PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “General Practice”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,081 records · Page 60Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Mianserin in the treatment of depressive illness and anxiety states in general practice.

1. In an initial study in general practice, mianserin was shown to be of similar antidepressant efficacy to imipramine. 2. A subsequent placebo-controlled study confirmed that mianserin is an effective as imipramine, and also demonstrated that both mianserin and imipramine are superior to placebo in the treatment of depression in general practice. 3. In a third trial, mianserin was found to be as effective as diazepam in the treatment of anxiety states in general practice. 4. The overall incidence of side-effects in this series of studies, either with mianserin or with the comparison drugs, was very low.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Research methodology: Coding perceived morbidity in general practice--an evaluation of the Read Classification and the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC).

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the Read Classification and the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC). METHODS: The Read Classification was used to code the diagnoses for 3474 patient encounters, in a pilot sample of three volunteer practices (11 general practitioners), and the ICPC was used to code 21,416 patient encounters in a stratified quota sample of 22 practices (59 general practitioners), in a survey aiming to relate prescribing to perceived diagnosis. RESULTS/EXPERIENCE: The Read Classification was found to be a detailed and exhaustive classification of medical diagnoses, but it was more time consuming to use than the ICPC, due to the complexity of the classification, the over-use of alpha characters compared to the ICPC, and the mixing of alpha characters with numeric digits within the codes. Encoding, decoding and statistical analysis were found to be more straightforward using the ICPC compared with the Read Classification. The ICPC was found to be deficient in 40 important diagnoses, and these are listed. CONCLUSION: The Read Classification was of limited value in this drug utilization survey, in that the design of the code reduced its utility in statistical analyses. The ICPC was an efficient code, which met the criteria of exclusiveness, usefulness and hierarchy. The classification is not exhaustive enough to prevent loss of information as a result of coding, but the authors' amendments virtually eliminated this problem.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

[A screening test for depression in general practice. The COOP/WONCA chart].

Depressed patients in general practice may be difficult to identify. Questionnaires may be used for screening but some of the existing instruments are difficult to use and have only to a limited degree been introduced in general practice. In this study 798 patients' answers to the COOP/WONCA chart "Feelings" were compared to GPs' diagnosis according to ICD-10 criteria for depressive single episode (F32). At cut-off2/3 (slight/moderate problems) the chart had a sensitivity of 89% (76-100%) and specificity of 75% (72-78%). The predictive value of a positive test was not higher than 33% for any cut-off point and the predictive value of a negative test never less than 98%. A two-phased diagnostic strategy with the COOP/WONCA chart as step one is suggested as a possible and relatively simple way to optimize recognition of depressive patients in general practice.

Denmark↗
PubMed2000

Practice factors that influence antibiotic prescribing in general practice in Tayside.

A cohort design was used to evaluate antibiotic prescribing in relation to patient and general practice characteristics. The study included prescribing to all subjects resident in Tayside, from January to December 1994 and found 215217 antibiotic prescriptions dispensed to 118596 people. Training status of general practitioners (GPs) was found to be the characteristic most associated with prescribing. Adjusting for other GP characteristics had little effect on these results. Training practice status was the dominant factor associated with significant differences in rates of antibiotic prescribing, in class of antibiotic prescribed and in performance indicators of antibiotic prescribing.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2001

Comorbidity of common mental disorders and alcohol or other substance misuse in Australian general practice.

