Preparing cancer patients and their families for chemotherapy treatment is difficult. The challenge lies in finding ways to promote self-care and improve their ability to recall instructions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of an educational video with regard to patients' ability to recall and report side effects of treatment. Patients referred for adjuvant chemotherapy for breast and colorectal cancer were randomized to receive standard pre-chemotherapy education or standard education plus addition of a video. Patients completed a base line questionnaire assessing existing knowledge and another questionnaire prior to the second chemotherapy cycle evaluating recall of information. Patients who watched the video were asked to assess the video after six cycles of chemotherapy. Telephone calls to the department reporting symptoms were monitored for both groups. The video group demonstrated trends towards higher recall in information concerning fever, mouth problems, low red cell count and prevention of constipation. They more commonly telephoned reporting medical problems of nausea, vomiting and signs of infection compared with the standard group. In summary, our study demonstrated inclusion of video to standard chemotherapy education improves retention of information regarding management of predictable chemotherapy side effects and reporting of treatment-related symptoms.

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This article presents the results of an evaluative study of an employee assistance program sponsored by the Russell Corporation, an apparel manufacturing firm. Its results suggest that the program is beneficial in terms of both productivity enhancement and humanitarianism.

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Reports and Techfnical-H•iports are intended for sponsors of R&D tasks and for other research ,and military agencies. Any findings ready for implementation at the time of publication are presented in the last part *of the Brief. Upon completion of a major phase of the task, formal recommendations for official action normally are conveyed to aporopriate military "agencies by briefing or Disposition Form. i v t ** ft'22-,4 .%% % q-~:=~ skills will better prepare che infantryman for Ml6Al rifle Marksmanship training at the unit level. This research was performed as part of the overall Army Research Institute program in Education and Training of Soldiers.

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BACKGROUNDTo ensure the success of the proposed New Model of family medicine and to create a better understanding of the nature and role of family medicine, an effective communications plan must be developed and implemented. This Future of Family Medicine task force report proposes strategies for communicating the role of family physicians within medicine, as well as to purchasers, consumers, and other entities.METHODS After reviewing the fi ndings from the research conducted for the Future of Family Medicine project, the task force presents a preliminary brandpositioning strategy for family medicine messages. Based on this strategy, the task force identifi es 5 major audiences to which family medicine communications should be directed. A consistent method was used to determine optimum strategies to address each audience: defi ning the audience, assessing the literature and other pertinent evidence, identifying the communication objectives, determining the key messages, developing brand promises, and proposing strategies and tactics to support the messages and objectives. Preliminary communications plans are then presented for each of the 5 target audiences.MAJOR FINDINGS It is important that the organizations involved in family medicine make a multiyear commitment of resources to implement and support an aggressive communications strategy, which is based on key messages to target audiences. A concerted effort is particularly needed to address the declining interest among medical students in the specialty. Implementing a comprehensive family medicine career development program may be one effective strategy to reverse this trend. To help eliminate the current confusion among the public regarding family medicine and to promote clarity and consistency in terminology, the specialty should replace the name family practice with family medicine and a new graphic symbol for the discipline of family medicine should be developed.CONCLUSION As a discipline, family medicine has failed to formulate and deliver a compelling message. New communications strategies must be implemented that will reach audiences in terms they understand and care about and in ways that convey a sense of the exciting role family physicians will play in the future. By actively implementing the communications plans described in this report, the specialty can enhance the impact and help ensure the widespread implementation of the proposed New Model of family medicine.To read or post commentaries in response to this article, see it online at http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/content/full/2/suppl_1/S75.