Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compose a considerable burden for both patients and health care systems. Optimal management in primary care, including self-treatment of COPD exacerbations with antibiotics and oral corticosteroids, is considered to be one key for providing good care for patients at reasonable costs. This thesis aimed to explore treatment of COPD exacerbations ...

Objectives:<br>Homeopathy is a popular treatment modality among patient, however there is sparse research about adverse effects of homeopathy. A concept unique for homeopathy, is homeopathic aggravation that is understood as a transient worsening of the patients’ symptoms before an expected improvement occurs. From a risk perspective it is vital that a distinction between homeopathic aggravations ...

Background: Studies of Primary Health Care (PHC) reveal considerable practice variations in terms of the range of services provided. In Norway, general practitioners (GPs) are traditionally expected to perform IUD-insertions and several surgical procedures as a part of comprehensive PHC. We aimed to investigate variation in the provision of surgical procedures and IUD-insertions across GPs and ...

This qualitative study explored social participation in young people with nonepileptic seizures (NES), particularly how legitimacy of illness is managed in everyday life.<br>Young people with NES, all female and aged between 14 and 24 years (N = 11), were interviewed and followed up over a 14-month period. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis.<br>Four main themes were elaborated: ...

To investigate dietary and non-dietary characteristics of wholegrain bread eaters in the Norwegian Women and Cancer study.<br>Cross-sectional study using an FFQ.<br>Women were divided into two groups according to wholegrain bread consumption.<br>Adult women (n 69 471).<br>Median daily consumption of standardized slices of wholegrain bread was 2·5 in the low intake group and 4·5 in the high intake ...

Background: General practitioners (GPs) constitute a vital part of a strong primary health care system. We need further knowledge concerning factors that may affect the patients’ experiences in their meetings with the GPs. We investigated to what degree organizational factors and GP characteristics are associated with patients’ communicative experiences in a consultation. Methods: We used data ...

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) involved in the estrogen pathway and SNPs in the estrogen receptor alpha gene (ESR1 6q25) have been linked to breast cancer development, and mammographic density is an established breast cancer risk factor. Whether there is an association between daily estradiol levels, SNPs in ESR1 and premenopausal mammographic density phenotypes is unknown. Methods: ...

<br>Sanfu acupoint herbal patching (SAHP) is a unique traditional Chinese medicine therapy, which has become popular for preventing acute attack of respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in many regions of mainland China. However, the knowledge about its users is lacking, especially the characteristics of the users and their experience and perspectives.</br> <br>To ...

Background: Qili Qiangxin capsule is a standardized Chinese herbal treatment that is commonly used in China for heart failure (HF) alongside conventional medical care. In 2014, Chinese guidelines for the treatment of chronic HF highlighted Qili Qiangxin capsules as a potentially effective medicine. However, there is at present no high quality review to evaluate the effects and safety of Qili ...