Young adults with depression: A registry-based longitudinal study of work-life marginalisation. The Norwegian GP-DEP study.

AIMS: To explore the association between a depression diagnosis in young adulthood and risk of marginalisation at age 29 years, among those who had completed upper secondary school and those who had not completed at age 21. METHODS: In a longitudinal cohort study based on nationwide registers we followed 111,558 people from age 22-29 years. Outcomes were risk of marginalisation and educational achievement at age 29. Exposure was a diagnosed depression at ages 22-26 years. Comorbid mental and somatic health conditions, gender and country of origin were covariates. Relative risks were estimated with Poisson regression models, stratified by educational level at age 21. RESULTS: For people who had not completed upper secondary school at age 21 years, a depression diagnosis at age 22-26 increased the risk of low income (relative risk = 1.33; 95% confidence interval = 1.25-1.40), prolonged unemployment benefit (1.46; 1.38-1.55) and social security benefit (1.56; 1.41-1.74) at age 29 compared with those with no depression. Among those who had completed upper secondary school at age 21 years, depression increased the risk of low income (1.71; 1.60-1.83), prolonged unemployment benefit (2.17; 2.03-2.31), social security benefit (3.62; 2.91-4.51) and disability pension (4.43; 3.26-6.01) compared with those with no depression. Mental comorbidity had a significant impact on risk of marginalisation in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Depression in one's mid-20s significantly increases the risk of marginalisation at age 29 years, and comorbid mental health conditions reinforce this association. Functional ability should be given priority in depression care in early adulthood to counteract marginalisation.

Stakeholder views on work participation for workers with depression and intersectoral collaboration in depression care: a focus group study with a salutogenic perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how stakeholders in depression care view intersectoral collaboration and work participation for workers with depression. DESIGN: Focus group study applying reflexive thematic analysis using a salutogenic perspective. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: We conducted seven focus group interviews in six different regions in Norway with 39 participants (28 women); three groups consisted of general practitioners (GPs), two of psychologists and psychiatrists and two of social welfare workers and employers (of which one group also included GPs). RESULTS: Stakeholders considered work participation salutary for most workers with depression, given the right conditions (e.g. manageable work accommodations and accepting and inclusive workplaces). They also highlighted work as an integral source of meaningfulness to many workers with depression. Early collaborative efforts and encouraging sick-listed workers to stay connected to the workplace were considered important to avoid long and passive sickness absences. Furthermore, stakeholders' views illuminated why intersectoral collaboration matters in depression care; individual stakeholders have limited information about a worker's situation, but through collaboration and shared insight, especially in in-person collaborative meetings, they (and the worker) can gain a shared understanding of the situation, thereby enabling more optimal support. Ensuring adequate information flow for optimal and timely follow-up of workers was also emphasized. CONCLUSIONS: Stakeholders highlighted the salutary properties of work participation for workers with depression under the right conditions. Intersectoral collaboration could support these conditions by sharing insight and knowledge, building a shared understanding of the worker's situation, assuring proper information flow, and ensuring early and timely follow-up of the worker.

Antibiotics for gastroenteritis in general practice and out-of-hour services in Norway 2006-15.

BACKGROUND: When patients with gastroenteritis (GE) seek health care, they are generally managed in primary care. Little is known about the use of antibiotic treatment in these cases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate time trends and patient characteristics associated with antibiotic treatment for GE in Norwegian primary care in a 10-year period. METHODS: We linked data from two nationwide registries, reimbursement claims data from Norwegian primary care (the KUHR database) and The Norwegian Prescription Database, for the period 2006-15. GE consultations were extracted, and courses of systemic antibiotics dispensed within 1 day were included for further analyses. RESULTS: Antibiotic treatment was linked to 1.8% (n = 23 663) of the 1 279 867 consultations for GE in Norwegian primary care in the period 2006-15. The proportion of GE consultations with antibiotic treatment increased from 1.4% in 2006 to 2.2% in 2012 and then decreased to 1.8% in 2015. Fluoroquinolones (28.9%) and metronidazole (26.8%) were most frequently used. Whereas the number of fluoroquinolones courses decreased after 2012, the number of metronidazole courses continued to increase until year 2015. The antibiotic treatment proportion of GE consultations was lowest in young children and increased with increasing age. CONCLUSION: Antibiotic treatment is infrequently used in GE consultations in Norwegian primary care. Although there was an overall increase in use during the study period, we observed a reduction in overall use after year 2012. Young children were treated with antibiotics in GE consultations less frequent than older patients.

