Highlights of this issue

Health benefits of physical activity

What is the role that physical inactivity plays in chronic disease and death? In the first of 2 articles, Warburton and colleagues evaluate the current evidence relating to physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of premature death and the development of chronic diseases. They also briefly discuss the independent effects of frequency and intensity of physical activity.

See page 801

Head and neck cancer in primary care

Although rates of death from head and neck cancers are high, little is known about how patients with the disease present to their family doctors. In a cohort study, Alho and colleagues found that the disease was initially overlooked in about 20% of patients. They also found that, although primary care physicians will encounter on average just 2 new cases throughout their career, as many as 11% of all patients present with symptoms similar to those of head and neck cancer.

See page 779

Health service use in Canada

Racial and ethnic differences among Canadians using health services have received little attention from researchers. To address this shortcoming, Quan and colleagues compared the use of health services by visible-minority and white populations, finding that hospital and cancer screening services are used less by members of visible minorities.

See page 787

Waiting for good public health

Clean water, good housing, safe transport — since these public goods affect health, should they also be subject to wait lists? Edwards and Riley present their case for creating wait lists for public health issues.

See page 794

Too poor to donate?

Living organ donors face financial barriers to donation. Klarenbach and colleagues argue that a national reimbursement policy is needed.

See page 797

Analysis • Practice

Avinashi and Shouldice of the Canadian Federation of Medical Students describe why fewer students are choosing to specialize in family medicine and present recommendations for changing this trend (page 761). Cornuz and colleagues offer a practical approach to the diagnosis of fatigue (page 765). Murray discusses chronic disease on the global scale (page 771). Murray reviews a study that investigates the cardiovascular benefits of ASA for women and men (page 773). Lagacé-Wiens and Harding show us evidence of tungiasis in a returned traveller (page 775).