Hypertension affects approximately 73 million Americans. Clients and providers working together to control the disease can help prevent life-threatening illnesses. Patient perceptions about their illness can influence health behaviors, but little is known about the perceptions of Mexican American adults in relation to hypertension. This descriptive study used semistructured interviews to elicit Patient Explanatory Models of hypertension among 15 hypertensive Mexican American adults. Findings revealed that personal models of cause, treatment, and outcomes were often vague. This information can be useful for planning individual education and treatment that provides meaningful care.

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Patients who are in need of genetic services are often inappropriately managed, in part due to inadequate knowledge of genetic issues among primary health care providers. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a genetics education program on the knowledge and attitudes of primary care providers in community health settings. A total of one hundred twenty-one primary care providers who work in Texas Public Health Region VIII participated in an educational program designed to provide basic genetics information. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used to assess knowledge and attitudes of subjects, and comparisons were made pre and post intervention. Pretest assessment revealed less than adequate knowledge about basic genetic principles and relatively positive attitudes among the subjects. Following the program, there were statistically significant increases in both knowledge about genetic conditions (P = .001) and attitudes toward provision of genetic services (P = .001). These results indicate that primary health care providers, motivated to learn complex materials and new skills in order to assist their patients, can do so in a relatively short time period.

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Up to now, little has been known about the prevalence and clinical relevance of colonisation of asymptomatic pregnant women with methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) or extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli. In this two-centre cross-sectional study, we evaluated the performance and importance of screening at different times and different locations for colonisation in pregnant women and newborns. Between October 2013 and December 2015, four samples were collected from pregnant women, two from newborns at birth and three from 3-day-old newborns. Samples were screened on culturing media and were confirmed with molecular methods. MSSA was used as a surrogate for MRSA, as the two share most microbiologic characteristics and colonisation patterns. Of 763 pregnant women, 14.5% (111) were colonised with MSSA, 0.4% (3) with MRSA and 2.6% (20) with ESBL-producing E. coli. Of 658 newborns, 0.9% (10) were colonised with MSSA at birth and 13.1% (70) at 3 days old, 0.5% (3) were colonised with MRSA and 2.6% (17) with ESBL-producing E. coli. Nasal sampling identified 91.0% of MSSA-colonised pregnant women and 60.0% of newborns. In newborns, nasal and umbilical sampling at 3 days after birth discovered 84.0% of colonised cases. For ESBL-producing E. coli, the perianal region was positive in all colonised pregnant women and in 88.2% of colonised newborns. Combining nasal and perianal swabs is optimal when screening for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in pregnant women. Nasal, perianal and umbilical sample collection from 3-day-old newborns significantly increased the sensitivity compared to screening immediately after birth.