Practice characteristics influencing variation in provision of depression care in general practice in Norway; a registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP study).

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of variation in treatment for patients with depression, not only across patient characteristics, but also with respect to the organizational and structural framework of general practitioners' (GPs') practice. However, the reasons for these variations are sparsely examined. This study aimed to investigate associations of practice characteristics with provision of depression care in general practices in Norway. METHODS: A nationwide cohort study of residents aged ≥ 18 years with a new depression episode in general practice during 2009-2015, based on linked registry data. Exposures were characteristics of GP practice: geographical location, practice list size, and duration of GP-patient relationship. Outcomes were talking therapy, antidepressant medication and sick listing provided by GP during 12 months from date of diagnosis. Associations between exposure and outcome were estimated using generalized linear models, adjusted for patients' age, gender, education and immigrant status, and characteristics of GP practice. RESULTS: The study population comprised 285 113 patients, mean age 43.5 years, 61.6% women. They were registered with 5 574 GPs. Of the patients, 52.5% received talking therapy, 34.1% antidepressant drugs and 54.1% were sick listed, while 17.3% received none of the above treatments. Patients in rural practices were less likely to receive talking therapy (adjusted relative risk (adj RR) = 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.64-0.73) and more likely to receive antidepressants (adj RR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.04-1.14) compared to those in urban practices. Patients on short practice lists were more likely to receive medication (adj RR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.05-1.12) than those on long practice lists. Patients with short GP-patient relationship were more likely to receive talking therapy (adj RR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.17-1.23) and medication (adj RR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.04-1.12), and less likely to be sick-listed (RR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.87-0.89), than patients with long GP-patient relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Provision of GP depression care varied with practice characteristics. Talking therapy was less commonly provided in rural practices and among those with long-lasting GP-patient relationship. These differences may indicate some variation, and therefore, its reasons and clinical consequences need further investigation.

Comparison of depression care provided in general practice in Norway and the Netherlands: registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP study).

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent in general practice, and organisation of primary health care probably affects the provision of depression care. General practitioners (GPs) in Norway and the Netherlands fulfil comparable roles. However, primary care teams with a mental health nurse (MHN) supplementing the GP have been established in the Netherlands, but not yet in Norway. In order to explore how the organisation of primary mental care affects care delivery, we aimed to examine the provision of GP depression care across the two countries. METHODS: Registry-based cohort study comprising new depression episodes in patients aged ≥ 18 years, 2011-2015. The Norwegian sample was drawn from the entire population (national health registries); 297,409 episodes. A representative Dutch sample (Nivel Primary Care Database) was included; 27,362 episodes. Outcomes were follow-up consultation(s) with GP, with GP and/or MHN, and antidepressant prescriptions during 12 months from the start of the depression episode. Differences between countries were estimated using negative binomial and Cox regression models, adjusted for patient gender, age and comorbidity. RESULTS: Patients in the Netherlands compared to Norway were less likely to receive GP follow-up consultations, IRR (incidence rate ratio) = 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71-0.74). Differences were greatest among patients aged 18-39 years (adj IRR = 0.64, 0.63-0.66) and 40-59 years (adj IRR = 0.71, 0.69-0.73). When comparing follow-up consultations in GP practices, including MHN consultations in the Netherlands, no cross-national differences were found (IRR = 1.00, 0.98-1.01). But in age-stratified analyses, Dutch patients 60 years and older were more likely to be followed up than their Norwegian counterparts (adj IRR = 1.21, 1.16-1.26). Patients in the Netherlands compared to Norway were more likely to receive antidepressant drugs, adj HR (hazard ratio) = 1.32 (1.30-1.34). CONCLUSIONS: The observed differences indicate that the organisation of primary mental health care affects the provision of follow-up consultations in Norway and the Netherlands. Clinical studies are needed to explore the impact of team-based care and GP-based care on the quality of depression care and patient outcomes.

