Allegory in Medicine
Allegory, the communication of ideas through figurative narration, can be a useful tool in medical practice, helping physicians convey complex concepts related to illness to patients who may have difficulty understanding them for any number of reasons: literacy barriers, lack of knowledge, fear of bad news, sensitivity to perceived judgment or stigma, and more. A physician might liken hospitalization in allegorical terms to a vacation from usual life responsibilities, say, or a complicated diagnostic procedure to a journey of discovery through a troubled part of the body. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Amanda
Time walks on with his partner, Age. Time marches on; but Age stops to chat of the changes (or not) in the world, its ways, of mutual friends, and this and that, when somewhat abruptly She breaks off and says (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Assessing Hospital Equity in Readmission
This cross-sectional study of US hospitals compared hospital and patient characteristics to evaluate equitable rates of readmission by insurance (dual eligible [Medicare and Medicaid] vs non –dual eligible) and race (Black vs White). (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Social Risk and Dialysis Facility Performance
This observational study assesses the first-year of the End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices model performance and the financial penalties sustained by facilities that serve patients with high social risk vs facilities that serve populations with lower social risk. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Gestational Diabetes and Cardiovascular Health —Reply
In Reply In their Letter, Dr Bell and colleagues identify concerns related to overdiagnosis with lower GDM diagnostic thresholds commonly used outside of the US. Our JAMA Insights article does not directly address controversies related to GDM diagnostic criteria. However, there are several aspects of the interpretation of glycemic testing in pregnancy and the postpartum period that are worth considering. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Geriatric Medicine as a Profession —Reply
In Reply In their Letter, Drs Michel and Ecarnot correctly suggest that my Viewpoint reflected only a US perspective. Certainly, much can be learned from other countries, where greater attention is paid to geriatrics in medical education, there is less variation in physician compensation across specialties, and, most importantly, attitudes about aging and the care of older adults may differ from those in the US. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Gestational Diabetes and Cardiovascular Health
To the Editor Good clinical decisions should weigh benefits against harms. The recent JAMA Insights article on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) focused on the potential benefits of increased detection and treatment of GDM and subsequent promotion of cardiovascular health. Unmentioned were the potential detrimental effects of overdiagnosis on patients ’ well-being, clinicians’ workload, and costs to health care systems. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Geriatric Medicine as a Profession
To the Editor A recent Viewpoint provided historical perspective and drew attention to the paradox of geriatrics as a dying field at a time when society is rapidly aging. In retrospect, it seems that geriatrics was always “swimming against the tide” in a society that devalues aging. The US health care system and payers reward specialty care, procedures, and hospitalizations instead of comprehensive, integrated, value-based care for an aging society. Could medical education do more to set priorities that are more relevant to societal needs? (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Geriatric Medicine as a Profession
To the Editor A recent Viewpoint accurately described the decline of geriatrics as a subspecialty field, detailing the declining numbers of graduates pursuing postresidency geriatric training, the lower compensation for geriatricians, and the apparent disparagement of older adults by trainees. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Geriatric Medicine as a Profession
To the Editor In a world that now has more adults over age 65 years than children under age 5 years, the recent Viewpoint about geriatrics is quite provocative, but may reflect only the US reality. In 2050, more than 20% of the projected world population of 10 billion people will be older than 65, and 80% of them will live in low- and moderate-resource countries. In the face of these demographic perspectives, the care of older adults is an emerging priority. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Geriatric Medicine as a Profession
To the Editor I believe that the recent Viewpoint about the failure of geriatric medicine tells only half the story. The problem Dr Gurwitz described is with academic geriatric medicine and the challenges of getting fellowships filled and recruiting physicians into the field, which has been previously reported. However, it is critical to understand that the progress in geriatric care is distinct from the number of geriatricians in this country. For example, the Creating Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative that is now underway, led by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, is working in 3000 care locations in the US a...
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Geriatric Medicine as a Profession
To the Editor I would like to make few comments about a recent Viewpoint on geriatric medicine. First, according to the World Health Organization, the proportion of older adults will nearly double from 12% to 22%, and 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Current Comment
(Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Audio Highlights
Listen to the JAMA Editor ’s Audio Summary for an overview and discussion of the important articles appearing in this week’s issue of JAMA. (Source: JAMA)
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
Federal Regulations and Dialysis-Related Disparities
End-stage renal disease (ESRD) or kidney disease (ESKD) represents one of the most visible health conditions beset with racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities, alongside a substantially high cost of care per patient. Health disparities typically describe group differences in the prevalence, incidence, or outcomes of a health condition or differences in quality of care that would not exist in an equitable and just society. Usually those injustices are due to conscious and unconscious biases embedded in laws, policies, and/or practices that inform how structures and systems allocate health- and life-affirming resource...
Source: JAMA - January 9, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: research
