Directors of patient evaluation courses at U.S. and Canadian medical schools were surveyed to identify problems that might underlie decreasing competence in clinical skills. The problems identified include inadequate numbers of patients for student examinations, lack of administrative and financial support, and lack of recognition for faculty.…

Personal computer technology has arrived in health care. Specific technological advances are optical disc storage, smart cards, voice recognition, and robotics. This paper discusses computers in medicine, in nursing, in conglomerates, and with patients. Future health care will be delivered in primary care centers, medical supermarkets, specialized…

Describes the results of projects exploring the potential of information technology for delivering health care. Describes a proposed project coupling the telephone with computerized audiotext responses, which would provide elderly patients with information, contact, and reassurance. (SR)

An exploratory study involving 31 families found that chronically ill children and their parents express needs and concerns to their pediatricians in veiled ways. Physicians sometimes provide reassurance too soon rather than attending to the family's underlying pathology. Vignettes describe the families' styles of communication with their…

Considers the expanding educational role of health sciences librarians in both academic centers and in hospitals resulting from influences of new educational models and new technology. Topics addressed include undergraduate health sciences education; continuing education; new technology and medical informatics; library educational programs;…

A University of Georgia physical assessment course for entry-level doctoral pharmacy students is described. The course focuses on provision of patient care and communication skill development, not strictly physical diagnosis. It includes classroom instruction in interviewing and physical assessment techniques, case studies, and a three-hour…

Issues that arose in attempting to survey people with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are described. Questions of confidentiality, nonimplementation, and slow accrual of information are considered for an initial sample of 2,731 cases. Comparison with a database concerning 1,313 clinic clients indicates overrepresentation of compliant…

Twenty-five articles on medical school curricula and physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to nutritional care, especially concerning heart disease and cholesterol control, were reviewed. It is concluded that nutrition education should occur in undergraduate clinical training and residency periods and that realistic nutrition…

A self-report measure for the Type A subcomponent of time urgency and perpetual activation (TUPA) was developed using 10 coronary heart disease (CHD) patients and validated with another 48 CHD patients. The internal consistency and test-retest reliabilities indicate that the instrument has clinical and research applications. (SLD)

Three methods of designating everyday-dysfunction cases in the Colorado Social Health Survey are compared for a sample of 4,745 adults. The clinical judgment approach was chosen as the primary method of identification, with the statistical deviation criterion a backup. The patient criterion group approach was less useful. (SLD)

Describes the role of tribally controlled colleges in increasing the number of American Indian physicians working as a part of the Indian Health Service. Discusses health problems in the Indian community. Reviews the benefits and difficulties of Indian doctors working in their own communities. (MAB)

In this correlated study, researchers tested the hypothesis that adolescents who occasionally used drugs would exhibit psychologically healthier characteristics than adolescents who had been frequent users or complete abstainers. Results indicated a linear relationship between substance use and psychological health--increased drug use accompanied…

Although Blacks face a higher risk of hypertension than other Americans, a comparison between Blacks and Whites participating in a hypertension education series showed no significant differences. The program reduced by 68 percent the number of participants with high blood pressure. Proposes marketing and adherence strategies to attract and retain…

The over abundance of general information and health information on the World Wide Web and the use of computer technology in medicine have changed our communication behavior, introducing fractal communication and the use of infoids. These developments may lead to misinformation and have an impact on communication between patient and doctor.…

To teach first-year pharmacy students (P1s) about compliance and patient behavior and third-year students (P3s) about patient interviewing and counseling, and reduce P1s' stress and isolation, an interactive activity in which P1s acted as simulated patients and P3s as simulated pharmacists was undertaken. The activity has effectively met its…