Access To Primary Care Research Articles

Supply-demand balance and spatial distribution optimization of primary care facilities in highland cities from a resilience perspective: A study of Lhasa, China.

The development of urban resilience, which is fundamentally a balance between the supply capacity of primary care resources and the demand from urban residents, includes an appropriate architecture of primary care facilities. Resilient city construction in highland areas is hampered by the physical environment and transportation constraints and frequently encounters issues like poor accessibility and unequal distribution of primary care facilities. To optimize the supply and demand of primary care resources in highland cities and effectively improve the resilience of urban public health, this paper assesses the distribution of primary care facilities within the built-up area of Lhasa (China) through a spatial network analysis method based on GIS, combined with population distribution data, and employs a location-allocation model to optimize the distribution. Firstly, the overall supply of primary care exceeds the overall demand, but the facilities' service area can only accommodate 59% of the residences. Secondly, there is a clear spatial variation in the accessibility of primary care facilities, and the time cost of healthcare is too high in some residences. Thirdly, the supply-demand relationship of primary care facilities is unbalanced, with both over-saturated and over-deficient areas. After distribution optimization, the coverage and accessibility of primary care facilities have increased significantly, and the spatial imbalance of supply and demand has been alleviated. This paper proposes a research method to evaluate and optimize the spatial distribution of primary care facilities from multiple perspectives based on the resilience theory. The results of the study and visualization analysis methods can be used as an invaluable reference for planning the distribution of urban healthcare facilities and urban resilience construction in highland areas and other underdeveloped areas.

Sex, Immigration, and Patterns of Access to Primary Care in Canada

Access to primary care is crucial to immigrant health and may be shaped by sex and gender, but research is limited and inconclusive. We identified measures that reflect access to primary care using 2015–2018 Canadian Community Health Survey data. We used multivariable logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds of primary care access and to explore interaction effects between sex and immigration group (recent immigrant: < 10 years in Canada, long-term immigrant: 10 + years, non-immigrant). Recency of immigration and being male were negatively associated with access to primary care, with significantly lower odds of having a usual place for immediate care among male recent immigrants (AOR: 0.36, 95% CI 032–0.42). Interaction effects between immigration and sex were pronounced, especially for having a regular provider or place of care. Results underscore the need to examine approachability and acceptability of primary care services, especially for male recent immigrants.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis of cutaneous melanomas: A retrospective cohort study from five European skin cancer reference centres.

The COVID-19 lockdown had a dramatic impact on primary care access and resulted in postponed skin cancer screenings. This raises concerns for a diagnostic delay on primary cutaneous melanomas, which can subsequently increase morbidity and mortality. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19-related restrictions on the melanoma diagnosis in five European skin cancer reference centres in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy. A total of 7865 cutaneous melanoma cases were collected between 01 September 2018 and 31 August 2021. The time period was stratified into pre-COVID (pre-lockdown) and post-COVID (lockdown and post-lockdown) according to the established restrictions in each country. The data collection included demographic, clinical and histopathological data from histologically confirmed cutaneous melanomas. Personal and family history of melanoma, and presence of immunosuppression were used to assess the diagnosis delay in high-risk individuals. There was an overall increase of the Breslow tumour thickness (mean 1.25 mm vs. 1.02 mm) during the post-COVID period, as well as an increase in the proportion of T3-T4 melanomas, rates of ulceration and the number of mitotic rates ≥2 (all, p < 0.001). Patients with immunosuppression and personal history of melanoma showed a decrease in the mean log10-transformed Breslow during lockdown and post-COVID. In the multivariate analysis, age at melanoma diagnosis (p < 0.01) and personal history of melanoma (p < 0.01) showed significant differences in the mean Breslow thickness. The study confirms the diagnostic delay in cutaneous melanomas due to the COVID-19 lockdown. High-risk individuals, such as patients with personal history of melanoma and elderly individuals, were more hesitant to restart their regular skin cancer screenings post-COVID. Further studies with longer follow-up are required to evaluate the consequences of this diagnostic delay in long-term outcomes.

Capturing What Matters with Patients' Bypass Behavior? Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study in China.

