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Print issue

This week

What's the best imaging strategy in patients with abdominal pain? How can clinicians avoid errors in clinical reasoning? How should hepatitis C infection be managed? To find out more about this week's BMJ print issue, read Jane Smith's editor's choice, The rhythm method, and the print issue contents. All articles have already appeared on bmj.com as part of our continuous publication policy.

hand washing

Research

Public perceptions, anxiety, and behaviour change in relation to the swine flu outbreak

The results of this cross sectional telephone survey of nearly 1000 people in England, Scotland, and Wales suggest that, in the early stages of the swine flu outbreak, public responses were muted despite widespread media coverage and a government campaign. Anxiety about the outbreak was low and behaviour changes were also limited.

anti-malaria insecticide impregnated mosquito net

Research

Household ownership and use of insecticide treated nets in Tanzania

According to this cross sectional study, the Tanzania National Voucher Scheme was associated with significant increases in the coverage of insecticide treated nets over a two year period. Gaps in coverage remain, however, especially in the poorest groups. A linked editorial says an effective and equitable strategy that reaches rural populations and maintains high coverage will need a combination of delivery systems, especially in poor rural areas. Photo: Andy Crump, SPL.

swine flu

News

UK government predicts 100 000 new A/H1N1 flu cases a day by September

The UK government is planning for a rapid rise in the number of cases of A/H1N1 flu and is limiting provision of antiviral drugs to people with symptoms, while excluding asymptomatic contacts of infected people. Laboratory based diagnosis of swine flu is to be stopped, and diagnosis should instead be made clinically by GPs. The government advises doctors to stop routine swabbing and tracing of contacts.

Also published on 3 July:

elderly couple in the sun

Comment

Heat waves and dehydration in elderly people

Older people who live in big cities that are not prepared for heat waves have the highest risk of heat related morbidity. Recognising the early warning signs of dehydration, which is the key pathophysiological problem, can save lives, say editorialists Marcel G M Olde Rikkert, René J F Melis, and Jurgen A H R Claassen. Nationally, implementation of preventive measures - such as electronic alerting systems, education of populations at risk, introduction of reflective paving and roofing systems, and increased planting of urban vegetative cover - can reduce heat related mortality.

doctor and patient

Education

Measuring patients' experiences and outcomes

Increasing importance is being given to patients' views of the humanity and effectiveness of their care. Nick Black and Crispin Jenkinson consider the challenge of using them to evaluate interventions and assess the quality of services

Also published on 2 July:

Brain function, conceptual

Research

Dementia and marital status

People living in a couple relationship at mid-life have a reduced risk of cognitive impairment later in life, according to this population based cohort study from Finland. The accompanying editorial says that a potential application of the findings entails collecting and using data about patients' marital status in the primary care setting and targeting people without a partner for preventive strategies.

chess

Education

Endgames

This week's instalment of our new weekly educational clinical quiz is now live. Compiled from peer reviewed contributions from readers, it covers clinical medicine and statistics. There's also a prize quiz, pulled from the BMJ's sister product OnExamination.
This week's Endgames articles:

Tom Nolan

Blog

Daily swine flu update

Tom Nolan is the clinical community editor of doc2doc, the BMJ's professional networking community, and a trainee GP. In his new swine flu blog, he provides updates and insights into the situation as it evolves.

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