Construction and validation of a morbidity index based on the International Classification of Primary Care.

OBJECTIVES: In epidemiological studies it is often necessary to describe morbidity. The aim of the present study is to construct and validate a morbidity index based on the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2). DESIGN AND SETTING: This is a cohort study based on linked data from national registries. An ICPC morbidity index was constructed based on a list of longstanding health problems in earlier published Scottish data from general practice and adapted to diagnostic ICPC-2 codes recorded in Norwegian general practice 2015 - 2017. SUBJECTS: The index was constructed among Norwegian born people only (N = 4 509 382) and validated in a different population, foreign-born people living in Norway (N = 959 496). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Predictive ability for death in 2018 in these populations was compared with the Charlson index. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify morbidities with the highest odds ratios (OR) for death and predictive ability for different combinations of morbidities was estimated by the area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). RESULTS: An index based on 18 morbidities was found to be optimal, predicting mortality with an AUC of 0.78, slightly better than the Charlson index (AUC 0.77). External validation in a foreign-born population yielded an AUC of 0.76 for the ICPC morbidity index and 0.77 for the Charlson index. CONCLUSIONS: The ICPC morbidity index performs equal to the Charlson index and can be recommended for use in data materials collected in primary health care.Key pointsThis is the first morbidity index based on the International Classification of Primary Care, 2nd edition (ICPC-2)It predicted mortality equal to the Charlson index and validated acceptably in a different populationThe ICPC morbidity index can be used as an adjustment variable in epidemiological research in primary care databases.

Patient experiences with depression care in general practice: a qualitative questionnaire study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate patient experiences and preferences regarding depression care in general practice. DESIGN AND SETTING: A qualitative study based on free-text responses in a web-based survey in 2017. Participants were recruited by open invitation on the web page of a Norwegian patient organization for mental health. The survey consisted of four open-ended questions concerning depression care provided by general practitioners (GPs), including positive and negative experiences, and suggestions for improvement. The responses were analysed by Template Analysis. SUBJECTS: 250 persons completed the web-based survey, 86% were women. RESULTS: The analysis revealed five themes: The informants appreciated help from their GP; they wanted to be met by the GP with a listening, accepting, understanding and respectful attitude; they wanted to be involved in decisions regarding their treatment, including antidepressants which they thought should not be prescribed without follow-up; when referred to secondary mental care they found it wrong to have to find and contact a caregiver themselves; and they thought sickness certification should be individualised to be helpful. CONCLUSIONS: Patients in Norway appreciate the depression care they receive from their GP. It is important for patients to be involved in decision-making regarding their treatment.KEY POINTSDepression is common, and GPs are often patients' first point of contact when they seek help. • Patients who feel depressed appreciate help from their GP. • Patients prefer an empathetic GP who listens attentively and acknowledges their problems. • Individualised follow-up is essential when prescribing antidepressants, making a referral, or issuing a sickness absence certificate.

