Descriptive Study of Patients Treated in a Psychosomatic Internal Medicine Declared by Japanese Family Medicine Clinic.

Background: Psychosomatic internal medicine (PSIM) assesses psychosocial factors and provides holistic consideration. In Japan, PSIM physicians seem to be recognized as providers of mental health services, but family medicine did not so. When family physicians confront with psychological problems, high dropout rate is reported so it is needed to reveal factors related to dropouts, The purpose of this study is to describe characteristics of patients, treatment dropouts and its related factors in PSIM practice by family physician. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the medical records of the Kitaibaraki Center of Family Medicine located in Kitaibaraki City, Ibaraki, Japan. The study included all new patients who made an appointment and visited the PSIM in this clinic from January 2020 to December 2022.Chief complaints and diagnoses were coded based on the International Classification of Primary Care, version 2 (ICPC-2). Results: In total, 377 new patients were included in this study. The mean age was 39.9 ± 20.2 years. We found that 69.2% of patients who visited the clinic had a psychological chief complaint and 84.1% of primary diagnoses consisted of a psychological problem. One hundred sixty-five patients (43.8%) were still receiving treatment 6 months after the initial visit. Of the patients who ended treatment within 6 months after the initial visit, 84 patients (39.2%) dropped out. In multivariate analysis, the dropouts were less likely to occur patients with primary diagnosis of psychological problem (odds ratio (OR): 0.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19 - 0.67). Conclusions: Patients who visited a PSIM wanted consultation about psychological problems. Patients with a diagnosis of a psychological problem at the initial visit were less likely to drop out.

The fractured lens: a controversial revision of the International Classification of Primary Care.

Background: The International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) has represented the international standard reduction for measuring the content of primary care for over 30 years. In the process of its third revision, its authors, the Wonca International Classification Committee (WICC), delegated a major part of the technical work to a purposely formed Consortium. However, in the process of such revision, standard classification principles and rules have been inconsistently applied with the result that ICPC-3 has been published with major errors and an inconsistent structure. Objectives: To formally describe and critically appraise the revision process of ICPC-3. Methods: The formal review of ICPC-3 performed by an expert group within WICC and commissioned by the Executive Council of Wonca Europe is presented in abridged form. Results: ICPC-3 as currently presented introduces major departures from formal classification principles and rules, besides other major errors and inconsistencies, all of which are listed and described. Conclusion: Major changes in ICPC-3 defy categorisation and conceptualisation standards. ICPC-3 now represents an untested departure from international standard presentations, without a formal academic base. The direct inclusion of measures of functioning in a classification of reasons for encounter and health problems fails to address the dichotomy of these domains, the boundaries of and relationships between which are not satisfactorily resolved by the system. Analysis of ICPC-3 data will require the development and implementation of alternative, as yet undefined, models of the relationships between disease and health. By including different domains without resolving ambiguity, and by splitting function from other body systems, ICPC-3 becomes an internally fractured instrument.

Comparison between the International Classification of Primary Care and the International Classification of Diseases Classifications in Primary Care in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2) is a classification method designed for primary care. Although previous studies have found that ICPC-2 is a useful tool for demonstrating the relationship between patients' expectations and health providers' diagnoses, its utility of ICPC-2 has yet to be fully studied in Korea. This study aimed to evaluate the practicality of ICPC-2 in Korean primary care. METHODS: The study was conducted at primary care clinics in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas from October to November 2015. Third-year family medicine residents examined and analyzed the medical records of patients who visited primary care physicians using ICPC-2, and the results were compared with those obtained using the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) (Korean version: Korean Standard Classification of Diseases-7). RESULTS: A total of 26 primary care physicians from 23 primary care clinics participated in the study. Furthermore, 2,458 ICD-10 codes and 6,091 ICPC-2 codes were recorded from the data of 1,099 patients. The common disease codes were vasomotor and allergic rhinitis (J30), according to ICD-10, and acute upper respiratory infection (R74) in ICPC-2. Comparing disease status by body systems, the proportion of gastrointestinal disease with ICD-10 codes was significantly higher than that with ICPC-2 codes (P<0.001). Furthermore, patients with >4 diagnoses accounted for 36% of the ICD-10 classifications, whereas those with >4 diagnoses accounted for 4% of the ICPC-2 classifications. CONCLUSION: Introducing ICPC as a complementary means for diagnosing common diseases could be a practical approach in Korean primary care.

Reception in the Family Health Strategy in a city in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil: a descriptive study, 2019-2020 / Acogida en la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia de una ciudad del norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil: un estudio descriptivo, 2019-2020 / Acolhimento na Estratégia Saúde da Família em uma cidade do norte de Minas Gerais: um estudo descritivo, 2019-2020

Objective: To analyze the reception records of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) teams in a city in the North of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional and descriptive study based on secondary data. We analyzed records of the reception of nurses and pharmacists from the FHS, from March 2019 to February 2020. The total number of receptions and per citizen was calculated with the reasons coded by the International Classification of Primary Health Care (CIAP-2). Results: A total of 20,513 receptions were carried out, the majority in female users (63.5%), those aged between 20 and 59 years (52.5%) and related to procedures (18.5%) of the CIAP-2 chapter. Practice of hospitality were carried out in only 31.1% of the population enrolled in the FHS. Conclusion: Knowing the reception in the FHS and the main reasons highlights the importance of interventions for prevalent groups, in addition to contributing to the organization of care.

