A final goodbye It is with a heavy heart that I write this last piece for Perspectives in Primary Care. Current financial realities have necessitated a strategic restructuring at our publisher, the Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care. While many aspects of the Center’s important work were realigned into

“Thank you for calling our free clinic. How can I help you?” I have spent countless hours listening to the pleas of people in desperate need of medical attention, often with nowhere else to go. Our free clinic in Maryland provides comprehensive care free of cost to those who are uninsured and meet our eligibility criteria. Part of the screening process, though, is determining why someone might be uninsured and helping connect them to other resources that could assist them. To many, it can be surprising why patients might lack health insurance, ...

Our aging global population has the potential to enrich our communities, strengthen intergenerational relationships, and help preserve our cultural heritage. However, to realize this promise, our aging population needs a group of professionals such as geriatric psychiatrists who are trained to care for older adults with mental health, addiction, and other neuropsychiatric problems. Such geriatric mental health specialists can help provide crucial expertise and support to primary care providers and allied ...

The intentional implementation of green spaces originated in elite classes of society when intricate gardens used for strolling and hunting exhibited the pinnacle of wealth and status. The development of Western and socialist nations led to a further emphasis on public spaces geared toward leisure and recreation in an outdoor setting. Historically, the creation of public parks in urban settings was intended to enhance lifestyles and material representations of a ...

A diagnosis of arthritis-associated pain or disability is a frequent reason for a primary care visit. Even when not the chief concern, arthritis is present as a comorbid condition in approximately 50% of older adults with other commonly occurring chronic conditions, including COPD, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. A significant challenge for health care systems, managing these conditions effectively requires addressing both ...

In recent years, several qualitative studies have given us field notes of patients describing their experiences having larger bodies and interacting with the health care system: “I think that medical professionals will often cut people off about other medical concerns and blame everything on being overweight. Patients need to have their other ...

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, more commonly referred to as GLP-1s, have undoubtedly garnered much fanfare the past five years. This class of medications is prescribed for many indications including diabetes, weight loss, and to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in adults with heart disease. The first GLP-1, Byetta (exenatide), was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2005 to treat diabetes mellitus Type 2. It was not until 2014 that the first GLP-1 was ...

In my thirties, my body began to “betray” me. After years of running marathons, working out, and eating well, I found myself struggling with unexplained weight gain, fatigue, joint pain, and digestive issues. I didn’t realize at the time that these were symptoms of deeper, interconnected health issues, including Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and celiac disease. My experience with GLP-1 weight loss drugs has been part of a broader journey toward navigating the challenges of chronic illness with a supportive health care team. It was a slow and circuitous process ...

As obesity rates continue to rise in the United States, researchers have pointed toward numerous causes: ultra-processed foods, lack of physical activity, and genetics, among others. Interventions to reduce weight have been well-discussed by public health officials and physicians. Yet years of counseling on increasing physical activity and changing dietary habits has not had the desired impact on population obesity rates. The issue of weight has often been frustrating for physicians and patients alike. Despite the multifactorial causes of obesity, physicians ...