Journal of primary health care最新文献

Overuse of knee ultrasound in acute knee injury pathways in primary care: a quality improvement report. 过度使用膝关节超声在急性膝关节损伤途径的初级保健：质量改善报告。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-05-08 DOI: 10.1071/HC26033

Sanjeev Krishna, Simon Young, Mark Fulcher

{"title":"Overuse of knee ultrasound in acute knee injury pathways in primary care: a quality improvement report.","authors":"Sanjeev Krishna, Simon Young, Mark Fulcher","doi":"10.1071/HC26033","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC26033","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Knee injuries are a common presentation in primary care in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Knee ultrasound (US) is widely available, despite evidence and Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) guidelines indicating limited diagnostic value in most acute knee trauma.Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of imaging pathways prior to specialist review.Methods: A retrospective audit of consecutive patients referred to a sport and exercise physician-led Acute Knee Clinic (AKC) was undertaken to assess the appropriateness of pre-referral knee US use against ACC imaging guidelines.Results: Of 305 patients reviewed, 9.8% had undergone knee US prior to specialist assessment. Only one scan met ACC guideline criteria. Most USs were requested by physiotherapists (80%, P = 0.015) and performed at US-only clinics (66%). One in five patients had no prior imaging, and 21% had not received a knee X-ray. There was a trend suggesting that having an US increased the time to MRI; however, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.173).Discussion: Potential improvement strategies identified include targeted education and individual feedback on imaging pathways, increased use of guideline-based decision support, and system-level safeguards for US referral.Knee US represents a low-value investigation in most acute knee injury presentations. Improving adherence to evidence-based imaging pathways in primary care may reduce unnecessary imaging and costs, and streamline care of patients presenting with acute knee injuries in primary and community settings.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147839362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Funding community eye care in Aotearoa: a preliminary cost estimate based on the Australian approach. 资助奥特罗阿的社区眼科护理：基于澳大利亚方法的初步成本估算。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-29 DOI: 10.1071/HC25218

Lucy Goodman, Pushkar Silwal, Niamh Taylor, Ellie Zou, Jacqueline Ramke

{"title":"Funding community eye care in Aotearoa: a preliminary cost estimate based on the Australian approach.","authors":"Lucy Goodman, Pushkar Silwal, Niamh Taylor, Ellie Zou, Jacqueline Ramke","doi":"10.1071/HC25218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC25218","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: In Australia, Medicare-funded optometric eye examinations are available to eligible residents, and state-funded subsidies support specific population groups to access spectacles. Meanwhile, public funding for optometry services in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) is limited, and many people cannot access the services they need.Aim: This study aimed to estimate the cost of funding eye examinations and spectacle subsidies in NZ based on the Australian model.Methods: We identified publicly available data describing uptake of Medicare-funded optometry services (2022-2024) and the NSW Spectacles Program (2022-2023). We assumed that uptake would be similar across age groups, male/female gender, and ethnicity groups (First Nations Australians vs Māori or Pacific Peoples in NZ, and non-Indigenous Australians vs other New Zealanders) between the two countries, and applied Australia's uptake rates to NZ's 2024 population. The cost of itemised eye examinations was defined using the current Medicare rebates (eg A$66.15/~NZ$73.35 for comprehensive examinations) and Optometry Australia's recommended consultation fees (A$153.54/~NZ$170.24), and the median value of available state-level spectacle subsidy (A$200/~NZ$221.76).Results: Extrapolating Australian uptake rates to our population in NZ would see ~2.4 million examinations delivered per annum at a cost of NZ$143m (using the Medicare rebate) and NZ$349m (using Optometry Australia's rate), as well as ~60,500 spectacles dispensed at a cost of NZ$13m. Targeting eye examinations and spectacles only to Community Services Card holders would cost NZ$50m to NZ$102m annually.Discussion: Australia's eye care models may guide future policies in NZ with discussion needed on the most appropriate rebates to avoid exacerbating inequities.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147774711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Demographic profile of potential target populations in community laboratory and emergency department settings for consideration in expanding hepatitis C screening in Aotearoa New Zealand. 在新西兰奥特罗阿扩大丙型肝炎筛查时考虑的社区实验室和急诊科环境中潜在目标人群的人口统计概况