In China, bypassing is becoming increasingly prevalent. Such behavior, as going directly to upper-level health-care facilities without a primary care provider (PCP) referral when facing non-critical diseases, contrasts to "expanding the role of PCPs as the first-contact of care", may cause unneglectable damage to the healthcare system and people's physical health. To examine the relationship between patient experience in primary health-care clinics (PHCs) and their bypass behavior. A cross-sectional study was designed for data collection. From July 2021 to August 2021, we conducted a questionnaire survey nationally. Fifty-three investigators were dispatched to 212 pre-chosen PHCs, around which 1060 interviewees were selected to gather information, using a convenience sampling. The primary independent variable was scores measured by Chinese Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT-C) to quantify patients' experience at PHCs. The dependent variable was a binary variable measured by a self-developed instrument to identify whether participants actually practiced bypassing. Covariates were well-screened determinants of patients' bypass behavior including socio-demographic factors, policy factors, and health-care suppliers. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to evaluate the association of patients' experience with their bypass behavior. A total of 928 qualified questionnaires were obtained. The first contact dimension (OR 0.961 [95% CI 0.934 to 0.988], P = 0.005) and continuity dimension (OR 1.034 [95% CI 1.000 to 1.068], P = 0.047) of patients' experience were significantly associated with patients' bypass behavior (P < 0.05). In addition, age (OR 1.072, [95% CI 1.015-1.132], P = 0.013) and gender (OR 2.044, [95% CI 1.139-3.670], P = 0.017) also made a statistically significant difference. Enhancement in patient experience at PHCs may help reduce their bypass behavior. Specifically, efforts are needed to improve primary care accessibility and utilization. The positive correlation between bypassing rates and continuity scores may require more attention on strengthening PCPs' technical quality besides the quality of interpersonal interactions.

Abstract PD6-06: PD6-06 Racial and ethnic disparities with influenza vaccine use in long-term survivors of metastatic breast cancer

Abstract Background: Due to therapeutic advancements, people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are living longer. This is particularly true for elderly patients who are often diagnosed with more indolent disease. However, elderly patients have higher rates of comorbidity and are vulnerable to other adverse health outcomes, but the primary care management of patients with advanced cancer may be sub-optimal. Every year influenza results in hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and tens of thousands of deaths. Guidelines recommend the influenza vaccine annually for those over the age of 65 as well as those with cancer based on studies showing a 40-60% reduction in hospitalizations and death. Patterns of use in patients with MBC is unknown. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare linked data. Patients were included if they were diagnosed with stage IV MBC from 1/1/2008 – 12/31/2017, were ≥65 years of age, and had continuous Medicare enrollment for 12 months prior to diagnosis and at least three months after. Our primary outcome of interest was influenza vaccine use identified via CPT codes and defined as any use, use among patients surviving &amp;gt; 3-years, use among patients surviving &amp;gt;5-years, and repeated vaccine use. We then conducted bivariate analyses using demographic variables, including race, ethnicity, SES, age, and marital status, and clinical factors, including chemotherapy use, ER/PR positivity, and HER2 positivity. A multivariable logistic model was used to identify factors associated with influenza vaccine use in each cohort. Results: We identified 5182 patients with stage IV MBC during the study period that met our inclusion criteria. Overall, the median survival was 21 months and only 44% received at least one vaccination at any time after diagnosis. Within the cohort with the &amp;gt; 3-year survival (n=1864), only 1222 (66%) received an influenza vaccination at least one time and only 54% received the vaccine at least two times during 3 years of follow-up. Among patients with at least five-years of survival (n=763), 73% received at least one vaccination and only 65% received the vaccine at least two times during 5 years of follow-up. In a bivariate analysis in the 3-year survival cohort, we found that black race (47% vs 67%, p&amp;lt; 0.001) and Hispanic ethnicity (53% vs 66%, p=0.026), compared to white race and non-Hispanic ethnicity, respectively, were significantly associated with decreased vaccine use. The only factor associated with increased use was chemotherapy exposure. A multivariable model found lower odds of influenza vaccine receipt for black patients (OR=0.44, 95% CI 0.30-0.65, p&amp;lt; 0.001) and Hispanic patients (OR=0.58, 95% CI 0.36-.94, p=0.026). Similar findings were found in the 5-year survival cohort. Ongoing landmark analyses will be presented evaluating the impact of vaccination on survival. Conclusions: Over 50% of survivors with MBC do not receive the influenza vaccine after diagnosis. Importantly black and Hispanic patients with MBC are about half as likely to receive the influenza vaccine as white patients. Given the known impact of influenza vaccination in the elderly, improving access to vaccination could be an important strategy to reduce disparities in health outcomes. Our findings demonstrate primary care access disparities amongst the MBC population and indicate a need for educational and policy-based interventions. Citation Format: Sahil D. Doshi, David DeStephano, Melissa K. Accordino, Elena B. Elkin, Jason D. Wright, Dawn Hershman. PD6-06 Racial and ethnic disparities with influenza vaccine use in long-term survivors of metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr PD6-06.

