Primary Health Care

Impact of staff training on body temperature measurements during cancer treatment: a single-site quality improvement project

Background: Neutropenic sepsis is a serious complication of cancer therapy, and can often be detected by the presence of abnormal body temperature, typically fever. Aims: This research aimed to improve home temperature measurement in a cancer triage unit following a previous audi...

How coronary artery disease is portrayed in images from educational websites and resources in Aotearoa New Zealand: a content analysis

INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a leading cause of global morbidity and disproportionately affects Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Poor understanding of symptoms and management contributes to delayed care. Yet visual health information can e...

Current state and future directions of the discipline of rural medicine in Aotearoa New Zealand: a qualitative study

Introduction Rural medicine is shaped by geographic distance from resources and specialist care, requiring broad generalist practice. International evidence supports rural-targeted postgraduate training, clinical–academic integration, and a dedicated evidence base. Progress in Ao...

Adherence to cervical cancer follow-up screening and lesion recurrence in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Timely follow-up after screening and treatment is essential for effective cervical cancer prevention. However, adherence remains markedly low across many low-resource settings, where missed follow-up and high recurrence rates undermine the effectiveness of screening programs. As...

Associations Between Chocolate Consumption and Cardiometabolic Risk Markers Across Metabolic Profiles: Insights from a Population-Based Study

Background/Objectives: Studies evaluating the association between chocolate consumption and cardiometabolic health have reported inconsistent findings, and whether these associations differ according to underlying metabolic status remains unclear. This cross-sectional study analy...

Metoprolol in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease without Cardiovascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Beta-blockers may improve outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without cardiovascular disease, but randomized trials have been inconclusive. METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label, pragmatic, phase 4 randomized trial. Patients 40...

Use of Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Physical Activity for Refining Cardiovascular Risk Prediction in the General Population - Insights from the CoLaus/PsyCoLaus Study

Abstract Aim The SCORE2/SCORE2-OP, recommended for estimating 10-year risk of first atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), does not include lifestyle factors. We investigated whether adding self-reported physical activity and Mediterranean diet adherence improves predict...

Technostress and Insulin Resistance Risk: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of 104,175 Spanish Workers Using TyG, TyG-BMI, METS-IR, and SPISE Indices

Background: Technostress has emerged as a growing occupational health concern in increasingly digitalized workplaces. Although its psychological consequences have been extensively investigated, little is known about its potential association with metabolic health and insulin resi...

Deprescribing of proton pump inhibitors in internal medicine in-patients: A retrospective observational study.

Background Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) treat gastrointestinal disorders and are often overprescribed or continued unnecessarily, despite potential long-term adverse effects (e.g. infections). Deprescribing is recommended when indications are unclear or treatment unnecessarily pr...

‘No, it is a virus, your body will fight it.’ The value of diagnostic testing for managing respiratory viruses in primary care: an observational study from a post-COVID pilot programme

Introduction International studies suggest that advancing diagnostic technologies have the potential to reduce uncertainty and improve management of acute respiratory infections. Aim This study aimed to observe the impact that laboratory-based polymerase chain reaction testing fo...

Community Street Play Versus Facility-based Screening for Mental Health Literacy in Rural India: A Mixed-methods Quasi-experimental Study

Background: Community-based approaches to mental health literacy (MHL), including street theatre, remain underrepresented. No study has compared street play with primary care facility-based screening as parallel MHL strategies. This study evaluated the effectiveness and acceptabi...

Acceptability of breast cancer risk assessment for women aged 30–49: Views of women from six under-served groups

Inequalities in breast screening uptake and cancer outcomes persist among under-served women. To reduce disparities, it is essential to understand women’s views when developing proactive early detection and prevention services. This study explored the acceptability of introducing...

Full Plate Living Evaluation and Case Series

Dietary interventions can improve cardiometabolic health, however, affordability, sustainability, and efficacy remain a challenge. Full Plate Living (FPL) is a free, virtual, research-based, experience-centered nutrition program that has been shown to improve health. Here, we des...

Cardiotoxicity and safety of zanubrutinib versus chemoimmunotherapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a real-world retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX registry

Abstract Background Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most prevalent leukemia in adults in the Western countries. Ibrutinib, a first-generation Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, is commonly used for relapsed/refractory CLL but is associated with cardiovascular adv...

Evolution of functional and mental status and quality of life in people aged 75 years and over after the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: a prospective cohort study

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant health and psychosocial consequences in the older adults. However, there is little community-based evidence that clearly distinguishes the effect attributable to SARS-CoV-2 infection to be differentiated from the contextual impact of the...

Motivation for engagement in a Māori- and Pacific-driven exercise programme in New Zealand: a community-based system dynamics approach

Introduction Brown Buttabean Motivation (BBM) is a community-based, Māori- and Pacific-led organisation providing free exercise classes and other support services in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ongoing participant engagement is critical for the success of community lifestyle programmes...

Comparison of NICE criteria with the BOADICEA multifactorial risk model to guide breast cancer risk assessment and referral amongst women under age 50 within primary care

BACKGROUND: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that women at above-population-level risk of breast cancer (BC) are offered enhanced screening and risk-reducing interventions. Identification of these women largely relies on referral through pri...

How a text messaging system helped relieve parental and carer angst

Nothing can prepare anyone for becoming a parent for the first time – the sleep disruption, the worry, the desire to avoid making any mistakes and to do the best you can for your new arrival. Even having a second or third child does not necessarily dispel the ever-present nerves...

Priorities for breast cancer risk assessment in UK women under age 50: a survey and discrete choice experiment

BACKGROUND: National guidelines recommend English women between 30 and 49 years with moderate/high risk of breast cancer (BC) be offered screening and prevention interventions. Identification largely relies on family history-based criteria amongst women self-presenting in primary...

Evaluating the implementation and structure of the annual diabetes review in Aotearoa New Zealand general practices: a national survey

INTRODUCTION: Annual Diabetes Reviews (ADRs) are a key Ministry of Health initiative designed to ensure comprehensive annual assessment for people with diabetes in Aotearoa New Zealand. Although national guidance outlines core components, the consistency with which ADRs are deliv...