AMJ

In this review the author explores the five key roles that may be attributed to doctors: to relieve symptoms; to protect against pathogens; to guard against those who may be dangerous; to root out charlatans and to support the social order. The review serves to highlight the good that is done by medical practitioners but it also identifies certain acts of omission or commission by which doctors can harm the very people their profession is sworn to serve. For anyone involved in healthcare this review raises issues that are seldom discussed in print.

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These data suggest  that the prevalence of depression in medical students is high and a similar trend has been observed elsewhere. Academic performance and the year of study have an impact on the prevalence of depression. Medical students are reluctant to seek help for depressive symptoms.

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Whilst many recent studies have utilised the Rasch unidimensional measurement model, this research is a unique opportunity to apply the technique to attitudinal data in the domain of adolescent sexual health. Provision of a valid and reliable unidimensional scale to measure adolescent attitudes towards abortion with invariant, interval-level scores. Accurate assessment of attitude scores will greatly benefit the development and administration of sexual health interventions for adolescents.

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This study shows a marked increase in internet usage in older Australians compared to previous literature. These analyses indicate that over 60% of older Australians use the internet for health-related purposes. Despite the moderate usage of the internet for health related purposes, most participants indicated they would not accept unsolicited heath information delivered via this medium.

Antimicrobials were the commonest group of drugs causing Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) and the most commonly observed ADR was maculopapular rash followed by vomiting and diarrhoea. Efforts are underway to encourage clinicians, nurses and other allied healthcare workers to report all ADRs even suspected ones, with the aim of improving medicine use.

Picture by Renjith Krishnan

Health authorities have warned parents against peer-to-peer milk sharing networks stating that sharing breast milk is dangerous. However, analogous and additional risks exist for using infant formula. Historical and cultural reasons underlie the distaste for the sharing of human milk that is reflected in this condemnation of milk sharing. Instead of proscribing peer-to-peer milk sharing, health authorities should provide parents with guidance on how to manage and minimize the risks of sharing human milk.

Picture by Raphael Goetter

Using empathic education strategies in learning environments provides rich input towards expanding the interpersonal skills and empathic horizons of individuals. Five strategies used in the design field are presented here in order to provoke and support healthcare professionals in the pursuit of creating a more humanistic-centered approach in the enculturation process.

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Umbilical endometriosis is a rare condition but possible pathology of the umbilicus. It should be considered as a differential diagnosis in a women presenting with umbilical swelling. The diagnosis is difficult clinically, therefore, surgical excision with removal and histopathology is recommended for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Simultaneous laparoscopy should be performed to the patient with suspicion of pelvic endometriosis.

Making a Difference: An excellent read for all those interested in the Health Internetwork Research Initiative (HINARI) and its sister programmes and how these have revolutionised access to research in poor nations.

Invasion of the Body by Nicholas Tilney is a non-fiction review of the profession of surgery and the many advances that the field has made. The journey Tilney takes the reader on encompasses the revolution of modern medicine including the development of anaesthesia, aseptic technique, professional standards and training, pharmaceutical advances and discoveries and healthcare reform.

Picture by Michelle Meiklejohn