinforce the practical aspects of the training. These replace the M1 state medical examination in the first study phase. The first medical students are now in their ninth semester as of April 2019, making it still too early for final evaluations. The curriculum, successfully implemented to date, already satisfies core requirements of the Master Plan 2020 for undergraduate medical education with the curriculum's organization and structure, curricular content, assessment formats and student admission process. With its decentralized structure, BMM specifically addresses the social and health policy challenges facing rural regions of Brandenburg. This is the first curriculum that has taken on the improvement of healthcare in rural regions as its central aim.

Background: The pressures of general practice contribute to high levels of stress, low morale, and burnout in some GPs. In addition, rurally-based doctors may experience significant professional isolation. Participation in continuing medical education (CME) appears to reduce stress, and may improve the retention of rural GPs. Aim: As part of a larger study devised to examine the effectiveness of regular participation in CME small group learning (SGL) on rurally-based Irish GPs, this study explored whether CME-SGL had any impact on GP stress, morale, and professional isolation. Design & setting: This was a qualitative study involving four CME-SGL groups based in rural Ireland. Method: Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted in established CME-SGL groups in four different rural geographical locations. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically. Results: All members of these CME-SGL groups (n = 43) consented to interview. These GPs reported that regular meetings with an established group of trusted colleagues who are ‘in the same boat’ provided a ‘safe space’ for discussion of, and reflection on, both clinical concerns and personal worries. This interaction in a supportive, non-threatening atmosphere helped to relieve stress, lift morale, and boost self-confidence. The social aspect of CME-SGL sustained these rural GPs, and served to alleviate their sense of professional isolation. Conclusion: Delivery of CME through locally-based SGL provides as an important means of supporting GPs working in rural areas. The non-educational benefits of CME-SGL, as described by these Irish GPs, are of relevance for rural doctors in other countries.

Objective: Investigators implemented the Rural Information Connection (RIC) project, a library-initiated deployment of iPad Mini 3s for third-year medical students who were enrolled in a seven-month rural longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) rotation. The research aims were to determine if devices preloaded with high-quality mobile health apps enhanced the experience and increased access to and awareness of mobile health information resources for the enrolled project participants. Methods: Nine participants enrolled in this mixed methods research project. Pre- and post-survey and structured learning journals (SLJs) were used for data collection on device and app use. Descriptive statistics and thematic coding analysis included data from seven pre-surveys, nine post-surveys, and sixty-four SLJ prompts. The validated Technology Acceptance Model instrument was also incorporated to gauge the devices’ integration into the participants’ workflow. Results: The investigation indicated that the iPad Mini 3 and resources were utilized and integrated at varying levels in the participants’ workflow. Reported use of health information apps suggests a preference for broad-based information sources rather than specific or specialized information resources. Participants performed several tasks on the device, including seeking background information, educating patients, and managing rotation schedules. Participant reflections indicated positive experiences utilizing the device and health information resources, which enhanced their rural LIC rotations. Conclusions: The research analysis demonstrates the information-seeking behavior of medical students immersed in a rural environment and indicates an acceptance of mobile technology into the workflow of participants in this project. Mobile device deployments offer great opportunities for librarians to design innovative programming in medical education.

Purpose: The aim of this project was to collect data on the delivery of anesthesia in Canada. Specifically, our goal was to increase knowledge by identifying provider demographics and different models of anesthesia delivery, and to explore relationships among specialist anesthesiologists (SAs) and family practice anesthetists (FPAs) with a focus on mentoring., Methods: An online questionnaire was circulated to SAs and FPAs holding membership with the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society or the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada. A total of 274/2,578 individuals completed the survey (170 SAs and 104 FPAs), providing a response rate of 10.6%. The survey included questions about demographics, anesthesia training, anesthesia resources, models of care, and mentoring relationships., Results: Three major themes emerged from the data: 1) FPAs and rural operating rooms are underused resources as 65% (64/98) of FPAs reported having capacity to increase their individual volume of anesthesia services and 41% (40/98) thought capacity existed within their hospital to increase the volume of surgery; 2) 20 hospitals employed a mixed model of anesthesia care whereby SAs and FPAs worked collectively within the same site; providers working within this model reported high levels of satisfaction and independence; 3) most SAs and FPAs perceived a benefit to mentoring and were interested in participating in a mentoring program., Conclusion: This survey shows perceived capacity to expand surgical services in rural areas, a precedent for a mixed SA-FPA model of anesthesia delivery at the same site, and desire for anesthesia providers to engage in mentoring. Such options should be considered to strengthen the physician-led anesthesiology profession in Canada., (© 2024. Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.)

