How can we help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan? A comparison in medical students' attitudes toward general practice and clinical research of a medical school in Japan and in Sweden.

Objective: In Sweden, primary healthcare centers play an important role in the performance of general practice, education, and clinical research. In Japan, general physicians or general practitioners are expected to be more active in the small-scale hospitals and clinics in rural areas. This study aimed to explore the differences in attitudes toward general practice and clinical research among medical students in Japan and Sweden to present solutions to help doctors stay in rural areas of Japan. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at two medical schools in Japan and Sweden in 2018, using an anonymous and self-administered questionnaire survey that comprised 16 items including 9 items on clinical research. Results: Participants were 154 medical students (response rate: 69.4% for 222 students) in Japan and 56 (27.1% for 201 students) in Sweden. The proportion of medical students who wanted to become general physicians was greater in Japan than in Sweden (Japan:Sweden=36.4%:17.9%; P=0.012). Although fewer Japanese students wanted to conduct research in rural areas than Swedish students (43.5%:57.1%; P<0.001), the positive proportion of Japanese students working in clinical research and/or taking an academic degree in rural areas was greater than that of Swedish students (52.0%:23.2%; P=0.032). Conclusion: As Swedish medical students and young doctors learn considerably from primary healthcare centers, their attitudes toward clinical research are more developed than those of their Japanese counterparts. However, more Japanese medical students than Swedish students wish to become general practitioners, and they are likely to strive to conduct clinical research at small-scale hospitals/clinics in rural areas. Therefore, the improvement of the clinical research environment in small-scale hospitals and clinics in rural areas is needed at the earliest in Japan.

The effects of physical activity prescription on mental health: Evidence from primary care.

While the benefits of physical activity on health are well documented, in high-income countries 1 in 3 adults do not reach the recommended levels. Thus, policy makers have developed interventions to promote physical activity. The aim of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of physical activity prescription on mental health outcomes, by studying an intervention that prescribes physical activity at the primary care level in Catalonia (PAFES). This intervention specifically targets the adult population with high cardiovascular risk. We use data from the Health Survey of Catalonia (2011-2016) and exploit the variation in the number of trained General Practitioners that prescribe physical activity. Our results show that physical activity prescription reduces the probability of suffering from poor mental health. This effect is mainly driven by females within the targeted population. We also explore the main effect (or the output) of the intervention. While PAFES increases the probability of patients undertaking high-level physical activity, it does not affect rates of sedentarism or minutes walked per day. Results are consistent when using alternative mental health outcome measures, including self-reported depression and anxiety. We conclude that the prescription of physical activity not only contributes to the improvement of physical health but is also a useful tool to help preserve mental wellbeing.

Doing the Right Thing? General Practitioners' Considerations in Achieving a Timely Dementia Diagnosis.

OBJECTIVES: Timely detection and diagnosis of dementia are beneficial for providing appropriate, anticipatory care and preventing acute situations. However, initiating diagnostic testing is a complex and dynamic process that requires general practitioners (GPs) to balance competing priorities. Previously identified barriers, such as a lack of time, knowledge, and resources, may not fully represent the challenges involved in this process. Therefore, this study aimed to examine GPs' more implicit considerations on starting the diagnostic trajectory for dementia. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 14 Dutch GPs who were purposively selected through maximum variation sampling. The interview transcripts were inductively analyzed in multiple rounds by a multidisciplinary research team using thematic analysis. RESULTS: GPs' considerations on starting the diagnostic trajectory for dementia can be summarized in three main themes that are interconnected: (1) 'the presumed patient's willingness', that is, facing a dilemma of wanting to respect patient autonomy in cases of denial or an absence of a diagnostic request, while at the same time identifying a problem and feeling the urgency to act; (2) 'the GP's attempt not to harm', that is, balancing between not wanting to harm the patient and/or relatives with the burdensome label of dementia and with the possible negative consequences of a late diagnosis; and (3) 'time, trust, and interprofessional collaboration influence timeliness of diagnostic work-up', that is, time available for consultations, time as a diagnostic factor, GP's diagnostic confidence, and trustful physician-patient relationship. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that important ethical dilemmas regarding patient autonomy and the principle of doing no harm lie behind practical GP barriers to initiating diagnostic testing for dementia. Time, trust, and interprofessional collaboration were found to facilitate GPs in determining the right decision and timing with each individual patient and their relatives. Future research could explore the value of diagnostic decision aids that explicitly involve patients and their relatives in this balancing act.