Objetivo: Analizar los registros de recepción de los equipos de la Estrategia Salud de la Familia (ESF) en una ciudad del Norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Métodos: Estudio transversal y descriptivo basado en datos secundarios. Se analizaron los registros de recepción de enfermeros y farmacéuticos de la ESF, de marzo de 2019 a febrero de 2020. El número total de recepciones y por ciudadano se calculó con los motivos codificados por la Clasificación Internacional de Atención Primaria de Salud (CIAP-2). Resultados: Hubo 20.513 recepciones, la mayoría entre usuarias (63,5%), con edades entre 20 y 59 años (52,5%) y relacionadas con trámites (18,5%) del capítulo CIAP-2. Las actividades de acogida fueron realizadas en apenas 31,1% de la población inscrita en la ESF. Conclusión: Conocer la acogida en la ESF y los principales motivos destaca la importancia de las intervenciones para los grupos prevalentes, además de contribuir para la organización de la atención.

Objetivo: Analisar os registros de acolhimento das equipes da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) em uma cidade do norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Métodos: Estudo transversal e descritivo, realizado a partir de dados secundários. Foram analisados registros do acolhimento prestado por enfermeiros e farmacêuticos das ESF, no período de março de 2019 a fevereiro de 2020. Calculou-se o número total de acolhimentos e por cidadão, pelos motivos codificados na Classificação Internacional da Atenção Primária à Saúde (CIAP-2). Resultados: Foram realizados 20.513 acolhimentos, na maioria para usuárias do sexo feminino (63,5%), indivíduos com idade entre 20 e 59 anos (52,5%), e aqueles relativos a procedimentos (18,5%) do capítulo da CIAP-2. As atividades de acolhimento foram realizadas em apenas 31,1% da população adscrita na ESF. Conclusão: Conhecer o acolhimento na ESF e principais motivos ressalta a importância de intervenções visando grupos prevalentes, além de contribuir para a organização do cuidado.

Disability pension dynamics in early adulthood: A two-decade longitudinal study of educational, work and welfare-state trajectories in Norway.

Background: Since the 1990's, structural transformations in the Norwegian economy have decreased employment opportunities for low-skilled young people lacking formal education credentials. In parallel with these economic changes, there has been a strong increase in the proportion of young disability pensioners. Preventing labour market exit requires a thorough understanding of the disability process. We aim to 1) identify the most typical trajectories into disability pension for young Norwegian inhabitants between 1993 and 2014 and 2) investigate if the trajectories and composition of young disability pensioners changed over time. Methods: Using high-quality Norwegian registry data, we established two population-based cohorts of Norwegian inhabitants aged 29-39 years in either 2003 (cohort 1) or 2014 (cohort 2) who were not disability pensioners during the first month of their cohort period but had been granted a disability pension by the cohort end-date. Cohort 1 was followed from the beginning of 1993 through 2003, cohort 2 from 2004 through 2014. We used sequence and cluster analyses to identify typical disability pension trajectories and investigate how they changed overtime. Results: The majority follow trajectories characterised by little or no previous work participation. Both the trajectories and composition of young disability pensioners changed overtime. Between the two cohorts there was 1) a doubling in the probability of following 'precarious income trajectories', 2) a decrease in the probability of following 'work and/or education trajectories' and 3) an increase in the proportion of early school leavers. Conclusion: Current initiatives such as the Norwegian Inclusive Workplace Agreement (IA) focus on preventing transitions from employment to disability benefits. However, such initiatives have little relevance for young disability pensioners as the majority have weak labour market attachment. Policymakers should therefore consider placing more emphasis on non-workplace interventions.

Acolhimento na Estratégia Saúde da Família em uma cidade do norte de Minas Gerais: um estudo descritivo, 2019-2020 / Acogimiento en la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia de una ciudad del norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil: un estudio descriptivo, 2019-2020 / User embracement in the Family Health Strategy in a city in the north of Minas Gerais, Brazil: a descriptive study, 2019-2020

Objetivo: Analisar os registros de acolhimento das equipes da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) em uma cidade do norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Métodos: Estudo transversal e descritivo, realizado a partir de dados secundários. Foram analisados registros do acolhimento prestado por enfermeiros e farmacêuticos das ESF, no período de março de 2019 a fevereiro de 2020. Calcularam-se os números totais de acolhimentos e de acolhimentos por cidadão, pelos motivos codificados na Classificação Internacional da Atenção Primária à Saúde (CIAP-2). Resultados: Foram realizados 20.513 acolhimentos, na maioria para usuárias do sexo feminino (63,5%), indivíduos com idade entre 20 e 59 anos (52,5%) e aqueles relativos a procedimentos (18,5%) do capítulo da CIAP-2. As atividades de acolhimento foram realizadas em apenas 31,1% da população adscrita na ESF. Conclusão: Conhecer o acolhimento na ESF e seus principais motivos ressalta a importância de intervenções visando grupos prevalentes, além de contribuir para a organização do cuidado.

Objetivo: Analizar los registros de acogimiento de los equipos de la Estrategia Salud de la Familia (ESF) en una ciudad del Norte de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Métodos: Estudio transversal y descriptivo basado en datos secundarios. Se analizaron los registros de acogimiento de enfermeros y farmacéuticos de la ESF, de marzo de 2019 a febrero de 2020. Los números totales de acogimiento y de acogimiento por ciudadano se calcularon con los motivos codificados por la Clasificación Internacional de Atención Primaria de Salud (CIAP-2). Resultados: Hubo 20.513 acogimiento, la mayoría entre usuarias (63,5%), con edades entre 20 y 59 años (52,5%) y relacionadas con procedimientos (18,5%) del capítulo CIAP-2. Las actividades de acogimiento fueron realizadas en apenas 31,1% de la población inscrita en la ESF. Conclusión: Conocer lo acogimiento en la ESF y sus principales motivos destaca la importancia de las intervenciones para los grupos prevalentes, además de contribuir para la organización de la atención.