Background: International workforce shortages have prompted many initiatives to recruit, train and retain rural doctors, including Australia's emerging National Rural Generalist Pathway. This project explored an important component of retention, rural doctors' post-Fellowship support needs, to develop and validate a post-Fellowship support framework. There has been considerable international attention on social accountability in medical education and how medical schools and other institutions can address the needs of the communities they serve. The recognition that rural and remote communities globally are underserved has prompted numerous educational approaches including rurally focused recruitment, selection, and training. Less attention has been paid to the support needs of rural doctors and how they can be retained in rural practice once recruited., Methods: The project team reviewed international and Australian rural workforce and medical education literature and relevant policy documents to develop a set of guiding principles for a post-Fellowship support framework. This project utilised a mixed methods approach involving quantitative and qualitative methodologies. A range of rural doctors, administrators, and clinicians, working in primary and secondary care, across multiple rural locations in Queensland were invited to participate in interviews. Thematic analysis was undertaken., Results: The interviews validated ten interconnected guiding principles which enabled development of a grounded, contextually relevant approach to post-Fellowship support. This framework provides a blueprint for a retention strategy aiming to build a strong, skilled, and sustainable medical workforce capable of meeting community needs., Conclusions: The ten principles were designed in the real-world context of a mature Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway. Four themes emerged from the inductive thematic analysis: connecting primary and secondary care; valuing a rural career; supporting training and education; and valuing rural general practice. These themes will be used as a basis for engagement and consultation with rural stakeholders to develop appropriate retention and support strategies., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2024 Dhupelia D et al.)

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is recognized as a key imaging modality to bridge the diagnostic imaging gap in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). POCUS use has been shown to impact patient management decisions including referral for specialist care. This study explored the impact of POCUS use on referral decisions among trained healthcare providers working in primary rural and peri-urban health facilities in Kenya., Methods: A concurrent mixed methods approach was used, including a locally developed survey (N = 38) and semi-structured interviews of POCUS trained healthcare providers (N = 12). Data from the survey was descriptively analyzed and interviews were evaluated through the framework matrix method., Results: Survey results of in-facility access to Xray, Ultrasonography, CT scan and MRI were 49%, 33%, 3% and 0% respectively. Only 54% of the facilities where trainees worked had the capacity to perform cesarean sections, and 38% could perform general surgery. Through a combined inductive and deductive evaluation of interview data, we found that the emerging themes could be organized through the framework of the six domains of healthcare quality as described by the Institute of Medicine: Providers reported that POCUS use allowed them to make referral decisions which were timely, safe, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centered. Challenges included machine breakdown, poor image quality, practice isolation, lack of institutional support and insufficient feedback on the condition of patients after referral., Conclusion: This study highlighted that in the setting of limited imaging and surgical capacity, POCUS use by trained providers in Kenyan primary health facilities has the potential to improve the patient referral process and to promote key dimensions of healthcare quality. Therefore, there is a need to expand POCUS training programs and to develop context specific POCUS referral algorithms., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: There is little data evaluating procedural skills in current rural pediatric practices. In order to prepare a cadre of pediatricians to work in rural settings, we require an understanding of the unique procedural skills needed by rural pediatric providers. Our objective was to determine how often pediatricians performed various procedural skills, determine the importance of these skills to current practice, and how they differ between rural and urban pediatric providers., Methods: A survey evaluating pediatrician utilization of the 13 required Accreditation Council Graduate Medical Education procedural skills in current practice was developed and distributed to pediatric providers in New Mexico. Descriptive statistics were used to profile participants and describe survey responses. Chi-square tests were used to evaluate differences by urban setting or IHS. Fisher's exact test was employed to assess differences if cell sizes were less than five. All p-values were two sided with alpha=.05. Benjamini-Hochberg method was used to control for type 1 errors., Results: Fifty-two of 216 pediatric providers responded. The majority surveyed performed each of the 13 procedures less than monthly but competency in many of these procedures is important. Thirty-two respondents submitted free-text responses recommending competence with tracheostomy changes, gastrostomy-tube changes/cares, and circumcision., Conclusion: Majority of surveyed pediatricians performed the required procedures less than monthly but deemed several procedures to be important. Rural pediatricians recommended specific procedural skills needed in rural practice. All trainees receive procedural skills training. However, trainees interested in rural practice may need additional training in specific skills different than their non-rural counterparts., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