Effectiveness of NSW health get healthy telephone coaching in adults screened from general practices.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of the NSW Health "Get Healthy Information and Coaching Service®"(Get Healthy) to facilitate weight loss on a population scale has been documented, but this was based on self-reported measures. Our study aims to test the effectiveness of the Get Healthy Service on objectively measured weight, BMI, waist circumference, and changes in other health behaviours, including nutrition, physical activity and alcohol intake. METHODS: Men and women aged 40-70 years (n = 154) with pre-diabetes (5.7% < HbA1c < 6.5%) were referred from GP Practices to the Get Healthy Service, NSW Health. A subset (n = 98) participated in the "Zinc In Preventing the Progression of pre-Diabetes" (ZIPPeD) trial (ACTRN12618001120268). RESULTS: The self-reported outcomes showed a statistically significant improvement from baseline to 12 months in weight (mean 2.7 kg loss, p < 0.001), BMI (mean 1 unit reduction, p < 0.001), and waist circumference (mean 4.3 cm reduction, p < 0.001). However, in the objectively measured outcomes from ZIPPeD, the differences were more modest, with point estimates of 0.8 kg mean weight loss (p = 0.1), 0.4 unit reduction in BMI (p = 0.03), and 1.8 cm reduction in waist circumference (p = 0.04). Bland-Altman plots indicated that discrepancies were due to a small number of participants who dramatically underestimated their weight or BMI. There were minimal changes in nutrition, physical activity, and alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: The potential benefits of Get Healthy should be interpreted with caution as we have shown significant differences between self-reported and objectively measured values. More valid and objective evidence is needed to determine the program's effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.

Discharge from secondary care services to primary care for adults with serious mental illness: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Effective transitions of patients from Secondary Care Services (SCSs) to primary care are necessary for optimization of resources and care. Factors that enable or restrict smooth transitions of individuals with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) to primary care from SCSs have not been comprehensively synthesized. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted to answer the questions (1) "What are the barriers and facilitators to discharge from SCSs to primary care for adults with SMI?" and (2) "What programs have been developed to support these transitions?". RESULTS: Barriers and facilitators of discharge included patient-, primary care capacity-, and transition Process/Support-related factors. Patient-related barriers and facilitators were most frequently reported. 11 discharge programs were reported across the evidence sources. The most frequently reported program components were the provision of additional mental health supports for the transition and development of care plans with relapse signatures and intervention plans. CONCLUSIONS: Established discharge programs should be comprehensively evaluated to determine their relative benefits. Furthermore, research should be expanded to evaluate barriers and facilitators to discharge and discharge programs in different national contexts and models of care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The protocol for this scoping review is registered with the Open Science Framework ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NBTMZ ).

"Do they think I'm good enough?": General practitioners' experiences when treating doctor-patients.

BACKGROUND: When doctors seek medical care, there is evidence that the treating doctor can struggle to provide optimal treatment. Guidelines state that doctor-patients should be treated like any other patient, but this is challenging for the treating doctor. This study set out to explore both the positive experiences general practitioners (GPs) have when caring for doctor-patients, and the challenges they confront. It sought to identify whether GPs believe they treat doctor-patients differently to other patients and if so, in what ways, for what reasons, and how this impacts their provision of care. The study also aimed to develop a model that makes sense of GPs' experiences when caring for a patient who is also a medical doctor. METHOD: Qualitative in-depth interviews with 26 GPs were carried out, with analysis of de-identified transcripts using pragmatic grounded theory. Evolving understandings were used to develop a model to make sense of GPs' experiences caring for their doctor-patients. RESULTS: The core aspects of GPs' experiences of treating fellow doctors centred around concepts of respect and collegiality. These play a central role in mediating how a treating doctor experiences a consultation with a doctor-patient, influencing the quality of care provided. GPs shared that the use of medical language (and assumptions about the doctor-patient's knowledge/behaviours), testing, the exploration of sensitive issues, and the degree of shared decision-making were areas where their treatment might vary when treating a doctor-patient. Treating doctors often experience anxiety about errors and the likely scrutiny from the medical, and wider community. The decision to treat the doctor-patient differently was driven by a desire to maintain a sense of collegiality, to not offend, to meet their doctor-patient's expectations, and to appear competent. CONCLUSION: The professional socialisation of doctors, with its emphasis on collegiality and respect, plays a significant role in the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship when a doctor treats a doctor-patient. Current guidelines make little reference to these dynamics with the over-simplified 'keep it normal' recommendations. Treating doctors need evidence-informed training to navigate these challenges and ensure they can effectively deliver quality care to their doctor-patients.