Variation in general practitioners' depression care following certification of sickness absence: a registry-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is more prevalent among women and people with low socio-economic status. Uncertainties exist about how general practitioner (GP) depression care varies with patients' social position. OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between patients' gender and educational status combined and GP depression care following certification of sickness absence. METHODS: Nationwide registry-based cohort study, Norway, 2012-14. Reimbursement claims data from all consultations in general practice for depression were linked with information on socio-demographic data, social security benefits and depression medication. The study population comprised all individuals aged 25-66 years with taxable income, sick-listed with a new depression diagnosis in general practice in 2013 (n = 8857). We defined six intersectional groups by combining educational level and gender. The outcome was type of GP depression care during sick leave: follow-up consultation(s), talking therapy, medication and referral to secondary care. Associations between intersectional groups and outcome were estimated using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Among long-term absentees (17 days or more), highly educated women were less likely to receive medication compared to all other patient groups [relative risk (RR) ranging from 1.17 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.33) to 1.49 (1.29-1.72)] and more likely to receive talking therapy than women with medium [RR = 0.90 (0.84-0.98)] or low [RR = 0.91 (0.85-0.98)] education. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that GPs provide equitable depression care regarding consultations and referrals for all intersectional groups but differential drug treatment and talking therapy for highly educated women. GPs need to be aware of these variations to provide personalized care and to prevent reproducing inequity.

Evaluating an integrated care pathway for frail elderly patients in Norway using multi-criteria decision analysis.

BACKGROUND: To provide value-based care for patients with multi-morbidity, innovative integrated care programmes and comprehensive evaluations of such programmes are required. In Norway, a new programme called "Holistic Continuity of Patient Care" (HCPC) addresses the issue of multi-morbidity by providing integrated care within learning networks for frail elderly patients who receive municipal home care services or a short-term stay in a nursing home. This study conducts a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to evaluate whether the HCPC programme performs better on a large set of outcomes corresponding to the 'triple aim' compared to usual care. METHODS: Prospective longitudinal survey data were collected at baseline and follow-up after 6-months. The assessment of HCPC was implemented by a novel MCDA framework. The relative weights of importance of the outcomes used in the MCDA were obtained from a discrete choice experiment among five different groups of stakeholders. The performance score was estimated using a quasi-experimental design and linear mixed methods. Performance scores were standardized and multiplied by their weights of importance to obtain the overall MCDA value by stakeholder group. RESULTS: At baseline in the HCPC and usual care groups, respectively, 120 and 89 patients responded, of whom 87 and 41 responded at follow-up. The average age at baseline was 80.0 years for HCPC and 83.6 for usual care. Matching reduced the standardized differences between the groups for patient background characteristics and outcome variables. The MCDA results indicated that HCPC was preferred to usual care irrespective of stakeholders. The better performance of HCPC was mostly driven by improvements in enjoyment of life, psychological well-being, and social relationships and participation. Results were consistent with sensitivity analyses using Monte Carlo simulation. CONCLUSION: Frail elderly with multi-morbidity represent complex health problems at large costs for society in terms of health- and social care. This study is a novel contribution to assessing and understanding HCPC programme performance respecting the multi-dimensionality of desired outcomes. Integrated care programmes like HCPC may improve well-being of patients, be cost-saving, and contribute to the pursuit of evidence based gradual reforms in the care of frail elderly.

Trends in treatment for patients with depression in general practice in Norway, 2009-2015: nationwide registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP Study).

BACKGROUND: Depression is highly prevalent, but knowledge is scarce as to whether increased public awareness and strengthened government focus on mental health have changed how general practitioners (GPs) help their depressed patients. This study aimed to examine national time trends in GP depression care and whether trends varied regarding patient gender, age, and comorbidity. METHODS: Nationwide registry-based cohort study, Norway. The study population comprised all residents aged 20 years or older with new depression diagnoses recorded in general practice, 2009-2015. We linked reimbursement claims data from all consultations in general practice for depression with information on demographics and antidepressant medication. The outcome was type(s) of GP depression care during 12 months from the date of diagnosis: (long) consultation, talking therapy, antidepressant drug treatment, sickness absence certification, and referral to secondary mental health care. Covariates were patient gender, age, and comorbidity. The data are presented as frequencies and tested with generalized linear models. RESULTS: We included 365,947 new depression diagnoses. Mean patient age was 44 years (SD = 16), 61.9 % were women, 41.2 % had comorbidity. From 2009 to 2015, proportions of patients receiving talking therapy (42.3-63.4 %), long consultations (56.4-71.8 %), and referral to secondary care (16.6-21.6 %) increased, while those receiving drug treatment (31.3-25.9 %) and sick-listing (58.1-50 %) decreased. The trends were different for gender (women had a greater increase in talking therapy and a smaller decrease in sick-listing, compared to men), age (working-aged patients had a smaller increase in talking therapy, a greater increase in long consultations, and a smaller decrease in antidepressant drug use, compared to older patients) and comorbidity (patients with mental comorbidity had a smaller increase in talking therapy and a greater increase in long consultations, compared to those with no comorbidity and somatic comorbidity). CONCLUSIONS: The observed time trends in GP depression care towards increased provision of psychological treatment and less drug treatment and sick-listing were in the desired direction according to Norwegian health care policy. However, the large and persistent differences in treatment rates between working-aged and older patients needs further investigation.

