Background Nearly 1% of the population is currently treated with long-term corticosteroid therapy. When corticosteroids are introduced, information concerning potential adverse effects and recommendations for lifestyle changes aimed at preventing such effects is provided to patients. However, studies have shown patients often do not fully comprehend the information provided and have difficulty implementing the recommended dietary and physical activity advice. In this study, we aim to highlight the difficulties encountered by patients in comprehending and implementing recommendations in the context of long-term corticosteroid use. Such information can be used to better optimize care, particularly concerning adherence to the treatment, the diet, and thus improve the quality of life of patients. Methods We recruited adult patients under long-term corticosteroid (≥ 3 months, ≥ 5 mg/day) treatment from both general medicine and rheumatology practices. We performed a qualitative analysis based on semi-structured interviews of these patients. Transcripts of these interviews were then compiled and analysed using a thematic approach. Results Sixteen patients were included. Analysis of the interviews revealed that patients’ hope for effective corticosteroid treatment was counterbalanced by concerns over potential adverse effects. In some patients, the need to respect a strict and imposed diet induced psychological distress, potentially leading to eating disorders or fear of social exclusion. Furthermore, patient ambivalence toward the therapeutic education was highlighted, as well as the notion of filtering information, conscious or unconscious, as revealed by their lack of recall. The relationship with the physician also affected the treatment experience. Conclusion Our analysis of the personal experience of patients regarding recommended lifestyle changes associated with long-term corticosteroid treatment highlights patient difficulties and suggests different ways of improving therapeutic education. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4052-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Analgesic opioid (AO) misuse by patients ranges from 0% to 50%. General practitioners are the first prescribers of AO. Our objective was to validate the Prescription Opioid Misuse Index (POMI) in primary care. We conducted a psychometric study in patients with chronic pain who had been taking AOs for at least 3 months and were followed in general practice. Patients responded to the POMI at inclusion and after 2 weeks. The reference used was the DSM-V. Sixty-nine GPs included 160 patients (87 women, 54.4%), mean age 56.4 ± 15.2 years. The total POMI score was 1.50 ± 1.27, and 73/160 (45.6.0%) had a score ≥2 (misuse threshold). Internal validity was measured with the Kuder–Richardson coefficient, which was 0.44. Correlations between each item and the total score ranged from 0.06 to 0.35. Test–retest reliability was determined from 145 patients: Lin’s concordance coefficient was 0.57 [0.46, 0.68]. Correlation with the DSM-V (Spearman’s coefficient) was 0.52. The POMI does not have sufficient psychometric properties to be recommended as a tool to identify the misuse of AOs in primary care. This study clearly showed that there is a need to create a monitoring tool specific to primary care.

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Debate is centred on two main questions : the control of land-use and the structural organisation of the region. While there is substantial agreement over the need to protect natural areas against the generalised spread of housing areas, the support for more intensive forms of land-use in today's context of low growth rates is far more reserved and has led to some tension. As for the prospect of a more voluntary form of spatial organisation for the urban region, this raises a number of problems relating to the « division of work » and the balance and complementarity between the dense urban centre and its most recent peripheral areas, not only from an economic and social viewpoint, but also from demographic and financial viewpoints. Finally, a medium and long-term communal project for the region would require some form of permanent management of the main aims and tools of the planning process, using appropriate institutions and at the appropriate scale.

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