Clinical Course and Prognostic Factors of Older Patients With Back Pain and Radiating Leg Pain in General Practice: BACE Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with back pain (BP) and radiating leg pain have poorer clinical outcomes compared to patients with BP alone. We aimed to describe the 1-year clinical course and to identify prognostic factors associated with non-recovery in older BP patients with radiating leg pain. DESIGN: Patients in the BACE cohort aged >55 years with a new episode of BP and radiating leg pain were included (n = 377). Data on clinical outcomes were collected until 1-year follow-up. Uni- and multivariable regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between potential prognostic factors and three non-recovery outcomes at the 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: More than half of the patients (65%) did not recover after 12 months. In multivariable analyses, poor self-rated health (odds ratio [OR] 2.34, 95% CI: 1.20-4.56) and BP duration at baseline (OR 1.48, 1.12-1.96) were significantly associated with non-recovery for BP as outcome; age (OR 1.04, 1.03-1.05), smoking (OR 1.14, 1.00-1.30), depressive symptomatology (OR 1.03, 1.02-1.04), kinesiophobia (OR 1.03, 1.02-1.04), poor self-rated health (OR 2.09, 1.83-2.39), baseline disability (OR 1.16, 1.14-1.17), BP duration (OR 1.49, 1.41-1.57), leg pain (OR 1.52, 1.37-1.68), pain during rotation (OR 1.71, 1.53-1.90) and other musculoskeletal complaints (OR 1.34, 1.17-1.52) were associated with disability. No factors were associated with leg pain. CONCLUSIONS: Several prognostic factors were associated with non-recovery in older patients with BP and radiating leg pain. Primary care clinicians should be aware of these factors in managing these patients.

Is it worth trying? A cross-sectional study on the implementation of point-of-care ultrasound in Hungarian primary care.

BACKGROUND: Although the number of point-of-care ultrasound devices available in Hungarian primary care practices are increasing due to government funding, their use in day-to-day patient care is limited and unregulated. Our study aimed to evaluate the attitudes and needs of general practitioners (GPs) and patients in Hungary regarding the introduction of bedside ultrasonography in primary care practices. METHODS: As a part of a cross-sectional study, an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to GPs and patients on a social media platform. Data collection was carried out from August 2023 to October 2023. Chi-square test was used to determine the associations between categorical variables. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 415 GPs (mean age 53.8 ± 11.1 years, 54.9% female, mean 19.5 ± 11.9 years of practice) and 693 patients (mean age 45.5 ± 12.3 years, 95.2% female). There was a statistically significant increase in interest in PoCUS among young and middle-aged GPs (age 28-59; p = 0.02). In addition, this population of GPs was also more likely to undertake training in PoCUS than their older colleagues (p < 0.0001). An inverse relationship was found between the duration of practice and training willingness (p = 0.0011). Even with the government's financial support, only 8.2% of GPs currently use PoCUS in a daily basis, and 59.5% of GPs are unfamiliar with the indications and the ways of using it. Patients would even pay to have the examination done in a primary care setting, even though only 45.9% of patients would pay a GP who is not certified in PoCUS, but the willingness to pay increased to 99.4% for those with formal training (p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate a significant interest in adapting PoCUS in primary care from both GPs and patients. Based on the fact that a significant proportion of Hungarian GPs are unaware of PoCUS and its indications, it is particularly important to develop educational frameworks, and practical guidelines for the effective incorporation of PoCUS in Hungary.

Exploring General Practitioners' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards E-Cigarette Use/Vaping in Children and Adolescents: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Study in Sydney.