Objective: To analyze the user embracement records of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) teams in a city in the North of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study based on secondary data. We analyzed FHS nurse and pharmacist service user embracement records for the period from March 2019 to February 2020. The total number of user embracement records and total number of records per service user were calculated according to the codes used by the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2). Results: A total of 20,513 user embracement records were identified, the majority for female health service users (63.5%), those aged between 20 and 59 years (52.5%) and related to the ICPC-2 Procedure chapter (18.5%). User embracement activities were carried out for only 31.1% of the population resident in the FHS territories. Conclusion: Having knowledge about user embracement in the FHS and the main reasons for it highlights the importance of interventions targeting prevalent groups, in addition to contributing to the organization of health care.

Changes in Outpatient Visits to the Family Medicine Centre at a Medium-Sized Urban Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Study of the Patient Characteristics and Reason for Encounter / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

Introduction: This study assessed the changes in outpatient visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Subjects were patients who visited the outpatient clinic of the Family Medicine Centre at Kanai Hospital between April and May in 2019 and 2020. We compared the number of outpatients, their age, and their reasons for encounter (RFEs) classified according to the International Classification of Primary Care, 2nd Edition between 2019 and 2020.Results: A total of 1159 patients in 2019 and 859 patients in 2020 were evaluated. There were 553 male patients in 2019 and 452 in 2020 (P =0.029). The mean age of the patients was 48.4 years in 2019 and 52.4 years in 2020 (P =0.010). The mean number of patients per day was 25.2 in 2019 and 17.9 in 2020 (P < 0.001), with a significant reduction in patients aged 0-4 years in 2020 relative to 2019 (3.64 in 2019 vs.1.02 in 2020; P < 0.001). On evaluation of RFEs classified by organic system, the proportion of respiratory RFEs decreased from 45.3% in 2019 to 31.6% in 2020 (P =0.026), and gastrointestinal RFEs decreased from 17.9% to 5.3% (P =0.003) among children. Among adults, the proportion of respiratory RFEs decreased from 22.6% in 2019 to 15.6% in 2020 (P < 0.001) and skin RFEs decreased from 20.1% in 2019 to 15.3% in 2020 (P =0.011).Conclusion: The number of outpatients decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were differences in the proportion of RFEs between the two periods.

Estudo da demanda de uma equipe da Estratégia Saúde da Família que utiliza o acesso avançado como modelo de organização da agenda / Study of the demand for a Family Health Strategy (FHS) team that uses advanced access (AA) as a model for organizing the agenda / Estudio de la demanda de un equipo de Estrategia de Salud de la Familia que utilice el acceso avanzado como modelo para la organización de la agend

Introducción: El acceso oportuno y la continuidad de la atención son dos importantes medidas operativas para la práctica de la atención en Atención Primaria de Salud (APS). Objetivo: Realizar un estudio de demanda de un equipo de Estrategia de Salud de la Familia (ESF) que utilice el acceso avanzado (AA) como modelo para la organización de la agenda. Métodos: se trata de un análisis documental, cuantitativo, descriptivo y retrospectivo realizado en un equipo de la ESF en Río de Janeiro. Los datos 1410 se recopilaron en una hoja de cálculo de Microsoft® Excel® en Google Drive, se utilizaron en el proceso de trabajo del equipo y se tabularon y analizaron en hojas de cálculo de Microsoft Excel®. Se incluyeron registros del período de agosto y septiembre de 2017 y se excluyeron los registros en los que no se llenó el motivo de la consulta (MC). Los MC fueron codificados en base a las demandas, quejas y necesidades expresadas en las narrativas de los usuarios, y se adaptaron a la conformidad de la codificación CIAP (Clasificación Internacional de Atención Primaria). Resultados: De los 1392 registros de MC del resto de usuarios, 149 no fueron atendidos por inasistencia, reprogramación o evasión, totalizando 1243 registros analizados. Predominó el sexo femenino, con edades comprendidas entre los 55 y los 59 años, visitas realizadas en demanda espontánea, por la mañana, principalmente en las primeras horas de la recepción y con quejas generales y no específicas. Conclusión: Con AA parece haber una mayor accesibilidad para los usuarios que podrán tener acceso de primer contacto más fácilmente para resolver sus problemas. La realización del estudio de demanda permite recabar datos para la elaboración de un plan para una mejor organización de la agenda, reflejándose en un mejor servicio a la población de manera resuelta, oportuna e integral.

Introduction: Timely access and continuity of care are two important operational measures for the practice of care in Primary Health Care (PHC). Purpose: Conduct a study of the demand for a Family Health Strategy (FHS) team that uses advanced access (AA) as a model for organizing the schedule. Methods: It is a documentary, quantitative, descriptive and retrospective analysis carried out in an FHS team in Rio de Janeiro. The 1410 pieces of data were collected in a Microsoft® Excel® spreadsheet in Google Drive, used in the team's work process and were tabulated and arranged in Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets. Records from August and September 2017 were included, while records in which the reason for the consultation (RC) was not filled out were excluded. The RC were coded based on the demands, complaints and needs expressed in the users' narratives, and adapted to the conformity of the ICPC (International Classification of Primary Care). Results: Of the 1392 RC records of the remaining users, 149 were not attended due to absence, rescheduling or evasion, totaling 1243 records covered. There was a predominance of the following variables: females, aged between 55 and 59 years old, spontaneous demand queries, visits in the morning, mainly in the first hours of the reception and about general and non-specific complaints. Conclusions: With AA there seems to be greater accessibility for users who receive first contact access more easily to solve their problems. Carrying out the demand study makes it possible to collect data for the elaboration of a plan for a better organization of the agenda, reflecting in a better service to the population in a resolute, timely and integral way.

