Seven lessons from the coronavirus pandemic for primary health care: A qualitative study of registered and assistant nurses in Sweden.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore lessons from the pandemic by registered and assistant nurses in Swedish primary health care (PHC) of potential relevance for the future operation of PHC. METHODS: Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with registered and assistant nurses. We used a purposeful sampling strategy to achieve a diverse sample with regard to size and location of PHC centres. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Analysis yielded two categories: lessons from the pandemic pertaining to PHC personnel and patient behaviours (adaptability of the personnel; importance of hygiene and maintaining physical distance; and importance of being attentive to illness symptoms) and lessons from the pandemic related to primary healthcare work routines (effectiveness of digital job meetings; advantages of digital patient consultations; importance of keeping infectious patients separate from other patients; and the need to allow only pre-booked patient appointments). CONCLUSIONS: The seven sub-categories represent seven lessons from the pandemic. The lessons generated both instrumental knowledge, which the nurses could apply in work-related decisions, and conceptual knowledge which yielded improved understanding of problems and potential solutions for PHC.

Working conditions in primary care: a qualitative interview study with physicians in Sweden informed by the Effort-Reward-Imbalance model.

BACKGROUND: Many problems with primary care physicians' psychosocial working conditions have been documented. Many studies on working condition have used the Effort-Reward-Imbalance (ERI) model, which posits that poor health and well-being may result from imbalances between the level of effort employees perceive that they put into their work and the rewards they receive. The model has not been used in qualitative research or applied to investigate primary care physicians' working conditions. The aim of this study was to apply the ERI model to explore the perceived efforts and rewards by primary care physicians in Sweden and approaches they take to cope with potential imbalances between these efforts and rewards. METHODS: The study has a qualitative design, using semi-structured interviews. A purposeful sampling strategy was used to achieve a heterogeneous sample of primary care physicians who represented a broad spectrum of experiences and perceptions. We recruited 21 physicians; 15 were employed in public health care and 6 by private health care companies. RESULTS: The analysis of the interviews yielded 11 sub-categories: 6 were mapped to the efforts category, 3 were attributed to the rewards category and 2 were approaches to coping with effort/reward imbalances. Many of the statements concerned efforts in the form of high workload, restricted autonomy and administrative work burden. They also perceived resource restrictions, unpredictability of work and high expectations in their role as physicians as efforts. Three types of rewards emerged; the physicians found their job to be stimulating and meaningful, and the work climate to be supportive. The physicians coped with imbalances by means of job enrichment and using decisional latitude. CONCLUSIONS: Primary care physicians perceive numerous types of efforts in their job, which is consistent with research concerning work stress and associated consequences, such as poor subjective health and well-being. There are also rewards according to primary care physicians, but the findings suggest a lack of reciprocity in terms of efforts and rewards although firm conclusions cannot be drawn since the study did not investigate the magnitude of the various efforts and rewards or the effectiveness of the approaches the physicians use to cope with imbalances. The ERI model was found to be useful to explore physicians' primary care work and working conditions but its applicability likely depends on the type of work or professions being studied.

Conversations about alcohol in healthcare - cross-sectional surveys in the Netherlands and Sweden.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated and compared the extent, duration, contents, experiences and effects of alcohol conversations in healthcare in the Netherlands and Sweden in 2017. METHODS: Survey data in the Netherlands and Sweden were collected through an online web panel. Subjects were 2996 participants (response rate: 50.8%) in Sweden and 2173 (response rate: 82.2%) in the Netherlands. Data was collected on socio-demographics, alcohol consumption, healthcare visits in the past 12 months, number of alcohol conversations, and characteristics of alcohol conversations (duration, contents, experience, effects). RESULTS: Results showed that Swedish respondents were more likely to have had alcohol conversations (OR = 1.99; 95%CI = 1.64-2.41; p = < 0.001) compared to Dutch respondents. In Sweden, alcohol conversations were more often perceived as routine (p = < 0.001), were longer (p = < 0.001), and more often contained verbal information about alcohol's health effects (p = 0.007) or written information (p = 0.001) than in the Netherlands. In Sweden, 40+ year-olds were less likely to report a positive effect compared to the youngest respondents. In the Netherlands, men, sick-listed respondents, and risky drinkers, and in Sweden those that reported "other" occupational status such as parental leave, were more likely to have had alcohol conversations. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that alcohol conversations are more common in healthcare practice in Sweden than in the Netherlands. However, positive effects of alcohol conversations were less likely to be reported among older respondents in Sweden. Our results indicate that alcohol preventative work should be improved in both countries, with more focus on risky drinkers and the content of the conversations in Sweden, and expanding alcohol screening in the Netherlands.

