Peer Responses:
- Length: A minimum of 170 words per post, not including references
- Citations: At least two high-level scholarly reference in APA per post from within the last 5 years
- Relate to another journal reading
One of the clinical resources used in primary clinics is The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) for preventative care. USPSTF is an independent group established in 1984 to provide evidence-based suggestions for preventative services, including screening, behavioral counseling, and preventive medications. The USPSTF comprises 16 members appointed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Director. These members come from various fields, such as family medicine, internal medicine, nursing, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and preventive and behavioral therapy. They possess broad and deep expertise in preventive medicine and primary care. The USPSTF members disclose their financial and non-financial interests. The USPSTF uses rigorous methods, including comprehensive systematic reviews, to analyze the benefits and harms of preventive services. The USPSTF’s recommendations are intended for primary care clinicians and asymptomatic patients(Barry et al., 2023).
Building trust and credibility is crucial for guideline developers to ensure clinicians widely accept their recommendations. According to experts in dissemination and implementation (D&I), the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is one of the most trusted and respected sources for clinical preventive services recommendations. Clinicians usually skim through recommendations and focus on the information relevant to their clinical practice. Once they trust a guideline developer, they typically read only the abstract or the “top-line recommendations.” Some clinicians found certain sections of USPSTF recommendations repetitive, while others thought the evidence section needed more detail. Nonetheless, they appreciated that the evidence supporting the recommendations is publicly available(Epling et al., 2019).
Another helpful clinical resource in the primary clinic setting is the immunization schedule by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC has a mission to promote health and prevent disease. As part of this mission, they release written recommendations for vaccinating children and adults in the US. These recommendations aim to safeguard people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) comprises medical and public health experts, including vaccine experts, scientists, doctors, and public health professionals, who review data on new and existing vaccines to provide informed recommendations(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021).
ACIP meets thrice yearly to evaluate vaccines. They consider vaccine safety, disease severity, prevalence, and immunity development. They recommend vaccine doses, intervals, age-appropriate administration, and precautions. The immunization schedules set by the CDC are based on recommendations from ACIP. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists approve the childhood and adolescent schedules. Similarly, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Physicians, and the American College of Nurse-Midwives also approve the adult schedule(CDC, 2021).
References
Barry, M. J., Wolff, T. A., Pbert, L., Davidson, K. W., Fan, T. M., Krist, A. H., Lin, J. S., Mabry-Hernandez, I. R., Mangione, C. M., Mills, J., Owens, D. K., & Nicholson, W. K. (2023). Putting evidence into practice: An update on the us preventive services task force methods for developing recommendations for preventive services. The Annals of Family Medicine, 21(2), 165–171. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2946
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, February 10). Who sets the immunization schedule?Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/schedules/sets-schedule.html#:~:text=CDC%20sets%20the%20immunization%20schedules,College%20of%20Obstetricians%20and%20Gynecologists.
Epling, J. W., Borsky, A. E., & Gerteis, J. (2019). Improvements to the US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA, 322(12), 1143. Retrieved February 1, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.11311
