Annals of Internal Medicine is published by the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM), an organization of more than 115,000 physicians trained in internal medicine. The following highlights are not intended to substitute for articles as sources of information. For an embargoed fax of an article, call 1-800-523-1546, ext. 2656 or 215-351-2656. Full content of the April 4, 2000, Annals issue will be available on the Internet at www.acponline.org on April 4, 2000.
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Men Often Suffer from Incontinence and Want Help But Seldom Ask
A study of 840 men in a Veterans Affairs facility found that 32.3 percent had suffered from urinary incontinence in the past year and that it often affected their social relationships, physical activity and travel (Brief Communication, p. 547). Of those with incontinence, 75 percent wanted treatment, but only 32 percent had discussed the problem with medical staff.
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Physicians Can Learn to Use Patients' Spirituality in Their Treatment Plans
Medical ethicists say that physicians should look for and respect patients' spirituality and religious beliefs and that these beliefs can be an important resource in coping with chronic, severe and terminal conditions (Perspective, p. 578). The ethicists explore how physicians can include spiritual issues in an initial patient screening, discuss spiritual issues nonjudgmentally during treatment, and handle patient requests for physician prayer.
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Eating Whole Walnuts Further Reduced Bad Cholesterol in Dietary Study
Researchers divided 49 people with high cholesterol into a group that ate a standard Mediterranean diet, low in saturated fats and high in vegetables, and a group that ate whole walnuts in place of some of the monounsaturated fat in typical Mediterranean foods and oils (Article, p. 538). The study found that the walnut diet further reduced total and bad cholesterol.
Journal
Annals of Internal Medicine