The Not-So-Friendly Skies
What Not to Wear
A Day Late and a Doctor Short
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CLINICAL NEWS
The Not-So-Friendly Skies
Flight attendants are at a higher risk than the general population for developing several types of cancers , according to a report from the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study , which monitors health outcomes in 5,366 U . S . flight attendants .
Compared with 2,729 members of the general population , flight attendants had higher rates of :
non-melanoma skin cancer
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309 %
What Not to Wear
Patients are particularly harsh fashion critics , according to a physician-attire survey from researchers at the University of Michigan . To determine how a doctor ’ s attire might influence patient satisfaction or trust in physicians , the authors showed 4,062 patients photos of the same doctor ( either male or female ) dressed seven different ways – ranging from formal to casual , white coat to scrubs .
Formal attire with a white coat was the most highly rated attire :
55 % said that doctors should wear white coats during office visits and 62 % said that doctors should wear white coats during hospital visits .
However , 44 % agreed that casual attire was acceptable – but only on the weekends . melanoma
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127 %
Source : Petrilli CM , Saint S , Jennings JJ , et al . Understanding patient preference for physician attire : a cross-sectional observational study of 10 academic medical centres in the USA . BMJ Open . 2018 ; 8 : e021239 .
A Day Late and a Doctor Short
The Association of American Medical Colleges ( AAMC ) updated its report on the looming physician shortage in the U . S ., with disheartening results . breast cancer
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51 %
The U . S . could see a shortage of between 42,600 and 121,300 physicians by 2030 .
This includes shortfalls of :
• between 14,800 and 49,300 primary-care physicians
• between 33,800 and 72,700 specialists
The findings are “ striking given the low rates of overweight and smoking in our study population , which highlights the question of what can be done to minimize the adverse exposures and cancers common among cabin crew ,” the researchers noted .
Source : McNeely E , Mordukhovich I , Staffa S , et al . Cancer prevalence among flight attendants compared to the general population . Environ Health . 2018 ; 17:49 .
“ To address the doctor shortage , medical schools have increased class sizes by nearly 30 percent since 2002 ,” said AAMC President and CEO Darrell G . Kirch , MD . “ Now it ’ s time for Congress to do its part . Funding for residency training has been frozen since 1997 and without an increase in federal support , there simply won ’ t be enough doctors to provide the care Americans need .”
Source : Association of American Medical Colleges , “ The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand : Projections from 2016 to 2030 ( 2018 Update ).”
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