Tip sheet and summaries Annals of Family Medicine March/April 2026
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Medicine & Health
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jun-2026 15:15 ET (22-Jun-2026 19:15 GMT/UTC)
Peer-Reviewed Publication
23-Mar-2026
Patients with floaters or flashes could face higher risk of retinal detachment
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
In this study, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study using electronic records from seven family practices in the Netherlands to examine whether patients presenting with floaters, flashes, or both had different risks of retinal detachment in primary care.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine
23-Mar-2026
Study explores frameworks for improved indigenous data sovereignty
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
In Canada, current approaches to managing health data do not always reflect principles of Indigenous data sovereignty, which emphasize Indigenous peoples’ rights to control how data about their communities are collected, used, and shared. This study examined how practice-based research and learning networks (PBRLNs) currently approach data governance and explored how Indigenous data sovereignty frameworks could apply.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine
23-Mar-2026
Isolation and financial hardship linked with lower odds of receiving preventive health care in the U.S.
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national telephone survey, to better understand how social isolation and physical isolation intersect with material deprivation, including financial strain and inadequate health care access. The study examined six preventive services: COVID-19, flu and pneumococcal vaccination, and breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine
23-Mar-2026
Primary care continuity remained high in community health centers despite COVID-19 disruptions
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
Continuity of care — seeing one’s own primary care clinician for most visits — is a basic tenet of primary care. This study examined continuity trends from 2019 through 2023 in a national sample of community-based health centers spanning the period before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine
23-Mar-2026
Innovative panel management strategy benefits patients who need more intensive primary care
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
Primary care panel sizes are often determined without detailed data on patient complexity, which can strain access to care and contribute to clinician burnout. Geisinger Health System used Charlson Comorbidity Health Analytics (CCHA) and Needs-Based Segmentation (NBS) tools to support complexity-based panel management across 45 primary care clinics serving more than 350,000 patients.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine
23-Mar-2026
Clinical trial participants prefer community paramedic home care over usual care pathways
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
Researchers conducted a randomized clinical trial to test whether a program called Care Anywhere with Community Paramedics (CACP) could shorten or prevent hospital use. The study enrolled 240 adults receiving care through Mayo Clinic sites in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Study participants needed medical services that could be delivered by community paramedics at home but would have otherwise required hospital-based care.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine
23-Mar-2026
Care team continuity, flexibility and collaboration benefits whole-person care for patients with multiple long-term conditions
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
Research and policy have called for a shift toward whole-person primary care for people living with multimorbidity, defined as the presence of two or more chronic conditions. Researchers in the United Kingdom (UK) observed 25 general practitioner-patient consultations across five practices, and conducted six focus groups — four with 16 primary care staff members and two with eight patients and care staff members— to identify enablers and barriers to delivering tailored care.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine
23-Mar-2026
Lonely patients may feel misunderstood by their doctor and less confident managing their health
American Academy of Family PhysiciansPeer-Reviewed Publication
Loneliness is increasingly recognized as a health concern and has been linked to poorer physical and mental health. Researchers surveyed 2,673 adult patients from a primary care practice in Ontario, Canada. Participants completed the three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale and answered questions about aspects of their care experience. Statistical models examined whether loneliness was associated with patients’ ratings of these experiences.
- Journal
- The Annals of Family Medicine