OBJECTIVE: To determine in patients attending general practice 1) the extent of comorbidity of mental disorders and alcohol or other substance misuse, and consequent disability; and 2) GPs' diagnosis and management of patients with comorbidity. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional national audit of general practices throughout Australia in 1998-1999. PARTICIPANTS: 46 515 ambulatory care patients attending 386 GPs. SCREENING TOOLS: Prevalence of common mental disorders--12 items from the 34-item SPHERE self-report questionnaire and associated classification system; prevalence of alcohol or other substance misuse--two self-report screening questions, defining "probable" misuse (a positive response to both questions) and "possible" misuse (a positive response to one of the questions); disability--four items from the Brief Disability Questionnaire, and self-reported "days out of role" and "days in bed" in the past month; and rates of psychological diagnosis, treatment and referral by GPs, and GPs' rating of patients' psychological risk. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comorbidity of mental disorders and alcohol or other substance misuse; disability; and correlation with GPs' diagnosis and management. RESULTS: The screening questions revealed possible alcohol or other substance misuse in 11% of patients (5171/46515), and probable misuse in an additional 8% of patients (3593/46515). Comorbidity of mental disorders and substance misuse occurred in 12% (5672/46515) of patients. Patients with comorbidity (compared with those with alcohol or other substance misuse alone) were: more disabled--mean "days out of role in the last month", 8.4 (95% CI, 7.7-9.1) v 3.6 (95% CI, 2.9-4.3); at greater psychological risk (as rated by GPs)--22% v 7%, respectively; more frequently given psychological diagnoses by GPs--51% v 21%; more frequently treated for a psychological condition by GPs--47% v 17%; and more frequently referred to mental health specialists by GPs--9% v 2%. CONCLUSION: Comorbidity of mental disorders and alcohol or other substance misuse is common in patients attending general practice, and results in considerable disability. Such patients receive inadequate attention (diagnosis and management) from GPs. GPs identifying one of these two types of behaviour disorder in a patient should ascertain whether the other type is also present.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Randomised controlled trial of a collaborative care model with psychiatric consultation for persistent medically unexplained symptoms in general practice.

BACKGROUND: Patients with persistent medically unexplained symptoms often exhibit general dysfunction and psychiatric comorbidity and frequently resist psychiatric referral. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a collaborative care model including training for general practitioners (GPs) and a psychiatric consultation model for patients with persistent medically unexplained symptoms in general practice. METHOD: Randomised controlled trial. Cluster randomisation at GP practices and multilevel analysis were performed. A total of 81 patients from 36 general practices completed the study. A collaborative care model of training and psychiatric consultation in general practice in the presence of the GP was compared with training plus care as usual by the GP. Outcome assessment on the patients' well-being, functioning and utilisation of health care services was performed 6 weeks and 6 months later. RESULTS: All the patients had somatoform disorders (Whitely Index 7.46), and 86% had comorbid psychiatric disorders. In the intervention group, the severity of the main medically unexplained symptoms decreased by 58%. The patients' social functioning improved. The utilization of health care was lower than in the care as usual group. CONCLUSIONS: A collaborative care model combining training with psychiatric consultation in the general practice setting is an effective intervention in the treatment of persistent medically unexplained symptoms. Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly comorbid in this group. The findings warrant a larger study.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

The long march: the development of academic general practice in the UK and Ireland.

Academic general practice and primary care is thriving in both the UK and Ireland, as judged by the content and vibrancy of the main annual scientific meetings of the discipline in the two countries. Problems and challenges abound, but the long-term trend is one of steady growth, with gradual increases in capacity and activity. Contributions to undergraduate medical education and to multidisciplinary professional development, and achievements in the UK University Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) show what the discipline is capable of. A major challenge remains the creation and funding of appropriate academic career structures in academic general practice and primary care, removing the current financial disincentives, uncertainties and problems in acquiring both clinical and academic experience. With increased numbers of clinical and non-clinical academics working in general practice and primary care, the discipline is set to play an important role in health service development in both the UK and Ireland.

Biomedical Research↗
PubMed2005

Smoking cessation guidelines for Australian general practice.

BACKGROUND: The Smoking cessation guidelines for Australian general practice is based on published evidence, review of overseas guidelines, existing general practice programs, and a process of stakeholder consultation. It was distributed to Australian general practitioners in 2004. OBJECTIVE: This article describes the development and content of the guidelines. DISCUSSION: The guidelines provide an evidence based approach to smoking cessation advice in general practice using the 5 As framework (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist, Arrange). The intervention approach (modelled on the Smokescreen Program) makes use of stage of change assessment and motivational interviewing. The guidelines are consistent with the Smoking, Nutrition and Physical activity (SNAP) framework for intervention on behavioural risk factors, and integrate GP advice with Quitline services.

