It is a known fact that sleep and rest are not the same thing, although many of us incorrectly confuse the two. We go through life thinking we’ve rested because we have gotten to sleep — but in reality we are missing out on the other types of rest we desperately need. The result is … Continue reading Are you Chronically Fatigued?
Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
Health promotion and disease prevention are two important components of public health. They share many goals, and there is considerable overlap between functions. They also sound alike and their functions and activities are synergistic. However, at the conceptual level, there are significant differences in their strategies and what they stand for. For starters, one focuses … Continue reading Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
Ectopic Pregnancy
In my opinion, I believe ectopic pregnancy is one of the worst things that can happen to a woman - it’s like the pregnancy has come to kill the woman by all means possible. Not only will the woman (almost always) lose that tube, in most cases, without surgical intervention, the woman might lose her … Continue reading Ectopic Pregnancy
Consultation Skills for Chronic Communicable & Non-Communicable Diseases.
Most patients with chronic illnesses are usually previously diagnosed, they are likely to know their own diagnoses, and most times, they are already on some forms of regular medication. While most chronic illnesses are noncommunicable in nature, it is noteworthy that some infectious diseases run chronic courses. Common examples of chronic illnesses: Non-Communicable Diseases Hypertension, … Continue reading Consultation Skills for Chronic Communicable & Non-Communicable Diseases.
Ethics Discussion: Patient Referral & Advocacy
This is a discussion on the ethical dilemma of a family physician / general practitioner registrar: I am currently rotating through the adult clinical and I found this situation that got me thinking on what the role of a family physician could be in such scenario and how much of patient advocacy would be required. … Continue reading Ethics Discussion: Patient Referral & Advocacy
Bio-Psycho-Social
Health professions are derived from Western, scientific medicine. In this model of care, illness is considered as a result of a disease or pathology that is affecting the normal functioning of tissues and organs within the body. Treatment goal this is restoring the function of these organs or preventing the progression of the disease. Thus, … Continue reading Bio-Psycho-Social
Domestic Violence
It goes by different names, but essentially, it addresses a situation in which a person is being assaulted by an intimate partner (I.e. a person they are romantically involved with), regardless of gender or sexual orientation. Much has been said about it over the years, and the general consensus includes the fact that the victim … Continue reading Domestic Violence
Needle-stick injury
In today's world of HIV and AIDS, one of the biggest health-worker's nightmare is a needle -stick injury. This means that you are pricked by the same needle that had already gone into a patient's body. Similar to this is splash injury in which the blood or body fluids of a patient splashes into places … Continue reading Needle-stick injury
HIV & Pregnancy
What do you expect a doctor to do when you are pregnant, you are HIV positive, you have high viral load because you are not taking your treatment properly, and you decided to book for antenatal care late in your third trimester? This is one of the challenges we face as primary care doctors, because … Continue reading HIV & Pregnancy
Health versus work.
I was in the accident and emergency room recently and came across two different scenarios that really bothered me. A young man in his thirties, asthmatic, and works as a security guard. This implies that his work situation involves standing for long hours, outside in the cold. This adversely affects his health and he always … Continue reading Health versus work.