What is the role of sexual health services in the delivery of primary prevention of sexually transmitted infections? A narrative review.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) affect hundreds of millions of people globally. The resulting impact on quality of life and the economy for health systems is huge. Specialist sexual health services (SHS) play a key role in the provision of primary prevention interventions targeted against STIs. We conducted a narrative review to explore the role of SHSs in delivering primary prevention interventions for STIs. Established interventions include education and awareness building, condom promotion, and the provision of vaccines. Nascent interventions such as the use of antibiotics as pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis are not currently recommended, but have already been adopted by some key population groups. The shift to delivering SHS through digital health technologies may help to reduce barriers to access for some individuals, but creates challenges for the delivery of primary prevention and may inadvertently increase health inequities. Intervention development will need to consider carefully these shifting models of service delivery so that existing primary prevention options are not side-lined and that new interventions reach those who can benefit most.

Serviços farmacêuticos na atenção primária à saúde: Estudo etnográfico em serviços de saúde no município de São Paulo / Pharmaceutical Services in Primary Health Care: Ethnographic Study in Health Services in the City of São Paulo

Os serviços farmacêuticos na Atenção Primária a Saúde (APS) é um tema emergente ao se tratar do contexto de desenvolvimento das políticas farmacêuticas no Brasil, em especial a de Assistência Farmacêutica. Na área, inúmeros estudos têm sido publicados e diversos grupos e instituições debatem o assunto, porém, sem um único consenso ou modelo propositivo. A APS ou Atenção Básica é o modelo de atenção prioritário adotado no Brasil, no SUS e tem como características a territorialização, o trabalho em equipe multiprofissional, o vínculo e o acolhimento. É um espaço rico de desenvolvimento de serviços farmacêuticos e de viabilidade das estratégias de garantia do direito à saúde, como o acesso a medicamentos essenciais e cuidado no seu uso. Por isso a farmácia na APS é um local de trabalho do farmacêutico, com boa empregabilidade e possibilidade de desenvolvimento de uma atuação não tão ligada a histórica formação do farmacêutico tecnicista. Além disso, é preciso desenvolver reflexões sobre serviços farmacêuticos utilizando dados da realidade, possibilitando que estudos como este possam contribuir no desenvolvimento de serviços na APS a partir das necessidades em saúde, considerando as determinações sociais do processo saúde-doença. Sendo assim, o objetivo desta tese foi o de caracterizar os serviços farmacêuticos na Atenção Primária à Saúde, no município de São Paulo, e como se expressam em diferentes modelos na materialidade da APS. Utilizou-se a pesquisa qualitativa, especificamente a Observação Participante, com abordagem etnográfica como fonte para o aprofundamento do conhecimento, pois permite a compreensão do homem em sua sociabilidade. O estudo foi desenvolvido no município de São Paulo. A primeira parte corresponde a um estudo exploratório, composto por um grupo focal com 20 farmacêuticos e um survey online aplicado a outros 120 farmacêuticos. Todos atuam na Secretaria Municipal de Saúde. Na segunda parte, o estudo foi desenvolvido em 3 Unidades Básicas de Saúde, com aproximadamente 170 horas de observação, registradas em cadernos de campo. Os registros possibilitaram a análise e a formação de categorias conceituais. Por fim, a APS permite uma construção e visão ampliadas do escopo dos serviços farmacêuticos, ao analisá-los a partir da percepção de quem os vive, uma vez que há o entendimento de que os serviços não são fragmentados e que o farmacêutico os executa em um campo complexo, ampliado e dinâmico como a APS. O uso da Observação Participante em estudos na área da saúde, especialmente na Farmácia, possibilita reflexões sobre o fenômeno, que não são isoladas, nem mesmo descontextualizadas da realidade em saúde. Identifica-se a necessidade de estudos qualitativos para a descrição interpretativa dos fenômenos na saúde apoiada nas ciências humanas, (re)fazendo movimentos de síntese críticos e reflexivos. Procedentes da análise, pode-se na observação participante compreender três modelos diferentes de atuação do farmacêutico, que geram concepções de serviços farmacêuticos distintas e que se relacionam aos modelos de APS, sendo alguns mais universais e integrais versus modelos de cobertura universal, focalizados e seletivos. Os serviços farmacêuticos na APS têm um potencial de compreender que as pessoas não são iguais por completo, e que é preciso reconhecer as necessidades e, por conseguinte, sociais. As evidências obtidas foram demonstradas em categorias conceituais relacionadas às diferentes perspectivas dos serviços farmacêuticos na APS, possibilitando entender que o farmacêutico é a referência em medicamentos nas UBS e tem-se feito essencial para a população, especialmente no campo da APS. Tendo nessa perspectiva uma nova prática, aquela que é real, construída pela prática da APS, e não em métodos teóricos de atendimento clínico. Os serviços farmacêuticos que se estabelecem na APS devem contribuir com as condições de vida, permeados pelo debate das determinações sociais de saúde, sendo necessário refletir sobre quais necessidades, àquelas vigentes e de acordo com o que o mercado deseja ou àquelas que correspondem as necessidades reais