Consultations and antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infections in Norwegian primary care 2006-2015, a registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: Extensive use of antibiotics and the resulting emergence of antimicrobial resistance is a major health concern globally. In Norway, 82% of antibiotics is prescribed in primary care and one in four prescriptions are issued for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI). The aim of this study was to investigate time trends in antibiotic treatment following a consultation for UTI in primary care. METHODS: For the period 2006-2015 we linked data from the Norwegian Registry for Control and Payment of Health Reimbursements on all patient consultations for cystitis and pyelonephritis in general practice and out-of-hours (OOH) services, and data from the Norwegian Prescription Database on all dispensed prescriptions of antibiotics. RESULTS: Altogether 2,426,643 consultations by attendance for UTI took place in the study period, of these 94.5% for cystitis and 5.5% for pyelonephritis. Of all UTI consultations, 79.4% were conducted in general practice and 20.6% in OOH services. From 2006 to 2015, annual numbers of cystitis and pyelonephritis consultations increased by 33.9 and 14.0%, respectively. The proportion of UTI consultations resulting in an antibiotic prescription increased from 36.6 to 65.7% for cystitis, and from 35.3 to 50.7% for pyelonephritis. These observed changes occurred gradually over the years. Cystitis was mainly treated with pivmecillinam (53.9%), followed by trimethoprim (20.8%). For pyelonephritis, pivmecillinam was most frequently used (43.0%), followed by ciprofloxacin (20.5%) and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (16.3%). For cystitis, the use of pivmecillinam increased the most during the study period (from 46.1 to 56.6%), and for pyelonephritis, the use of sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (from 11.4 to 25.5%) followed by ciprofloxacin (from 18.2 to 23.1%). CONCLUSIONS: During the 10-year study period there was a considerable increase in the proportion of UTI consultations resulting in antibiotic treatment. Cystitis was most often treated with pivmecillinam, and this proportion increased during the study period. Treatment of pyelonephritis was characterized by more use of broader-spectrum antibiotics, use of both sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and ciprofloxacin increased during the study period. These trends, indicative of enduring changes in consultation and treatment patterns for UTIs, will have implications for future antibiotic stewardship measures and policy.

Improving drug prescription in general practice using a novel quality improvement model.

INTRODUCTION: Quality improvement (QI) clusters have been established in many countries to improve healthcare using the Breakthrough Series' collaboration model. We investigated the effect of a novel QI approach based on this model of performed medication reviews and drug prescription in a Norwegian municipality. METHODS: All 27 General Practitioners (GPs) in a mid-size Norwegian municipality were invited to join the intervention, consisting of three peer group meetings during a period of 7-8 months. Participants learned practical QI skills by planning and following up QI projects within drug prescription practice. Evaluation forms were used to assess participants' self-rated improvement, reported medication review reimbursement codes (MRRCs) were used as a process measure, and defined daily doses (DDDs) of potentially inappropriate drugs (PIDs) dispensed to patients aged 65 years or older were used as outcome measures. RESULTS: Of the invited GPs, 25 completed the intervention. Of these, 76% self-reported improved QI skills and 67% reported improved drug prescription practices. Statistical process control revealed a non-random increase in the number of MRRCs lasting at least 7 months after intervention end. Compared with national average data, we found a significant reduction in dispensed DDDs in the intervention municipality for benzodiazepine derivates, benzodiazepine-related drugs, drugs for urinary frequency and incontinence and non-steroid anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic medications. CONCLUSION: Intervention increased the frequency of medication reviews, resulting in fewer potentially inappropriate prescriptions. Moreover, there was self-reported improvement in QI skills in general, which may affect other practice areas as well. Intervention required relatively little absence from clinical practice compared with more traditional QI interventions and could, therefore, be easier to implement.KEY POINTThe current study investigated to what extent a novel model based on the Breakthrough Series' collaborative model affects GP improvement skills in general practice and changes their drug prescription.KEY FINDINGSMost participants reported better improvement skills and improved prescription practice.The number of dispensed potentially inappropriate drugs decreased significantly in the intervention municipality compared with the national average.The model seemed to lead to sustained changes after the end of the intervention.

