Diagnosis and Treatment of Low Back Pain: Synopsis of the 2021 US Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline.

Low back pain is a significant issue in the US Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense populations as well as the general US population at large. This type of pain can be distressing to those who experience its effects, leading patients to seek relief of their symptoms. In 2022, leadership within the US Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Defense approved a joint clinical practice guideline for the management of low back pain.

Is It Distress, Depression, or Both? Exploring Differences in the Diabetes Distress Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire in a Diabetes Specialty Clinic.

Patients ( = 314) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Diabetes Distress Scale as part of standard care. Although most patients (70.4%) had no symptoms of depression or diabetes-related distress, 23.

Ethical and effectiveness considerations with primary care behavioral health research in the medical home.

Integrated primary care research in the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) presents unique challenges not found in other behavioral health or medical care settings. The PCMH service delivery principles and supporting systems are designed to maximize quality and outcomes of care while controlling health care costs. Conducting ethical research in this setting requires following processes and procedures established by federal statutes that threaten to disrupt this delicate balance.

From colleague to patient: ethical challenges in integrated primary care.

Ethical codes and guidelines for mental health professionals focus on traditional avenues of practice, leaving considerable gaps for clinicians in unique settings, such as behavioral health providers in integrated primary care. In this article, an ethical scenario is presented, where a behavioral health provider is faced with a colleague physician seeking assistance for emotional distress. The scenario highlights important ethical questions about multiple relationships/conflict of interest, impaired colleagues, informed consent, and confidentiality.