Australia↗
PubMed2001

[Analysis of expert reports from a general practice expert in disciplinary cases and malpractice claims against family practitioners (1994-2000): a lesson for clinical practice].

Of the reports issued by a general practice expert for disciplinary and malpractice cases in the period 1994 to August 2000, 76 were analysed, with the emphasis on the more serious cases. Infectious diseases and cardiovascular diseases together formed 42% of the cases judged. The starting point of the analysis was the practice of an 'average general practitioner'. On the basis of jurisprudence and general practice literature, failure to diagnose a rare illness was not automatically regarded as reproachable but failing to estimate the seriousness of a situation was. In the first place it was checked whether or not general practitioner had adequately estimated the seriousness of the situation by paying due attention to the alarm signals and risk factors and in the case of diagnostic doubts by ensuring adequate follow-up. According to the analysis, 41% of the cases clearly exhibited reproachable conduct. This figure was twice as high when a locum was working at a practice. Two-thirds of the primary errors were due to the seriousness of the situation not being adequately estimated as a result of too little attention being paid to alarm signals and risk factors as well as a failure to ensure adequate follow-up. On the basis of the analysis it is advised that the use of a locum should be regarded as a risk situation: better information can be made available by means of an electronic patient file and unequivocal agreements for drawing up reports. For each consultation, the GP must systematically check whether there are alarm signals or risk factors. In the case of diagnostic doubts the clinical picture should be actively followed up by means of clear follow-up appointments at definite times. In the guidelines of the Netherlands Society for General Practitioners, explicit attention should be given to alarm signals and risk factors. In medical training and ongoing professional education, systematic training should be provided in the recognition of serious situations and rare diseases/complications.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Hypothetical model of the financial impact of student attachments on rural general practices.

BACKGROUND: Is teaching a medical student always a financial burden on rural general practice? If so, is the current trend towards increasing placement of students in rural practice sustainable? Retrospective studies of short-term attachments to rural general practice have repeatedly shown a financial cost to the practice. Might the results be different for extended attachments? This paper presents the results of a small prospective study of the financial impact of undergraduate medical students undertaking the Parallel Rural Community Curriculum, a 12 month clinical attachment to rural general practice in the Riverland region of South Australia. METHODS: Students and doctors involved in the program kept separate logs of patient contact time. These data were triangulated with third-party direct observation of consultations and an exit questionnaire on patient satisfaction. RESULTS: In this study, where students had already been actively involved in all aspects of the practice for at least 5 months, it was found that students had a positive effect on general practitioner productivity, without any loss in patient satisfaction. DISCUSSION: To account for these findings, a hypothetical model has been developed of the financial impact of a student on a rural general practice over time. With the current trend in medical schools to undertake increasing amounts of teaching in rural general practice, it is suggested that it may be more economically sustainable if curricula are adapted to allow extended attachments, likely to be at least 5-6 months, rather than traditional shorter rotations.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

General practice integration in Australia. Primary health services provider and consumer perceptions of barriers and solutions.