Comparing the implementation of advanced access strategies among primary health care providers

ABSTRACT The advanced access (AA) model is among the most recommended innovations for improving timely access in primary health care (PHC). Originally developed for physicians, it is now relevant to evaluate the model’s implementation in more interprofessional practices. We compared AA implementation among family physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses. A cross-sectional online open survey was completed by 514 PHC providers working in 35 university-affiliated clinics. Family physicians delegated tasks to other professionals in the team more often than nurse practitioners (p = .001) and nurses (p < .001). They also left a smaller proportion of their schedules open for urgent patient needs than did nurse practitioners (p = .015) and nurses (p < .001). Nurses created more alternatives to in-person visits than family physicians (p < .001) and coordinated health and social services more than family physicians (p = .003). During periods of absence, physicians referred patients to walk-in services for urgent needs significantly more often than nurses (p = .003), whereas nurses planned replacements between colleagues more often than physicians (p <.001). The variations among provider categories indicate that a one-size-fits-all implementation of AA principles is not recommended.

Spatial Accessibility of Primary Care in the Dual Public-Private Health System in Rural Areas, Malaysia.

Disparities in access to health services in rural areas represent a global health issue. Various external factors contribute to these disparities and each root requires specific remedial action to alleviate the issue. This study elucidates an approach to assessing the spatial accessibility of primary care, considering Malaysia's dual public-private system specifically in rural areas, and identifies its associated ecological factors. Spatial accessibility was calculated using the Enhance 2-Step Floating Catchment Area (E2SFCA) method, modified as per local context. Data were secondary sourced from Population and Housing Census data and administrative datasets pertaining to health facilities and road network. The spatial pattern of the E2SFCA scores were depicted using Hot spot Analysis. Hierarchical multiple linear regression and geographical weight regression were performed to identify factors that affect E2SFCA scores. Hot spot areas revolved near the urban agglomeration, largely contributed by the private sector. Distance to urban areas, road density, population density dependency ratios and ethnic composition were among the associated factors. Accurate conceptualization and comprehensive assessment of accessibility are crucial for evidence-based decision making by the policymakers and health authorities in identifying areas that need attention for a more specific and localized planning and development.