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-28 DOI: 10.1071/HC26042

Jean Wignall, Wendy Bennett, Lily P H Yang, Phyu Sin Aye, Clair Shiuan Miao, Catherine Jackson, Karen Bartholomew, Joanna Hikaka, Edward J Gane

{"title":"Demographic profile of potential target populations in community laboratory and emergency department settings for consideration in expanding hepatitis C screening in Aotearoa New Zealand.","authors":"Jean Wignall, Wendy Bennett, Lily P H Yang, Phyu Sin Aye, Clair Shiuan Miao, Catherine Jackson, Karen Bartholomew, Joanna Hikaka, Edward J Gane","doi":"10.1071/HC26042","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC26042","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is possible with publicly funded, highly effective and well-tolerated oral treatment. However, most people with chronic HCV are asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed until complications develop. Furthermore, HCV testing and treatment inequities remain for Māori. The addition of HCV testing to blood sampling for other indications in widely accessed settings to augment current screening strategies warrants further investigation.Aim: We analysed national and regional data to compare attenders at community laboratories and hospital emergency departments (EDs), and Northern Region data from ED attenders to determine the proportion who had blood sampling.Methods: National data (July 2023-June 2024) and Northern Region data (November 2024) were extracted for people aged ≥20 years.Results: Among 2,586,051 adult attenders at either setting, most (75%) attended community laboratories only, 8% attended EDs only, and 17% attended both (dual attenders). Although Māori represented a higher proportion of ED attenders than community laboratory attenders (22% vs 11%), the number of Māori attenders was 4.4 times greater for community laboratories vs EDs (203,585 vs 46,009). Of community laboratory attenders, 53% (n = 1,013,690) were aged 40-69 years, the age group with the highest HCV prevalence. Among 28,396 ED attenders in the Northern Region, 77% had a blood test at that visit.Discussion: These findings suggest that HCV screening at community laboratories could test more people, including Māori, than screening at EDs. However, the ED setting could capture people who may not engage with other health services, an important group for targeted outreach.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147774658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Improving glycaemic control in primary care for Tongan adults with type 2 diabetes through the use of continuous glucose monitoring and holistic support: a pilot study. 通过使用连续血糖监测和整体支持改善汤加2型糖尿病成人初级保健中的血糖控制：一项试点研究

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-27 DOI: 10.1071/HC25177

Janina'ofa Galewski-Tangataevaha, Hamish Crocket, S 'Apo' Aporosa, Sione Vaka, Seong Hoon Yoon, Lynne Chepulis

{"title":"Improving glycaemic control in primary care for Tongan adults with type 2 diabetes through the use of continuous glucose monitoring and holistic support: a pilot study.","authors":"Janina'ofa Galewski-Tangataevaha, Hamish Crocket, S 'Apo' Aporosa, Sione Vaka, Seong Hoon Yoon, Lynne Chepulis","doi":"10.1071/HC25177","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC25177","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: In Aotearoa New Zealand, Pacific peoples, including Tongans, experience disproportionately higher rates of type 2 diabetes and related complications. There is an urgent need for innovative, culturally appropriate interventions to improve outcomes.Aim: This study aimed to determine the impact of continuous glucose monitoring devices with cultural wrap-around support on medium-term glycaemic control and other type 2 diabetes biomarkers in Tongan adults with high-risk type 2 diabetes.Methods: Twenty-two Tongan adults with HbA1c ≥60 mmol/mol were invited to participate in a 6-month pilot intervention study involving 4 weeks of continuous glucose monitoring wear at baseline and 2 weeks at 3-months, alongside wrap-around care delivered by a Tongan kaiāwhina (support health worker). The primary endpoint was 3-month HbA1c. Clinical (glycated haemoglobin, lipids, estimated glomerular filtration rate, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio) and psychosocial (Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire, measured at baseline and 3 months) outcomes were measured at baseline, 3, and 6 months.Results: Nineteen participants completed the study through to 6 months. Mean HbA1c significantly decreased from 80.2 ± 19.4 mmol/mol at baseline to 68.6 ± 14.2 mmol/mol at 3 months, with reductions maintained at 6 months. No significant changes in lipids or renal function were observed. Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire scores increased from 4.9 ± 0.8 to 6.0 ± 1.0 (P < 0.001).Discussion: Culturally tailored continuous glucose monitoring-based interventions have the potential to support Tongan adults with understanding, optimising, and managing type 2 diabetes.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147774695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Newborn enrolment, engagement, and immunisation in primary care: a qualitative study of healthcare providers' perspectives. 初级保健中的新生儿登记、参与和免疫：医疗保健提供者观点的定性研究。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-23 DOI: 10.1071/HC26025

