Assessing breast cancer risk in women.

Understanding modifiable and nonmodifiable factors that increase or decrease breast cancer risk allows family physicians to counsel women appropriately. Nonmodifiable factors associated with increased breast cancer risk include advanced age, female sex, family history of breast cancer, increased breast density, genetic predisposition, menarche before age 12 years, and natural menopause after age 45 years. Hormonal factors associated with breast cancer include advanced age at first pregnancy, exposure to diethylstilbestrol, and hormone therapy.

Anatomy correlations: introducing clinical skills to improve performance in anatomy.

Background And Objectives: Gross anatomy is one of the preclinical cornerstones of medical education, but many practitioners feel that medical students' knowledge of anatomy is inadequate. To help students understand the clinical relevance of anatomy studies, Ohio State University faculty developed a course called "Anatomy Correlations." This course introduces students to basic physical examination techniques correlated to gross anatomy dissections and allows them to practice techniques learned.

Screening for breast cancer: current recommendations and future directions.

Breast cancer is one of the most significant health concerns in the United States. Recent reviews have questioned the value of traditional breast cancer screening methods. Breast self-examination has been shown not to improve cancer-specific or all-cause mortality in large studies, but it is commonly advocated as a noninvasive screen.

Teaching cervical dilation measurement to family medicine residents.

Background And Objectives: Cervical dilation measurement is difficult to teach. This pilot study's objective was to determine if residents participating in an innovative workshop improved their cervical measurement accuracy when using soft cervical models in the classroom.

Methods: Resident physicians measured cervical models before and after the workshop.

Viral croup.

Viral croup is the most common form of airway obstruction in children six months to six years of age. The frightening nature of croup often prompts parents and caregivers to seek physician consultation. For children with mild croup, symptomatic care and mist therapy may be all that is necessary.

Common problems in patients recovering from chemical dependency.

Chemical dependency is a common, chronic disease that affects up to 25 percent of patients seen in primary care practices. The treatment goal for patients recovering from chemical dependency should be to avoid relapse. This requires physicians to have an open, nonjudgmental attitude and specific expertise about the implications of addiction for other health problems.

Management of Crohn's disease--a practical approach.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that affects up to 480,000 persons in the United States. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, malaise, and arthralgias, and cause considerable morbidity. Speculation about genetic, environmental, dietary, infectious, and immunologic etiologies has led to treatment modalities directed at each theoretic cause, but therapy guidelines are determined by the severity of disease.

Management of the acute migraine headache.

As many as 30 million Americans have migraine headaches. The impact on patients and their families can be tremendous, and treatment of migraines can present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for family physicians. Abortive treatment options include nonspecific and migraine-specific therapy.

Diagnosis and management of acute bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is one of the top 10 conditions for which patients seek medical care. Physicians show considerable variability in describing the signs and symptoms necessary to its diagnosis. Because acute bronchitis most often has a viral cause, symptomatic treatment with protussives, antitussives, or bronchodilators is appropriate.