Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2021
ReviewDiagnostic center for primary care patients with nonspecific symptoms and suspected cancer: compliance to workflow and accuracy of tests and examinations.
To evaluate compliance to workflow and accuracy of tests in Sweden's first fast-track referral pathway for patients with nonspecific symptoms and suspected cancer (SCAN). ⋯ Compliance to test packages in primary care was low, which warrants review of the workflow. Few single tests had high accuracy regarding cancer, but the number of abnormal tests can provide guidance in complicated investigations of suspected malignancies.KEY POINTSFast-track referral pathways for patients with nonspecific serious symptoms have been implemented in several countries and are part of the national cancer strategy in all of Scandinavia.Compliance with compulsory tests in primary care was modest in this study; 8% of the patients had taken the entire compulsory test packages.Few single compulsory tests had high accuracy regarding subsequent cancer, which warrants a review of tests and examinations. However, patients diagnosed with cancer had a higher number of abnormal test results compared to the other groups.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2020
ReviewA client-centered approach in home care for older persons - an integrative review.
To describe and synthesize client-centered care and service in home care for older persons. ⋯ According to the results, achieving client-centered care and service in home care requires the realization of all of the above aspects. The practice of nursing must better identify all dimensions of client-centered care and take these into account in the delivery of home care services. KEY POINTS Client-centeredness is a fundamental value and the basis of nursing and care in home care provided for older persons This paper: deepens and structures the concept of client-centered care in the context of home care. assists professionals to understand the factors behind client-centered care within the home care environment. provides deeper understanding of the roles of the older person, family members, and the service system in developing client-centered services in home care for older persons.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2020
Performance of the Eight-item Informant Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia within a context similar to the Swedish primary healthcare sector: a systematic review of diagnostic test accuracy studies.
Dementia is a common but underdiagnosed health problem. Instruments developed for initial screening exist internationally but are not available within the Swedish primary healthcare sector. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the diagnostic test accuracy of the Eight-item Informant Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia in identifying symptomatic dementia within a context similar to the Swedish primary healthcare sector. ⋯ The results show that the Eight-item Informant Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia has the ability to identify persons with symptomatic dementia within the target population. Thus, an evaluation of its potential benefits should be considered and evaluated within the Swedish primary healthcare context. KEY POINTS Dementia is a common but underdiagnosed health problem. Instruments developed for initial screening exist but are not available within the Swedish primary healthcare sector. We found that the Eight-item Informant Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia (AD8), has the ability to identify individuals with symptomatic dementia within the target population. The Eight-item Informant Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia (AD8), has the potential to increase the possibility for timely detection of individuals with symptomatic dementia.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Sep 2020
The association between diabetes and cognitive changes during aging.
Worldwide, we are observing a rising prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairments that often co-occur with the heightened incidence of non-communicable diseases in the elderly. It is suggested that type 2 diabetes and defects in glucose metabolism might predispose to poorer cognitive performances and more rapid decline in old age. ⋯ Focusing on a population age 65 years and over, we found insufficient evidence to support an association between pre-diabetes stages and mild cognitive impairment. However, there is consistent evidence to support diabetes as an independent risk factor for low cognitive ability in the elderly. Finally, we found insufficient evidence to support effect of T2DM on distinct cognitive ability due to the scarcity of comparable findings.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2020
Meta AnalysisGroup C beta hemolytic Streptococci as a potential pathogen in patients presenting with an uncomplicated acute sore throat - a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
Objective: The pathogenicity of beta-hemolytic Streptococcus group C (GCS) in patients attending for an uncomplicated acute sore throat is unknown and it was the objective to clarify this. Design: Systematic literature review with meta-analysis. Setting Medline and Scopus were searched from inception to February 2019, with searches of reference lists, Subjects case-control studies stating prevalence of GCS in patients as well as healthy controls presented for children and adults separately. ⋯ This systematic literature review concludes it is unlikely that GCS is involved in the uncomplicated sore throat in otherwise healthy children. This meta-analysis found a moderate link between GCS and the uncomplicated sore throat in adults. The link in adults between GCS and the sore throat is much weaker than the corresponding link for group A beta-hemolytic Streptococcus.