Pharmaceutical services in Primary Health Care (PHC) is an emerging concept in the context of developing pharmaceutical policies in Brazil, especially Pharmaceutical Assistance. Numerous studies in this field have been published and several groups and institutions debate the subject; however, there is no consensus on the proposed model. PHC or Basic Care is the preferred model adopted in Brazil, in the Single Health System (SHS), and is characterized by territorialization, multiprofessional teamwork, relationships, and user embracement. It is a rich space for the development of pharmaceutical services and viable strategies for ensuring the right to health, including access to essential medicines and care in their use. That is why the pharmacy in PHC is a pharmacist's place of work, with good employability, and the possibility of developing an activity that goes beyond the traditional scope f a technical pharmacist. In addition, it is necessary to examine pharmaceutical services using actual data, enabling studies such as this to contribute to the development of PHC services based on health needs, considering the social determinants of the health-disease process. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to characterize the pharmaceutical services in PHC, in the city of São Paulo, and examine how they are expressed in different models in the materiality of PHC. We used qualitative research, specifically participant observation, with an ethnographic approach, to obtain in-depth knowledge, since it allows the understanding of man in his social context. The study was conducted in the city of São Paulo. The first part consists of an exploratory study, on a focus group with 20 pharmacists, and an online survey of another 120 pharmacists. They all work at the Municipal Health Office. The second part of the study was conducted in three Basic Health Units (BHU), with approximately 170 hours of observation recorded in field notebooks. The records made it possible to analyze and form conceptual categories. Finally, PHC allows a broader construct and vision of the scope of pharmaceutical services, by analyzing them from the perception of those who experience them, since there is an understanding that the services are not fragmented and that the pharmacist performs them in a complex, expanded, and dynamic field, like PHC. The use of participant observation in health field studies, especially in Pharmacy, allows reflections on the phenomenon, which are not isolated, nor decontextualized from the reality in health. The need for qualitative studies is felt for the interpretative description of health phenomena supported by the human sciences, (re)making critical and reflective synthesis movements., By using participant observation in the analysis, it is possible to understand three different models of the pharmacist's performance, which lead to distinct conceptions of pharmaceutical services and are related to PHC models, some of them more universal and integral compared to universal coverage models that are focused and selective. The pharmaceutical services in PHC have the potential to understand that people are not completely the same, and that it is necessary to recognize the needs, and therefore the social conditions. The evidence obtained has been demonstrated in conceptual categories related to the different perspectives of pharmaceutical services in PHC, making it possible to understand that the pharmacist is the authority in medicines at the Health Care Unit and has become essential for the population, especially in the field of PHC. This perspective comprises a new approach, one that is realistic and practical, built by the practice of PHC, and not based on theoretical methods of clinical care. The pharmaceutical services established in PHC must contribute to living conditions, accompanied by the debate on social health determinations, and it is necessary to reflect on which are the needs that are in force and according to what the market wants or those that correspond to real necessities

EU health systems classification: a new proposal from EURO-HEALTHY.

