Introducing lifestyle medicine into family medicine: Theory and applications.

"Lifestyle medicine (LM) is an evidence-based therapeutic intervention delivered by clinicians trained and certified in this specialty to prevent, treat, and often reverse chronic disease". Eighty percent of the conditions primary care physicians routinely encounter in their offices, e.g.

A Naturalistic Study of Outcomes for Durable Remission in Patients With Bipolar Disorder.

Objective: Bipolar disorder is a severe mental illness affecting emotional stability, physical health, and quality of life. In a previous study, we identified medications associated with remission in patients with bipolar disorder. The objective of the current study was to determine the status of the patients after 3 additional years, as well as the medications associated with remission.

Effects of a Lifestyle Medicine Elective on Self-Care Behaviors in Preclinical Medical Students.

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a lifestyle medicine elective on medical students' self-care behaviors. From fall, 2015, through spring, 2017, a lifestyle medicine elective was offered to first and second year medical students. Acquisition of data was approved by the IRB.

Effects of a stress management program on third year medical students' anxiety depression and somatization.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Transition from the medical school classroom to the clinical training years requires students to adapt in many ways.

A Stress Management Program for Higher Risk Medical Students: Preliminary Findings.

Approximately 10 % of first year medical students have clinically relevant anxiety or depression which may affect academic success and quality of life. This study tested the effects of a stress management intervention on indicators of anxiety, depression and self-efficacy in self-selected first year medical students. Forty two medical students volunteered to participate and provided informed consent.

A Descriptive Analysis of Factors Leading to a 1-Year Remission in Bipolar Disorder.

Background: Bipolar spectrum disorders are associated with symptomatic and functional disability in many patients. Other studies have examined predictors of outcome with variable results. The goal of this retrospective study was to identify medications associated with a minimum of 12 consecutive months of symptomatic, functional, and syndromal remission.

Designing and implementing a resiliency program for family medicine residents.

Family medicine residents are at risk for burnout due to extended work hours, lack of control over their work schedule, and challenging work situations and environments. Building resiliency can prevent burnout and may improve a resident's quality of life and health behavior. This report describes a program designed to build resiliency, the ability to bounce back from stress, in family medicine residents in a medium sized U.

Effects of a brief intervention on retention of patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program.

This intervention assessed the effects of a brief intervention on dropout rate in a cardiac rehabilitation program. One hundred thirty five patients were recruited from a cardiac rehabilitation program and randomized to either a control or intervention group. The intervention group participated in four sessions of motivational interviewing and stress management-relaxation in addition to standard cardiac rehabilitation.

Comparing treatment outcomes of bipolar patients between psychiatry residents and attending physicians.

Objective: The authors sought to compare the outcomes of patients treated by psychiatric residents and attending psychiatrists.

Method: Charts of 121 outpatients meeting criteria for bipolar spectrum disorder were analyzed. Residents treated 41, and attending physicians 80, of 121 patients.

A wellness program for first year medical students.

Entering medical students experience distress symptoms due to the demands of the intensive curriculum, adjustment to new environments and increased responsibilities. The purpose of this controlled, randomized study was to determine the effects of a structured wellness program on measures of anxiety, depression and frequency of acute illness in 449 first year medical students. The effects of eight sessions of stress management were compared to a wait list control group.

The effects of biofeedback in diabetes and essential hypertension.

The metabolic syndrome is likely to develop in patients in whom genetic predisposition, chronic stress, negative emotion, and unhealthy lifestyle habits converge. In light of the psychophysiologic aspect of most of these factors, biofeedback, relaxation, and other psychophysiologic interventions have been studied and used in patients with elements of the metabolic syndrome, particularly diabetes and hypertension. This article reviews the rationale and evidence for biofeedback for the treatment of diabetes and hypertension, which has been shown to effectively lower blood glucose and blood pressure in numerous studies.

Coherence between physician diagnosis and patient self reports of anxiety and depression in primary care.

Mood and anxiety disorders complicate the care of patients with physical illness and pose challenges for primary care physicians. This study explored the coherence between a screening tool (PRIME-MD), a standardized questionnaire (Eysenck Personality Inventory), and physician diagnoses of anxiety and depression. Of 165 patients, 29% had diagnoses of depression, 21% had anxiety, and 59% had no mental health diagnosis.

Effects of depression and anxiety on adherence to cardiac rehabilitation.

Purpose: To determine the effects of depression and anxiety on patient completion of structured cardiac rehabilitation.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of 380 patients with myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, angina, or chronic heart failure referred to cardiac rehabilitation. Patient physical capacity was tested by the standard 12-minute walk test (WT).

Effects of wellness programs in family medicine.

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of wellness programs on quality of life and utilization in an academic family medicine practice in two small controlled studies. One offered stress management and problem solving; the second offered a broader wellness intervention. Outcome measures consisted of scores on the Beck Anxiety Inventory, Hamilton Depression Inventory, CES-D (depression), Health Related Quality of Life, SF-12, and the number of office visits in 6 months.

The patient-physician relationship and medical utilization.

Objective: The goal of this study was to (1) explore the relationship between medical utilization and characteristics of the patient-physician relationship and (2) evaluate the relationship between physician perception of patient difficulty, chronic medical problems, and patient somatizing tendencies.

Method: Patients in an academic family practice center were asked to complete a demographic data sheet, the PRIME-MD Patient Questionnaire, and the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory regarding their relationship with their physicians. Their physicians completed the Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire.

Thermal biofeedback for primary Raynaud's phenomenon: a review of the literature.

The clinical presentation of primary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) derives from various pathogenic triggers. The use of thermal biofeedback (TBF) may be of benefit in reducing the severity and frequency of attacks. This article summarizes the relevant research regarding the pathophysiology of primary RP and mechanism of TBF for RP.

Recent life changes and medical utilization in an academic family practice.

This study was designed to explore the relationship between life events and medical utilization in an academic family practice. Subjects included 268 patients who completed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) to assess recent life events and the PRIME-MD Patient Questionnaire to quantify somatoform symptoms. Medical charts were reviewed for visits and telephone calls to the practice.

Biofeedback-assisted relaxation in type 2 diabetes.

Objective: The objective of this randomized controlled study was to determine the effects of biofeedback and relaxation on blood glucose and HbA1c (A1C) in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes were randomized to either 10 sessions of biofeedback (electromyograph and thermal) and relaxation or 3 sessions of education. All sessions were individual.

Patient-Physician Relationship and Service Utilization: Preliminary Findings.

BACKGROUND: Difficult physician-patient encounters pose a challenge in all aspects of health care. Characteristics of both physicians and patients affect the office encounter and utilization of services. The objectives of this study were to explore the impact of patients' characteristics and the patient-physician relationship on service utilization.

Somatization in Family Practice: Comparing 5 Methods of Classification.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that patients with somatoform disorders are high utilizers of medical care, yet interpretation of studies has been difficult because of variant methods of diagnosis. The goal of this study was to compare 5 different methods of classification on the same group of subjects and to examine prevalence rates of somatoform disorders and medical utilization. METHOD: Subjects completed a demographic questionnaire in the physician's office and the somatization section of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) by telephone.

Psychophysiologic Therapy for Chronic Headache in Primary Care.

BACKGROUND: Headaches account for a high percentage of office visits to primary care physicians, with migraine and tension-type headaches the most common. This article provides a summary of psychophysiologic therapies for migraine and tension-type headache and considers psychosocial factors relevant to headache. Psychophysiologic therapy of headache consists primarily of relaxation and biofeedback.