BACKGROUND Hospitalization presents smokers with an opportunity to initiate smoking cessation. We studied the effect of inpatient counseling and follow-up after discharge on smoking cessation and assessed predictors of successful cessation. METHODS This study included a total of 125 patients (118 male and 7 female) who were admitted to departments of neurology, cardiology, and pulmonology. Th...

One-third (34%) of 2,001 women who sought an abortion in 1991-1992 in Wichita, Kansas, were repeat-abortion patients. Compared with first-time abortion patients, repeat-abortion patients were significantly older, more often black, and younger at their first pregnancy (p < .001). The two groups did not vary significantly by income or age at first intercourse. However, repeat-abortion patients we...

PURPOSE Limited research exists examining the principles of the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) and improved outcomes. We examined whether PCMH principles (personal physician, physician-directed team, whole-person orientation, coordination of care, quality and safety, and enhanced access) are associated with receipt of preventive services. METHODS We undertook cross-sectional analyses us...

BACKGROUND Regular physical activity produces beneficial effects on health, but the exercise prescription needed to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors in free-living sedentary individuals remains unclear. METHODS Sedentary adults (N = 492, 64.0% women) were randomized to 1 of 4 exercise-counseling conditions or to a physician advice comparison group. The duration (30 minutes) and typ...

OBJECTIVE Physician self-disclosure (PSD) has been alternatively described as a boundary violation or a means to foster trust and rapport with patients. We analyzed a series of physician self-disclosure statements to inform the current controversy. DESIGN Qualitative analysis of all PSD statements identified using the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS) during 1,265 audiotaped office vis...

medical students deserve training in active listening and counseling before they encounter patients in distress. At the Alpert medical school of Brown university we created and evaluated a workshop that trains first-year medical students to assess patients’ emotional states and express empathy in an efficient and effective manner. using second-year students as near-peer facilitators, we integra...

objective: type 2 diabetes is amongst the most common chronic illnesses in iran. its prevalence is increasing and it has significant economic importance. the aim of this study was to estimate direct therapeutic and non-therapeutic costs of type 2 diabetes patients referred to the diabetes research center of yazd in 2012. materials and methods: this cross-sectional study was carried out on 250 t...

According to data from the National Study of Family Growth, vasectomy is utilized by 6-13% of American couples for their form of contraception. Physician surveys have shown that over 500,000 men undergo vasectomies per year, and more than 75% of vasectomies are performed by urologists. This chapter provides a brief history of vasectomy, as well as recommendations for preoperative counseling, an...

Hypertension is an important health problem. Informative counseling is required for patients to completely understand the importance of non-pharmacologic treatments. Lifestyle changes such as restriction of salt intake, exercise, restriction of alcohol intake, diet, and weight loss are included in all hypertension treatment guidelines. However, serious motivation is required from the patient an...