BACKGROUND: In accordance the WHO framework of health system functions and by using the indicators collected within the EURO-HEALTHY project, this work aims to contribute to the discussion on the classification of EU health systems. METHODS: Three methods were used in this article: factor analysis, cluster analysis and descriptive analysis; data were mainly collected from the WHO and Eurostat databases. RESULTS: The most relevant result is the proposed classification of health systems into the following clusters: Austria-Germany, Central and Northern Countries, Southern Countries, Eastern Countries 'A' and Eastern Countries 'B'. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed typology contributes to the discussion about how to classify health systems; the typology of EU health systems allows comparisons of characteristics and health system performance across clusters and policy assessment and policy recommendation within each cluster.

Renal replacement therapy in acute kidney injury from a Chinese cross-sectional study: patient, clinical, socioeconomic and health service predictors of treatment.

BACKGROUND: Renal replacement therapy (RRT) is important to support critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). This study, a part of a nation-wide survey for AKI conducted by the ISN AKF 0 by 25 China Consortium, aims to study the current RRT practical situation and problems in China. METHODS: The current study is a part of a nation-wide survey for AKI conducted by ISN AKF 0 by 25 China Consortium. The survey included 44 sites all over the country, including 22 academic hospitals in big cities and 22 local hospitals in smaller cities or rural areas. Of the 44 sites, all have access to PD and IHD, 93.5% are capable to perform CRRT. Of total 7604 AKI cases, 896 cases (11.8%) had indications for RRT and were included in the current abstract. RESULTS: of the 896 patients that had indications for RRT, only 59.3% received RRT. Patients who were older, male, from lower income areas, in local hospitals, or with severe comorbidities, were less likely to receive RRT. RRT treatment was associated with lower mortality (OR = 0.58, 95%CI 0.38-0.89). The RRT modalities were continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in 53.9%, intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) in 38.0%, CRRT complemented by IHD in 6.2%, CRRT complemented by peritoneal dialysis (PD) in 0.8% and PD in 1.1%. Of the subgroup of patients receiving RRT who did not have an indication for modality of CRRT, 36.8% in fact received CRRT, and their medical cost and mortality rate was higher (7944[4248, 16,055] vs. 5100[2948, 9396] US dollars, p < 0.001 and 10.6% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.047, respectively) compared with those treated with other RRT modalities). CONCLUSIONS: Extrapolated to the whole of China our results indicate that an estimated 139,000 patients with an indication of RRT are under treated without RRT over a year. Non-clinical factors influence RRT prescription for severe AKI patients. CRRT may be over-utilized in the treatment of severe AKI and the use of PD is extremely rare. These findings have implications for the effective application of medical resources in the treatment of severe AKI.

Does Primary Care Model Effect Healthcare at the End of Life? A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive primary care may enhance patient experience at end of life. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether belonging to different models of primary care is associated with end-of-life healthcare use and outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective population cohort study, using health administrative databases to describe health services and costs in the last six months of life across three primary care models: enrolled to a physician remunerated mainly by capitation, with incentives for comprehensive care and access in some to allied health practitioners (Capitation); remunerated mainly from fee-for-service (FFS) with smaller incentives for comprehensive care (Enhanced FFS); and not enrolled, seeing physicians remunerated solely through FFS (Traditional FFS). SETTING: People who died from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2013 in Ontario, Canada. MEASURES: Health service utilization, costs, and place of death. RESULTS: Approximately two-thirds (62.7%) of decedents had more contact with a specialist than family physician. Those in Capitation models were more likely to have the majority of physician services provided by a family physician (44.9% vs. 38.6% in Enhanced FFS and 34.3% in Traditional FFS) and received more home care service days (mean 27.2 vs. 24.2 in Enhanced FFS and 21.7 in Traditional FFS). And 22.5% had a home visit by a family physician. Controlling for potential confounders, decedents spent significantly more days in an institution in Enhanced FFS (1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.9-1.5) and Traditional FFS (2.2, 95% CI: 1.8-2.6) than in Capitation. CONCLUSION: Decedents in comprehensive primary care models received more care in the community and spent less time in institutions.