Restless legs syndrome - a study from general practice. / Rastløse bein ­ en studie fra allmennpraksis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) among adults in the general population is around 5-10 %. Few studies have been conducted on the prevalence among patients who consult their general practitioner. There are also few studies on associations between RLS and other common complaints such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), chronic fatigue (CF) and chronic muscle and back pain (CMBP). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The study was conducted as a questionnaire survey at medical offices in Southern and Western Norway in the autumn of 2017 and spring of 2018, when patients waiting to see their general practitioner (GP) were invited to participate. A total of 2 634 people took part (62.2 % women, average age 49.6 years). The response rate was 86.8 %. Restless legs syndrome (RLS) was defined on the basis of international criteria. Associations between RLS and IBS, CF and CMBP were analysed by means of chi-squared tests and logistic regression. RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: The proportion of patients with RLS was 14.3 %. Of the patients with RLS, 44.8 % reported that their symptoms were moderately to very distressing, and 85.8 % that they did not use medication for it. The proportion of patients with RLS was significantly higher among patients with IBS (21.8 % versus 13.6 %, p = 0.009), CF (18.2 % versus 13.1 %, p = 0.003) and CMBP (23.2 % versus 12.2 %, p < 0.0005). GPs should be aware that many patients have RLS and that the condition is associated with other common complaints.

Associations between characteristics of the patients at municipal acute bed unit admission and further transfer to hospital: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: As an alternative to acute hospitalisations, all communities in Norway are required to provide inpatient care in municipal acute bed units (MAUs) for patients who can be treated at the primary care level. Patient selection is challenging, and some patients need transfer from MAUs to hospitals. The aim of this study was to examine associations between characteristics of the patient at admission to MAU and further transfer to hospital. METHODS: In a prospective observational study on all admissions to a large MAU, March 2016-August 2017, information was obtained on patient age, gender, comorbidities, drug use, reason for stay and Triage Early Warning Score (TEWS) on admission and at discharge, and length of stay. Comparison between admissions resulting in discharge to hospital, nursing home or own home were performed with chi-square and ANOVA tests. Estimated relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence interval for transfer to hospital versus being retained at primary care level was estimated for age, gender, comorbidity and TEWS in generalized linear models, crude and adjusted. RESULTS: Two thousand seven hundred forty-four admissions were included. Mean age of the patients was 69.5 years (SD 21.9), 65.2% were women. In 646 admissions (23.6%), the patients were transferred to hospital. Male gender and TEWS > 2 were associated with transfer to hospital. Most transfers to hospital occurred within 24 h, and these patients had unchanged or increasing TEWS during their stay at MAU. When transferred to hospital 41.5% of the patients had the same reason for stay as on MAU admission, 14.9% had another reason for stay, 25.2% had a medical condition outside the treatment scope of MAU, and 18.4% needed further diagnostic clarification in hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Likelihood of transfer to hospital increased with male gender and higher TEWS on admission. Main reasons for transfer to hospital were lack of improvement and identification of clinical conditions that needed hospital care. TEWS > 2 at admission should make physicians alert to the need of close monitoring for lack of improvement.