(1) Background: The increasing use of e-cigarettes/vaping in children and adolescents has been recognised as a global health concern. We aim to explore the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of General Practitioners (GPs) in Sydney regarding the use of e-cigarettes in children and adolescents and identify the barriers to addressing this issue. (2) Methods: This pilot study was a cross-sectional study conducted using an electronic questionnaire with a Likert scale and free-text responses. (3) Results: Fifty-three GPs participated in the study (male = 24 and female = 29) with a mean age of 50 ± 5.5 years. There was strong agreement (mean 4.5) about respiratory adverse effects and addictive potential. However, there was less awareness of cardiac side effects and the occurrence of burns. There is a lack of conversation about e-cigarettes in GP practice and a deficit of confidence in GPs regarding managing e-cigarette use in children and adolescents. (4) Conclusions: Our pilot study has shown that GPs are somewhat knowledgeable about the potential adverse effects of the use of e-cigarettes in children and adolescents, though there is a lack of knowledge of the complete spectrum of adverse effects and more importantly, there is a paucity of a structured approach to discuss the use of e-cigarettes with children and adolescents, and there is a low level of confidence in addressing these issues. There is a need for educational interventions for GPs to increase awareness of the potential adverse effects of using e-cigarettes and build confidence in providing management to children and adolescents regarding the use of e-cigarettes.

Survey of General Practitioner Perspectives on Endometriosis Diagnosis, Referrals, Management and Guidelines in New Zealand.

INTRODUCTION: There is a growing body of literature concerning endometriosis patients' perspectives on the healthcare system and endometriosis care in New Zealand. However, there is little research available on the perspectives of general practitioners (GPs) internationally, and none currently in New Zealand. The purpose of this study is to address New Zealand GPs' understanding of and approach to endometriosis diagnosis, referrals, management and guidelines. METHODS AND MATERIALS: An online, anonymous survey was shared with 869 GP clinics and completed by 185 New Zealand-based GPs regarding their awareness and application of the inaugural 2020 'Diagnosis and Management of Endometriosis in New Zealand' guidelines, their perception of their endometriosis knowledge, the diagnostic value they assign to symptoms, the treatments they recommend and the reasons they refer patients to specialist gynaecologists. Differences between groups were conducted using Chi-squared tests, and text answers were assessed thematically using inductive, semantic coding. RESULTS: All 185 GPs had gynaecology consults, and 73% had gynaecology consults every week. Despite 65% being aware of the 2020 guidelines, only 35% overall had read them. Only 52% of GPs considered themselves to know enough about endometriosis for their routine practice. The most common treatment to be considered first line was intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs; 96%), whereas the most common alternative treatment recommended was exercise (69%). The most common reason for referral to specialist care was the failure of all attempted treatments (84%). CONCLUSIONS: Many of the study's results align with current New Zealand and international endometriosis guidelines, particularly the prioritisation of progestin-only therapies, the reduced emphasis on surgical treatment as the first line and the low rates of alternative treatment recommendations. This study also highlights the need to improve awareness of inappropriate GP recommendations, including long-term treatment with prescription-only pain relief such as codeine and pregnancy for symptomatic relief. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Two of the authors involved in the design and conduct of the study, data interpretation and manuscript preparation have sought care for endometriosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NA.

General practitioners' knowledge and practice in consultations with (potential) torture victims: a qualitative pilot study from Norway.

BACKGROUND: According to the UN Committee Against Torture, all state parties to the Torture Convention have a responsibility to meet the rehabilitation needs of torture victims who have sought asylum within their borders. General practitioners (GPs) can play a crucial role in identifying torture victims and securing rehabilitation when needed. There is a pressing knowledge gap on the knowledge and practices of GPs vis-à-vis potentially tortured patients, and an urgent need for research that investigates GPs' practices of identification, referral, and rehabilitation - in Norway and beyond. This article presents an exploratory qualitative pilot study that investigates the experiences of GPs in Oslo vis-à-vis this patient group. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with five experienced GPs in the greater Oslo area. Interview data was analyzed through thematic analysis and discussed within a theoretical framework seeing GPs as street-level bureaucrats. RESULTS: Issues that emerged in the pilot involve a consistent professional confidence and a particular concern for victims of sexual violence and sexualized torture. The pilot also found a troubling commonsensical reasoning about identification in the asylum process. The GPs asked for the re-establishment of specialist rehabilitation centers for refugees and torture victims to consult in case of need. Alas, the study also confirmed that GPs are a difficult profession to recruit for research. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that GPs are important actors in terms of identifying torture victims after resettlement, but that there are shortcomings in their training and knowledge, in the overall organization of the healthcare system, and in specialized healthcare, that limit prospects for rehabilitation.