OBJECTIVE: To identify practical examples of barriers and possible solutions to improve general practice integration with other health service providers. METHOD: Twelve focus groups, including one conducted by teleconference, were held across Australia with GPs and non GP primary health service providers between May and September, 1996. Focus groups were embedded within concept mapping sessions, which were used to conceptually explore the meaning of integration in general practice. Data coding, organising and analysis were based on the techniques documented by Huberman and Miles. RESULTS: Barriers to integration were perceived to be principally due to the role and territory disputes between the different levels of government and their services, the manner in which the GP's role is currently defined, and the system of GP remuneration. Suggestions on ways to improve integration involved two types of strategies. The first involves initiatives implemented 'top down' through major government reform to service structures, including the expansion of the role of divisions of general practice, and structural changes to the GP remuneration systems. The second type of strategy suggested involves initiatives implemented from the 'bottom up' involving services such as hospitals (e.g. additional GP liaison positions) and the use of information technology to link services and share appropriate patient data. CONCLUSION: The findings support the need for further research and evaluation of initiatives aimed at achieving general practice integration at a systems level. There is little evidence to suggest which types of initiatives improve integration. However, general practice has been placed in the centre of the health care debate and is likely to remain central to the success of such initiatives. Clarification of the future role and authority of general practice will therefore be required if such integrative strategies are to be successful at a wider health system level.

Australia↗
PubMed1992

Cost effectiveness of minor surgery in general practice: a prospective comparison with hospital practice.

The cost effectiveness of general practitioners undertaking minor surgery in their practices was determined in a prospective comparison of patients having minor surgery undertaken in five general practices over a 12 week period in 1989, and in the departments of dermatology and general surgery in Rotherham District General Hospital over a contemporaneous eight week period. There were no differences between the settings in the reported rates of wound infection or other complications and only one general practice patient was subsequently referred to hospital for specialist treatment. General practitioners sent a smaller proportion of specimens to a histopathology laboratory than hospital doctors (61% versus 90%, P less than 0.001); incorrectly diagnosed a larger proportion of malignant conditions as benign (10% versus 1%, P less than 0.05) and inadequately excised 5% of lesions where this never happened in hospital (difference not significant). General practice patients had shorter waiting times between referral and treatment, spent less time and money attending for treatment and more of them were satisfied with their treatment. The cost of a procedure undertaken in general practice was less than in hospital--pounds 33.53 versus pounds 45.54 for the excision of a lesion and pounds 3.00 versus pounds 3.22 for cryotherapy of a wart (1989-90 prices). Performing minor surgery in general practice would seem cost effective compared with a hospital setting. However, the risk of general practitioners inadequately excising a malignancy and not sending it to a histopathology laboratory must be addressed and the conclusion regarding cost effectiveness only applies where general practice is a substitute for the hospital setting and not an additional activity.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1990

[Norwegian professional literature for general practice. Requirements and expectations].

The amount of Norwegian specialist literature for general practice is increasing. In this article we discuss 16 requirements that should be considered when producing new books for general practice. These requirements refer to four main areas: --We should prove that the general practitioner needs the book --The book should develop the theoretical and professional basis of general practice --The book should develop the practical and concrete contents of general practice --The book should have a presentation which makes the information easily accessible to a busy general practitioner.

Books↗
PubMed2002

Recruitment of UK-trained doctors into general practice: findings from national cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: In recent years there have been difficulties with recruitment in the United Kingdom (UK) to principalships in general practice. AIM: To compare recruitment trends in cohorts defined by year of qualification and to report attitudes of young doctors about the attractiveness of a career in general practice. DESIGN OF STUDY: Cohort studies. SETTING: UK medical qualifiers in the years 1974, 1977, 1983, 1988, 1993, and 1996. METHOD: Postal questionnaire surveys conductedfrom 1975 to 1999. RESULTS: Five years after qualification, 23.8% of 1993 qualifiers were in UK general practice, compared with 25.9% and 32.8% of 1988 and 1983 qualifiers respectively. Six per cent of responders in the 1993 cohort were general practitioner (GP) principals, compared with 10% of the 1988 cohort and 20% of the 1983 cohort. Ten years after qualification, 37.7% of 1988 qualifiers and 42.7% of 1983 qualifiers were in UK general practice. Older GPs had lower job satisfaction than their contemporaries in hospital practice, while younger GPs were more satisfied than younger hospital doctors with the time available for leisure. Although young doctors are less inclined to enter general practice nowadays, over haf of the 1996 qualifiers, when surveyed in 1999, actually regarded general practice as a more attractive career than hospital practice. CONCLUSION: Patterns of entry into and commitment to UK general practice are changing. Fewer young doctors are choosing and entering general practice and early commitment to full-time principalships is falling. The 1996 cohort, however, took an encouragingly positive view of the attractiveness of careers in general practice.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1993

Care of diabetic patients in hospital clinics and general practice clinics: a study in Dudley.