Patterns of Postpartum Primary Care Follow-up and Diabetes-Related Care After Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes (GD) affects up to 10% of pregnancies and increases lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes 10-fold; postpartum diabetes evaluation and primary care follow-up are critical in preventing and detecting type 2 diabetes. Despite clinical guidelines recommending universal follow-up, little remains known about how often individuals with GD access primary care and type 2 diabetes screening. To describe patterns of primary care follow-up and diabetes-related care among individuals with and without GD in the first year post partum. This cohort study used a private insurance claims database to compare follow-up in the first year post partum between individuals with GD, type 2 diabetes, and no diabetes diagnosis. Participants included postpartum individuals aged 15 to 51 years who delivered between 2015 and 2018 and had continuous enrollment from 180 days before to 366 days after the delivery date. Data were analyzed September through October 2021 and reanalyzed November 2022. Primary care follow-up visits and diabetes-related care (blood glucose testing and diabetes-associated visit diagnoses) were determined by evaluation and management, Current Procedural Terminology, and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes, respectively. A total of 280 131 individuals were identified between 2015 and 2018 (mean age: 31 years; 95% CI, 27-34 years); 12 242 (4.4%) had preexisting type 2 diabetes and 18 432 (6.6%) had GD. A total of 50.9% (95% CI, 49.9%-52.0%) of individuals with GD had primary care follow-up, compared with 67.2% (95% CI, 66.2%-68.2%) of individuals with preexisting type 2 diabetes. A total of 36.2% (95% CI, 35.1%-37.4%) of individuals with GD had diabetes-related care compared with 56.9% (95% CI, 55.7%-58.0%) of individuals with preexisting diabetes. Only 36.0% (95% CI, 34.4%-37.6%) of individuals with GD connected with primary care received clinical guideline concordant care with blood glucose testing 12 weeks post partum. In this cohort study of postpartum individuals, individuals with GD had lower rates of primary care and diabetes-related care compared with those with preexisting type 2 diabetes, and only 36% of those with GD received guideline-recommended blood glucose testing in the first 12 weeks post partum. This illustrates a missed opportunity for early intervention in diabetes surveillance and prevention and demonstrates the need to develop a multidisciplinary approach for postpartum follow-up.

Performance assessment of primary health care facilities in Brazil: Concordance between web-based questionnaire and in-person interviews with health personnel.

This study is a concordance analysis comparing answers to two external assessment tools for Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities that use two different data collection methodologies: (a) external assessment through structured interviews and direct observation of facilities conducted by the National Program for Improvement of Access and Quality of Primary Care (AE-PMAQ-AB), and (b) a computerized web-based self-administered questionnaire for Assessment of the Quality of Primary Health Care Services (QualiAB). The two surveys were answered by 1,898 facilities located in 437 municipalities in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, between 2017 and 2018. Both surveys aimed to assess the management and organization of PHC facilities. A total of 158 equivalent questions were identified. The answers were grouped by thematic similarity into nine domains: Territory characteristics; Local management and external support; Structure; Health promotion, disease prevention, and therapeutic procedures; Attention to unscheduled patients; Women's health; Children's health; Attention to chronic conditions; and Oral health. The results show a high level of concordance between the answers, with 81% of the 158 compared questions showing concordance higher than 0.700. We showed that the information obtained by the web-based survey QualiAB was comparable to that of the structured interview-based AE-PMAQ-AB, which is considered the gold standard. This is important because web-based surveys are more practical and convenient, and do not require trained interviewers. Online assessment surveys can allow immediate access to answers, reports and guidelines for each evaluated facility, as provided by the QualiAB system. In this way, the answers to this type of survey can be directly employed by users, allowing the assessment to fulfill all phases of an assessment process.

Abstract WP192: Comparison Of Ischemic Stroke Outcomes At A Safety Net Hospital And Academic University Hospital

Introduction: Healthcare disparities continue to be a critical barrier to achieving good stroke outcomes in all populations including those with least access to care. With this study, we hope to understand barriers to stroke management between two different populations at a safety net hospital (SNH) and academic university hospital (AUH) by examining the differences in risk factor profile and short term outcomes. Methods: Patient data was prospectively collected from 1/2021 to 6/2022, including sex, race/ethnicity, thrombolytic administration, initial NIHSS, insurance, and discharge mRS. All documented patients who presented with and admitted for acute stroke were included. Data was compared between our institution’s hospital and academic university hospital. Statistical analysis was conducted by t-test and chi-square analysis. Results: Over the 18 months that data was collected, 556 patients were seen at the SNH and 575 patients at the AUH. Risk factor profile and insurance status varied between both patient populations (p-value &lt;0.001). SNH patients had fewer known risk factors at admission but demonstrated higher blood pressure, hemoglobin A1c, and cholesterol. There was no difference in rate of thrombolytic administration between both hospitals (p-value .599). SNH patients had significantly higher rates of home discharge (68.4 vs 36.2, p-value &lt;0.001) while AUH showed higher rates of discharge to acute care facility which includes inpatient rehabilitation (55.5 vs 26.5,p &lt; 0.001) Conclusion: Though the acute treatment of stroke remained similar between both patient populations, there was evidence of differences in access to care. SNH patients appear to be receiving less post-stroke rehabilitation which could worsen long term outcomes. SNH patients were less likely to have their stroke risk factors diagnosed at admission suggesting need for increased surveillance and primary care access.

