scholarly journals Ayurveda awaits a new dawn

2021 ◽  
pp. 01-06
Author(s):  
GL Krishna

Ayurveda is a valuable legacy bequeathed to us by ancient Indian sage-physicians. The present paper discusses the epistemology of this ancient science and the misconceptions surrounding it. Diligent research, both theoretical and experimental, in the twentieth century could have ensured the graduation of this proto-science into a full-fledged science. Instead, epistemological misconceptions and intellectual sloth have thwarted its refinement and progress. The paper appeals for an epistemological break that would facilitate an evidence-based appraisal of Ayurveda’s theories and practices. Such an appraisal would help realise Ayurveda’s full potential in serving India’s healthcare needs, especially at the level of primary care.

Author(s):  
Catrin Evans ◽  
Ruth Pearce ◽  
Sarah Greaves ◽  
Holly Blake

Escalating costs and changing population demographics are putting pressure on primary care systems to meet ever more complex healthcare needs. Non-medical ‘advanced clinical practitioner’ (ACP) roles are increasingly being introduced to support service transformation. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative evaluation of nursing ACP roles across General Practices in one region of the UK. Data collection involved telephone interviews with 26 participants from 3 different stakeholder groups based in 9 practice sites: ACPs (n = 9), general practitioners (n = 8) and practice managers (n = 9). The data was analysed thematically. The study found a high degree of acceptance of the ACP role and affirmation of the important contribution of ACPs to patient care. However, significant variations in ACP education, skills and experience led to a bespoke approach to their deployment, impeding system-wide innovation and creating challenges for recruitment and ongoing professional development. In addition, a context of high workforce pressures and high service demand were causing stress and there was a need for greater mentorship and workplace support. System wide changes to ACP education and support are required to enable ACPs to realise their full potential in primary care in the UK.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e044372
Author(s):  
Mat Nawi Zanaridah ◽  
Mohd Noor Norhayati ◽  
Zakaria Rosnani

ObjectivesTo determine the level of knowledge and practice of evidence-based medicine (EBM) and the attitudes towards it and to identify the factors associated with its practice among primary care practitioners in Selangor, Malaysia.SettingThis cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected health clinics in Selangor. Data were collected from primary care physicians using self-administered questionnaires on knowledge, practice and attitudes regarding EBM.ParticipantsThe study included 225 respondents working in either government or private clinics. It excluded house officers and those working in public and private universities or who were retired from practice.ResultsA total of 32.9% had a high level of EBM knowledge, 12% had a positive attitude towards EBM and 0.4% had a good level of its practice. The factors significantly associated with EBM practice were ethnicity, attitude, length of work experience as a primary care practitioner and quick access to online reference applications on mobile phones.ConclusionsAlthough many physicians have suboptimal knowledge of EBM and low levels of practising it, majority of them have a neutral attitude towards EBM practice. Extensive experience as a primary care practitioner, quick access to online references on a mobile phone and good attitude towards EBM were associated with its practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jocelyn Lebow ◽  
Cassandra Narr ◽  
Angela Mattke ◽  
Janna R. Gewirtz O’Brien ◽  
Marcie Billings ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The primary care setting offers an attractive opportunity for, not only the identification of pediatric eating disorders, but also the delivery of evidence-based treatment. However, constraints of this setting pose barriers for implementing treatment. For interventions to be successful, they need to take into consideration the perspectives of stakeholders. As such, the purpose of this study was to examine in-depth primary care providers’ perspective of challenges to identifying and managing eating disorders in the primary care setting. Methods This mixed methods study surveyed 60 Pediatric and Family Medicine providers across 6 primary care practices. Sixteen of these providers were further interviewed using a qualitative, semi-structured interview. Results Providers (n = 60, response rate of 45%) acknowledged the potential of primary care as a point of contact for early identification and treatment of pediatric eating disorders. They also expressed that this was an area of need in their practices. They identified numerous barriers to successful implementation of evidence-based treatment in this setting including scarcity of time, knowledge, and resources. Conclusions Investigations seeking to build capacities in primary care settings to address eating disorders must address these barriers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Stewart ◽  
Frank Kee ◽  
Nigel Hart

AbstractShielding during the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the potential of routinely collected primary care records to identify patients with ‘high-risk’ conditions, including severe asthma. We aimed to determine how previous studies have used primary care records to identify and investigate severe asthma and whether linkage to other data sources is required to fully investigate this ‘high-risk’ disease variant. A scoping review was conducted based on the Arksey and O’Malley framework. Twelve studies met all criteria for inclusion. We identified variation in how studies defined the background asthma cohort, asthma severity, control and clinical outcomes. Certain asthma outcomes could only be investigated through linkage to secondary care records. The ability of primary care records to represent the entire known asthma population is unique. However, a number of challenges need to be overcome if their full potential to accurately identify and investigate severe asthma is to be realised.


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