Family practice
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Multicenter Study
Effectiveness of individual and group multicomponent interventions for smoking cessation in primary care: a quasi-experimental study.
The efficacy of smoking cessation interventions can be quite diverse in day-to-day clinical practice. ⋯ Our study found that multicomponent group and individual interventions in primary care were associated with an overall quit rate of smoking of 36.9% at 12-month follow-up, with higher probability of success among patients with higher education and those who received the group intervention and drug treatment.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Non-dispensing pharmacists' actions and solutions of drug therapy problems among elderly polypharmacy patients in primary care.
To evaluate the process of clinical medication review for elderly patients with polypharmacy performed by non-dispensing pharmacists embedded in general practice. The aim was to identify the number and type of drug therapy problems and to assess how and to what extent drug therapy problems were actually solved. ⋯ Non-dispensing pharmacists integrated in general practice identified a large number of drug therapy problems and successfully implemented a proportionally high number of recommendations that solved the majority of drug therapy problems.
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Most of the patients with gastroenteritis seeking health care services are managed in primary care; yet, little is known about these consultations. Syndromic-based surveillance of gastrointestinal infections is used in several countries, including Norway. ⋯ The proportion of gastroenteritis consultations was higher in the OOH services when compared with daytime general practice. Young children and young adults dominated among the patients. The seasonal variation in consultation frequency is similar to that shown for gastroenteritis caused by norovirus.
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Home visits seem promising for improving the health of women and infants during pregnancy and postpartum. This review aimed to quantitatively analyse the effects of home visits delivered during pregnancy and postpartum on premature birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) and rapid repeat birth (RRB). ⋯ This meta-analysis is the first to suggest that home visits can prevent and decrease LBW and RRB; however, it remains unclear whether home visits benefit PTB. Therefore, home visits can be an alternative and complementary part of primary health care for women, especially those with risk factors.
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Observational Study
Associations between general practice characteristics with use of urgent referrals for suspected cancer and endoscopies: a cross-sectional ecological study.
Large variation in measures of diagnostic activity has been described previously between English general practices, but related predictors remain understudied. ⋯ Most between-practice variation in use of urgent referrals and endoscopies seems to reflect health need. Some practice characteristics, such as the mean age of GPs, are associated with appreciable variation in use of urgent referrals, though these associations do not seem strong enough to justify targeted interventions.