BACKGROUND The long-term effect of problem-based learning (PBL) on factual knowledge is poorly investigated. We took advantage of a previous randomised comparison between PBL and traditional teaching in a 3rd year course to follow up factual knowledge of the students during their 4th and 5th year of medical school training. METHODS 3rd year medical students were initially randomized to partic...

BACKGROUND There has been little success in attempts to reduce the proportion of births with low birth weight (LBW). However, deaths associated with LBW may be prevented with extra attention to warmth, feeding, and prevention or early treatment of infections. There are few studies on this in Nepal and in many other developing countries. This is a cohort study to evaluate the risk of deaths amon...

Medical negligence claims alleging 'failure to diagnose' are a common cause of claims against general practitioners. In these claims there is often an underlying weakness in the GP's test result and patient tracking systems. This article discusses the duty of care of a GP to follow up patients and their test results. Guidance is provided on how to establish an effective test result tracking sys...

BACKGROUND The provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to migrant populations raises particular challenges with respect to ensuring adequate treatment support, adherence, and retention in care. We assessed rates of loss to follow-up for migrant workers compared with non-migrant workers in a routine treatment programme in Morjia, Lesotho. DESIGN All adult patients (≥18 years) initiating ART ...

Correspondence to: Dr Paul R Roberts, Southampton University Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton. SO16 6YD, UK; [email protected]. uk _________________________ P acemaker implantation is only the initial phase in the lifelong management of the patient with a pacemaker. The challenge of this treatment lies in the comprehensive follow up of the device. As the number of implanted devices...

Editor, Van Brakel et aI. have recently made a strong case for using the EHF score (Eye-Hand-Foot score) as a means of monitoring changes in impairment status in individuais or groups of people over time. lt would provide at least a crude measure of the effectiveness of prevention of impairment activities . ! It is a simple score, the components of which are already collected in most leprosy co...