Primary care physicians' narratives on COVID-19 responses in Japan: Professional roles evoked under a pandemic.

Background: Within the vague system of primary care and COVID-19 infection control in Japan, we explored how primary care (PC) physicians exhibited adaptive performance in their institutions and communities to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic from January to May 2020.

Methods: Narrative analysis conducted by a team of medical professionals and anthropologists. We purposefully selected 10 PC physicians in community-based hospitals and clinics and conducted a total of 17 individual and group interviews.

Effectiveness of an interprofessional education program using team-based learning for medical students: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: To respond to increasingly complicated healthcare needs in primary care settings, all health and medical welfare professionals are required to collaborate with multiprofessionals, namely via "interprofessional work" (IPW). Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential for effective IPW, especially for medical students. This study aimed to determine whether participation in IPE can increase medical students' readiness for interprofessional learning.

Reasons for the preference of clinic visits to self-medication by common cold patients in Japan.

Background: Many Japanese visit medical institutions for common cold treatment, which can cause congestion in these institutions and an increase in medical expenses, although the common cold can be treated sufficiently through self-medication. Therefore, to elucidate the reasons individuals with common colds do not use over-the-counter (OTC) medication, we conducted an investigation using a self-administered inquiry sheet to determine reasons for clinic visits and for the avoidance of OTC medication.

Methods: The study was of patients with self-diagnosed common cold symptoms using an anonymous self-report questionnaire.