In Japan, there are rural clinics designated for areas without physicians to ensure the availability of medical care for rural area residents. The purpose of this study was to clarify the attributes of physicians working in the rural clinics. Using the 2018 Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data in Japan, we compared the attributes and board certifications of physicians in rural clinics with those of physicians in other clinics. The age group with the highest percentage of physicians was the over 70 group (16%) and the early 30s group (15%) at rural clinics; however, the highest percentage of physicians at other clinics was the 70 over group (20%) and the early 60s group (16%). The number of physicians working in the internal medicine field at rural clinics was 550 (89%). There were 147 (27%) board-certified physicians in that field. Among them, the number of board certifications in internal medicine, surgery, and other than internal medicine or surgery were 79 (54%), 17 (12%), and 51 (35%), respectively. The proportion of board-certified surgery physicians within the internal medicine field in rural clinics was significantly higher than in other clinics (5%). In rural clinics, the age distribution of physicians was different from that in other clinics, and many of the physicians worked in the internal medicine field, but some of them seemed to have a mismatch between their board-certifications and their fields of practice. Further studies are necessary to clarify what the mismatches mean in rural practice.

Background: The shortage of family physicians is a considerable challenge in Hungary. The number of vacant practices is increasing and the rural and deprived areas are more affected., Objectives: This study aimed to investigate medical students' attitudes towards rural family medicine., Methods: The current study used a cross-sectional design with a self-administered questionnaire. Each of the four Hungarian medical universities was represented by their medical students from December 2019 to April 2020., Results: The response rate was 67.3% ( n  = 465/691). Only 5% of the participants plan to be a family doctor, 5% of the students plan to work in rural areas. On a 5-point Likert scale (1 = 'surely not', 5 = 'surely yes'), half of the participants answered 1 or 2 to choose rural medical work, while 17.5% answered 4 or 5. There was a significant relationship between rural working plans and rural origin (OR = 1.97; p  = 0.024), and the plan to work in family practice (OR = 4.90; p  < 0.001)., Conclusion: Family medicine is not a popular career option among Hungarian medical students and rural medical work is even less attractive. Medical students with a rural origin and an interest in family medicine are more likely to plan to work in rural areas. More objective information and experience need to be given to medical students about rural family medicine to increase the attractiveness of the speciality.

Introduction: Respiratory distress is the leading cause of admission to neonatal units and is a common indication for medical retrieval. Whilst approximately 25% of births in NSW occur in regional centres, there is a paucity of neonatal research in these settings., Objective: To describe the characteristics and outcomes of term neonates admitted with respiratory distress to two regional special care nurseries (SCNs) and identify variables associated with the need for medical retrieval., Design: We describe a cohort of 629 term infants admitted to the SCN in two regional hospitals, 2015-2019. We describe the admission characteristics, level of respiratory support, biochemical investigations, diagnosis and outcomes., Findings: During the study period, 629 eligible term infants were admitted, retrieval occurred in 29 (4.6%). Those admitted were more often male (66.5%), with a mean gestational age of 39 + 1 weeks (±9 days) and birth weight of 3470 g (±500 g). Infants requiring medical retrieval had higher PaCO 2 on blood gas analysis (59.8 mmHg vs. 53.3 mmHg, OR 1.03, p = 0.02). There was no association between maternal GBS status, meconium-stained liquor, gestational age, or raised inflammatory markers and medical retrieval. Transient tachypnoea of the newborn was the most common diagnosis of neonates admitted to SCN with respiratory distress., Discussion: Among term infants admitted to a SCN for respiratory distress most were male, of a normal birthweight and born in good condition. Within our cohort there was no association between retrieval and maternal GBS colonisation, meconium-stained liquor or raised infectious biomarkers. Medical retrieval was infrequent and was associated with higher PaCO 2 on initial blood gas analysis., Conclusion: We present a large cohort of term newborn infants managed for respiratory distress in a regional setting over a five-year period. Retrieval was infrequent, and outcomes for the cohort were excellent with no deaths during the study period., (© 2023 National Rural Health Alliance Ltd..)

