PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Primary care plays key role in managing COVID-19 in three Asian cities

2021-01-12
(Press-News.org) Despite having some of the densest living spaces and the highest number of international visitors, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Beijing have utilized their respective primary health care systems to keep their COVID-19 cases and deaths relatively low. Researchers studied the primary health care systems in the three cities to identify features of each system that other cities can use as examples to prepare for and prevent deaths in future health crises. Wong et al write that all three cities have made use of primary care in performing public health surveillance and primary care functions, underscoring their assertion that primary care is an indispensable part of any health system and can play an important role in addressing future infectious disease outbreaks when it is supported, engaged, and integrated with other parts of a health system.

INFORMATION:

A Tale Of 3 Asian Cities: How is Primary Care Responding to COVID-19 in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Beijing?
Samuel Y.S. Wong MD, MPH, et al
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Hong Kong
https://www.annfammed.org/content/19/1/44



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Treatment for chronic pain must address both physical and social pain

2021-01-12
Physical pain and social pain may be more closely related than previously thought. Social pain, which typically results from interpersonal rejection or abuse, has been viewed as a non-medical response to external factors. However, recent research suggests that some physical and social stress responses may arise because of shared processing in the brain. Long-term usage of opioid medications could perpetuate a cycle of experiencing both physical and social pain and may increase risk of addiction. The authors, both of whom prescribe opioid medications, caution, "We must recognize ...

Fewer patient encounters drive decline in total primary care office visits

2021-01-12
Despite seeing gains in insurance coverage for preventive health services under the Affordable Care Act, the US has seen a declining rate of primary care visits over the past fifteen years. Are fewer individuals seeing primary care physicians? The authors of this study compared two factors that contribute to that decline to determine whether it was the number of primary care patients or the frequency of their clinical visits that contributed most to the overall decline. Over a fifteen year period from 2002 to 2017, both the number of unique patients seeing PCPs and the number of visits per patient declined. At the start of their analysis in 2002, most Americans saw a primary care physician about 4.3 times in a two-year span. By the end of the study in 2016, frequency ...

Consent forms design influences patient willingness to share personal health information

2021-01-12
Patients are sometimes asked to share their personal health information for research purposes. Informed consent and trust are critical components in a patient's decision to participate in research. Researchers at the University of Florida conducted a three-arm randomized controlled trial to compare the effects on patient experiences of three electronic consent (e-consent) designs that asked them to share PHI for research purposes. Participants were randomized to a standard e-consent form (standard); an e-consent that contained standard information plus hyperlinks to additional interactive details (interactive); or an e-consent that contained standard information, interactive hyperlinks, and factual ...

No-till practices in vulnerable areas significantly reduce soil erosion

No-till practices in vulnerable areas significantly reduce soil erosion
2021-01-12
URBANA, Ill. - Soil erosion is a major challenge in agricultural production. It affects soil quality and carries nutrient sediments that pollute waterways. While soil erosion is a naturally occurring process, agricultural activities such as conventional tilling exacerbate it. Farmers implementing no-till practices can significantly reduce soil erosion rates, a new University of Illinois study shows. Completely shifting to no-till would reduce soil loss and sediment yield by more than 70%, says Sanghyun Lee, doctoral student in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at U of I and lead author on the study, published in Journal of Environmental Management. But even a partial change in tilling practices could have significant results, he adds. "If we ...

New study examines medical practice patterns over time

2021-01-12
Harmful medical practices, like inappropriate prescribing of opioids and racial and income-based discrimination in clinical settings, can vary across medical practices and individuals. Patients may find that even common primary care health services, like getting a chest x-rays or a referral to a heart or lung specialist, can differ widely depending on your doctor or clinic location. These variations in medical practice can have serious consequences for the quality, equity and cost of one's health care; however, it's unclear whether these disparities can be attributed to individual differences, from one ...

Researchers speed up analysis of Arctic ice and snow data through AI

2021-01-12
Researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) have developed a technique to more quickly analyze extensive data from Arctic ice sheets in order to gain insight and useful knowledge on patterns and trends. Over the years, vast amounts of data have been collected about the Arctic and Antarctic ice. These data are essential for scientists and policymakers seeking to understand climate change and the current trend of melting. Masoud Yari, research assistant professor, and Maryam Rahnemoonfar, associate professor of information systems, have utilized new AI technology to develop a fully automatic technique to analyze ice data, published in the Journal ...