Introdução: O acesso oportuno e a continuidade do cuidado são duas medidas operacionais importantes para a prática dos cuidados na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS). Objetivo: Realizar um estudo da demanda de uma equipe da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) que utiliza o acesso avançado (AA) como modelo de organização da agenda. Métodos: Trata-se de uma análise documental, quantitativa, descritiva e retrospectiva realizada em uma equipe da ESF no Rio de Janeiro. Os 1410 dados foram coletados em uma planilha do Microsoft® Excel® no Google Drive, utilizada no processo de trabalho da equipe e foram tabulados e analisados em planilhas do Microsoft Excel®. Foram incluídos os registros do período de agosto e setembro de 2017 e excluídos os registros no qual o motivo da consulta (MC) não foi preenchido. Os MC foram codificados a partir de demandas, queixas e necessidades expressas nas narrativas dos usuários, e adaptadas à conformidade da codificação da CIAP (Classificação Internacional de Atenção Primária). Resultados: Dos 1392 registros de MC dos usuários restantes, 149 não foram atendidos por motivo de falta, reagendamento ou evasão, totalizando 1243 registros analisados. Predominou o sexo feminino, faixa etária entre 55 e 59 anos, atendimentos realizados em demanda espontânea, pela manhã, principalmente nas primeiras horas do acolhimento e com queixas gerais e não-específicas. Conclusão: Com o AA parece haver uma acessibilidade maior aos usuários que poderão ter o acesso de primeiro contato mais facilmente para a resolução dos seus problemas. Realizar o estudo da demanda possibilita o levantamento de dados para a elaboração de um planejamento para uma melhor organização da agenda refletindo em um melhor atendimento à população de forma resolutiva, oportuna e integral

An Estimation of the Incidence of Thyroiditis Among Girls in Primary Care in Spain

Objective: As for other auto-immune processes, thyroiditis is monitored after vaccinations. The aim was to estimate the baseline incidence of thyroiditis among girls, before investigating papillomavirus vaccination as a potential risk factor. Methods: Observational cohort study including girls aged 9-18 years and registered between 2002-2016 in the Spanish Primary Care Database for Pharmacoepidemiological Research. Girls were followed until a thyroiditis occurred, 19 years of age, left the cohort, died, or the study ended. Anonymized records were reviewed for diagnosis confirmation (endocrine discharge letter and/or free-text comments) in a random sample. Incidence rate (IR) per 105 person years (/105 py) was estimated. Results: The cohort numbered 480,169 girls, of whom 641 had a record of thyroiditis: 346 autoimmune thyroiditis; 17 thyroiditis of other types; and 278 unspecified. Incidence of recorded thyroiditis increased with age, from 23.96 at age 9 years to 47.91 at age 14 years, and stabilized around 31.06-34.43 among girls aged 15-18 years. Of the 98 records reviewed, 60.2% were 'confirmed' cases, 32.7% 'possible' and 7.1% were discarded. After correction for discarded cases, IR=20.83 'confirmed' cases, increasing to 32.12/105 py when 'confirmed' plus 'possible' cases were included. Between 2002-2005, incidences were lower (16.28 and 20.93 cases/105 py) than in the period 2007-2016 (21.17 and 33.78 cases/105 py) for 'confirmed' and 'confirmed' plus 'possible', respectively. Conclusion: Two-thirds of the recorded thyroiditis included confirmatory evidence. The incidence of thyroiditis among girls increased with age and in the later period, and remained stable among girls aged 15-18 years.

Asociación entre el retraso en la Búsqueda de Atención Médica y el Nivel de Gravedad, en niños con fiebre que acuden al Servicio de Emergencias / Association between the delay in the search for medical attention and the level of severity, in children with fever who attend the Emergency Service

Introducción: El retraso en búsqueda de atención médica (RBAM) definido como un tiempo mayor a 48 horas antes de consultar un profesional podría influir en la severidad de las enfermedades en los niños. Métodos: En el presente estudio de cohorte prospectivo, se realizaron entrevistas estructuradas a tutores de niños que acudieron con fiebre a la emergencia del Hospital Baca Ortiz, verificando su estado de salud 5 días después, mediante una llamada telefónica. Las variables incluyeron demográficas, tiempo de atención y gravedad del cuadro. Se utilizó Chi cuadrado y Riesgo Relativo (RR) para buscar la relación entre dichas variables. Resultados: Fueron 304 pacientes ingresados al estudio, 41.1 % presentaron RBAM, cuyas principales causas fueron la administración de medicación sin receta médica en 48 % y la falta de detección de signos de alarma en 26.4 %. Los pacientes con RBAM presentaron más riesgo de requerir hospitalización (RR 1.88 IC 95 % 1.53-2.13 ), cuidados intensivos (RR 2.86 IC 95 % 1.00 8.17), presentar una infección bacteriana severa (RR 2.36 IC 95% 1.81 3.07), síndrome de respuesta inflamatoria sistémica (RR 2.47 IC 95 % 1.80 3.38), hospitalización al quinto día posterior a su valoración (RR 2.63 IC 95 % 1.94 3.57) y de mantenerse hospitalizado por más de 5 días (RR 1.46 IC 95 % 1.15 1.85). Conclusiones: El RBAM influye significativamente en la gravedad de los niños con fiebre, siendo la administración de medicación sin prescripción médica su principal causa