Amber Young, Christine McIntosh, Felicity Ware, Emma Best, Nikki Turner, Nadia A Charania, Andrew Campbell, Te Atarua Davis, Samantha Marsh

{"title":"Newborn enrolment, engagement, and immunisation in primary care: a qualitative study of healthcare providers' perspectives.","authors":"Amber Young, Christine McIntosh, Felicity Ware, Emma Best, Nikki Turner, Nadia A Charania, Andrew Campbell, Te Atarua Davis, Samantha Marsh","doi":"10.1071/HC26025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC26025","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Childhood immunisation coverage in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) is not meeting recommended targets. Enrolment and engagement with primary care are associated with timely immunisation uptake, yet enrolment and immunisation are inequitable, with Māori and Pacific children less likely to be enrolled and receive their 6-week vaccinations on time.Aim: This study aimed to understand healthcare providers' perceptions of barriers and enablers to primary healthcare enrolment from birth and provide recommendations to support enrolment, engagement, and immunisation, particularly for Māori whānau (families).Methods: This qualitative study, guided by a Kaupapa Māori-aligned methodology, involved interviews and focus groups to explore barriers and enablers to enrolment from the perspective of people working within the NZ healthcare sector (n = 27). Analysis was undertaken using qualitative content analysis.Results: Many participants expressed that the current system was contributing to inequitable enrolment and immunisation of pēpi (infants). Four categories were constructed: health services may not be accessible or practical for whānau; perceived complexity and skill shortages; the need to prioritise communication and engagement; and services must be built on cultural safety and trust.Discussion: Reasons for inadequate enrolment include poorly designed systems, limited resourcing, and inconsistent approaches. Enrolment needs to be simplified, with integrated and automated systems to reduce administrative burden for staff. Flexible whānau-centred practices can help support enrolment, engagement, and immunisation of pēpi.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147774744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Temporary work absence for parental leave: a qualitative study of New Zealand general practitioners' parental leave experiences. 育婴假临时缺勤：新西兰全科医生育婴假经历的定性研究。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-23 DOI: 10.1071/HC26026

Rachel Roskvist, Emily Gill, Jess Ho, Fiona Moir

{"title":"Temporary work absence for parental leave: a qualitative study of New Zealand general practitioners' parental leave experiences.","authors":"Rachel Roskvist, Emily Gill, Jess Ho, Fiona Moir","doi":"10.1071/HC26026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC26026","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) has a significant general practitioner (GP) workforce shortage, which will increase with the large number of GPs retiring shortly. Early and mid-career GPs who will absorb this shortfall are largely women, and many will take a temporary work absence to have children.Aim: This article explores the experiences of GPs in NZ who take a temporary work absence for parental leave, focusing on challenges and facilitators, and how this understanding might inform workforce planning and policy.Methods: A total of 137 participants contributed to an online qualitative survey about their experience of taking and returning from parental leave. Template analysis was used to develop a template and identify themes.Results: Three identified themes encompassed the experience of parental leave, a return to work, and associated consequences. The reality of conflicting obligations and unexpected barriers as a parenting GP was a further integrative theme.Discussion: This first study on GP parental leave in NZ reveals that parenthood influences career decisions, leave factors, and post-leave work patterns. General practice settings offer partial support, but reduced hours and role changes (including a shift towards narrower scope or episodic care) limit career progression and earning potential, disincentivising parenting GPs. With many GPs nearing retirement, the reality of current parental leave policies and general practice models that poorly accommodate GP parents risk exacerbating the primary care workforce crisis.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147774752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Factors influencing needle-length selection for adult deltoid intramuscular vaccination: an online survey of New Zealand vaccinators' practice. 影响成人三角肌注射疫苗针长选择的因素：新西兰疫苗接种员实践的在线调查。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-23 DOI: 10.1071/HC25222