Digital consultations in Swedish primary health care: a qualitative study of physicians' job control, demand and support.

BACKGROUND: Digital consultation with primary care physicians via mobile telephone apps has been spreading rapidly in Sweden since 2014. Digital consultation allows remote working because physicians can work from home, outside their traditional primary care environment. Despite the spread of digital consultation in primary care, there is a lack of knowledge concerning how the new service affects physicians' psychosocial work environment. Previous research has focused primarily on the patients' point of view and the cost-effectiveness of digital consultation. Hence, there is a paucity of studies from the perspective of physicians, focusing on their psychosocial work environment. The aim of this study was to investigate primary care physicians' perceived work demands, control over working processes, and social support when providing digital consultation to primary care patients. METHODS: The study has a qualitative design, using semi-structured interviews conducted in Sweden in 2019. We used a purposeful sampling strategy to achieve a heterogeneous sample of physicians who represented a broad spectrum of experiences and perceptions. The interviews were conducted by video meeting, telephone, or a personal meeting, depending on what suited the participant best. The interview questions were informed by the Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) model, which was also used as the framework to analyze the data by categorizing the physicians' perceptions and experiences into the three categories of the model (Demand, Control, Support), in the deductive analysis of the data. RESULTS: Analysis of the data yielded 9 subcategories, which were mapped onto the 3 categories of the JDCS model. Overall, the participants saw numerous benefits with digital consultations, not only with regard to their own job situation but also for patients and the health care system in general even though they identified some shortcomings and risks with digital care. CONCLUSIONS: This study has demonstrated that physicians perceive working with digital consultation as flexible with a high grade of autonomy and reasonable to low demands. According to the participants, digital consultation is not something you can work with full time if medical skills and abilities are to be maintained and developed.

A deviation too many? Healthcare professionals' knowledge and attitudes concerning patients with intellectual disability disrupting norms regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability (ID) have few role models for sexual expression and behaviour, and those who identify as LGBTQ experience dual marginalization. The aim of this study is to explore knowledge and attitudes concerning patients with both ID and norm-breaking sexuality and/or gender identity among healthcare professionals in habilitation centres. METHOD: Data were collected from four focus group interviews that included 19 healthcare professionals from child and adult teams at two Swedish habilitation centres. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes were identified as follows: heteronormative treatment in health care, barriers for inclusion and possibilities for inclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Norm-breaking sexuality and gender identity are still relatively invisible in habilitation centres. People with ID are still predominately desexualized and perceptions regarding their sexuality are lagging behind the rest of society. Conditions that allow for more LGBTQ-affirmative practice were described by the teams that have undergone LGBTQ training.

Addressing alcohol in routine healthcare in Sweden-population-based surveys in 2010 and 2017.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to compare how alcohol was addressed in routine healthcare practice in Sweden in 2010 and 2017, following the 2011 implementation of national drinking guidelines. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 2010 and in 2017. Subjects were 3200 respondents in 2010 (response rate 54%) and 3000 respondents in 2017 (response rate 51%) in Sweden. Both the 2010 and 2017 surveys collected data on: socio-demographics; alcohol consumption; healthcare visits in the past 12 months and characteristics of alcohol conversations in healthcare (duration, contents, experience and effects). RESULTS: It was significantly more likely that respondents had a conversation about alcohol in healthcare in 2017 than in 2010 (OR = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.27-1.75; P<0.001). Conversations about alcohol in the healthcare were mostly short (<4 min), both in 2010 and 2017. The alcohol conversations in 2017 included less information about alcohol's influence on health (P = 0.002) compared with 2010. The experience of the conversation about alcohol was perceived as less dramatic in 2017 than in 2010 (P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that conversations about alcohol were more embedded in routine healthcare practice in Sweden in 2017 than in 2010. This development has occurred since the 2011 publication of the national guidelines. Alcohol conversations targeted also specific groups of drinkers as recommended by the guidelines. However, our study design does not allow for conclusions about the relationship between the guidelines and the changes in healthcare practice.