Introduction: Health careseeking delay, defined as a going to the doctor after more than 48 hours of starting fever, could influence in the severity of the disease. Methods: This prospective cohort study recollected the information with a questionnaire who examined demographic and health features of children younger than 15 years and older of 60 days that went with fever to the emergency room of Baca Ortiz´s Hospital, verifying their health condition five days after the initial evaluation through a phone call. Bivariate analysis was made with Chi-square and T student in order to relay these features with health care seeking delay and severity. Relative risk (RR), was used to measure the association between health care seeking delay and its consequent severity. Results: Of the 304 patients included in the study, 41.1 % had delay in seeking health care attention. The main causes for this delay were medicine administration without medical prescription in 48 % and lack of skills in recognizing alarm signs in 25.6 %. The patients who went to the hospital with delay had more risk of requiring hospitalization, (RR 1.88 CI 95 % 1.53- 2.13 ), intensive care cares (RR 2.86 CI 95 % 1.00 8.17), having a serious bacterial infection (RR 2.36 CI 95 % 1.81 3.07), having SIRS (RR 2.47 CI 95% 1.80 3.38), being hospitalized 5 days before their initial evaluation in emergency room (RR 2.63 CI 95 % 1.94 3.57) and staying at the hospital for more than five days (RR 1.46 CI 95 % 1.15 1.85). Conclusions: Health care seeking delay has an impact in the severity of the disease of children with fever. Administration of drugs without medical prescription is the principal reason. Health public politics should be achieved in order to educate population in these aspects to reduce morbimortality of children

Using ICPC-2 Standard to Identify Thai Zingiberaceae of Pharmacological Interest.

The Economic Botany Data Collection Standard (EBDCS) is a widely used standard among ethnobotanists. However, this standard classifies ethnomedicinal uses into categories based on local peoples' perception. It is difficult to apply in pharmacological research. The International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC), now updated to ICPC-2, is more related to medical terms, but is rarely used among ethnobotanists. This study aims to apply the ICPC-2 to classify metadata of the ethnomedicinal uses of Zingiberaceae plants in Thailand, in order to identify important medicinal taxa for future research. Data on the ethnomedicinal uses of Thai gingers were collected from 62 theses, journal articles, scientific reports and a book, published between 1990 and 2019. Scientific plant names were updated using The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) website. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was used to identify the medicinal issues commonly treated with gingers, and the Cultural Importance Index (CI) was used to identify species that might have pharmacological potential. We found records of 76 ginger species with ethnomedicinal uses, and together they had 771 use reports. The gingers were commonly used for treatments related to digestive system conditions, particularly abdominal pain and flatulence. Gingers remain exceedingly important in Thai ethnomedicine, with a high number of useful species. They are used to treat a variety of health conditions, but most commonly such ones that are related to the digestive system. Apart from the popular studied ginger, Curcuma longa, we identified a number of other useful gingers in Thailand.

Contact characteristics and factors associated with the degree of urgency among older people in emergency primary health care: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: As the proportion of older people increases, so will the consumption of health services. The aim of this study was to describe the contact characteristics among older people and to identify factors associated with the degree of urgency at the Norwegian out-of-hours (OOH) emergency primary health care services. METHODS: Inhabitants aged ≥70 years who contacted the OOH service during 2014-2017 in seven OOH districts in Norway were included. We investigated the variables sex, age, time of contact, mode of contact, ICPC-2 based reason for encounter (RFE), priority degree and initial response. We also performed frequency analyses, rate calculations and a log-binomial regression. RESULTS: A total of 38,293 contacts were registered. The contact rate/1000 inhabitants/year was three times higher in the oldest age group (≥90 years) compared to the youngest age group (70-74 years). Direct attendance accounted for 8.4% of the contacts and 32.8% were telephone contacts from health professionals. The most frequent RFE chapter used was "A General and unspecified" (21.0%) which also showed an increasing rate with higher age. 6.0% of the contacts resulted in a home visit from a doctor. Variables significantly associated with urgent priority degree were RFEs regarding cardiovascular (Relative risk (RR) 1.85; CI 1.74-1.96), neurological (RR 1.55; CI 1.36-1.77), respiratory (RR 1.40; CI 1.30-1.51) and digestive (RR 1.22; CI 1.10-1.34) issues. In addition, telephone calls from health professionals (RR 1.21; CI 1.12-1.31), direct attendance (RR 1.13; CI 1.04-1.22), contacts on weekdays (RR 1.13; CI 1.06-1.20) and contacts from men (RR 1.13; CI 1.09-1.17) were significantly associated with urgent priority degree. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides important information about the Norwegian older inhabitants' contact with the OOH emergency primary health care services. There are a wide variety of RFEs, and the contact rate is high and increases with higher age. Telephone contact is most common. The OOH staff frequently identify older people as having "general and unspecified" reasons for encounters. OOH nursing staff would benefit from having screening tools and enhanced geriatric training to best support this vulnerable group when these individuals call the OOH service.

Classificação Internacional de Atenção Primária: capturando e ordenando a informação clínica / The International Classification of Primary Care: capturing and sorting clinical information

Resumo A Classificação Internacional de Atenção Primária-2 (CIAP-2) é fruto de quarenta anos de desenvolvimento contínuo. Tem origem na segunda metade do século XX, a partir da inquietação de médicos gerais com a necessidade de se registrar e codificar dados especificamente relacionados à atenção primária, tanto nos motivos de consulta quanto nos procedimentos e nas condições ou diagnósticos. A Organização Mundial de Saúde chancelou a classificação bem como o seu comitê desenvolvedor após o encontro de Alma-Ata, pois também identificou necessidades específicas. Hoje há essencialmente duas formas de uso na coleta de informações: por encontro ou por episódio de cuidado. A segunda forma é mais complexa e controversa. Recentemente foi lançada a décima primeira versão da Classificação Internacional de Doenças, enquanto que a CIAP-3 esta sendo desenvolvida. Não há como prever como vão interagir com as novas tecnologias, as classificações e os organismos internacionais. O protagonismo dos profissionais da ponta e dos pacientes tem potencial de definir a direção.

