Training health care providers to administer VIA as a screening test for cervical cancer: a systematic review of essential training components.

BACKGROUND: Training health care providers to administer visual inspection after application of acetic acid (VIA) is paramount in improving cervical cancer screening services for women in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this systematic review was to create a framework of essential VIA training components and provide illustrating examples of how VIA training programs can be carried out in different clinical settings. METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science (from 2006 to 2021) was undertaken. Our inclusion criteria comprised articles reporting on implemented cervical cancer screening programs using VIA in a screen-and-treat approach. Trained health care providers with any level of health education were included, and the outcome of interest was the reporting of training components. Data were extracted by two reviewers, and a narrative synthesis of the training programs was performed. We developed a framework of seven essential training components and applied it to assess how training courses were conducted in different settings. RESULTS: 13 primary studies were eligible for inclusion, including 2,722 trained health care providers and 342,889 screened women. Most training courses lasted 5-7 days and included theoretical education, practical skill development, and competence assessment. It was unclear how visual aids and training in client counselling and quality assessment were integrated in the training courses. After the training course, nearly all the VIA training programs made provisions for on-job training at the providers' own clinical settings through supervision, feedback, and refresher training. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility of implementing international training recommendations for cervical cancer screening in real-world settings and provides valuable examples of training program implementation across various clinical settings. The diverse reporting practices of quality indicators in different studies hinder the establishment of direct links between these data and training program effectiveness. To enhance future reporting, authors should emphasize specific training components, delivery methods, and contextual factors. Standardized reporting of quality indicators for effective evaluation of VIA training programs is recommended, fostering comparability, facilitating research, and enhancing reporting quality in this field.

Inequalities and risk factors related to non-participation in colorectal cancer screening programmes: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programmes require high levels of participation in order to reduce mortality. To improve participation rates, it is necessary to identify the health risk factors and social inequalities associated with non-participation. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted between June and September of 2019 in six databases: CINHAL, Medline, Scopus, Social Sciences Citation Index, Embase and PsycINFO. Studies assessing the relationship between health risk factors, participation in preventive activities and participation in CRC screening were included. Methodological assessment was carried out according to the Quality Assessment Tools of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. RESULTS: A total of nine studies that analyze participation in both organized and opportunistic screening programmes using any type of screening method were finally selected. Data were mainly self-reported although in two studies medical records were also studied. We identified several variables: gender, body mass index, consultation with a doctor or a specialist, educational level, employment, health insurance, residence, ethnicity, age, marital status, income, other preventive activities, obesity, physical activity, smoking, family history of CRC and general health status. CONCLUSION: The scarcity of studies linking risk factors, social inequalities and participation in preventive activities for participation in screening in the same study makes it difficult to reach definitive patterns related to non-participation in CRC screening programmes. Nevertheless, being under 60, obese, smoker and sedentary have shown an association with non-participation as well as not visiting a doctor.

The economic value of time of informal care and its determinants (The CUIDARSE Study).

OBJECTIVE: The main aims of this paper are to analyse the monetary value of informal care time using different techniques and to identify significant variables associated with the number of caregiving hours. DATA AND METHODS: A multicentre study in two Spanish regions in adult caregivers was conducted. A total sample of 604 people was available. A multivariate analysis was performed to identify the variables associated with the number of hours of caregiving time. In the monetary valuation of informal care provided, three approaches were used: replacement cost method, opportunity cost and contingent valuation (willingness to pay and willingness to accept). RESULTS: The main determinants of the amount of time of informal care provided were age, gender, the level of care receiver´s dependence and the professional care services received (at home and out of home). The value estimated for informal care time ranges from EUROS 80,247 (replacement cost method) to EUROS 14,325 (willingness to pay), with intermediate values of EUROS 27,140 and EUROS 29,343 (opportunity cost and willingness to accept, respectively). Several sensitivity analyses were performed over the base cases, confirming the previous results. CONCLUSIONS: Time of informal care represents a great social value, regardless of the applied technique. However, the results can differ strongly depending on the technique chosen. Therefore, the choice of technique of valuation is not neutral. Among the determinants of informal care time, the professional care received at home has a complementary character to informal care, while the formal care outside the home has a substitute character.

[Gender inequalities in the impacts of informal elderly caregiving in Gipuzkoa: CUIDAR-SE study]. / Desigualdades de género en los impactos del cuidado informal de mayores dependientes en Gipuzkoa: Estudio CUIDAR-SE.

OBJECTIVE: The provision of informal care determines the existence of health inequalities, as well as gender inequalities, because of women being the most frequent caregivers. The objectives of this study were to characterize the informal caregivers of elderly dependents in Gipuzkoa, to know the impact of caring on health and health related quality of life (HRQoL), and to explain the relationship between sex and consequences attributable to care. METHODS: Cross-sectional study analyzing health (self-perceived health and GHQ-12) and HRQoL (EQ-5D-5L) data of 123 women and 103 men who took care of a dependent elderly and participated in the first wave of the CUIDAR-SE study in Gipuzkoa. A descriptive study was performed, and a logistic regression analysis was carried out to examine the association between sex and the consequences attributable to care. RESULTS: Women and men were over 60 years old, married, with primary education or less, and took care of their parents mainly. Women presented worse perceived health (46.3% vs 32.0%) and mental health (23.3% vs 13.9%), and more problems in the dimensions of anxiety/depression (35.0% vs 21.4%) and pain/discomfort (52.8% vs 31.1%) of EQ-5D-5L.The regression model showed greater risk of fatigue (OR = 2.83; 95% CI:1.53-5.24) and burden (OR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.06-3.29) among women than among men. CONCLUSIONS: There are gender inequalities in the provision of informal care to dependent elderly people in Gipuzkoa, with women having a greater impact on their health and HRQoL than men. Considering the organization of care in this province, it will be necessary to design improvement actions more suited to the needs of caregivers.

