The hypothetico-deductive method, which involves an iterative process of hypothesis generation and evaluation, has been used for decades by physicians to diagnose patients. This study focuses on the levels of support that medical information systems can provide during these stages of the diagnostic reasoning process. The physician initially generates a list of possible diagnoses (hypotheses) based on the patients' symptoms. Later, those hypotheses are examined to determine which ones best account for the signs, symptoms, physical examination findings, and laboratory test results. Hypothesis generation is especially challenging for medical students because the organization of knowledge in medical school curricula is disease-centered. Furthermore, the clinical reference tools that are regularly used by medical students (such as Harrison's Online, UpToDate, and eMedicine) are mostly organized by disease. To address this issue, Abduction, a hypothesis generation tool; was developed for this study. Sixteen medical students were asked to solve two patient cases in two different conditions: A (support of clinical reference tools chosen by the participant and Abduction ) and B (support of clinical reference tools chosen by the participant). In Condition A, participants were able to generate the correct diagnosis in all 16 occasions (100%) and were able to confirm it in 13 occasions (81.25%). In Condition B, participants were able to generate the correct diagnosis in three out of 16 occasions (18.75%) and were able to confirm it once (6.25%). The implications of this study are discussed with respect to the cognitive support that Abduction can provide to medical students for clinical diagnosis.

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Shared characteristics and predictors of psychological distress are beginning to be identified in research on women seeking genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. This study further explored patterns of psychological distress for 51 community women waiting to receive such genetic test results. There was no significant relationship between psychological distress and family cancer history, personal cancer history, social support networks, and family environment. Women in this sample tended to rely more on females and relatives for support than males and friends. Social support satisfaction was not related to gender or number of relatives providing support. Thirty-four of the 36 women classified on the family environment type were from Personal Growth-Oriented families. Comparisons with normal and distressed family means revealed increased cohesion and expressiveness with decreased conflict, indicative of supportive family environments. Limitations and implications are discussed.

An HIV-positive diagnosis can be an overwhelming and traumatic experience. This study explores the experiences of receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis. Employing an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), a sample of the initial posts from threads on an online forum, was collected and explored, in order to determine the dominant themes from the experiences expressed in the posts, as well as the support sought from the forum. The online forum was accessed as an unobtrusive observer, and posts from January to December 2015 were explored. The online forum provides a platform for disclosure following an HIV-positive diagnosis, when anxiety and fear of stigma can impact on an individual’s ability to disclose to their social support network of family and friends. The experiences expressed on the online forum reflect the emotional, mental and physical impact of an HIV-positive diagnosis on an individual. The findings in this study reflected themes of shock, guilt and hopelessness, and concerns and fears regarding disclosure and stigma associated with HIV, as well as the importance of social support for the coping mechanisms of individuals after receiving an HIV-positive diagnosis. This research demonstrates the importance of Internet accessibility for information and support for chronic illnesses, such as HIV, and the role of the online forum platform for providing a safe environment for individuals recently diagnosed HIVpositive.