Juvenile Detention and Primary Care Utilization: Are They Related?

There is little information on the health care utilization habits of juvenile justice-involved youth. We evaluated whether health care utilization trends after discharge from a juvenile detention facility are associated with a decreased risk of future detention. A retrospective chart review was conducted for youth admitted to a juvenile detention facility from November 1, 2017, to October 31, 2018. Youth who accessed primary care (PC) appeared less likely to be readmitted to juvenile detention compared to those who did not access PC, with the greatest increase in readmissions occurring between days 30 and 60 and slowing after day 90. PC access and health care utilization may be associated with a decreased risk of future detention; however, additional research is needed to further explore this potential linkage.

Access and Use of Preventive Health Care by Adolescents in Immigrant Families: An Integrative Review

More than 25% of American adolescents live in immigrant families. This cohort of adolescents is a minority group with amplified health challenges. The purpose of this study was to provide an integrative review of quantitative research on the access and use of primary and preventive health care by adolescents in immigrant families. Searches yielded 460 reports, 54 of them satisfied criteria for full-text review, and four publications met inclusion criteria. Research, albeit very limited, revealed that adolescents in immigrant families have poor access to and use of preventive health care. Lack of primary health care may prevent identification of health risks in immigrant adolescents and lead them to perceive that preventive health care is unnecessary. Researchers are challenged to develop and test health promotion interventions tailored for these adolescents. Study recruitment outside of high schools, the typical setting, is critical to advance knowledge and improve access for this vulnerable population.

Collaborative Care - empowering community in the development of rural primary health workforce and service delivery models.

Across Australia, providing sustainable primary care services in small rural communities (<1000 population) has been increasingly challenging. It is acknowledged that health system planners must take coordinated action to strengthen systems to enable a community-empowered response to such challenges. In partnership with the Australian Government, Collaborative Care is a whole-of-system approach used in five Australian rural sub-regions to align communities, organisations, policy and funding levers with a common purpose in health workforce and service planning (article here). A synthesis of field observations and experiences of community and jurisdictional partners in planning and implementing a Collaborative Care model. In this presentation, we report on the success factors and challenges in developing models for improved rural primary health care access. Successes include sustained community participation, improved community health workforce literacy, coordination of stakeholders and resources across health and community systems combined with health service planning expertise. Challenges include the time and investment to build a coordinated partnership approach and in identifying mechanisms for ongoing financial sustainability. Including community as a partner in design and implementation is a key enabler for achieving a tailored primary health workforce and service delivery model that is acceptable and trusted by communities. The Collaborative Care approach strengthens community through capacity building and integrating existing resources across both primary and acute care services to achieve an innovative and quality rural health workforce model built around the concept of rural generalism. Identifying mechanisms for sustainability will enhance the usefulness of the Collaborative Care Framework.

How health care professionals handle limited resources in primary care – an interview study

IntroductionHealth care systems around the world are struggling with limited resources, in relation to the prevailing health care need. An accessible primary care is an important part of the solution for how to provide affordable care for the population and reduce pressure on the overall health care system such as unnecessary hospital stays and associated costs. As primary care constitutes an important first line of healthcare, the task of prioritising and deciding what to do and for whom lies in practice, primarily with the primary care professionals. Thus, the decisions and behaviour of primary care professionals have a central role in achieving good and equal health in the population. The aim of this study is to explore how primary health care professionals handle situations with limited resources and enhance our knowledge of priorities in practice. MethodsSemi-structured interviews with 14 health care professionals (7 nurses, 7 physicians) working in Swedish primary care were interviewed. Data were analysed inductively with content analysis.FindingsThree main categories were found: Influx of patients; Structural conditions; and Actions. Each category illustrates an important aspect for what primary care professionals do to achieve good and equal care. The influx of patients concerned what the professionals handled in terms of patients’ healthcare needs and patient behaviour. Structural conditions consisted of policies and goals set for primary care, competence availability, technical systems, and organisational culture. To handle situations due to limited resources, professionals performed different actions: matching health care needs with professionals’ competency, defining care needs to suit booking systems appointments, giving care at the inappropriate health care level, rearranging workhours, and passing on the decision making.ConclusionPriorities in primary care are not, “one fits all” solution. Our study shows that priorities in primary care comprise of ongoing daily processes that are adapted to the situation, context of patient influx, and structural conditions. Healthcare professional’s actions for how influx of patients’ is handled in relation to limited resources, are created, and shaped within this context which also sets the boundaries for their actions.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ УДОВЛЕТВОРЕННОСТИ ПАЦИЕНТОВ МЕДИЦИНСКОЙ ПОМОЩЬЮ, ОКАЗЫВАЕМОЙ ВРАЧОМ ОБЩЕЙ ПРАКТИКИ И ВРАЧОМ-ТЕРАПЕВТОМ УЧАСТКОВЫМ