Hearing loss and use of health services: a population-based cross-sectional study among Finnish older adults.

BACKGROUND: Older adults with hearing difficulties face problems of communication which may lead to underuse of health services. This study investigated the association of hearing loss and self-reported hearing difficulty with the use of health services and unmet health care needs in older adults. METHODS: Data on persons aged 65 and older (n = 2144) drawn from a population-based study, Health 2000, were analyzed. Hearing loss was determined with screening audiometry (n = 1680). Structured face-to-face interviews were used to assess self-reported hearing difficulty (n = 1962), use of health services (physician and nurse visits, health examinations, mental health services, physical therapy, health promotion groups, vision test, hearing test, mammography, PSA test) and perceived unmet health care needs. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used. RESULTS: After adjusting for socio-economic and health-related confounders, persons with hearing loss (hearing level of better ear 0.5-2 kHz > 40 dB) were more likely to have used mental health services than those with non-impaired hearing (OR = 3.2, 95 % CI 1.3-7.9). Self-reported hearing difficulty was also associated with higher odds for mental health service use (OR = 2.1 95 % CI 1.2-3.5). Hearing was not associated with use of the other health services studied, except presenting for a hearing test. Persons with self-reported hearing difficulty were more likely to perceive unmet health care needs than those without hearing difficulty (OR = 1.7, 95 % CI 1.4-2.1). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with hearing loss or self-reported hearing difficulty are as likely to use most health services as those without hearing loss. However, self-reported hearing difficulty is associated with experiencing unmet health care needs. Adequate health services should be ensured for older adults with hearing difficulties.

Care services for elderly people with dementia in rural China: a case study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the state of the health and supportive services available to elderly people with dementia - and their families - in rural Lanxi county, in the province of Zhejiang, China. METHODS: In November 2014 and January 2015, we interviewed 14 key informants on dementia care face-to-face, using a semi-structured questionnaire. The informants included three rural physicians, an urban geriatrician, seven directors of institutions for the care of the elderly and three officials of the civil affairs bureau. We also completed in-depth interviews with five family caregivers of elderly people with dementia. FINDINGS: The interviewees indicated that there was a lack of specialized services designed specifically to address the needs of individuals with dementia and their family members. Non-psychiatric medical services and the available facilities for long-term care appeared to be ill-equipped to manage these needs. They lacked both clinical staff and standardized, evidence-based practices for the diagnosis, care, treatment and rehabilitation of patients with dementia. As care facilities often refused to admit elderly people with dementia, families were generally forced to care for elderly relatives with dementia at home. CONCLUSION: In Lanxi county - and probably in much of rural China - more public resources are needed to support family caregivers and to improve the capacity of care facilities for the elderly to care for individuals with dementia.

Oportunidades para la práctica de la promoción de la salud: el modelo de activos y las guías NICE / Opportunities for the practice of health promotion: the assets model and NICE guidelines

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ISPRM discussion paper: proposing dimensions for an International Classification System for Service Organization in Health-related Rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: Rehabilitation is 1 of 4 main health strategies. The World Report on Disability identifies deficits in rehabilitation care for people with disabilities as an important barrier to full inclusion in society or to achieve optimal functioning. In order to overcome such deficits, to close gaps in national and/or regional rehabilitation systems, and to develop appropriate rehabilitation services, it is crucial to define uniform criteria and a widely accepted language to describe and classify rehabilitation services. The aim of this paper was therefore to develop a list of dimensions and categories to describe the organization of health-related rehabilitation services. METHODS: The classification is based on a series of expert workshops including members of the International and European Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. RESULTS: The proposed classification has 2 levels (dimensions and categories). The upper level distinguishes 3 dimensions: the service provider (with 9 categories), the funding of the service (with 3 categories), and the service delivery (8 subcategories). A further specification of the categories in a 3-level classification (including value sets) is needed. CONCLUSION: This paper is an intermediate step towards development of a classification system with distinct categories and dimensions.