Abstract The International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2) is the result of forty years of continuous development. It originates in the second half of the twentieth century after the concern of general practitioners about the need to record and encode data specifically related to primary care, both in the reasons for encounter and procedures and conditions or diagnoses. The World Health Organization endorsed the classification, as did the developer committee after the Alma Ata meeting, since it also identified specific needs. Two forms of use are employed now in gathering information: by encounter or by an episode of care. The latter is more complex and controversial. Recently, an eleventh version of the International Classification of Diseases has been released, and the third edition of ICPC is being developed. One cannot predict how new technologies, classifications, and international organizations will interact. The role of front line health professionals and patients will define the course.

O conhecimento da Classificação Internacional da Atenção Primária por enfermeiros da atenção primária à saúde / Knowlegde of the Internacional Classification of Primary Care for diseases of primary heakth care

Introdução: A classificação adequada para ser utilizada na Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) é a Classificação Internacional de Atenção Primária (CIAP). Ela permite classificar o problema trazido pelo usuário de forma fidedigna, visto que dialoga com o método clínico centrado na pessoa e o Registro Clínico Orientado a Problemas (RCOP), que utiliza o método SOAP (Subjetivo, Objetivo, Avalição e Plano) de registro dos encontros e pressupõe uma caracterização dos motivos de consulta e problemas dos usuários. A CIAP tem sido recomendada pelo Ministério da Saúde (MS) desde 2013, sendo incorporada à ficha de atendimento individual no Sistema e-SUS Atenção Básica (e-SUS AB). A APS é a porta de entrada para o sistema de saúde, as ações devem ser desenvolvidas de forma contínua, com cuidado coordenado e abrangente. Para um trabalho eficiente é necessário avaliar as atividades que estão sendo realizadas de forma constante e a codificação do registro, contribuindo para a gestão da clínica e padronização dos dados para futuras pesquisas, portanto a acurácia das classificações é imprescindível. Não foram encontrados na literatura estudos que demonstrem o conhecimento e uso da CIAP por enfermeiros. Objetivo: Identificar o conhecimento da CIAP pelos enfermeiros, que atuam na APS. Método: O estudo trata-se de uma pesquisa quantitativa, exploratória, a coleta de dados foi realizada através de um questionário eletrônico, tendo como público os enfermeiros que atuam na Atenção Primária à Saúde no Estado de São Paulo. Os dados foram coletados em duas partes: as características dos participantes e análise sobre o conhecimento e uso da CIAP. Resultados: Participaram da pesquisa 572 enfermeiros que atuavam na APS, 90,1% sexo feminino e 9,9% sexo masculino, com maior concentração de idade entre 31 e 45 anos. Observa-se maior número de formandos a partir do ano 2001, com acentuação nos anos de 2006 a 2010 e um crescimento significativo de alunos que cursaram Universidades Privadas entre 2006 e 2010, 76,88% haviam cursado uma Universidade Privada e 23,12% uma Universidade Pública. Dos respondentes 85,5% haviam realizado um curso ou mais de especialização, mestrado 11,8% e 2,8% de doutorado; 59,42% realizaram o curso em Universidades Privadas e 40,58% em Universidades Públicas. Conheciam a CIAP, 87,2% e utilizavam a CIAP 78,2%. Dentre os profissionais que utilizavam a CIAP, a maioria utiliza a menos de seis anos, 70,6% utilizam na Ficha de Produção. O momento em que os enfermeiros mais utilizam a CIAP é para classificar o Motivo de Consulta. Observou-se que 80,1% não haviam recebido treinamento, e 93,6% entendem ser necessário serem treinados, 39,32% gostariam de receber o treinamento de forma presencial e 44,34% por aula on-line. Como produto dessa pesquisa desenvolveu-se uma proposta de um curso EAD para instrumentalizar os profissionais quanto ao conhecimento e o uso da CIAP. Conclusão: Observa-se que um número expressivo de enfermeiros está utilizando a CIAP, porém sem um conhecimento aprofundado da sua aplicabilidade e estrutura. Acredita-se que após o treinamento os profissionais poderão realizar codificações com um grau de acurácia confiável, podendo então esses dados serem utilizados para pesquisas e gestão da clínica.