Beliefs and attitudes about addressing alcohol consumption in health care: a population survey in England.

BACKGROUND: Despite robust evidence for their effectiveness, it has proven difficult to translate alcohol prevention activities into routine health care practice. Previous research has identified numerous provider-level barriers affecting implementation, but these have been less extensively investigated in the wider population. We sought to: (1) investigate patients' beliefs and attitudes to being asked about alcohol consumption in health care; and (2) identify the characteristics of those who are supportive of addressing alcohol consumption in health care. METHODS: Cross-sectional household interviews conducted as part of the national Alcohol Toolkit Study in England between March and April 2017. Data were collected on age, gender, social grade, drinking category, and beliefs and attitudes to being asked about alcohol in routine health care. Unadjusted and multivariate-adjusted logistic regression models were performed to investigate associations between socio-demographic characteristics and drinking category with being "pro-routine" (i.e. 'agree completely' that alcohol consumption should be routinely addressed in health care) or "pro-personal" (i.e. 'agree completely' that alcohol is a personal matter and not something health care providers should ask about). RESULTS: Data were collected on 3499 participants, of whom 50% were "pro-routine" and 10% were "pro-personal". Those in social grade C1, C2, D and E were significantly less likely than those in AB of being "pro-routine". Women were less likely than men to be "pro-personal", and those aged 35-44 or 65 years plus more likely to be "pro-personal" compared with participants aged 16-24. Respondents aged 65 plus were twice as likely as those aged 16-24 to agree completely that alcohol consumption is a personal matter and not something health care providers should ask about (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.34-2.99). CONCLUSIONS: Most adults in England agree that health care providers should routinely ask about patients' alcohol consumption. However, older adults and those in lower socio-economic groups are less supportive. Drinking status appears to have limited impact on whether people believe that alcohol is a personal matter and not something health care providers should ask about. REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/xn2st/ ).

Alcohol consumption among partners of pregnant women in Sweden: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal care in Sweden involves a visit in pregnancy week 6-7 for counseling about lifestyle issues, including alcohol. The aim of this study was to investigate alcohol consumption among partners of pregnant women, their motives for changing drinking patterns when becoming a parent and their perceptions of the midwife's counseling about alcohol. METHOD: The study was conducted at 30 antenatal care centers across Sweden in 2009-2010. All partners who accompanied a pregnant women in pregnancy week >17 were asked to participate. The questionnaire included questions on alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Questionnaires from 444 partners were analyzed. Most, 95 %, of the partners reported alcohol consumption before pregnancy; 18 % were binge drinking (6 standard drinks or more per occasion, each drink containing 12 grams of pure alcohol) at least once every month during the last year. More than half, 58 %, of all partners had decreased their alcohol consumption following pregnancy recognition and a higher proportion of binge drinkers decreased their consumption compared to non-frequent binge drinkers (p = 0.025). Their motives varied; the pregnancy itself, fewer social gatherings (potentially involving alcohol consumption) and a sense of responsibility for the pregnant partner were reported. Of the partners, 37 % reported support for decreased drinking from others (pregnant partner, parents, friend or workmates). Further, most partners appreciated the midwife's counseling on alcohol. CONCLUSION: A majority of partners decreased their alcohol consumption in transition to parenthood, which also appears to be a crucial time for changing alcohol-drinking patterns. The partners with higher AUDIT-C scores reported more support for decreased drinking. Most partners appreciated the midwife's talk about alcohol and pregnancy and those who filled out AUDIT in early pregnancy reported that the counseling was more engaging. During pregnancy it is possible to detect partners with high alcohol consumption, and promote interventions for decreased drinking, also for the partners. Written information addressing alcohol use and directed to partners is needed.