Epilepsy services in Ireland: 'A survey of people with epilepsy in relation to satisfaction, preferences and information provision'.

BACKGROUND: A challenge facing modern health care systems is to develop and implement new models of service that deliver increased capacity while providing a higher-quality, more cost-effective service within resource constraints. Incorporating the experience of people with epilepsy must be seen as central to the effectiveness of service design and delivery. This paper, therefore, reports the views of people with epilepsy with regards to health service delivery in Ireland. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design involving both quantitative and qualitative items was administered to a convenience sample of one hundred and two people with epilepsy (n=102) attending an epilepsy specialist centre. RESULTS: Despite high levels of satisfaction with hospital and primary care, participants offered several suggestions to improve healthcare delivery, such as: less delay in accessing specialist care and hospital appointments; better communication; and easier access to investigatory services. Findings demonstrate that for people with epilepsy the burden of the disorder is substantial and complex encompassing social, psychological and structural difficulties. Poor information provision particularly among women is reported. Furthermore, a lack of empowerment in people with epilepsy is highlighted. CONCLUSION: This study has implications for the reform and development of epilepsy services in relation to practice, education and research. It provides a basis for an evaluation of current practice and identifies opportunities for future service reorganization to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare provision.

Transaction costs of access to health care: Implications of the care-seeking pathways of tuberculosis patients for health system governance in Nigeria.

Health care costs incurred prior to the appropriate patient-provider transaction (i.e., transaction costs of access to health care) are potential barriers to accessing health care in low- and middle-income countries. This paper explores these transaction costs and their implications for health system governance through a cross-sectional survey of adult patients who received their first diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) at the three designated secondary health centres for TB care in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The patients provided information on their care-seeking pathways and the associated costs prior to reaching the appropriate provider. Of the 452 patients, 84% first consulted an inappropriate provider. Only 33% of inappropriate consultations were with qualified providers (QP); the rest were with informal providers such as pharmacy providers (PPs; 57%) and traditional providers (TP; 10%). Notably, 62% of total transaction costs were incurred during the first visit to an inappropriate provider and the mean transaction costs incurred was highest with QPs (US$30.20) compared with PPs (US$14.40) and TPs (US$15.70). These suggest that interventions for reducing transaction costs should include effective decentralisation to integrate TB care with services at the primary health care level, community engagement to address information asymmetry, enforcing regulations to keep informal providers within legal limits and facilitating referral linkages among formal and informal providers to increase early contact with appropriate providers.

Health service use, out-of-pocket payments and catastrophic health expenditure among older people in India: the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE).

BACKGROUND: Healthcare financing through out-of-pocket payments and inequities in healthcare utilisation are common in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Given the dearth of pertinent studies on these issues among older people in LMICs, we investigated the determinants of health service use, out-of-pocket and catastrophic health expenditures among older people in one LMIC, India. METHODS: We accessed data from a nationally representative, multistage sample of 2414 people aged 65 years and older from the WHO's Study on global AGEing and adult health in India. Sociodemographic characteristics, health profiles, health service utilisation and out-of-pocket health expenditure were assessed using standard instruments. Multivariate zero-inflated negative binomial regression models were used to evaluate the determinants of health service visits. Multivariate Heckman sample selection regression models were used to assess the determinants of out-of-pocket and catastrophic health expenditures. RESULTS: Out-of-pocket health expenditures were higher among participants with disability and lower income. Diabetes, hypertension, chronic pulmonary disease, heart disease and tuberculosis increased the number of health visits and out-of-pocket health expenditures. The prevalence of catastrophic health expenditure among older people in India was 7% (95% CI 6% to 8%). Older men and individuals with chronic diseases were at higher risk of catastrophic health expenditure, while access to health insurance lowered the risk. CONCLUSIONS: Reducing out-of-pocket health expenditure among older people is an important public health issue, in which social as well as medical determinants should be prioritised. Enhanced public health sector performance and provision of publicly funded insurance may protect against catastrophic health expenses and healthcare inequities in India.

