Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2024
Local management of the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway: a longitudinal interview study of municipality chief medical officers.
To explore the experiences and views of Norwegian Municipality Chief Medical Officers (MCMOs) on preparedness, collaboration, and organization during the COVID-19 pandemic to gain insight into local crisis management of value for future pandemic responses. ⋯ The Norwegian pandemic response and outcome have been regarded as successful internationally. Although the MCMOs managed to implement flexible and quick responses facilitated by teamwork, dialogue, and joint sensemaking, they also identified several challenges and shortcomings of the Norwegian pandemic preparedness requiring organizational and financial changes to sustain future health system resilience.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2024
To reveal disease or to promote function - that is the question.
Medicine faces challenges that indicate that it may not be sustainable. A descriptive disease concept is apt to what philosopher of science Ian Hacking called "looping effects", which can explain why health care is faced with insatiable demands. ⋯ They are often interactive identities that have attractive properties. We suggest a shift in medical practice where descriptive perspectives are complemented with functional perspectives to enable clinicians better to help people from merging with dysfunctional disease identities.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2024
Suitability of issuing sickness certifications in remote consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed method study of GPs' experiences.
To explore Norwegian GPs' experiences with and perceived suitability of issuing sickness certifications in remote consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Our study shows that issuing sickness certifications in remote consultations were viewed to be suitable for COVID-19 related problems, for patients the GP has met before, for the follow-up of known medical problems, and the extension of sickness certifications. Not meeting the patient face-to-face may affect the GP-patient relationship as well as make the GPs' dual role more challenging.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2024
General practitioners' role in safeguarding patients with dementia in their use of dietary supplements. A qualitative study.
The use of dietary supplements (DS) may cause harm through direct and indirect effects. Patients with dementia may be particularly vulnerable. This study aims to explore general practitioners' (GPs') experiences with DS use by these patients, the GPs perceived responsibilities, obstacles in taking on this responsibility, their attitudes toward DS, and suggestions for improvements to safeguard the use of DS in this patient group. ⋯ The GPs had initially little awareness of this safety risk, but there were differences in practice style and attitudes towards DS. The GPs did not perceive themselves as main responsible for safe use of DS in patient with dementia. The most important reason to disclaim responsibility was lack of information about the products. One suggestion for improvement was better integration of DS in patients' medical record.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2024
Managing mental health in chronic care in general practice: a feasibility study of the Healthy Mind intervention.
Mental health issues are common among patients with chronic physical conditions. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the Healthy Mind intervention, a general practice-based programme that provides problem-solving therapy (PST) to patients with poor mental well-being and type 2 diabetes (T2D) and/or ischaemic heart disease (IHD). ⋯ The Healthy Mind intervention was found to be feasible, and the results support proceeding to a full-scale evaluation trial.