The voice of non-pregnant women on alcohol consumption during pregnancy: a focus group study among women in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Consensus is that fetal exposure to alcohol is harmful. Abstinence while trying to conceive and throughout pregnancy is recommended. Despite this, there are many women who consume alcohol around conception and until pregnancy recognition. The aim of this study was to explore the voice of non-pregnant women concerning alcohol consumption and its relation to pregnancy. METHODS: Data were collected through seven focus groups interviews with 34 women of fertile age, who were neither pregnant nor mothers. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken, recorded and transcribed verbatim and then analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes were identified in the analysis: an issue that cannot be ignored; awareness and uncertainty concerning alcohol and pregnancy; and transition to parenthood. Alcohol was an integral part of the women's lives. A societal expectation to drink alcohol was prevalent and the women used different strategies to handle this expectation. Most women agreed not to drink alcohol during pregnancy although their knowledge on the specific consequences was scanty and they expressed a need for more information. Most of the participants found drinking alcohol during pregnancy to be irresponsible and saw pregnancy as a start of a new way of life. CONCLUSIONS: Social expectations concerning women's alcohol use change with pregnancy when women are suddenly expected to abstain. Although most study participants shared an opinion for zero tolerance during pregnancy, their knowledge regarding consequences of drinking during pregnancy were sparse. In order for prospective mothers to make informed choices, there is a need for public health initiatives providing information on the relationship between alcohol consumption and reproduction.

Prevalence of alcohol use before and during pregnancy and predictors of drinking during pregnancy: a cross sectional study in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of research on predictors for drinking during pregnancy among women in Sweden and reported prevalence rates differ considerably between studies conducted at different antenatal care centres. Since this knowledge is relevant for preventive work the aim of this study was to investigate these issues using a multicenter approach. METHODS: The study was conducted at 30 antenatal care centers across Sweden from November 2009 to December 2010. All women in pregnancy week 18 or more with a scheduled visit were asked to participate in the study. The questionnaire included questions on sociodemographic data, alcohol consumption prior to and during the pregnancy, tobacco use before and during pregnancy, and social support. RESULTS: Questionnaires from 1594 women were included in the study. A majority, 84%, of the women reported alcohol consumption the year prior to pregnancy; about 14% were categorized as having hazardous consumption, here defined as a weekly consumption of > 9 standard drinks containing 12 grams of pure alcohol or drinking more than 4 standard drinks at the same occasion. Approximately 6% of the women consumed alcohol at least once after pregnancy recognition, of which 92% never drank more than 1 standard drink at a time. Of the women who were hazardous drinkers before pregnancy, 19% reduced their alcohol consumption when planning their pregnancy compared with 33% of the women with moderate alcohol consumption prior to pregnancy. Factors predicting alcohol consumption during pregnancy were older age, living in a large city, using tobacco during pregnancy, lower score for social support, stronger alcohol habit before pregnancy and higher score for social drinking motives. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of drinking during pregnancy is relatively low in Sweden. However, 84% of the women report drinking in the year preceding pregnancy and most of these women continue to drink until pregnancy recognition, which means that they might have consumed alcohol in early pregnancy. Six factors were found to predict alcohol consumption during pregnancy. These factors should be addressed in the work to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies.

Relationship Between Educational Level and Attitudes Towards Alcohol Conversations in Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Survey Conducted in Four European Countries.