Sally B Rose, Carmen Timu-Parata, George Parker, Ashlea Gillon, Lesley Gray

{"title":"Factors influencing needle-length selection for adult deltoid intramuscular vaccination: an online survey of New Zealand vaccinators' practice.","authors":"Sally B Rose, Carmen Timu-Parata, George Parker, Ashlea Gillon, Lesley Gray","doi":"10.1071/HC25222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC25222","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: Data from Aotearoa-New Zealand's 2021 COVID-19 mass vaccination programme revealed underutilisation of longer 38 mm needles, which are recommended for big-bodied people. This raises health equity concerns because correct needle length is necessary to achieve intramuscular vaccine delivery.Aim: This study aimed to explore vaccinators' awareness and implementation of needle-length guidance, and to identify barriers and enablers to use of long needles for big-bodied people in New Zealand.Method: Between August and October 2025, an anonymous online survey was distributed to vaccinators in New Zealand through professional organisations with links to vaccinator health professionals. Data collection included demographics, education received on needle-length guidance, barriers and enablers to use of 38 mm long needles, and opportunities to support future practice. Data were summarised using descriptive statistics, and comments summarised using a qualitative descriptive approach.Results: Of 196 respondents, 70% were aware of needle-length guidance and 48.5% recalled receipt of specific information or education about using longer needles. In total, 60% had ever used a 38 mm needle, but only 26% had used a longer needle for at least half of those they thought eligible in the past 12 months. Key barriers to long needle use included supply of vaccines with shorter needle lengths attached, information gaps and uncertainty in determining eligibility for a 38 mm long needle. A total of 62% saw a need for strategies to strengthen their implementation of needle-length guidance.Discussion: A range of strategies need to be implemented across multiple levels (from vaccinators through to policy makers) to overcome these barriers and to support safe and effective vaccine delivery to big-bodied people.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147774728","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

'I want to stay connected with everyone; this is important' - a qualitative study of Māori expectations and aspirations for aged residential care. “我想和每个人保持联系；“这很重要”-一项关于Māori老年人住宿护理期望和愿望的定性研究。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-21 DOI: 10.1071/HC25225

Joanna Hikaka, Tuakana August, Nora Parore, Ngaire Kerse

{"title":"'I want to stay connected with everyone; this is important' - a qualitative study of Māori expectations and aspirations for aged residential care.","authors":"Joanna Hikaka, Tuakana August, Nora Parore, Ngaire Kerse","doi":"10.1071/HC25225","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC25225","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: As people age, some require care supports, and transition from home to aged residential care (ARC) is associated with improvement in some measures of physical and psychosocial wellbeing. Yet, Māori experience reduced access to ARC.Aim: To explore Māori experiences and expectations of health and social care within ARC.Methods: We undertook a qualitative study in Hawkes Bay, Aotearoa. We included participants who were Māori with professional or personal/whānau experience of providing care to pakeke and/or kaumātua (older Māori). We interviewed participants one-on-one or in focus groups and analysed data using general inductive thematic analysis informed by kaupapa Māori theory.Results: Thirty-five people participated in 13 focus groups or interviews held from October 2022 to September 2024. We identified three themes: Māori look after our own; expectations of a high-quality clinical care environment; and home environment aspirations.Discussion: Transitions into ARC are shaped by more than clinical need; they reflect cultural expectations, emotional responsibility, financial considerations, and whānau perceptions and experiences relating to the quality and cultural safety of the care environment. ARC needs to provide high-quality clinical and cultural care and support home-like environments to reduce whānau guilt and support successful transitions and living environments for older Māori.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147729304","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Establishing research priorities for rural health in Aotearoa New Zealand - a modified Delphi study. 确定新西兰奥特罗阿农村卫生的研究重点——一项修正的德尔菲研究。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-13 DOI: 10.1071/HC26032

