Prescription medication borrowing among adult patients at an urban medical center.

Prescription medication borrowing can result in adverse health outcomes. We aimed to study the patterns of borrowing prescription medications in an adult urban population seeking healthcare in the outpatient, emergency, and inpatient units of an urban medical center. Participants indicated whether they (1) had a primary care doctor, medical insurance, a prior history of substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, or chronic pain; and (2) had borrowed a prescription medication.

Resident physicians' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to colorectal cancer screening for African Americans.

Background: African Americans experience disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC), yet they complete screening at lower rates than Caucasians. While studies have identified barriers and facilitators to CRC screening among African Americans, no study has examined physician perceptions of these barriers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine how resident physicians view barriers and facilitators to CRC screening among their African American patients, and to compare residents' perceptions with barriers and facilitators that have been reported in studies with African Americans.

African Americans' perceptions of physician attempts to address obesity in the primary care setting.

Background: Obesity disproportionately affects African Americans and leads to several major co-morbidities. While guidelines recommend physicians identify obese patients and counsel them on weight management, little is known about how these efforts are received by patients.

Objective: To elucidate how obese, urban African American patients perceive the physician role in the treatment of obesity and to identify specific provider behaviors that may motivate or hinder attempts at weight loss.

Increasing colorectal cancer screening among African Americans, linking risk perception to interventions targeting patients, communities and clinicians.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening remains significantly underutilized by African Americans despite their increased risk compared to whites. The purpose of this article is to review recent research on patterns of screening, perceptions of CRC screening methods and outcomes of seven intervention trials specifically designed to increase screening among African Americans in light of the recommendation of the American College of Gastroenterologists to make colonoscopy the screening method of choice for this population. This review shows that progress has been made in understanding the complexity of perceived barriers to CRC screening among African Americans.