Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Preoperative Screening and Postoperative Care.

The incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has reached epidemic proportions, and it is an often unrecognized cause of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Profound hypoxic injury from apnea during the postoperative period is often misdiagnosed as cardiac arrest due to other causes. Almost a quarter of patients entering a hospital for elective surgery have OSA, and >80% of these cases are undiagnosed at the time of surgery.

Update on adult immunizations.

The past few years have seen numerous additions and modifications to the current immunization schedules. Starting with the 2010 to 2011 influenza season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended universal annual influenza vaccination for all persons without a contraindication who are 6 months of age and older, including healthy persons aged 19 to 49 years. Hepatitis B vaccination is now recommended for all susceptible diabetics ≤60 years of age.

Keeping up-to-date with immunization practices.

This article presents sources of information for those in practice, administration, or education to stay up-to-date in vaccine recommendations. Web-based repositories predominate in the provision of information. Other sources include newsletters, conferences, journals, expert opinion, community organizations, and books.

Addressing immunization barriers, benefits, and risks.

Vaccines have been highly effective in eliminating or significantly decreasing the occurrence of many once-common diseases. Barriers to immunization are a significant factor in the rising incidence rates of some vaccine-preventable diseases. Cost, reduced accessibility to immunizations, increasingly complex childhood and adolescent/adult immunization schedules, and increasing focus on the potential adverse effects of vaccines all contribute to difficulty in meeting the 2010 immunization goals.

Vaccination or immunization? The impact of search terms on the internet.

With steadily rising use of the Internet as a source of health information, public health authorities have expressed concern about the increasing visibility of unscientific information promulgated on the Internet by opponents of childhood vaccination. Searches were made on the four most popular Internet search engines using different combinations of the terms, "vaccination," "immunization," "immunisation," "immunize," "immunise," "vaccine," and "shots." Thirty results were tabulated for each search engine.

Vaccine criticism on the World Wide Web.

Background: The incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases is directly related to the number of unvaccinated children. Parents who refuse vaccination of their children frequently express concerns about vaccine safety. The Internet can influence perceptions about vaccines because it is the fastest growing source of consumer health information.

Communicating the benefits and risks of vaccines.

Vaccines have been highly effective at eliminating or significantly decreasing the incidence of many once-common diseases. However, the public is now focusing on the potential adverse effects of vaccines. Proper communication of vaccine benefits and risks requires an understanding of factors that affect an individual's acceptance and perception of those benefits and risks.

Family physicians' opinions and attitudes to three clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been promoted as a strategy to measure and improve the quality of patient care. However, more effort has been expended on creating guidelines than implementing them. We surveyed family physicians about their knowledge of and attitudes toward 3 well-publicized CPGs.

Content and design attributes of antivaccination web sites.

Context: Individuals searching the Internet for vaccine information may find antivaccination Web sites. Few published studies have systematically evaluated these sites.

Objectives: To examine antivaccination Web site attributes and to delineate the specific claims and concerns expressed by antivaccination groups.