Significance. Patient satisfaction with medical care is one of the key performance indicators of the health care system. The purpose of the study: to conduct a comparative analysis of patient satisfaction with primary care provided by general practitioners (GP) and district physicians (DPh) in Russia and identify indicators that can be used to manage accessibility and quality of primary care, using the principles of value-based healthcare. Material and methods. The study used analytical, sociological and statistical methods. The survey was conducted by the method of sampling. The minimum sample size equaled to 400 observation units. The survey bases included medical organizations providing medical care on an outpatient basis in the cities of Moscow, Kemerovo and Belgorod, the places that have undergone reforming and introduced GP practices. Results. The final analysis included 415 questionnaires. Patient satisfaction with medical care, provided by GP equaled to 87.6%, satisfaction with care provided by DPh added up to 73.3% (p&lt;0.001). Patient satisfaction with individual parameters of medical care related to the medical organization, doctor and doctor-patient relationship also turned out to be statistically significantly higher if provided by GP. The average score ranged within 3.8-4.2 and 2.2-2.4, respectively. For both the GP and DPh models of care delivery, the lowest satisfaction was reported for the parameters characterizing its organization. Based on the results of our own research and results of earlier papers, the indicators of primary care accessibility and quality that are of greatest value to the patient were identified. Conclusion. Based on generalization of the study results and data published in scientific literature, a set of indicators has been proposed to ensure continuous monitoring over quality and accessibility of primary care and make organizational and managerial decisions using the principles of value-based healthcare.

Distributive conflict: analysis of the Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care (PMAQ-AB) in two Brazilian northeastern capitals

This article analyzes the implementation of the Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care (PMAQ-AB) in the context of a national political scenario of deep transformations, from the weak reformism that promoted slow extension of rights to the strong counter-reformism of neoliberal restoration. It is a case study with health workers, managers, and counselors in two capital cities in northeastern Brazil, discussing matters of work and distributive disputes of public resources. Results show the intensification of these conflicts in health and the unfavorable outcome for workers after the parliamentary coup in 2016 political context. Local dynamics expose the wage contraction and individualization of labor relations and the reassertion of meritocracy as an ideological ground for precariousness. Workers oppose this, reaffirming their collective class condition, favoring the benefit derived from PMAQ for fully regaining their group wages.

Gastrovigilance: A Close Watch on Gastrointestinal and Hepatic Disorders- An Indian Perspective

Gastrointestinal and hepatic disorders account for about 25% of consultations among general practitioners in India. Errors in clinical judgement and hesitancy in recommending necessary tests owing to lack of health insurance could result in delayed diagnosis and increased patient morbidity and mortality. Clinicians should thus be well equipped with effective strategies for skilful diagnosis and in a position to weigh the benefit-risk-ratio of recommending pertinent and disregarding less useful diagnostic tests. 'Gastrovigilance' includes disease-specific training for recognising risk factors, algorithms and referral pathways. This narrative review focuses on the common challenges or errors in managing these conditions in Indian clinical practice and their proposed solutions. Literature searches were performed using PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar following the shortlisted gastrointestinal conditions. Based on the published literature and expertise of the senior gastroenterologists, improving disease-specific knowledge can enhance rates of correct diagnosis. Improved screening and patient education can reduce the risk of presentation at advanced stages and consequently improve prognosis. Another significant contributory factor is the patient-physician interaction which affects every stage of the disease management and methods to improve it, therefore vital in improving gastrointestinal and hepatic disease conditions. The most important means of improving gastrovigilance is optimising knowledge access in primary care. This shall improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce the burden of misdiagnosis. In the current narrative review, we have tried to elucidate the concept of gastrovigilance for gastrointestinal and hepatic conditions and substantiate it with published evidence.