Padrões de utilização de atendimento médico-ambulatorial no Brasil entre usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde, da saúde suplementar e de serviços privados / Patterns in the use of outpatient care in Brazil by patients treated through the Brazilian Unified National Health System, private health insurance, and out-of-pocket medical care / Los patrones de uso de atención médica ambulatoria en Brasil entre el Sistema Único de Salud, la salud y los servicios privados suplementarios

Indicadores de oferta, acesso e utilização são úteis para caracterizar os serviços, planejar ações e organizar a demanda. Este estudo descreve padrões de utilização de atendimento médico-ambulatorial e associação com variáveis sociodemográficas, de morbidade, porte do município e região, de acordo com a natureza jurídica do serviço. Trata-se de um estudo transversal de base populacional com 12.402 adultos brasileiros entre 20 e 59 anos, residentes nas áreas urbanas de 100 municípios nas cinco regiões brasileiras. A prevalência de atendimento médico-ambulatorial nos três meses anteriores à entrevista foi de 34,6%. O Sistema Único de Saúde foi responsável por mais da metade (53,6%) dos atendimentos, algum convênio de saúde foi utilizado por 34% da amostra e os serviços privados por 12,4%, independentemente da região, do porte populacional e da morbidade referida. Os padrões de utilização de serviços de saúde continuam socialmente determinados, resultando da oferta, das características sociodemográficas e do perfil de saúde dos usuários.

Indicators of supply, access, and use of healthcare are helpful for characterizing services, planning activities, and organizing demand. This study describes patterns of use of outpatient care and the associations with demographic and socioeconomic factors, morbidity, population size of the municipality and region, and administrative and financial classification of the provider. This was a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 12,402 Brazilian adults from 20 to 59 years of age living in urban areas of 100 municipalities from five regions. Prevalence of outpatient care in the three months prior to the interview was 34.6%. The Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) accounted for more than half (53.6%) of the cases, health insurance was used by 34% of the sample, and out-of-pocket services 12.4%, regardless of region, population size, and morbidity profile. Patterns of use of health services remain socially determined, resulting from the supply, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and health profile of users.

Indicadores de la oferta, acceso y uso son útiles para caracterizar los servicios, las actividades de planificación y organización de la demanda. El estudio describe los patrones de uso de tratamiento ambulatorio y su asociación con variables sociodemográficas, morbilidad, tamaño del municipio y de la región, de acuerdo con la naturaleza jurídica del servicio. Se trata de una base poblacional transversal 12.402 adultos brasileños, entre 20 y 59 años, que viven en zonas urbanas de 100 municipios en cinco regiones. La prevalencia de tratamiento ambulatorio en los tres meses anteriores a la entrevista fue del 34,6%. El Sistema Único de Salud fue responsable de más de la mitad (53,6%) de los casos, un plan de salud fue utilizado por el 34% de la muestra y los servicios privados representaron el 12,4%, con independencia de la región, el tamaño de la población y la morbilidad anteriormente. Los patrones de uso de los servicios de salud siguen siendo socialmente determinados, lo que resulta en la oferta, el perfil sociodemográfico y la salud de los usuarios.

Primary health-care costs associated with special health care needs up to age 7 years: Australian population-based study.