The patient is transferred to the tertiary care center where it is drained by the attending emergency physician and emergency medicine resident. Keywords: emergency medicine education; lifelong learning; rural emergency medicine; self-assessment; tele-medicine EN emergency medicine education lifelong learning rural emergency medicine self-assessment tele-medicine 1 2 2 05/02/23 20230401 NES 230401 The expansive practice of emergency medicine cannot be fully taught or learned in 3 or 4 years. Lifelong learning, rural emergency medicine, emergency medicine education, self-assessment, tele-medicine. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Japan's population is rapidly aging, and at the same time, the number of medical students interested in general or family medicine is declining. Community‐based medical education (CBME) programs may be used to promote interest and competencies in general medicine among medical students. Method: This mixed‐method study investigated the perceptions of fifth‐ and sixth year undergraduate medical students who completed a two week CBME course in Unnan, a small city in rural Japan. The participants completed two survey questionnaires: (a) The achievement questionnaire administered pre‐ and posttraining, and (b) the curriculum content questionnaire administered posttraining. To understand the students' perceptions about general medicine further, semistructured interviews were conducted with each participant post‐CBME training. Results: The participants' ratings on the achievement survey improved significantly from pre‐ to posttraining. The average ratings for the curriculum content survey indicated that the educational objectives were met in all but one area. A qualitative analysis of the interview data revealed that the participants had little exposure to general medicine at their university hospital, and there was a lack of understanding in other medical professionals regarding the roles of general medicine physicians. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that there are educational gaps between medical universities and community hospitals regarding general medicine. Increased exposure, early exposure, and a clarification of the competencies were noted as areas to improve the students' understanding of general medicine. Undergraduates should be exposed to general medicine more frequently and from early training stages through effective collaborations between universities and hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This retrospective study describes the role of behavioral health in an addiction medicine program integrated in a primary care clinic, and evaluates retention, substance use, and mental health symptoms for patients in a rural underserved community. Method: Data were abstracted from records of patients referred for buprenorphine treatment of opioid use disorder (N = 101; 45% female, 23% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Mage = 42.5, SD = 12.75). Among patients prescribed buprenorphine (n = 61), most had comorbid substance-related diagnoses (72% with tobacco use, 75% with at least one other substance use disorder) and non-substance-related mental health diagnoses (77%), most commonly depression and anxiety. Integrated sessions with a behavioral health provider and a buprenorphine-waivered prescriber occurred weekly to monthly. Participants completed depression and anxiety questionnaires (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7) and provided urine samples at each visit. Results: Most patients (72%) were retained for at least 3 months, with early dropout associated with higher initial depression and anxiety scores. Inconsistent urine drug tests (i.e., those positive for illicit/nonprescribed substances) were significantly more common at treatment initiation (74%) than during the most recent visit (43%, p <.001), and were associated with baseline substance and other mental health factors, as well as shorter treatment duration. Generalized estimating equations models suggested time-based improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms, especially for patients retained for at least 3 months. Conclusions: Integrating wraparound addiction treatment within a rural primary care setting is feasible and associated with improved mental health and retention outcomes. Addiction medicine services integrated in primary care health care centers can help make treatment for opioid use disorders and comorbid substance use and other mental health conditions accessible for rural underserved populations. The greater improvements associated with remaining in treatment suggest opportunities for multidisciplinary teams to identify and reduce psychological, physical, and psychosocial barriers to remaining in treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]