The assessment and treatment of back and neck pain: an initial investigation in a primary care practice-based research network.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to conduct an exploratory examination of the current state of non-malignant acute and chronic back and neck pain assessment and management among primary care providers in a multi-site, practice-based research network.

Background: Acute and chronic pain are distinct conditions that often require different assessment and management approaches, however, little research has examined assessment and management of acute and chronic pain as separate conditions. The large majority of patients with acute and chronic back and neck pain are managed in primary care settings.

Underserved patients' choice of kiosk-based preventive health information.

Background And Objectives: Compliance with health promotion recommendations falls short of expectations nearly every time it is studied. Some of the most successful programs, however, focus on the patient and incorporate computers.

Methods: Interactive kiosks in waiting rooms of clinics for the medically underserved were used to educate patients about alcohol consumption, exercise, smoking cessation, and weight control.

Assessing the impact on patient-physician interaction when physicians use personal digital assistants: a Northeastern Ohio Network (NEON) study.

Background: The effects of the use of technological devices on dimensions that affect the physician-patient relationship need to be well understood.

Objectives: Determine patients' perceptions of physicians' personal digital assistant (PDA) use, comparing the results across 8 physician-patient dimensions important to clinical interactions.

Results: Patients completed anonymous surveys about their perceptions of physician PDA use.

Awarding faculty rank to non-tenured physician faculty in a consortium medical school.

Many medical schools struggle to identify an appropriate system to award faculty rank to non-tenured physician faculty. A key element needs to be balanced recognition of teaching and scholarly activities. At the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM), clinical teaching is accomplished predominantly by volunteer physician faculty whose major responsibilities are patient care and teaching.

Answering questions at the point of care: do residents practice EBM or manage information sources?

Purpose: To determine the types of information sources that evidence-based medicine (EBM)-trained, family medicine residents use to answer clinical questions at the point of care, to assess whether the sources are evidence-based, and to provide suggestions for more effective information-management strategies in residency training.

Method: In 2005, trained medical students directly observed (for two half-days per physician) how 25 third-year family medicine residents retrieved information to answer clinical questions arising at the point of care and documented the type and name of each source, the retrieval location, and the estimated time spent consulting the source. An end-of-study questionnaire asked 37 full-time faculty and the participating residents about the best information sources available, subscriptions owned, why they use a personal digital assistant (PDA) to practice medicine, and their experience in preventing medical errors using a PDA.

The medically underserved: who is likely to exercise and why?

Adults who exercise regularly have better health, but only 15% of U.S. adults engage in regular exercise, with some social groups, such as people with lower incomes and women, having even lower rates.

Physician activities during time out of the examination room.

Purpose: Comprehensive medical care requires direct physician-patient contact, other office-based medical activities, and medical care outside of the office. This study was a systematic investigation of family physician office-based activities outside of the examination room.

Methods: In the summer of 2000, 6 medical students directly observed and recorded the office-based activities of 27 northeastern Ohio community-based family physicians during 1 practice day.

Depression in family medicine faculty.

Background And Objectives: Depression among family medicine faculty may contribute to decreased effectiveness in patient care, decreased effectiveness in teaching, and career changes. The present study determined the nationwide prevalence of depression and related risk factors among family medicine residency program faculty.

Methods: All full-time US family medicine faculty, program directors, and behavioral scientists listed as members of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine in October 2000 were surveyed.

Discussing spirituality with patients: a rational and ethical approach.

Background: This study was undertaken to determine when patients feel that physician inquiry about spirituality or religious beliefs is appropriate, reasons why they want their physicians to know about their spiritual beliefs, and what they want physicians to do with this information.

Methods: Trained research assistants administered a questionnaire to a convenience sample of consenting patients and accompanying adults in the waiting rooms of 4 family practice residency training sites and 1 private group practice in northeastern Ohio. Demographic information, the SF-12 Health Survey, and participant ratings of appropriate situations, reasons, and expectations for physician discussions of spirituality or religious beliefs were obtained.

Stages of change analysis of smokers attending clinics for the medically underserved.

Objective: To determine whether smokers at clinics providing care for the medically underserved can be characterized according to the transtheoretical stages of change model.

Study Design: Prospective, descriptive study.

Population: Smokers in the waiting rooms of clinics providing care for the medically underserved.