• Articles

    Family History: The Three-Generation Pedigree

    DANIEL J. WATTENDORF, DONALD W. HADLEY

    The three-generation pedigree is the most efficient way to assess hereditary influences on disease. It can help family physicians identify relatively rare conditions that may not be considered in a differential diagnosis, which allows for earlier diagnosis and more aggressive...

    Diagnosis and Management of Uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections

    SUSAN A. MEHNERT-KAY

    Although the incidence of urinary tract infections has not changed significantly over the last decade, the diagnostic criteria, bacterial resistance patterns, and treatment recommendations have evolved.

    Health Literacy: The Gap Between Physicians and Patients

    RICHARD S. SAFEER , JANN KEENAN

    Health literacy is defined as basic reading and numeric skills that allow a person to function in the health care environment. Even though most adults read at an eighth-grade level and 20 percent of the population reads at or below a fifth-grade level, most health care...

    Child Safety Seat Counseling: Three Keys to Safety

    FRANCES BIAGIOLI

    Child safety seats and automobile safety belts protect children in a crash if they are used correctly, but if a child does not fit in the restraint correctly, it can lead to injury. Family physicians caring for children should know what safety seats are available and which...

    Inside AFP

    The 2005 Annual Clinical Focus: Genomics

    JOYCE A. MERRIMAN

    The Academy’s Annual Clinical Focus (ACF) offers AAFP members state-of-the-art clinical information on a single topic of major importance. The goal of ACF is to provide the tools family physicians need to provide comprehensive patient care in today’s environment of fast-paced...

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    CARRIE MORANTZ

    Senate Subcommittee Votes to Increase Funds for Medical Schools | Bill Would Help Physicians Buy or Upgrade EHR Technology | Smoking Costs U.S. $92 Billion Per Year in Lost Productivity | Senate Leader Seeks Restrictions on Drug Advertisements | Health Insurance Coverage for...

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    AMBER HUNTZINGER

    According to a recent study, maintaining a healthy weight while kicking the smoking habit helps former smokers regain the best possible lung function. Results of the study, published in The Lancet, indicated that weight gain might reduce the beneficial effects of smoking...

    Editorials

    Genomic Medicine for Underserved Minority Populations in Family Medicine

    NADEEM QURESHI, JOE KAI

    Historically, underserved minority populations have been the last to benefit from medical advances. Innovations from the Human Genome Project offer an opportunity to reduce health disparities by using targeted preventive programs and improving physicians’ awareness of common...

    The Role of Literacy in Health and Health Care

    DARREN A. DEWALT, MICHAEL P. PIGNONE

    Up to 40 percent of American adults have fair to poor literacy skills, which can make it difficult for them to function proficiently in the health care system.1 Studies have shown that patients with inadequate literacy have less health-related knowledge, receive less...

    Graham Center Policy One-Pager

    Who Filled First-Year Family Medicine Residency Positions from 1991 to 2004?

    Graduates of U.S. allopathic schools have filled less than one half of the family medicine positions offered in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Match since 2001. Overall fill rates in July have been relatively stable at approximately 94 percent. Family medicine...

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary

    JOHN O’HANDLEY

    Estella, a middle-aged Hispanic patient, visited the mobile clinic for exudative tonsillitis four days ago. The result of her rapid strep test was positive, but her type I allergy to penicillin precluded the use of a beta-lactam antimicrobial for treatment. I was left with...

    Cochrane for Clinicians

    NSAIDs Alone or with Opioids as Therapy for Cancer Pain

    MICHAEL B. POTTER

    Short-term trials indicate that cancer pain can be reduced with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as initial monotherapy. NSAIDs combined with opioids can result in slight short-term improvement in pain compared with either agent alone. Long-term...

    Systemic Corticosteroids for Acute Exacerbations of COPD

    MARK H. EBELL

    Systemic corticosteroids improve symptoms of acute COPD exacerbations at three days and reduce the likelihood of treatment failure. There is no evidence that they reduce mortality or prevent recurrence at 30 days, but the existing studies may be too small to detect such a...

    Clinical Evidence Handbook

    Chronic Prostatitis

    THOMAS JANG, ANTHONY SCHAEFFER

    What are the effects of treatments for chronic bacterial and abacterial prostatitis?

    Photo Quiz

    A 40-Year-Old Man with Chronic Generalized Rash

    MARIANNA L. BLYUMIN, AMOR KHACHEMOUNE

    Photo Quiz presents readers with a clinical challenge based on a photograph or other image.

    FPIN's Clinical Inquiries

    Treatment of Early Parkinson’s Disease

    LORI M. DICKERSON, SARA E. YOUNG, WILLIAM M. SIMPSON, JOAN NASHELSKY

    What is the best medical therapy for early Parkinson’s disease?

    POEMs

    Aspirin Prevents Stroke, but Not Cardiovascular Disease, in Women

    MARK EBELL

    Varying Effects of Lipid Drugs on Overall Mortality Rates

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Intensive Diet-Behavior-Physical Activity Program for Obesity in Children

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Intermittent vs. Continuous Therapy for Mild Asthma

    MARK EBELL

    Nesiritide for CHF May Increase Mortality Risk

    DAVID SLAWSON

    Practice Guidelines

    ACC Statement on Preparticipation Cardiovascular Screening for Competitive Athletes

    CARRIE A. MORANTZ

    The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has released new eligibility guidelines for competitive athletes with cardiovascular abnormalities and clinical guidelines for preparticipation screening.

    Practice Guideline Briefs

    ACOG Recommendations for Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring

    LAURA COUGHLIN , AMBER HUNTZINGER

    A practice bulletin on fetal heart rate monitoring was recently released by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee on Practice Bulletins–Obstetrics.

    ACIP Recommendations on Meningococcal Disease

    LAURA COUGHLIN , AMBER HUNTZINGER

    Updated recommendations on the management of meningococcal disease are available from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    Letters to the Editor

    Childhood Sexual Abuse and Chronic Daily Headaches

    Reconsideration of the Smallpox Vaccination Administration Site

    Chirstopher J. Salgado, Samir Mardini, Hung-Chi Chen

    Appropriate Indications for Administration of tPA

    Use of Dipyridamole in Patients with Recent Stroke or TIA

    Tips from Other Journals

    Topiramate Treatment in Alcohol-Dependent Patients

    KARL E. MILLER

    Ultralow-Dose Estradiol and BMD in Postmenopausal Women

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Subcutaneous Insulin Lispro for Treating DKA

    KARL E. MILLER

    MMR Vaccine Unrelated to Developmental Disorders

    ANNE D. WALLING

    Screening Patients for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

    ANNE D . WALLING

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Urinary Tract Infections: What You Should Know

    A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a bladder infection caused by germs. If you have a UTI, it may hurt to go to the bathroom and you may have to go more than usual. Bladder infections are found most often in young women. Sex can make it easier for germs to get into the...

    Car Safety for Your Child

    All children younger than 12 years should ride in the back seat of the car. This is safer if there is a crash. If your child is not big enough to fit into a safety belt, he or she should use a child safety seat or a booster seat. You will need to change the seat as your child...



    Disclosure

    All editors in a position to control content for this activity, AFP journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.


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