Introduction: The appropriate classification to be used in Primary Health Care (PHC) is the International Classification of Primary Care (CIAP). It allows to classify the problem brought by the user in a reliable way, since it dialogues with the person-centered clinical method and the Problem Oriented Clinical Record (RCOP), which uses the SOAP method (Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan) of registering patients. meetings and presupposes a characterization of the reasons for consultation and users' problems. The CIAP has been recommended by the Ministry of Health (MS) since 2013, being incorporated into the individual care record in the e-SUS Primary Care System (e-SUS AB). PHC is the gateway to the health system, actions must be developed continuously, with coordinated and comprehensive care. For an efficient work it is necessary to evaluate the activities that are being carried out constantly and the codification of the record, contributing to the management of the clinic and standardization of the data for future research, therefore the accuracy of the classifications is essential. No studies have been found in the literature that demonstrate the knowledge and use of CIAP by nurses. Objective: To identify the knowledge of CIAP by nurses, who work in PHC. Method: The study is a quantitative, exploratory research, the data collection was carried out through an electronic questionnaire, with the public working with nurses working in Primary Health Care in the State of São Paulo. The data were collected in two parts: the characteristics of the participants and analysis on the knowledge and use of the CIAP. Results: 572 nurses who worked in PHC participated in the research, 90.1% female and 9.9% male, with a higher concentration of age between 31 and 45 years. A greater number of trainees is observed from the year 2001, with an accentuation in the years 2006 to 2010 and a significant growth of students who attended Private Universities between 2006 and 2010, 76.88% had attended a Private University and 23.12% a Public University. Of the respondents 85.5% had taken a specialization course or more, a master's degree, 11.8% and 2.8% a doctorate; 59.42% took the course at Private Universities and 40.58% at Public Universities. They knew the CIAP, 87.2% and used the CIAP 78.2%. Among the professionals who used the CIAP, the majority used it for less than six years, 70.6% used it in the Production Form. The moment when nurses use CIAP the most is to classify the Reason for Consultation. It was observed that 80.1% had not received training, and 93.6% believed it necessary to be trained, 39.32% would like to receive the training in person and 44.34% by online class. As a product of this research, a proposal for a distance learning course was developed to provide professionals with the knowledge and use of the CIAP. Conclusion: It is observed that a significant number of nurses are using the CIAP, but without a thorough knowledge of its applicability and structure. It is believed that after training, professionals will be able to perform coding with a reliable degree of accuracy, and this data can then be used for research and clinic management.

Identifying musculoskeletal conditions in electronic medical records: a prevalence and validation study using the Deliver Primary Healthcare Information (DELPHI) database.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are a common presentation in primary care. This study sought to determine the prevalence of MSK conditions in primary care in Ontario and to validate the extent to which health administrative date billing codes accurately represent MSK diagnoses. METHODS: De-identified electronic medical records (EMR) from the DELPHI database in southwestern Ontario, which contains 2493 patients (55.6% female, mean age 50.3 years (SD = 22.2)) and 21,964 encounters (July 1, 2006-June 30, 2010) were used for the analyses. Outcomes included: validation measures of agreement between International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) diagnostic codes (health administrative data) and International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) diagnoses defined as the reference standard, time to first ICD-9 code, prevalence, and healthcare utilization. RESULTS: There were 2940 true positive MSK encounters with primary care practitioners for 998 patients. Performance of the ICD-9 diagnostic codes included sensitivity = 76.5%, specificity = 95.2%, PPV = 94.6%, and NPV = 78.7%, compared to the ICPC reference standard. The majority of 998 patients were coded with both an ICPC and ICD-9 MSK code at their first or second encounter (67.4%). However, 23.5% of patients with the ICPC reference standard MSK were never coded with ICD-9. Four-year prevalence of MSK was 52.3% and varied by age (4.5% 0-17 years, 20.1% 18-44, 42.7% 45-64, and 32.7% 65+). Patients at MSK encounters had a higher number of: investigations (17.9% compared to 9.1%, p < .0001); referrals (17.6% compared to 14.3%, p < .0001); and prescriptions for opioids (17.2% compared to 5.3%, p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study determined the prevalence of musculoskeletal conditions in primary care in Ontario using a reference standard definition. The study highlighted the value of using primary care ICPC codes to validate a definition for musculoskeletal conditions. Health administrative data can be used to ascertain the presence of musculoskeletal conditions; however, ICD-9 codes may underrepresent the prevalence of MSK conditions.

The Diagnostic Value of the Patient's Reason for Encounter for Diagnosing Cancer in Primary Care.

PURPOSE: Family physicians (FPs) have to recognize alarm symptoms and estimate the probability of cancer to manage these symptoms correctly. Mostly, patients start the consultation with a spontaneous statement on why they visit the doctor. This is also called the reason for encounter (RFE). It precedes the interaction and interpretation by FPs and patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the predictive value of alarm symptoms as the RFE for diagnosing cancer in primary care. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cohort study in a Dutch practice-based research network (Family Medicine Network). METHOD: We analyzed all patients >45 years of age listed in the practice-based research network, FaMe-net, in the period 1995 to 2014 (118.219 patient years). We focused on a selection of alarm symptoms as defined by the Dutch Cancer Society and Cancer Research UK. We calculated the positive predictive value (PPV) of alarm symptoms, spontaneously mentioned in the beginning of the consultation by the patient (RFE), for diagnosing cancer. RESULTS: The highest PPVs were found for patients spontaneously mentioning a breast lump (PPV 14.8%), postmenopausal bleeding (PPV 3.9%), hemoptysis (PPV 2.7%), rectal bleeding (PPV 2.6%), hematuria (PPV 2.2%) and change in bowel movements (PPV 1.8%). CONCLUSION: Patients think about going to their physician and think about their first uttered statements during the consultation. In the case of cancer, the diagnostic workup during the consultation on alarm symptoms will add to the predictive value of these reasons for encounter. However, it is important to realize that the statement made by the patient entering the consultation room has a significant predictive value in itself.

First-visit patients without a referral to the Department of Internal Medicine at a medium-sized acute care hospital in Japan: an observational study.