To what extent are torture victims met or identified by GPs in resettling contexts? This paper presents a pilot study designed to address this knowledge gap and prepare future studies. We found:GPs were confident in their abilities to identify and meet torture victims in a good way ­ and in the value that is patient-doctor continuity in general medicine.Troubling commonsensical reasoning about identification in the asylum process and in consultations.A lack of and need for qualified and available expertise to consult with and/or refer tortured patients to.

Regional socioeconomic characteristics and density of general practitioners in Germany: A nationwide cross-sectional and longitudinal spatial analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Limited healthcare availability impacts population health. Regional disparities in GP density across Germany raise questions about their association with regional socioeconomic characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: This longitudinal nationwide ecological German study used regional data at the county level (n = 401) from 2015 to 2019 provided by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). The outcome was general practitioners (GPs) density, defined as the number of GPs per 10,000 inhabitants. METHODS: Univariate Moran's I, cluster analysis (LISA), and spatial lag of X (SLX) models were employed to analyse the spatial distribution of GP density and its correlation with various regional socioeconomic characteristics from a cross-sectional and longitudinal perspective. RESULTS: In contrast to the univariate analysis, rural counties showed the highest GP density the multivariate model. Several counties were identified as embedded in low- or high-GP-density clusters. In 2015 and 2019, larger household size (2015: std. ß = -2.31, p = 0.021; 2019: std. ß = -4.14, p < 0.001) and higher unemployment rate (2015: std. ß = -2.84, p = 0.005; 2019: std. ß = -5.47, p < 0.001) were associated with lower GP density. In the longitudinal model, a greater increase in the unemployment rate was related to a greater decrease in GP density (std. ß = -2.17, p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: A higher regional unemployment rate is linked to lower GP availability in Germany, and a greater increase in the unemployment rate was related to a greater decrease in GP availability over time. This necessitates policy intervention to avoid socioeconomic disparities in GP care.

General Dentist's Knowledge and Attitude Towards Non-Surgical Endodontic Retreatment in Tunisia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Root canal retreatment is carried out in cases where previous endodontic therapies failed and involves the removal of root canal filling materials, followed by cleaning, shaping, and obturating of the canals. Aims: : The objective of this study was to collect information regarding attitudes, methods, and materials employed during the non-surgical endodontic retreatment (NSER) by general dentists working in Sousse Governorate, Tunisia. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 147 general dentists working in the Sousse Governorate, Tunisia, from May to November 2021. Data were collected by sending a structured questionnaire to the dental practitioners through email. All the data were analyzed by using the SPSS 10 computer software. Results: A total of 96 dentists responded to this survey. The response rate was 63.5%, with a female predominance (53.2.3%). 81.2% of the respondents performed at least one non-surgical endodontic retreatment (NSER) weekly. Our study revealed that the mandibular first molar is the tooth that most often requires endodontic retreatment (83.5%). Half of the participants never used the rubber dam during this procedure. Moreover, the majority of respondents (61.9%) simultaneously used manual files and rotary nickel-titanium instruments for root canal desobturation. Most of the dentists (69.57%) systematically use solvents during root canal desobturation. Conclusion: Our survey highlights that the majority of general dentists have adequate knowledge about endodontic retreatment. Nevertheless, dentists are yet to start the application of these newer strategies towards the management of endodontic failures.

Emergency Call versus General Practitioner Requested Ambulances - Patient Mortality, Disease Severity and Pattern.