The patient at the centre: evidence from 17 European integrated care programmes for persons with complex needs.

BACKGROUND: As the prevalence of multi-morbidity increases in ageing societies, health and social care systems face the challenge of providing adequate care to persons with complex needs. Approaches that integrate care across sectors and disciplines have been increasingly developed and implemented in European countries in order to tackle this challenge. The aim of the article is to identify success factors and crucial elements in the process of integrated care delivery for persons with complex needs as seen from the practical perspective of the involved stakeholders (patients, professionals, informal caregivers, managers, initiators, payers). METHODS: Seventeen integrated care programmes for persons with complex needs in 8 European countries were investigated using a qualitative approach, namely thick description, based on semi-structured interviews and document analysis. In total, 233 face-to-face interviews were conducted with stakeholders of the programmes between March and September 2016. Meta-analysis of the individual thick description reports was performed with a focus on the process of care delivery. RESULTS: Four categories that emerged from the overarching analysis are discussed in the article: (1) a holistic view of the patient, considering both mental health and the social situation in addition to physical health, (2) continuity of care in the form of single contact points, alignment of services and good relationships between patients and professionals, (3) relationships between professionals built on trust and facilitated by continuous communication, and (4) patient involvement in goal-setting and decision-making, allowing patients to adapt to reorganised service delivery. CONCLUSIONS: We were able to identify several key aspects for a well-functioning integrated care process for complex patients and how these are put into actual practice. The article sets itself apart from the existing literature by specifically focussing on the growing share of the population with complex care needs and by providing an analysis of actual processes and interpersonal relationships that shape integrated care in practice, incorporating evidence from a variety of programmes in several countries.

Use of hormonal contraceptives among immigrant women and their daughters in Norway: Data from the Norwegian Prescription Database.

INTRODUCTION: Immigrants and their offspring constitute 16.3% of the population in Norway. Knowledge about their contraceptive use is important in order to inform adequate family planning services. Prior research has shown less use of contraception among first-generation immigrants than among non-immigrant women. Our aim is to compare the use of hormonal contraceptives between immigrants and their adult daughters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Information from the Norwegian Prescription Database on all hormonal contraceptives dispensed at all pharmacies in Norway in 2008 was merged with demographic, socioeconomic and immigration data from the National Population Register and information from the Regular General Practitioner Database and the Medical Birth Registry Norway. A total of 10 451 women aged 16-30 from five countries with relatively large numbers of immigrants and adult daughters living in Norway in 2008 were included in the study. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were conducted. The main outcome measure was use of any hormonal contraceptive. RESULTS: More daughters of immigrants from Vietnam compared with immigrant women from these countries (odds ratio [OR] 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8-2.8) and Poland (OR 2.3, 95% CI: 1.6-3.3) used hormonal contraceptives. However, no adjusted differences between generations were detected for immigrants from Pakistan (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.4), Morocco (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.7-1.4) or Chile (OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.8-1.9). CONCLUSIONS: Further research should explore the reasons for heterogeneity in use of contraception among daughters of immigrants from different origins and explore whether daughters of immigrant mothers from some areas have unmet needs of contraception.

Patient-reported depression treatment and future treatment preferences: an observational study in general practice.

BACKGROUND: Depression is prevalent in general practice, but few studies have explored patient-reported depression care. AIM: To investigate patient-reported treatment received for depression and future treatment preferences among adult patients visiting their GP, and to evaluate the associations with sex, age and educational level. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in general practices in Norway from 2016 to 2017. METHODS: Altogether, 2335 consecutive patients (response rate, 89.2%) in the GPs' waiting rooms answered a questionnaire about their received depression treatment and treatment preferences in case of future depression. RESULTS: The study population (N = 2239) had a mean age of 48.6 ± 17.7 years (range 18-91), 60.1% were women. Of the 770 patients reporting to have received depression treatment, 39.1% were treated exclusively by their GP while 52.5% also were referred to a psychologist/psychiatrist. Older age was positively associated with medication and negatively associated with referrals to psychologist/psychiatrist. People with high education had lower odds for receiving medication (odds ratios [OR], 0.49; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.30-0.80) compared to those with low education. If future depression, 81.6% of the respondents would discuss this with their GP, 60.9% would prefer talking therapy with their GP, 22.5% medication, and 52.9% referral to psychologist or psychiatrist. CONCLUSION: One-third of the patients attending their GPs had consulted with them at some time concerning depression the case of future depression, most patients preferred talking therapy with the GP. This finding warrants increased research focus on the GP's role in depression care.