Prevalence of patients receiving dialysis in China may exceed 800,000 by 2025

Prevalence of patients receiving dialysis in China may exceed 800,000 by 2025
2021-01-12
Study published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD) projects that prevalence of patients receiving dialysis in China will increase from 384.4 patients per million (PPM) in 2017 to 629.7 PMP in 2025 with a predicted 874,373 patients receiving dialysis in 2025. The national prevalence of dialysis in China has not been well studied due to its large population and limited resources. Insurance claims data provide a unique opportunity to understand the burden of kidney failure and have been used to characterize dialysis patients in the ...

Metabolism may play role in recurrent major depression

Metabolism may play role in recurrent major depression
2021-01-12
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, in collaboration with Dutch scientists, have found that certain metabolites -- small molecules produced by the process of metabolism -- may be predictive indicators for persons at risk for recurrent major depressive disorder. The findings were published in the January 11, 2021 online issue of Translational Psychiatry. "This is evidence for a mitochondrial nexus at the heart of depression," said senior author Robert K. Naviaux, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, pediatrics and pathology at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "It's a small study, but it is the first to show the potential of using metabolic ...

CDC report: removing unnecessary medical barriers to contraception

CDC report: removing unnecessary medical barriers to contraception
2021-01-12
New Rochelle, NY, January 12, 2021--The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is committed to removing unnecessary medical barriers to contraception use by people with certain characteristics or medical conditions. The CDC is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the release of its U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (MEC), with an exclusive article published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Women's Health. Click here to read the article now. The CDC has updated the MEC recommendations over the past decade based on new evidence. It has collaborated with national partners to disseminate and implement the guidelines and has conducted surveys of health ...

Nanoparticle immunization technology could protect against many strains of coronaviruses

Nanoparticle immunization technology could protect against many strains of coronaviruses
2021-01-12
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that is causing the COVID-19 pandemic is just one of many different viruses in the coronavirus family. Many of these are circulating in populations of animals like bats and have the potential to "jump" into the human population, just as SARS-CoV-2 did. Researchers in the laboratory of Pamela Björkman, the David Baltimore Professor of Biology and Bioengineering, are working on developing vaccines for a wide range of related coronaviruses, with the aim of preventing future pandemics. Now, led by graduate student Alex Cohen, a Caltech ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Oldest modern shark mega-predator swam off Australia during the age of dinosaurs

Scientists unveil mechanism behind greener ammonia production

Sharper, straighter, stiffer, stronger: Male green hermit hummingbirds have bills evolved for fighting

Nationwide awards honor local students and school leaders championing heart, brain health

Epigenetic changes regulate gene expression, but what regulates epigenetics?

Nasal drops fight brain tumors noninvasively

Okayama University of Science Ranked in the “THE World University Rankings 2026” for the Second Consecutive Year

New study looks at (rainforest) tea leaves to predict fate of tropical forests

When trade routes shift, so do clouds: Florida State University researchers uncover ripple effects of new global shipping regulations

Kennesaw State assistant professor receives grant to improve shelf life of peptide- and protein-based drugs

Current heart attack screening tools are not optimal and fail to identify half the people who are at risk

LJI scientists discover how T cells transform to defend our organs

Brain circuit controlling compulsive behavior mapped

Atoms passing through walls: Quantum tunneling of hydrogen within palladium crystal

Observing quantum footballs blown up by laser kicks

Immune cells ‘caught in the act’ could spur earlier detection and prevention of Type 1 Diabetes

New membrane sets record for separating hydrogen from CO2

Recharging the powerhouse of the cell

University of Minnesota research finds reducing inflammation may protect against early AMD-like vision loss

A mulching film that protects plants without pesticides or plastics

New study highlights key findings on lung cancer surveillance rates

Uniform reference system for lightweight construction methods

Improve diet and increase physical activity at the same time to limit weight gain, study suggests

A surprising insight may put a charge into faster muscle injury repair

Scientists uncover how COVID-19 variants outsmart the immune system

Some children’s tantrums can be seen in the brain, new study finds

Development of 1-Wh-class stacked lithium-air cells

UVA, military researchers seek better ways to identify, treat blast-related brain injuries

AMS Science Preview: Railways and cyclones; pinned clouds; weather warnings in wartime

Scientists identify a molecular switch to a painful side effect of chemotherapy

[Press-News.org] Primary care plays key role in managing COVID-19 in three Asian cities