Objectives: To examine the association between educational level and attitudes towards alcohol conversations in healthcare using population-based surveys of adults in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden; and to compare attitudes towards alcohol conversations in healthcare between these four countries. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were conducted amongst adults in the general population in England (n = 3,499), the Netherlands (n = 2,173), Norway (n = 1,208), and Sweden (n = 3,000). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between attitudes towards alcohol conversations in healthcare and educational level, key demographic variables, alcohol consumption, and country of residence. Results: In all four countries, low educational level (p < 0.001) and male gender (p < 0.001) were associated with holding negative attitudes towards discussing alcohol in healthcare. Risky drinkers had more negative attitudes than low risky drinkers towards discussing alcohol in healthcare (p < 0.001) in all countries except England (p = 0.48), and also reported low levels of perceived honesty and confidence in healthcare (p < 0.001). Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of considering patients' socio-economic status when developing and implementing alcohol prevention interventions in healthcare.

Challenges of primary health care leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden: a qualitative study of managers' experiences.

PURPOSE: At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care was at the centre of the crisis. New demands made existing organizational practices and services obsolete. Primary health care had a great deal of responsibility for COVID-19-related care. The pandemic demanded effective leadership to manage the new difficulties. This paper aims to explore experiences and perceptions of managers in primary health care in relation to their efforts to manage the COVID-19 crisis in their everyday work. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The authors used a qualitative approach based on 14 semi-structured interviews with managers in primary health care from four regions in Sweden. The interviews were conducted during September to December 2020. Data were analysed using conventional qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS: Data analysis yielded three categories: lonely in decision-making; stretched to the limit; and proud to have coped. The participants felt lonely in their decision-making, and they were stretched to the limit of their own and the organization's capacity. The psychosocial working conditions in primary care worsened considerably during the pandemic because demands on leaders increased while their ability to control the work situation decreased. However, they also expressed pride that they and their employees had managed the situation by being flexible and having a common focus. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Looking ahead and using lessons learnt, and apart from making wise decisions under pressure, an important implication for primary health-care leaders is to not underestimate the power of acknowledging the virtues of humanity and justice during a crisis. Continuing professional education for leaders focusing on crisis leadership could help prepare leaders for future crises.

Alcohol prevention in Swedish antenatal care: effectiveness and perceptions of the Risk Drinking project counseling model.

OBJECTIVE: To compare an earlier Swedish antenatal care counseling routine concerning alcohol consumption with an expanded model in terms of effectiveness in achieving abstinence in pregnancy. A further objective was to assess the women's perceptions of the alcohol counseling. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Antenatal care center in a provincial Swedish university town. POPULATION: Women who received alcohol counseling; 1533 in cohort 1 (routine counseling) and 1476 in cohort 2 (expanded model). Approximately 93% of all pregnant women in Linköping are registered at this center. METHODS: Data were collected by means of an anonymous questionnaire. Thirteen questions in the questionnaire were analysed for this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Replies from three questions concerning pre-pregnancy drinking and three questions on drinking during pregnancy. RESULTS: The response rate was 60% for cohort 1 and 64% for cohort 2. Perceptions of the advice from the antenatal care center were generally favorable. Similar proportions of women, approximately 6%, in both cohorts drank at least once during the pregnancy (after pregnancy recognition). There were four predictors for drinking during pregnancy: older age; having previously given birth to a child; frequency of pre-pregnancy drinking; and perceiving the message from antenatal care as "small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy don't matter." CONCLUSIONS: An expanded counseling model implemented in Swedish antenatal care did not reduce the proportion of women who continued drinking during pregnancy in comparison with a previous counseling model, although the advice provided in the new model was perceived more favorably.

Working conditions in primary healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic: an interview study with physicians in Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic changed the working conditions of physicians in Swedish primary healthcare. DESIGN: This is a descriptive, qualitative study with individual semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. SETTING: Swedish primary healthcare units in both rural and urban areas. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 11 primary care physicians fulfilled participation. RESULTS: Two main categories emerged: 'work organisation and routines' and 'psychosocial work environment', containing three and five subcategories, respectively. The pandemic enforced changes in work organisation and routines. Increased flexibility, including more patient-oriented delivery of care, and novel means of interorganisational and intraorganisational interactions were perceived as positive by physicians. The pandemic also caused several changes in physicians' psychosocial work environment. Increased workload, information overload, as well as ethical considerations and feelings of uncertainty made the work environment stressful for physicians. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the working conditions of physicians in Swedish primary healthcare in numerous ways. The pandemic enforced changes in work organisation and routines for physicians in primary healthcare. Further research is needed to investigate how the pandemic will affect primary healthcare in the longer term. Learning from the pandemic is important because this will not be the last crisis that primary care and its healthcare professionals will face.