PURPOSE: We sought to profile first-time patients without a referral who sought medical care at the Department of Internal Medicine at a medium-sized acute care hospital in Japan. We anticipated that the analysis would highlight the demand for medical care needs from acute care hospitals and help confirm one of the problems associated with primary care in Japan. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population comprised 765 patients who sought outpatient consultation without a referral at "the Department of General Internal Medicine" at the Ikeda City Hospital on Fridays over 4 years. Data on the following variables were collected: age, sex, examination date, reason for encounter (RFE), diagnosis, as well as history of consultation with or without antibiotic treatment at another medical institution for the same RFE. We used the International Classicication of Primary Care, Revised Second edition (ICPC-2-R) codes for RFEs and diagnoses. RESULTS: The main RFE fields were digestive (ICPC-2-R Chapter D), general and unspecified (A), and respiratory (R). The main diagnosis fields were digestive (D), respiratory (R), general and unspecified (A), and musculoskeletal (L). In total, 27.6% of patients had sought consultation at another medical institution for the same RFE. Of these, 64.7% of patients for whom the RFE was cough (ICPC-2-R code, R05), and 72.0% for whom the RFE was fever (A03) were prescribed antibiotics. In total, 62.4% of patients underwent emergency investigations and waited for the results; 4.3% were hospitalized on the same day; and 60.5% were medicated at the initial examination. In 11.5%, the main underlying problem appeared to be psychosomatic. CONCLUSION: We used the ICPC-2-R to analyze the state of first-visit patients without a referral visiting the Department of Internal Medicine at a medium-sized acute care hospital in Japan. Common RFEs were abdominal pain, cough, and fever. A tendency toward overprescription of antibiotics was observed among primary care physicians.

Telephone counselling by nurses in Norwegian primary care out-of-hours services: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The primary care out-of-hours (OOH) services in Norway are characterized by high contact rates by telephone. The telephone contacts are handled by local emergency medical communication centres (LEMCs), mainly staffed by registered nurses. When assessment by a medical doctor is not required, the nurse often handles the contact solely by nurse telephone counselling. Little is known about this group of contacts. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate characteristics of encounters with the OOH services that are handled solely by nurse telephone counselling. METHODS: Nurses recorded ICPC-2 reason for encounter (RFE) codes and patient characteristics of all patients who contacted six primary care OOH services in Norway during 2014. Descriptive statistics and frequency analyses were applied. RESULTS: Of all telephone contacts (n = 61,441), 23% were handled solely by nurse counselling. Fever was the RFE most frequently handled (7.3% of all nurse advice), followed by abdominal pain, cough, ear pain and general symptoms. Among the youngest patients, 32% of the total telephone contacts were resolved by nurse advice compared with 17% in the oldest age group. At night, 31% of the total telephone contacts were resolved solely by nurse advice compared with 21% during the day shift and 23% in the evening. The share of nurse advice was higher on weekdays compared to weekends (mean share 25% versus 20% respectively). CONCLUSION: This study shows that nurses make a significant contribution to patient management in the Norwegian OOH services. The findings indicate which conditions nurses should be able to handle by telephone, which has implications for training and routines in the LEMCs. There is the potential for more nurse involvement in several of the RFEs with a currently low share of nurse counselling.

Correlation between patients' reasons for encounters/health problems and population density in Japan: a systematic review of observational studies coded by the International Classification of Health Problems in Primary Care (ICHPPC) and the International Classification of Primary care (ICPC).

BACKGROUND: The Japanese health care system has yet to establish structured training for primary care physicians; therefore, physicians who received an internal medicine based training program continue to play a principal role in the primary care setting. To promote the development of a more efficient primary health care system, the assessment of its current status in regard to the spectrum of patients' reasons for encounters (RFEs) and health problems is an important step. Recognizing the proportions of patients' RFEs and health problems, which are not generally covered by an internist, can provide valuable information to promote the development of a primary care physician-centered system. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review in which we searched six databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Ichushi-Web, JDreamIII and CiNii) for observational studies in Japan coded by International Classification of Health Problems in Primary Care (ICHPPC) and International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) up to March 2015. We employed population density as index of accessibility. We calculated Spearman's rank correlation coefficient to examine the correlation between the proportion of "non-internal medicine-related" RFEs and health problems in each study area in consideration of the population density. RESULTS: We found 17 studies with diverse designs and settings. Among these studies, "non-internal medicine-related" RFEs, which was not thought to be covered by internists, ranged from about 4% to 40%. In addition, "non-internal medicine-related" health problems ranged from about 10% to 40%. However, no significant correlation was found between population density and the proportion of "non-internal medicine-related" RFEs and health problems. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first systematic review on RFEs and health problems coded by ICHPPC and ICPC undertaken to reveal the diversity of health problems in Japanese primary care. These results suggest that primary care physicians in some rural areas of Japan need to be able to deal with "non-internal-medicine-related" RFEs and health problems, and that curriculum including practical non-internal medicine-related training is likely to be important.

Reasons for encounter by different levels of urgency in out-of-hours emergency primary health care in Norway: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Frequencies of reasons for encounter (RFEs) in emergency primary care out-of-hours (OOH) services are relevant for planning of capacities as well as to target the training of staff at casualty clinics. We aimed to present frequencies of RFEs in the different organ systems, and to identify the most frequent RFEs at different urgency levels. METHODS: We analyzed data on RFEs in Norwegian OOH services. International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2) RFE codes were recorded in all contacts to eight representative OOH casualty clinics in 2014 and 2015 covering 20 municipalities with a total population of 260 196. Frequencies of each ICPC-2 chapters and groups of ICPC-2 codes were calculated at different urgency levels. RESULTS: Musculoskeletal, respiratory, skin, digestive and general and unspecified issues were the most frequent RFE groups. Fever was the most frequent single ICPC-2 RFE code, but was less common among the most urgent cases. Abdominal pain was the most common RFE in patients with yellow urgency level (urgent), and chest pain dominated the potentially red (potentially life threatening) cases. There was less variation in the use of ICPC-2 with increasing urgency level. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies important differences in RFEs between urgency levels in the Norwegian OOH services. The findings provide new insight into the function of the primary health care emergency services in the Norwegian health care system, and should have implications for staffing, training and equipment in the OOH services.