Introduction: Ambulance requests by general practitioners for primary care patients (GP-requested) are often omitted in studies on increased demand within emergency care but may comprise a substantial patient group. We aimed to assess acute severity, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and diagnostic pattern, including comorbidity, and mortality among GP-requested ambulance patients, compared to emergency call ambulance patients. Our hypothesis was that emergency call patients had more severe health issues than GP-requested ambulance patients. Methods: Historic population-based cohort study of ambulance patients in the North Denmark Region, 2016-2020. Hospital contact data including diagnoses, ambulance data, vital signs and vital status was linked using each patient's unique identification number. Primary outcome measure was mortality within 1, 7, and 30 days. Secondary outcomes were disease severity expressed as modified National Early Warning Score (NEWS2), and ICU admission. Admission status and hospital diagnostic pattern, including comorbidity were described and compared. Results: We included 255,487 patients. GP-requested patients (N = 119,361, 46.7%) were older (median years [IQR] 73 [58-83] versus 61 [37-76]) and more had moderate/severe comorbidity (11.9%, N = 13,806 versus 4.9%, N = 6145) than the emergency call patients. Prehospital mNEWS2 median scores were lower for GP-requested patients. For both groups, mNEWS2 was highest among patients aged 66+. GP-requested patients had higher 30-day mortality (9.0% (95% CI: 8.8-9.2), N = 8996) than emergency call patients (5.2% (95% CI: 5.1-5.4), N = 6727). Circulatory (12.0%, 11,695/97,112) and respiratory diseases (11.6%, 11,219/97,112) were more frequent among GP-requested patients than emergency call patients ((10.7%, 12,640/118,102) and (5.8%, 6858/118,102)). The highest number of deaths was found for health issues 'circulatory diseases' in the emergency call group and 'other factors' followed by "respiratory diseases" in the GP-requested group. Conclusion: GP-requested patients constituted nearly half of the EMS volume, they were older, with more comorbidity, had serious conditions with substantial acute severity, and a higher 30-day mortality than emergency call patients.

Prevention of Meningococcal Disease: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of General Practitioners and Primary Care Pediatricians in South Italy.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and current practices about prevention of meningococcal disease among general practitioners (GPs) and primary care pediatricians (PCPs) in Italy. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out between February 2022 and July 2023 among a random sample of GPs and PCPs in Southern Italy. The data were collected using a questionnaire accessible via an internet link with the free software Google Forms®. RESULTS: Regarding the participants' knowledge toward meningococcal vaccinations, 84.2% of the PCPs and more than half of the GPs (55.2%) knew that the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccination is recommended for infants from the second month of life and 84.2% and 82.7% of the PCPs were aware that quadrivalent meningococcal ACWY (MenACWY) vaccine is recommended for children in the second year of life and adolescents, respectively. The GPs and PCPs considered vaccination against meningococcal disease to be very effective and safe with average values of 8.8 and 8.7, respectively, on a scale ranging from 1 to 10. Those with an older age, those who knew the medical conditions that expose patients to a higher risk of contracting meningococcal disease, and those who self-rated their knowledge on meningococcal disease as excellent/very good were more likely to consider the vaccination to be very effective and safe. Only 15.5% of the GPs and more than half of the PCPs (54.3%) administered anti-meningococcal vaccines to their patients. GPs and females were less likely to administer anti-meningococcal vaccines to their patients, whereas those who acquired information on meningococcal vaccinations by scientific journals were more likely to administer meningococcal vaccines. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the survey highlighted the need of a greater engagement of GPs and PCPs in the immunization campaigns in order to increase meningococcal vaccination coverage.

Characteristics of Patients With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Belgium and Current Treatment Patterns for the Management of Elevated LDL-C Levels.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia remains the major cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Lipid management in patients with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk needs improvement across Europe, and data gaps are noticeable at the country level. HYPOTHESIS: We described the current treatment landscape in Belgium, hypothesizing that lipid management in patients with ASCVD remains inadequate and aiming to understand the reasons. METHODS: Using data from an anonymized primary care database in Belgium derived from 494 750 individuals, we identified those with any CV risk factor between November 2019 and October 2022 and described the clinical features of patients with ASCVD. The main outcomes were the proportion of patients (i) receiving lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs), (ii) per low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) threshold, stratified per LLT, (iii) reaching the 2021 ESC recommended LDL-C goals, and (iv) LDL-C reduction per type of LLT was also determined. RESULTS: Among 40 888 patients with very high CV risk, 24 859 had established ASCVD. Most patients with ASCVD were either receiving monotherapy (59.6%) or had no documented LLT (25.1%). Further, 64.2% of those with no documented LLT exhibited LDL-C levels ≥ 100 mg/dL. Among common treatment options, one of the greatest improvements in LDL-C levels was achieved with combination therapy of statin and ezetimibe, reducing LDL-C levels by 41.5% (p < 0.0001). Yet, in this group, 24.8% of patients had still LDL-C levels ≥ 100 mg/dL and only 20.7% were at goal. CONCLUSION: Our study emphasizes the importance of developing strategies to help patients achieve their LDL-C goals, with a focus on supporting the implementation of combination LLT in routine clinical practice.

