Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Increases in opioid prescriptions have been described; however, recent trends and prescribing patterns of analgesics in Dutch general practice are largely unknown. ⋯ Considering the increase in strong opioid prescriptions for benign conditions, GPs need to be vigilant for patients who are at risk for chronic use. Regular monitoring and awareness for psychosocial factors in treatment of chronic pain may be key in preventing harms associated with persistent opioid use.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2024
Reflections of nurses and primary healthcare managers on integrating hospital at home into public primary healthcare services: a Norwegian focus group study.
Hospital at home (HaH) is an innovative approach to healthcare delivery that brings specialized services to patients' homes. HaH services are typically available in urban areas where hospitals can easily reach nearby patients. An integrated care model that utilizes the public primary healthcare system may extend HaH services to include patients residing further away from hospitals. However, there is limited evidence of primary healthcare employees' views on integrating HaH care into primary healthcare services. This study aimed to explore the reflections of primary healthcare employees on integrating HaH care into primary healthcare services. ⋯ This study offers valuable insights into integrating HaH into primary healthcare services, highlighting opportunities to address challenges. The resilience and dedication of primary healthcare employees underscore their commitment to adapting to and thriving with HaH care. To establish a sustainable HaH care model, it is important to address geographical limitations, consider the strain on providers, maintain robust relationships, enhance funding, and formalize decision-making processes.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2024
Exploring the impact of mental and work-related stress on sick leave among middle-aged women: observations from the population study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden.
To investigate whether mental and work-related stress predicts a one-year incidence of sick leave in a cohort of middle-aged working women. ⋯ Low decision latitude and conflicts at work are risk factors for incident sick leave among working women. The impact of conflicts at work, irrespective of own involvement, may indicate a specific vulnerability among women of interest for future interventions.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2024
Observational StudyQuality of the digital gp visits and characteristics of the users: retrospective observational study.
This study compares the demographics, diagnoses, re-admission rates, sick leaves, and prescribed medications of patients accessing digital general practitioner (GP) visits with those of patients opting for traditional face-to-face appointments in a primary health care setting. ⋯ Digital health care services offer a cost-efficient alternative for specific health problems, appealing to younger, educated individuals, when compared to the users of public health center, and may enable improvement of cost-effectiveness combined with acceptable demand management and patient segmentation practices. The results highlight the potential benefits of digital clinics, particularly for uncomplicated cases, while also emphasizing the importance of suitable referral mechanisms for in-person consultations.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2024
Predictive modeling for identification of older adults with high utilization of health and social services.
Machine learning techniques have demonstrated success in predictive modeling across various clinical cases. However, few studies have considered predicting the use of multisectoral health and social services among older adults. This research aims to utilize machine learning models to detect high-risk groups of excessive health and social services utilization at early stage, facilitating the implementation of preventive interventions. ⋯ Predictive models offer potential for predicting future high service utilization in the older adult population. Achieving high classification performance remains challenging due to diverse contributing factors. We anticipate that classification performance could be increased by including features based on additional data categories such as socio-economic data.