Trends and area variations in Potentially Preventable Admissions for COPD in Spain (2002-2013): a significant decline and convergence between areas.

BACKGROUND: Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations (PPH) are hospital admissions for conditions which are preventable with timely and appropriate outpatient care being Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) admissions one of the most relevant PPH. We estimate the population age-sex standardized relative risk of admission for COPD-PPH by year and area of residence in the Spanish National Health System (sNHS) during the period 2002-2013. METHODS: The study was conducted in the 203 Hospital Service Areas of the sNHS, using the 2002 to 2013 hospital admissions for a COPD-PPH condition of patients aged 20 and over. We use conventional small area variation statistics and a Bayesian hierarchical approach to model the different risk structures of dependence in both space and time. RESULTS: COPD-PPH admissions declined from 24.5 to 15.5 per 10,000 persons-year (Men: from 40.6 to 25.1; Women: from 9.1 to 6.4). The relative risk declined from 1.19 (19 % above 2002-2013 average) in 2002 to 0.77 (30 % below average) in 2013. Both the starting point and the slope were different for the different regions. Variation among admission rates between extreme areas dropped from 6.7 times higher in 2002 to 4.6 times higher in 2013. CONCLUSIONS: COPD-PPH conditions in Spain have undergone a strong decline and a reduction in geographical variation in the last 12 years, suggesting a general improvement in health policies and health care over time. Variability among areas still remains, with a substantial room for improvement.

[Knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers towards a suspect case of Ebola virus disease]. / Conocimientos y aptitudes del personal sanitario frente a sospecha de caso de enfermedad por el virus del Ébola.

OBJECTIVE: The last outbreak of the Ebola virus disease, was a precedent to demonstrate the necessary training of healthcare personnel for possible eventualities of suspected cases of infectious diseases. It is required to study the level of qualification of healthcare workers in such situations. METHODS: Descriptive study using post-workshop survey of healthcare workers in a Valencian Community health department on acquired knowledge and skills after training. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare personnel received an overall passing score on the post-workshop survey, but with differences in occupational categories and different blocks of training. The ratings could be considered deficient in some cases. It should be reviewed periodically training health personnel and calibrate such training to the resources available for proper operation.

Riesgo de transmisión de virus Zika en España. Experiencia de un Departamento de Salud / Risk of transmission of Zika virus in Spain: an experience in a Health Department

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Conocimientos y aptitudes del personal sanitario frente a sospecha de caso de enfermedad por el virus del Ébola / Knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers towards a suspect case of Ebola virus disease

Introducción. El último brote de la enfermedad por el virus del Ébola, constituyó un precedente a la hora de evidenciar la necesaria formación del personal sanitario para posibles eventualidades de casos sospechosos de enfermedades contagiosas. Se precisa estudiar el nivel de cualificación del personal sanitario ante dichas situaciones. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo mediante encuesta post-taller al personal sanitario de un departamento de salud de la Comunidad Valenciana sobre los conocimientos y aptitudes adquiridos tras la formación. Resultados y conclusiones. El personal sanitario obtuvo una calificación global de aprobado en la encuesta post-taller, pero con diferencias en cuanto a categorías profesionales y distintos bloques de la formación, cuyas calificaciones podrían ser consideradas como deficientes en algunos casos. Se debería revisar la formación del personal sanitario periódicamente y calibrar dicha formación a los recursos de los que se dispone para una correcta actuación (AU)

Introduction. The last outbreak of the Ebola virus disease, was a precedent to demonstrate the necessary training of healthcare personnel for possible eventualities of suspected cases of infectious diseases. It is required to study the level of qualification of healthcare workers in such situations. Methods. Descriptive study using post-workshop survey of healthcare workers in a Valencian Community health department on acquired knowledge and skills after training. Results and conclusions. Healthcare personnel received an overall passing score on the post-workshop survey, but with differences in occupational categories and different blocks of training. The ratings could be considered deficient in some cases. It should be reviewed periodically training health personnel and calibrate such training to the resources available for proper operation (AU)