Football and Ice Hockey Fans' Experience of a 12-Week Training and Weight-Loss Pilot Intervention (ViSiT) in Sweden-A Focus Group Study.

Background: Excess weight is associated with an increased risk of poor health and premature mortality. This is more problematic for men than for women because men have a lower life expectancy and a higher prevalence of several lifestyle-related diseases. A concept whereby overweight male supporters of professional football clubs are recruited and offered a weight-loss intervention has been developed in Scotland. In the present study, we explore participants' experiences of a similar pilot intervention, called ViSiT, conducted with supporters in one ice hockey club and one football club in Sweden to assess the feasibility of using the intervention in a Swedish context. Methods: In this user centered evaluation, focus groups were conducted with 12 men who had completed the 12-week ViSiT intervention. Participants discussed reasons for participating in and completing the intervention, effects of the intervention, advantages, and areas of improvement of the intervention, and thoughts on the club's involvement. The material was analyzed using thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke. Results: The analyses revealed four themes: reasons to participate, motivation and reinforcement, change of habit, and areas for improvement. The intervention was seen as an opportunity to change daily lifestyle behaviors. The group format, as well as the involvement of a prestigious sports club, was important for signing up to the intervention and for motivating continued involvement. The intervention had also resulted in increased knowledge on health and changed mindsets about being more attentive to regulating day-to-day behavior. Although the overall feedback on the intervention was positive, the participants suggested that possibilities to have more individual coaching should be added. Conclusions: The ViSiT weight loss and lifestyle intervention may be feasible in a Swedish context to reach overweight men at risk of poor health. The ice hockey and football club supporters expressed similar experiences from participating in the intervention. ViSiT seem to have a potential to be adopted by many sports clubs for a widespread reach to a group normally considered reluctant to participate in lifestyle change programs.

Public perceptions of how alcohol consumption is dealt with in Swedish and Norwegian health care.

Aims: The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare popular beliefs and attitudes regarding alcohol conversations in healthcare in Sweden and Norway; and to explore which factors were associated with different levels of support for alcohol-prevention work in the two countries. Methods: Population-based cross-sectional surveys were conducted in Sweden (n = 3000) and Norway (n = 1208). Logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics of participants who were supportive of routine alcohol screening and brief intervention delivery. Results: A higher proportion of Swedish respondents agreed to a large extent that healthcare professionals should routinely ask about alcohol consumption. In addition, a higher proportion of Swedish respondents compared to respondents from Norway agreed that healthcare providers should only ask about patient's alcohol consumption if this was related to specific symptoms. There were similar correlates of being supportive of routine alcohol screening and brief intervention delivery in both countries. Support was lower in both countries amongst moderate and risky drinkers, and among single adults or those on parental leave, but higher amongst older individuals. Having had an alcohol conversation in healthcare increased the level of support for alcohol prevention in routine healthcare among risky drinkers. Conclusions: There is a high level of support for preventative alcohol conversations in routine healthcare in Norway and Sweden, although there was a lower proportion of respondents who were positive to alcohol prevention in routine healthcare in Norway compared to Sweden. Experiencing alcohol conversation may positively affect risky drinkers' attitudes towards and support for alcohol prevention. Thus, more frequent alcohol conversations in routine healthcare may also result in increased level of support for alcohol prevention among risky drinkers.

Addressing Patients' Alcohol Consumption-A Population-Based Survey of Patient Experiences.