OBJETIVO: La prestación de cuidados informales determina la existencia de desigualdades en salud, a las cuales se suman las desigualdades de género por el papel mayoritario de las mujeres en dicha prestación. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron caracterizar a la población cuidadora informal de mayores dependientes en Gipuzkoa, conocer los impactos de cuidar sobre la salud y la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS), y explicar la relación entre el sexo y las consecuencias atribuibles al cuidado. METODOS: Estudio transversal en el que se analizaron datos de salud (salud percibida y GHQ-12) y CVRS (EQ-5D-5L) de 123 mujeres y 103 hombres cuidadores de mayores dependientes que participaron en la primera oleada del estudio CUIDAR-SE en Gipuzkoa. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, y un análisis de regresión logística para examinar la asociación entre el sexo y las consecuencias del cuidado. RESULTADOS: Mujeres y hombres tenían más de 60 años, estaban casadas/os, tenían educación primaria o inferior, y cuidaban a sus progenitores fundamentalmente. Las mujeres presentaban peor salud percibida (46,3% vs 32,0%) y mental (23,3% vs 13,9%), y más problemas en las dimensiones de ansiedad/depresión (35,0% vs 21,4%) y dolor/malestar (52,8% vs 31,1%) de laEQ-5D-5L. El modelo de regresión mostró mayor riesgo de cansancio (OR=2,83; IC95%:1,53-5,24) y sobrecarga (OR=1,87; IC95%:1,06-3,29) en mujeres que en hombres. CONCLUSIONES: Existen desigualdades de género en la provisión de cuidados informales a mayores dependientes en Gipuzkoa, mostrando las mujeres un mayor impacto en su salud y CVRS que los hombres. Considerando la organización del cuidado en esta provincia, será necesario el diseño de acciones de mejora más adecuadas a las necesidades de las personas cuidadoras.

[Models for primary care and mental health collaboration in the care of people with depression: main results and methodological challenges of a systematic overview]. / Modelos de colaboración entre atención primaria y salud mental en la asistencia sanitaria a las personas con depresión: resultados principales y retos metodológicos de una meta-revisión sistemática.

BACKGROUND: Weaknesses in the collaboration between Primary Care (PC) and Mental Health (MH) are a relevant problem in the care of depressed patients. It is necessary to analyse and appraise the existing models of collaboration to assess their applicability to the Spanish Health System. The aim of this study is to know the main characteristics of the different models of collaboration between PC and MH in the care of patients with depression and the quality of their effectiveness evidence. METHODS: Systematic overview of secondary studies published from 2001 to 2010 in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, LILACS, IBECS, IME and The Cochrane Library. Assessment of reviews applying the AMSTAR tool. Approximative synthesis of the quality of evidences. RESULTS: A total of 69 studies were assessed. Quality of evidences is generally low or inconclusive due to the great variability among contexts and the methodological weaknesses. The most effective strategies integrate interventions for assigning responsibility for patient follow-up, redesigning management and communication/information sharing. Overviews of secondary studies on collaborative models facilitate access to published evidence, but entail important methodological challenges. CONCLUSION: The quality of evidences on effectiveness of PC-MH collaboration models in depression care is mainly low or inconclusive, and the more simplified are the analysis of components, processes and implementation conditions, the less meaningful and applicable they are.

[Views of patients diagnosed with depression and cared for by general practitioners and psychiatrists]. / Perspectivas de los pacientes diagnosticados de depresión y atendidos por médicos de familia y psiquiatras.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the experiences of patients treated for depression either by general practitioners (GPs) or psychiatrists (Ps) with the aim of identifying improvement strategies. DESIGN: Health services research-oriented qualitative methodology. Exploratory design. PARTICIPANTS AND CONTEXTS: A total of 31 patients diagnosed with depression receiving pharmacological treatment for at least one year, belonging to 20 Health Centres and 8 Mental Health Centres of the Basque Health Service-Osakidetza in Bizkaia, and grouped according to the type of professional (GPs/Ps) and socioeconomic level. METHOD: Information generation by means of 5 discussion groups and 2 in-depth interviews carried out in 2009 and 2010. Recording and transcription with previous confidentiality agreement and informed consent. Sociological discourse analysis. Technique triangulation and agreement among researchers. RESULTS: Patients' experiences of depression are associated with their social contexts and their previous experience outside and inside the health services. These components also appear in perceptions on quality of care, with different expectations related to GPs and Ps. Deficiencies in time and psychotherapy are mentioned in general. Collaboration between both professionals does not spontaneously emerge as a patient priority. CONCLUSIONS: Patient assessments provide dimensions of individual and contextual components in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. These dimensions should be taken into account in the identification of needs and the design of strategies shared by GPs and Psychiatrists to improve care.