Multimorbidity is a growing public health concern, especially in countries with aging populations. Although a tiered healthcare system has been implemented to improve primary care, managing patients with multimorbidity has been challenging. This study conducted focus group discussions involving 21 patients with multimorbidity in Beijing via a flexible topic guide to explore their...
Patients and providers experience barriers to early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. We developed a new primary care-based role, the Brain Health Navigator (BHN), who is trained to assess patients for cognitive impairment, identify addressable causes, suggest appropriate diagnostic testing, connect patients to resources, and assist patients in accessing...
Majority evidence on task-sharing of psychological treatments for depression is focused on randomized controlled trials with project staff-delivered treatment. Ours is a scaling up of a brief evidence-based psychological treatment, Healthy Activity Program (HAP) by non-specialist providers (NSPs) -Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in rural India. Objectives included...
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a key and effective treatment for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) although lack of accessibility is a barrier. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of face-to-face supervision (FFS) with those of telephone supervision (TS) during a community-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme to increase functional exercise...
Primary care physicians are facing elevated levels of burnout and often struggle to find joy in their work, with fewer physicians choosing primary care as a career. Peer coaching offers a way to enhance professional fulfillment and job satisfaction by fostering connection and support among physicians. In this study, we evaluated a pilot coaching-informed peer support program for...
General practitioners (GPs) extensively used synchronous teleconsultation (STC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this utilization decreased after the state of sanitary emergency was lifted, it remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. The aim is to summarize the scientific evidence on the factors influencing GPs’ decision to conduct STC instead of face-to-face consultation...
Person-centred medicine in older patients requires medication decisions to be aligned with individual preferences, needs, and values. However, involvement of care home residents and their relatives in such decisions remains limited due to professional preferences and perceived barriers. This study investigates the feasibility of a newly developed intervention aiming to facilitate...
Access to and use of healthcare is a crucial aspect of sickle cell disease (SCD) management. However, healthcare utilisation is often challenging, particularly among sickle cell patients. Adequate utilisation of healthcare services for people with SCD could improve their life expectancy. As no previous empirical work has been available, this study explores the facilitators of and...
Social Prescribing Schemes (SPS) incorporate community-based activities (Health Assets, HAs) into primary healthcare (PHC) to address social determinants of health and enhance well-being. Structured evaluation frameworks are needed to ensure equity, accessibility, and measurable outcomes. This study aimed to develop a framework to assess SPS in the Spanish public healthcare...
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) remain a significant global public health concern. This study aims to comprehensively explore the perspectives of both potential users of preventive health services and family physicians, with the goal of identifying key factors that influence the utilization of these services. This qualitative study involved in-depth, face-to-face interviews with...
Synchronous teleconsultations using video or phone have become an increasingly popular method for delivering healthcare, especially in primary care. This modality enhances access to care, particularly for individuals in remote or underserved areas, and was especially significant during disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these benefits, patient perspectives on...
Osteoporosis is a prevalent condition among postmenopausal women, significantly increasing the risk of fragility fractures. Despite the availability of clinical guidelines, their implementation in primary care, remains highly variable, particularly regarding fracture prevention and shared decision-making (SDM). We conducted a qualitative study to explore the attitudes and...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people aged 15–24 years of age often encounter challenges accessing and utilising primary health care (PHC). Providing health care responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people requires the active involvement of healthcare providers (HCPs), who play a central role in healthcare delivery. This study...
Despite the widely acknowledged importance of primary care, there remains a significant gap in its comprehensive evaluation in China, particularly from the dual perspectives of institutional performance and patient experience. We utilized two internationally recognized tools, the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) for measuring primary care quality from the perspective of...
Obesity has become a public health concern as its prevalence has increased rapidly around the world, including Malaysia. Primary care physicians (PCPs) are the first point of contact for obese patients, playing a crucial role in managing obesity. This study aims to determine the level of obesity care knowledge and practices among PCPs and to identify factors associated with them...
There is a complex relationship between pain and mood disorders, and interactions between opioids and antidepressants can affect the effectiveness and adverse effects of these medicines when taken together. However, little is known about the scale of co-prescription for these medicines. We used routinely collected primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink to...
The health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 have welcomed the introduction of technology into healthcare delivery, desalinating the accessibility to healthcare delivery. With the recent outbreak of the COVID-19, telehealth services have been the preferred means of service delivery to a wider population in settings where the physician-to-patient...
Despite the increased risk of deteriorating oral health among older individuals, dental attendance often declines over time in frail home-dwelling older people (FHOP), resulting in a significant burden of untreated oral disease. Literature highlights the importance of interprofessional collaboration to address oral health problems in ageing societies, emphasising the potential...
Prenatal care is vital for ensuring healthy pregnancies, yet many women face barriers such as geographic distance, socioeconomic limitations, and lack of transportation. Mobile health (mHealth) technologies offer a promising approach to improving access to prenatal care information. However, the motivations, barriers, and behaviors related to mHealth app use, particularly within...
People with severe mental illness (SMI) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, partly due to factors such as overweight and obesity. Weight management programmes can potentially reduce this risk, but people with SMI face barriers to access and engagement. To explore the acceptability of using link workers to address barriers to accessing and engaging with weight...
Primary care practitioners often are the first medical professionals to see patients with zoonoses. So far, studies on awareness and management of zoonoses in primary care have focused on specific zoonoses, most prominently Lyme disease. Additionally, (diagnostic) uncertainty vs. confidence of this group of practitioners regarding zoonoses has rarely been examined. Finally...
Opioid use disorder, mental health conditions, and housing instability are frequently intertwined and have a profound impact on health outcomes. While past research has focused on the opioid use and mental health of people experiencing homelessness, less is known about those experiencing housing instability. We examined the cross-sectional associations between housing status...
Antibiotic overprescription is a complex global problem that contributes to antibacterial resistance. Enhancing professionals’ communication skills is one of the most promising interventions for optimising antibiotic prescription in respiratory tract infections in children. We developed a communication skills course for primary care paediatricians, paediatric nurses and community...
Community pharmacies (CPs) are key healthcare providers, playing a significant role in optimizing drug therapy and preventing drug-related problems (DRPs). This study aims to assess the prevalence, characteristics, and related factors of DRPs in Turkish patients in the community pharmacy setting. A cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted between December 2023 and...
Family history-based risk assessment for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer is guideline-recommended but clinical implementation remains limited. This is likely, in part, because it adds to the limited time primary care providers (PCPs) have to implement all guideline-recommended care. We adapted Family History Screening 7 (or FHS7), designed for administration by a PCP, for...