Objectives: To identify the proportion of the population that had experienced that alcohol was addressed in health care the previous year, to explore experiences and perceived effects of addressing alcohol, and to investigate the proportion of risky drinkers in the population. Methods: Cross-sectional national web-based survey with 1,208 participants. Socio-demographic data, alcohol consumption (AUDIT-C), and experiences with alcohol conversations were investigated. Results: Approximately four in five respondents had visited health care the past 12 months, and one in six reported having experienced addressing alcohol. Women and older respondents were less likely to report having experienced alcohol conversations compared to other groups. Risky drinkers were not more likely to have experienced an alcohol conversation, but reported longer duration of alcohol conversations and more frequently perceived addressing alcohol as awkward or judgmental. Almost a third of respondents were classified as risky drinkers. Conclusion: The proportion experiencing addressing alcohol in routine health care is low, also among risky drinkers, and risky drinkers more frequently experienced the conversations as judgmental. More sensitive and relevant ways of addressing alcohol in health care is needed.

Can patients contribute to safer care in meetings with healthcare professionals? A cross-sectional survey of patient perceptions and beliefs.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate patients' perceptions of their meetings with healthcare professionals and the extent to which they believe they can influence patient safety in these meetings. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of patients using a study-specific questionnaire. Data were analysed using both parametric and non-parametric statistics. SETTING: The study was conducted in primary and secondary care in three county councils in southeast Sweden by means of a survey questionnaire despatched in January 2017. PARTICIPANTS: Survey data were collected from 1445 patients, 333 of whom were complainants (patients who had filed a complaint about being harmed in healthcare) and 1112 regular patients (patients recruited from healthcare units). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients' perceptions of meetings with physicians and nurses, beliefs concerning patients' contributions to safer care and whether the patients had suffered harm in healthcare during the past 10 years. RESULTS: Most respondents reported that it was easy to ask physicians and nurses questions (84.9% and 86.6%) and to point out if something felt odd in their care (77.7% and 80.7%). In general, complainants agreed to a higher extent compared with regular patients that patients can contribute to safer care (mean 1.92 and 2.13, p<0.001). Almost one-third (31.2%) of the respondents (both complainants and regular patients) reported that they had suffered harm in healthcare during the past 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Most respondents believed that healthcare professionals can facilitate patient interaction and increase patient safety by encouraging patients to ask questions and take an active part in their care. Further research will need to identify strategies to support such questioning in routine practice and ensure that it achieves its intended goals.

Så ville patienter förbättra vårdmötet för att få säkrare vård.

Patients had several suggestions on how to improve healthcare meetings in order to create safer care An open question "Do you have suggestions on how to improve meetings between patients and healthcare professionals in order to create safer care?" was incorporated into a questionnaire survey to 2673 patients in Sweden. The survey addressed patient participation for safer care. The open question was answered by 591 respondents. Content analysis was used to analyze the responses. The proposed suggestions concerned both the individual level (healthcare staff's competence and trust in the patient) and the system level (forms of communication, planning and structure, and time and staffing). The study findings show that there are many ways to improve meetings in healthcare of potential relevance for patient safety. Further research is needed to develop, apply and evaluate interventions based on patient suggestions.

Determinants of patient participation for safer care: A qualitative study of physicians' experiences and perceptions.

OBJECTIVE: There is a paucity of research on physicians' perspectives on involving patients to achieve safer care. This study aims to explore determinants of patient participation for safer care, according to physicians in Swedish health care. METHODS: We used a deductive descriptive design, applying qualitative content analysis based on the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 physicians in different types of health care units, to achieve a heterogeneous sample. The main outcome measure was barriers and facilitators to patient participation of potential relevance for patient safety. RESULTS: Analysis of the data yielded 14 determinants (ie, subcategories) functioning as barriers and/or facilitators to patient participation of potential relevance for patient safety. These determinants were mapped to five categories: physicians' capability to involve patients in their care; patients' capability to become involved in their care, as perceived by the physicians; physicians' opportunity to achieve patient participation in their care; physicians' motivation to involve patients in their care; and patients' motivation to become involved in their care, as perceived by the physicians. CONCLUSION: There are many barriers to patient participation to achieve safer care. There are also facilitators, but these tend to depend on initiatives of individual physicians and patients, because organizational-level support may be lacking. Many of the determinants are interdependent, with physicians' perceived time constraints influencing other barriers.