AMJ

The question of how to coordinate care for people who are at risk from the growing threat of chronic illness or who may already be developing the complications of those conditions is going to dominate the health reform debate in the years ahead.

‘Innovations’ or interventions that may result in changes to the structure of the consultation in general practice need to be tested in controlled conditions if they are not to harm patient care in practice. This paper describes a method for conducting ‘Phase 1’ studies of such interventions illustrated by a consultation from one of four studies using actor-patient consultations.

Unlike India Australia boasts many community services for children from families with  complex health problems.  Practitioners from India report that their private health system is among the best in the world and that the training, experience and quality of Indian doctors attract private patients from across the globe. On the other hand for many Indians their local health system is not well resourced as is illustrated in the response to these case scenarios.

Prevalence of depression and anxiety was 50 and 67 percent respectively in this sample of diabetics in Iran. Both conditions were more common among female patients, those with type 2 diabetes and those had at least one complication of diabetes. The authors conclude that routine assessment and treatment for anxiety and depression is indicated.

The authors report the nutritional profile of children 5 years of age or younger admitted to a ward of a tertiary teaching hospital in Kerala, India. The measures included an assessment of Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM), Stunting, Wasting and Obesity. This data confirms the prevalence of both malnutrition and obesity in an Indian hospital population.

Physicians are reticent to participate in research projects for a variety of reasons. Facilitating the active involvement of doctors in research projects is a high priority for the Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization (IBTO). The authors report an evaluation of a four week training course on research methodology for physicians in northeast Iran.

Rove beetle dermatitis is a common seasonal endemic in Malaysia, with a higher incidence in the month of September and March. This case series highlights the need for a health literacy program, aimed at informing the public and medical practitioners about the aetiology, symptoms and complications of this infection.