Australian Family Physician April - Culture and diversity
Vol 39, (4) 177 - 256
The theme for the April issue of AFP is culture and
diversity. This month's articles include NESB patients, using
interpreters – a
guide for GPs, compassionate listening – managing psychological trauma
in refugees, mental health – cultural competence & end of life care
–
the importance of culture and ethnicity.
NESB patients
Janice Charles, Helena Britt, Salma Fahridin
General practitioner consultations with patients of non-English
speaking background (NESB) account for one in 10 encounters
recorded in the BEACH (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of
Health) program (NESB is defined as patients who reported
that their primary language spoken at home is not English).
Using interpreters - A guide for GPs
Christine Phillips
Australia is one of the most multilingual countries in
the world. In their working lives, all doctors will need to
communicate with patients whose languages they do not
speak.
Compassionate listening - Managing psychological trauma in refugees
Joanne Gardiner, Kate Walker
The physical and psychosocial effects of trauma in
refugees are wide ranging and long lasting. They can affect
symptom presentation, the patient-doctor relationship and
management of refugee victims of trauma.
Mental health - Cultural competence
John Furler, Renata Kokanovic
Depression, and its associated anxiety, is very common in
the community and frequently managed in general practice.
Yet it remains a problematic concept. Differing views of
depression influence both clinical practice and research.
End of life care - The importance of culture and ethnicity
Katherine Clark, Jane Phillips
Australia is a culturally and ethnically diverse country.
Within such diversity there will be differing beliefs
systems about death and dying.
Culture and diversity
Rachel Lee
‘Culture’ is such a broad term; ‘the sum
total of ways of living built up by a group
of human beings, which is transmitted
from one generation to another’.
Transsexualism - Attitudes in general practice
Karen W Gurney
Transsexualism was long regarded by the
medical profession as a mental disorder.
Historically, denial, aversion therapies,
hormone ‘reinforcement’ and even
electroconvulsive shock treatments were
the lot of those compelled to articulate
their overwhelming need to identify
as members of the gender opposite
that assigned to them at birth.
Letters to the editor
The opinions expressed by correspondents in this column are in no way endorsed by either the Editors or The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Vitamin B12 deficiency - Why refugee patients are at high risk
Jill Benson, Toni Maldari, Thomas Turnbull
Vitamin B12 is one of the most complex vitamins. The measurement of serum levels and
the significance of the results are much debated in the literature.
A patient with nodular skin swelling
Rumi Khajotia, Sree Raman, Pathmanathan Rajadurai, Wan Yaacob
A man, 70 years of age, presents to his general practitioner with a 6 week history of a nodular skin swelling on the trunk. He is a nonsmoker and a known diabetic treated with oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA).
Cholera - Recommendations for prevention in travellers
Amy A Neilson, Cora A Mayer
This article about cholera is part of our travel medicine series for 2010, providing a
summary of prevention strategies and vaccination for infections that may be acquired by
travellers.
The ‘ultra slow’ BCC - Two case studies
Steven Tomas
Most basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) can be diagnosed readily on the basis of a medical
history and clinical examination, particularly when various ‘red flags’ are taken into
account.
Comparing patients’ perceptions of IMGs and local Australian graduates in rural general practice
Catherine Harding, Naresh Parajuli, Luke Johnston, Louis Pilotto
Despite criticism of the clinical
performance of international medical
graduates (IMGs), little is known about
the views of patients within a general
practice setting.
A comparative study on the accuracy of noninvasive thermometers
Fadzlin Mohd Fadzil, David Choon, Kulenthran Arumugam
This study assessed the concordance
of the temperatures of the digital, liquid
crystal forehead and digital infrared
tympanic thermometers with the
mercury in glass thermometer.
Failure to use an interpreter
Sara Bird
The patient, 35 years of age, attended the practice for
the first time, accompanied by her daughter who was
15 years of age.
GP ‘grand round’ - A hospital tradition modified for general practice
Tracy Reibel, Lesley Skinner, Jon Emery
The hospital ‘grand round’ concept was applied to a general practice
continuing professional development activity.
Optimising the medical care of doctors - Part 3 – during the consultation
Hilton Koppe
This is the third in a series of articles exploring issues involved in
doctors treating other doctors. The first article looked at barriers to
good medical care when the patient is a doctor.
Practice management - Tips from the toolkit: 3 governance
Neville Steer
More than most small businesses, medical practices require good
governance. One of the qualities most expected of a family doctor is
trust.
AFP in Practice
Carolyn O'Shea
AFP in Practice questions are designed to get you started in a small group learning (SGL) activity in your practice or with colleagues. Requirements to earn 40 Category 1 CPD points for a SGL activity are: minimum of four and a maximum of 10 people, minimum of 8 hours of discussion in a year, and at least two GPs.
Clinical challenge
Kate Molinari
Questions for this month’s clinical challenge are based on articles in this issue. The style and scope of questions is in keeping with the MCQ of the College Fellowship exam. The quiz is endorsed by the RACGP Quality Assurance and Continuing Professional Development Program and has been allocated 4 CPD points per issue.