Perception and knowledge of general practitioners on COPD management according to the GOLD23 document and reimbursement criteria for drugs prescription: an e-Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: COPD management and therapy have been periodically revised to support a more patient-specific approach. Several concerns remain in primary care, such as the proper choice of initial treatment, medication adherence, and missing values for spirometry investigations. These concerns may be exacerbated by inconsistencies between the GOLD23 report and reimbursement criteria, as per the Italian NOTA99, especially for what concerns the assessment of disease severity and related treatment choice. We therefore examined the perception and knowledge of general practitioners (GPs) on COPD management and treatment. METHODS: We conducted an exploratory e-Delphi study among 600 GPs. The study examined the COPD-related GP's access to spirometry evaluations in primary care clinics; knowledge on early recognition of COPD and related clinical concerns; perception of the clinical application of the NOTA99; the place in therapy of the triple LABA/LAMA/ICS combination. RESULTS: Among 466 participating GPs (response rate: 70.3%; mean age 52, SD: 14.2; mean years of experience: 21.3, SD: 15) had a good level of knowledge about the GOLD 2023 document and the reimbursement criteria for COPD medications. Nevertheless, a low (34%) direct access to spirometry was reported, along with absence of consensus on the proper choice of initial treatment (especially of use of LABA/LAMA combination), and the re-evaluation of free-triple therapy LABA/LAMA/ICS through specialist's referral. CONCLUSIONS: This study captured the domains on which further training for GPs might be implemented to improve the management and treatment of COPD. An extension of this e-Delphi to a larger GPs' panel might further confirm these findings.

Factors affecting the essential medicine prescribing behavior among general practitioners in Beijing, China: a cross-sectional study with structural equation model.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to explore the influence of GPs'information, motivation and behavior skills on EM prescribing behavior in urban and suburban districts. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June to November 2022 cross 3 urban districts and 4 suburban districts in Beijing. The structural equation model was used to analyze the factors influencing the essential medicine prescription behavior among general practitioners in urban and suburban districts. RESULTS: A total of 511 valid questionnaires were collected. There was a statistically significant difference in mean scores for personal motivation and behavioral skills between urban GPs and suburban GPs. For urban GPs, the path analysis revealed that the social motivation had a direct effect on the essential medicine prescribing behavior (ß = 0.225, p < 0.05). In contrast, for suburban GPs, both social motivation and personal motivation had a direct effect on the essential medicine prescribing behavior, respectively (ß = 0.175, p < 0.05; ß = 0.193, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Social motivation of urban GPs were positively and significantly associated with essential medicine prescribing behavior. Social motivation and personal motivation of suburban GPs were positively and significantly associated with essential medicine prescribing behavior. Therefore, various corresponding policies and measures should be developed to promote the National Essential Medicines Policy in China.

[Integrated regulations for medical and nursing care in long-term care: qualitative results of the process evaluation: Innovative form of care in long-term care]. / Integrierte Regelwerke für medizinisch-pflegerische Versorgung in der Langzeitpflege: qualitative Ergebnisse der Prozessevaluation.

Integrated regulations for medical and nursing care in long-term care: qualitative results of the process evaluation: Innovative form of care in long-term care Abstract: Background: Long-term care patients, most of whom suffer from multimorbidity, are dependent on appropriate medical and nursing care. Inadequate interdisciplinary cooperation structures and processes pose a challenge for nursing care when residents' conditions deteriorate and can lead to hospital admissions that could potentially be avoided. Objective: Structures and processes of interdisciplinary cooperation were developed and implemented as part of the SaarPHIR innovation fund project "Saarländische PflegeHeim Versorgung Integriert Regelhaft". The aims of the qualitative part of the process evaluation were the subjective assessment of the structural and process level of the complex intervention across all project phases from the perspective of the participants as well as an analysis of the context factors. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with all participating facilities and the medical care communities formed as part of the project in order to record the subjective experiences gained in the implementation and impact of the complex intervention. The data analysis was carried out using qualitative content analysis. Results: Both professional groups perceive a structural organizational change that has a positive effect on interdisciplinary cooperation. The benefits in terms of care are rated as high. Conclusion: Various measures (e.g. pre-weekend ward rounds, extended on-call duty) at the structural and process level should be retained when transferring to standard care.