First four years of operation of a municipal acute bed unit in rural Norway.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of a small municipality acute bed unit (MAU) in rural Norway resulting from the Coordination reform regarding occupancy-rate, patient characteristics and healthcare provided during the first four years of operation. Further, to investigate whether implementation of the new municipal service avoided acute hospital admissions. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: A two-bed municipal acute bed unit. SUBJECTS: All patients admitted to the unit between 2013 and 2016. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographics, comorbidity, main diagnoses and level of municipal care on admission and discharge, diagnostic and therapeutic initiatives, MAU occupancy rate, and acute hospital admission rate. RESULTS: Altogether, 389 admissions occurred, 215 first-time admissions and 174 readmissions. The mean MAU bed occupancy rate doubled from of 0.26 in 2013 to 0.50 in 2016, while acute hospital admission rates declined. The patients (median age 84.0 years, 48.9% women at first time admission) were most commonly admitted for infections (28.0%), observation (22.1%) or musculoskeletal symptoms (16.2%). Some 52.7% of the patients admitted from home were discharged to a higher care level; musculoskeletal problems as admission diagnosis predicted this (RR =1.43, 95% CI 1.20-1.71, adjusted for age and sex). CONCLUSION: Admission rates to MAU increased during the first years of operation. In the same period, there was a reduction in acute hospital admissions. Patient selection was largely in accordance with national and local criteria, including observational stays. Half the patients admitted from home were discharged to nursing home, suggesting that the unit was used as pathway to a higher municipal care level. Key Points Evaluation of the first four years of operation of a municipality acute bed unit (MAU) in rural Norway revealed: • Admission rates to MAU increased, timely coinciding with decreased acute admission rates to hospital medical wards. • Most patients were old and had complex health problems. • Only half the patients were discharged back home; musculoskeletal symptoms were associated with discharge to a higher care level.

Trends in potentially inappropriate medication prescribing to nursing home patients: comparison of three cross-sectional studies.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine trends in potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) prescribing in Norwegian nursing homes. METHODS: Patients aged ≥70 years were included from three cross-sectional studies conducted in 1997, 2005 and 2011. PIMs were analyzed according to the Norwegian General Practice-Nursing Home criteria (NORGEP-NH), use of single substances to avoid, combinations to avoid, and deprescribing items. Associations between sample and use of PIMs were examined by logistic regression, adjusted for age, gender, and ward. We established Pearsons r for correlations between numbers of drugs and PIMs. RESULTS: Altogether, 4373 patients (mean age 85.7 years, 73.5% women) were included. The mean overall number of drugs per patient increased from 4.7 in 1997 to 6.9 in 2011 (p < 0.001). Use of any single substances to avoid increased from 36.8% in 1997 to 39.5% in 2011 (p = 0.002), use of any combinations to avoid from 16.3% to 27.0% (p < 0.001), and use of any deprescribing items from 46.0% to 55.3% (p < 0.001). Use of codeine-analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, tricyclic antidepressants, long-acting benzodiazepines, and first generation antihistamines decreased significantly, while use of short-acting benzodiazepines, z-hypnotics, statins, and anti-dementia drugs increased significantly. A moderate strong correlation was detected between number of drugs and the three above-mentioned PIM categories, r = 0.34, r = 0.43, r = 0.37, respectively (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although several PIMs were less commonly prescribed in recent years, increased overall use of PIMs may suggests worsening of prescribing quality for nursing home patients in Norway. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.