Audiometry Interpretation for Hearing Loss in Adults.

Hearing loss is a prevalent, chronic condition in the United States; it is often gradual and progressive and is underreported by patients and undertreated by physicians. The impaired ability to effectively hear and communicate may result in negative emotional, cognitive, economic, and social consequences for individuals and may pose a safety risk. Questionnaires and smartphone apps are available to help identify and evaluate self-perceived hearing loss.

Polypharmacy Prevalence and Perceptions of Deprescribing in Elderly Patients Among Community Primary Care Providers in Mid-Michigan Practices.

Introduction: Polypharmacy is common among the elderly and can predispose them to increased morbidity and higher healthcare expenditures. Deprescribing is an important aspect of preventative medicine to minimize polypharmacy-related adverse effects. Mid-Michigan has historically been considered a medically underserved area.

Mobility Assistive Device Use in Older Adults.

Many individuals need a mobility assistive device as they age. These devices include canes, crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs. Clinicians should understand how to select the appropriate device and size for individual patients (or work with a physical therapist) and prescribe the device using the patient's health insurance plan.

Patients' Attitudes and Sources of Information on Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Rural Michigan.

Background This study investigated patients' attitudes about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in rural Michigan. Despite increasing cases in rural communities across America, surveys have revealed that residents may feel less threatened by the virus compared to their urban counterparts. This difference in attitude and information appraisal can negatively affect rural health by discouraging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) preventative behaviors.

Limited evidence guides empiric Tx of female chronic pelvic pain.

This article reviews the limited evidence for treating chronic pelvic pain and offers recommendations for the primary care physician on providing symptomatic relief in the absence of diagnosed pathology.

Diagnosis and Management of Adnexal Masses.

Adnexal masses can have gynecologic or nongynecologic etiologies, ranging from normal luteal cysts to ovarian cancer to bowel abscesses. Women who report abdominal or pelvic pain, increased abdominal size or bloating, difficulty eating, or rapid satiety that occurs more than 12 times per month in less than a year should be evaluated for ovarian cancer. Pelvic examination has low sensitivity for detecting an adnexal mass; negative pelvic examination findings in a symptomatic woman should not deter further workup.

Institution-Specific Factors Associated With Family Medicine Residency Match Rates.

Unlabelled: Phenomenon: Existing research provides little specific evidence regarding the association between public and private medical school curricular settings and the proportion of medical students matching into family medicine careers. Institutional differences have been inadequately investigated, as students who match into family medicine are often consolidated into the umbrella of primary care along with those matching in internal medicine and pediatrics. However, understanding medical school contexts in relation to career choice is critical toward designing targeted strategies to address the projected shortage of family physicians.

Results of the 2013 National Resident Matching Program: family medicine.

Background: The percentage of US seniors who chose primary care careers remains well below the nation's future workforce needs. Entrants into family medicine residency programs, along with their colleagues entering other primary care-designated residencies, will compose the primary care workforce of the future.

Methods: Data in this article are collected from the 2013 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Main Residency Match and the 2013 American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Medical Education Residency Census.

Entry of US medical school graduates into family medicine residencies: 2012--2013.

Background: Analyzing the US medical school origin of family medicine residents highlights schools, states, or regions that have higher entrance rates into family medicine.

Methods: The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) 2013 Residency Census has a 100% response rate and lists information for family medicine residents who entered training July 2012. MD graduates are verified through medical school registrars or the American Medical Association's Physicians Masterfile data.

State patterns in medical school expansion, 2000-2010: variation, discord, and policy priorities.

In 2006, the Association of American Medical Colleges recommended a 30% increase over 2002 enrollment in U.S. medical schools by the year 2016, particularly in areas with rapid population growth during the past 25 years or where the population was projected to grow rapidly in future years.

Residency program solutions: making a difference in quality residency education.

Background: Residency Program Solutions (RPS) consultants assist family medicine residency programs in solving issues perceived as limiting quality resident education. Residencies ask RPS to assist in preparing for accreditation site visits by the Residency Review Committee-Family Medicine (RC-FM). The RPS Criteria for Excellence in Family Medicine Education (RPS Criteria) may have influenced the accreditation standards of the RC-FM.

Entry of US medical school graduates into family medicine residencies: 2011--2012.

This study reports on the number of graduates entering family medicine residencies in 2011 from allopathic, osteopathic, and international medical schools. Allopathic graduate data come from medical school registrars or the American Medical Association Masterfile. The 2012 family medicine residency program director census, with a response rate of 100%, verified residents who entered training July 2011 from all medical schools.

Results of the 2012 National Resident Matching Program: family medicine.

The percentage of US seniors choosing primary care careers remains well below the nation's future workforce needs. Data in this article are collected from the 2012 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Main Residency Match and the 2012 American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Medical Education Residency Census, which had a response rate of 100%. The census verified residents who entered training July 2012 from all medical schools.

Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Premenstrual syndrome is defined as recurrent moderate psychological and physical symptoms that occur during the luteal phase of menses and resolve with menstruation. It affects 20 to 32 percent of premenopausal women. Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder experience affective or somatic symptoms that cause severe dysfunction in social or occupational realms.

Entry of US medical school graduates into family medicine residencies: 2010-2011 and 3-year summary.

This is the 30th report prepared by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) on the percentage of each US medical school's graduates entering family medicine residency programs. This retrospective analysis based on data reported to the AAFP from medical schools and family medicine residency programs shows approximately 8.0% of the 17,081 graduates of US medical schools between July 2009 and June 2010 were first-year family medicine residents in 2010, compared to 7.

Results of the 2011 National Resident Matching Program: family medicine.

The results of the 2011 National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) reflect another small but promising increased level of student interest in family medicine residency training in the United States. Compared with the 2010 Match, family medicine residency programs filled 172 more positions (with 133 more US seniors) through the NRMP in 2011. In other primary care fields, 26 more primary care internal medicine positions filled (10 more US seniors), one more position in pediatrics-primary care (two fewer US seniors), and seven more positions in internal medicine-pediatrics programs (10 more US seniors).

Common gynecologic infections.

Many women seek care for vulvar, vaginal, or pelvic complaints. Primary care providers should possess a solid understanding of the differential diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic infections. Many infections in the reproductive tract are sexually transmitted, whereas other common infections are attributable to an overgrowth of the normally present bacteria or yeast in the vagina.

Evaluation and treatment of constipation in infants and children.

Constipation in children usually is functional and the result of stool retention. However, family physicians must be alert for red flags that may indicate the presence of an uncommon but serious organic cause of constipation, such as Hirschsprung's disease (congenital aganglionic megacolon), pseudo-obstruction, spinal cord abnormality, hypothyroidism, diabetes insipidus, cystic fibrosis, gluten enteropathy, or congenital anorectal malformation. Treatment of functional constipation involves disimpaction using oral or rectal medication.

Diagnosis and management of positional head deformity.

In children with positional head deformity (posterior plagiocephaly), the occiput is flattened with corresponding facial asymmetry. The incidence of positional head deformity increased dramatically between 1992 and 1999, and now occurs in one of every 60 live births. One proposed cause of the increased incidence of positional head deformity is the initiative to place infants on their backs during sleep to prevent sudden infant death syndrome.