A five year retrospective casenote review was undertaken of 452 patients attending 11 different general practice diabetic clinics, and 506 patients attending a diabetic clinic at hospital A and 210 patients attending a diabetic clinic at hospital B. The populations attending the clinics, the degree of glycaemic control achieved and the monitoring for the development of diabetic complications were investigated. Insulin dependent patients comprised 57.9% of patients attending the diabetic clinic at hospital A, 35.7% at hospital B and 25.0% of patients attending the diabetic clinics at general practices. Of these 55.6%, 37.3% and 30.1% respectively received multiple daily insulin injections. Hospital A had a higher proportion of patients under 40 years old than hospital B or the general practice clinics. The ages of diabetic patients attending the general practice diabetic clinics were broadly similar to those attending hospital B. Significantly more general practice patients, both insulin and non-insulin dependent, had a mean blood glucose level of less than 11 mmol l-1 compared with patients attending clinics at hospitals A and B (P < 0.001). Glycosylated haemoglobin levels did not differ between patients attending hospital A and the general practice clinics. More non-insulin dependent and insulin dependent diabetic patients attending the general practice clinics and hospital A had been monitored satisfactorily for diabetic retinopathy (general practice clinic 68.8% and 39.7% respectively, hospital A 61.7% and 43.5%) than at hospital B (43.0% and 19.4%). Referral rates among all groups for ophthalmological assessment were similar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Prevalence of symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon in general practice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon in the populations of five general practices. DESIGN: Two populations studied. A questionnaire was given to all new patients attending five general practices over four weeks, and the same questionnaire was sent by post to a random sample of adults from two of the practices. SETTING: General practices in inner London, Merseyside, and Cheshire. SUBJECTS: 1532 Patients who completed questionnaires (1119 who attended the surgeries (response rate unknown) and 413 respondents to the postal survey (response rate 69%)). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Response to questionnaire on symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon: patients were regarded as having the disease if they had episodes of blanching of the fingers that were precipitated by cold and accompanied by sensory symptoms (pins and needles or numbness). Subsequent interview and clinical appraisal of patients with the disease according to their responses to the questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon was 11% (26/231) and 19% (34/182) respectively in men and women who completed the postal questionnaire and 16% (56/357) and 21% (157/762) respectively in those who completed the questionnaire when attending their general practice. Thus the overall rates were slightly higher in women, but there was no effect of age even after adjustment of the rates for practice and method of survey. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Raynaud's phenomenon is high compared with the low number of patients who seek treatment for the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

The basis of general practice, its content and relation to training.

The present status is the newly defined discipline of general practice is briefly outlined. The reasons for its worldwide upsurge in the past decade and the relative failure of South Africa to keep abreast are reviewed. A brief exposition is given of the knowledge and skills required for general practice, the consultation, the clinical process and the content of what in some countries is regarded as family medicine. The difference in ethos between 'doctor-orientated' and 'patient-orientated' medicine is discussed. The latter approach is essential to general practice, in which the attidudes of both doctor and patient and their interactions are known to have an effect on the clinical process. The non-directive educative approach is discussed in relation to undergraduate and postgraduate training, and the attempts to make postgraduate general practice examinations valid and reliable, so that they evaluate the actual day-to-day activities of the doctor, are alluded to. The content of general practice is as yet not clearly identified and the problems encountered in delineating these as well as suggested approaches are presented. It is concluded that in South Africa no serious attempts have been made by legislative bodies and most medical educational institutions to recognize general practice as a new displine in spite of pioneering work achieved by the Faculty of General Practice of the College of Medicine of South Africa.

Clinical Competence↗