Katharina Blattner, Lynne Clay, Jane George, Jesse Whitehead, Rory Miller

{"title":"Establishing research priorities for rural health in Aotearoa New Zealand - a modified Delphi study.","authors":"Katharina Blattner, Lynne Clay, Jane George, Jesse Whitehead, Rory Miller","doi":"10.1071/HC26032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC26032","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: People in rural Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) face distinct health challenges, including limited access to health care, workforce shortages, and persistent disparities. Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network NZ (HTRHN) is a collective organisation advocating for the health and well-being of rural New Zealanders. HTRHN aims to foster research that improves rural health and reduces inequities.Aim: This study aims to identify the research priorities for rural health in NZ from the perspectives of HTRHN members.Methods: A modified Delphi methodology was used with expert panellists from HTRHN. In Round 1, panellists were asked to list broad research areas and specific research topics. Thematic analysis identified six broad research categories with specific research topics assigned to each. In Rounds 2 and 3, panellists rated the importance of the specific research topics using Likert scales.Results: Round 1 was completed by 30 participants, Round 2 by 21, and Round 3 by 19. There was wide representation from HTRHN's membership. Six broad rural health research areas were identified, and consensus ratings prioritised 14 specific research topics. Top-rated research topics included 'Health of place effect' - how features of a place influence health outcomes; improving rural health data collection and analysis; and rural-focused acute palliative care management.Discussion: The broad rural health research categories identified are consistent with those reported in comparable international contexts. These categories also mirror the 2023 New Zealand Rural Health Strategy. Final prioritised topics create a platform for continued rural health research in NZ, providing guidance for researchers/funders in developing future research projects.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147674519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Consultation circumstances leading to skin cancer detection in Australian general practice. 咨询情况导致皮肤癌检测在澳大利亚的一般做法。

IF 0.9

Journal of primary health care Pub Date : 2026-04-10 DOI: 10.1071/HC26002

Alex Li Majri, Lucy Gilkes, Diane E Arnold-Reed

{"title":"Consultation circumstances leading to skin cancer detection in Australian general practice.","authors":"Alex Li Majri, Lucy Gilkes, Diane E Arnold-Reed","doi":"10.1071/HC26002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/HC26002","url":null,"abstract":"Introduction: General practitioners (GPs) diagnose and manage most skin cancers in Australia, often within time-limited consultations involving multimorbid patients. There is limited evidence describing the consultation circumstances in which skin cancers are detected.Aim: This study aims to describe the most common consultation circumstances associated with skin cancer detection in Australian general practice.Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study across three general practices in Perth, Western Australia. In phase 1, we interviewed eight GPs to identify common consultation circumstances that lead to skin cancer detection and developed descriptive categories. In phase 2, we reviewed medical records of patients who had undergone skin cancer excision in the preceding 12 months, identified using Medicare item numbers. Consultation notes from the visit in which the lesion was identified were reviewed and classified using the phase 1 categories. We also recorded the number of problems managed per consultation.Results: We reviewed 103 patient records from 210 eligible records. Most patients were aged over 60 years, and 73% had a documented history of skin cancer. Skin cancers were most commonly detected during multi-issue consultations addressing other health concerns (74.8%). Detection also occurred during general skin checks (21.4%), presentations for a single lesion (15.5%), and incidental findings during unrelated consultations (10.7%). GPs managed a mean of 2.90 problems per consultation. Percentages exceed 100% because more than one consultation category could apply to a single consultation.Discussion: Skin cancer detection commonly occurs within complex consultations addressing multiple competing health issues, supporting opportunistic assessment and risk-based follow-up in general practice.","PeriodicalId":16855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of primary health care","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147645845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0