O fim da cooperação governo-academia no Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica do Sistema Único de Saúde

Abstract This study analyzes the dissolution of the institutional cooperation, lasting approximately a decade, between the Ministry of Health and a set of academic institutions for the implementation of the National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care (PMAQ-AB) in the scope of the Brazilian Nacional Health System (SUS). This exploratory, qualitative research consists of a case study that uses assumptions of Historical Neoinstitutionalism to guide the analysis. Data were collected by documentary and bibliographic research and semi-structured interviews with key actors. From the content analysis, three analytical categories were evidenced: end of the PMAQ-AB - historical process, political-institutional context and actors; end of the institutional cooperation - government-academy interaction process; and actors’ perceptions about the end of institutional cooperation. The end of institutional cooperation happened in a context of change of government at the federal level, within a new political-institutional order of SUS and was influenced by historical factors and the practices of public managers and in the conduct of political processes. An inter-institutional government-academy exchange with a view to strengthening health management and supporting the institutional development of the SUS is a future expectation, considering the adversities imposed on the field of health and public education in Brazil today.

The end of the cooperation government-academy in the National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care in the Brazilian Nacional Health System

Resumo Este estudo analisa a dissolução da cooperação institucional, com duração de aproximadamente uma década, entre o Ministério da Saúde e um conjunto de instituições acadêmicas para efetivação do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB) no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Esta pesquisa exploratória e qualitativa, consiste em um estudo de caso que utiliza pressupostos do Neoinstitucionalismo Histórico para orientar a análise. Os dados foram coletados por meio de pesquisa documental, bibliográfica e entrevistas semiestruturadas com atores-chave. A partir da análise de conteúdo, foram evidenciadas três categorias analíticas: o fim do PMAQ-AB - processo histórico, contexto político-institucional e atores; o fim da cooperação institucional - processo de interação governo-academia; e percepções dos atores sobre o encerramento da cooperação institucional. O fim da cooperação institucional se deu em um contexto de mudança de governo na esfera federal, dentro de uma nova ordem político-institucional do SUS, e influenciado por fatores históricos e pelas práticas dos gestores públicos na condução dos processos políticos. um intercâmbio interinstitucional governo-academia com vistas ao fortalecimento da gestão da saúde e apoio ao desenvolvimento institucional do SUS, considerando as adversidades impostas ao campo da saúde e da educação pública no Brasil atualmente.

Qualidade da atenção a crianças menores de dois anos na rede básica do Brasil em 2018: indicadores e fatores associados

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the quality of care for children under two years of age in the primary health care network with data from the external evaluation of the Program for the Improvement of Access and Quality of Primary Care in 2018. Methods Users who had children under two years of age who were in the unit at the time of data collection were eligible for the study. The quality of care was evaluated using a synthetic indicator built with questions from the users’ module. The exposure variables were: region, structure of basic health units, and staff process. A univariate analysis was performed and crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated. Results The sample was composed of 15.745 users who had children under the age of two years. Only 36.8% (95%CI 36,0–37,6) of users were classified as having received good quality care for their children, with a downward trend in prevalence as the child’s age increased. Better results were observed in the Northeast region, in units that presented all the inputs and vaccines and for teams that used protocols and materials, kept records, performed active search and healthy eating actions. Conclusion The prevalence of good quality of care for children under two years of age was low. These data can be useful for managers’ decision-making and for the implementation of actions aimed at professionals, that encourage a higher quality of care to children, mainly the child leaving a consultation with the next appointment scheduled and a first consultation being carried out until their seventh day of life.