AIM: We studied infants and children with and without special health care needs (SHCN) during the first 8 years of life to compare the (i) types and costs to the government's Medicare system of non-hospital health-care services and prescription medication in each year and (ii) cumulative costs according to persistence of SHCN. METHODS: Data from the first two biennial waves of the nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, comprising two independent cohorts recruited in 2004, at ages 0-1 (n = 5107) and 4-5 (n = 4983) years. Exposure condition: parent-reported Children with Special Health Care Needs Screener at both waves, spanning ages 0-7 years. OUTCOME MEASURE: Federal Government Medicare expenditure, via data linkage to the Medicare database, on non-hospital health-care attendances and prescriptions from birth to 8 years. RESULTS: At both waves and in both cohorts, >92% of children had complete SHCN and Medicare data. The proportion of children with SHCN increased from 6.1% at age 0-1 years to 15.0% at age 6-7 years. Their additional Medicare costs ranged from $491 per child at 6-7 years to $1202 at 0-1 year. This equates to an additional $161.8 million annual cost or 0.8% of federal funding for non-hospital-based health care. In both cohorts, costs were highest for children with persistent SHCNs. CONCLUSIONS: SHCNs incur substantial non-hospital costs to Medicare, and no doubt other sources of care, from early childhood. This suggests that economic evaluations of early prevention and intervention services for SHCNs should consider impacts on not only the child and family but also the health-care system.

Reflexiones legales y éticas en torno a la maternidad subrogada / Legal and ethical reflections concerning the surrogate motherhood

En el presente artículo pretendemos abordar la problemática de la maternidad subrogada como método de reproducción asistida, prohibido en España. El objeto de estudio de este trabajo es analizado desde la perspectiva legal y ética, llegando a la conclusión de que ante una hipotética regulación legal, entendemos que el médico no está obligado éticamente a colaborar en el proyecto de maternidades subrogadas, lo que sin duda abre un amplio campo sobre la ética deliberativa de la responsabilidad (AU)

In the present article, we try to approach the issue of surrogacy as a prohibited assisted reproduction treatment in Spain. The subject of study of this work will be analyzed from the legal and ethical perspective. We understand that, arriving at the conclusion that before a hypothetical legal regulation, the doctor is not ethically forced to collaborate legally in the project of surrogacy, thus widening the scope for the deliberative responsibility ethics (AU)

[Patterns in the use of outpatient care in Brazil by patients treated through the Brazilian Unified National Health System, private health insurance, and out-of-pocket medical care]. / Padrões de utilização de atendimento médico-ambulatorial no Brasil entre usuários do Sistema Único de Saúde, da saúde suplementar e de serviços privados.

Indicators of supply, access, and use of healthcare are helpful for characterizing services, planning activities, and organizing demand. This study describes patterns of use of outpatient care and the associations with demographic and socioeconomic factors, morbidity, population size of the municipality and region, and administrative and financial classification of the provider. This was a population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 12,402 Brazilian adults from 20 to 59 years of age living in urban areas of 100 municipalities from five regions. Prevalence of outpatient care in the three months prior to the interview was 34.6%. The Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) accounted for more than half (53.6%) of the cases, health insurance was used by 34% of the sample, and out-of-pocket services 12.4%, regardless of region, population size, and morbidity profile. Patterns of use of health services remain socially determined, resulting from the supply, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and health profile of users.

ISPRM discussion paper: Proposing a conceptual description of health-related rehabilitation services.

There is a need for a comprehensive classification system of health-related rehabilitation services. For conceptual clarity our aim is to provide a health-related conceptual description of the term "rehabilitation service". First, we introduce a common understanding of the term "rehabilitation", based on the current definition in the World Health Organization's World Report on Disability, and a conceptual description of rehabilitation agreed upon by international Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine organizations. From a health perspective, rehabilitation can be regarded as a general health strategy with the aim of enabling persons with health conditions experiencing or likely to experience disability to achieve and maintain optimal functioning. Secondly, we distinguish different meanings of the term "service", that have originated in management literature. It is important to distinguish between micro, meso and macro level uses of the term "service". On a meso level, which is central for the classification of rehabilitation services, 2 aspects of a service, i.e. an offer of an intangible product and an organizational setting in which the offer is upheld, are both essential. The results of this conceptual analysis are used to develop a conceptual description of health-related rehabilitation, which is set out at the end of this paper. This conceptual description may provide the basis of a classification of health-related rehabilitation services, and is open for comments and discussion.