BMC primary care最新文献

{"title":"Role of regular medical visits in mitigating increased suicide risk during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Kobe, Japan.","authors":"Daisuke Miyamori, Yasushi Nagasaki, Shuhei Yoshida, Saori Kashima, Wataru Omori, Kei Itagaki, Masanori Ito","doi":"10.1186/s12875-025-02707-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-025-02707-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Japan has one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates, while the annual suicide rate in 2020 has risen for the first time since 2007. This study aimed to identify high-risk populations and assess the impact of medical visits on suicide trends post-COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This quasi-experimental study analyzed a population-based database from Hyogo Prefecture (2012-2022). Interrupted time-series analyses identified level and trend changes in monthly suicide rates per 1 million population during the exposure period (2020-2022) versus the control period (2012-2019). Regular visits to primary care and psychiatry stratified analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>2181 cases were analyzed, with two-thirds male and a median age of 54. Primary care physicians and psychiatric history were present in 69% and 40% of patients. The study found significant level changes in suicide rates overall (4.14, 95% CI: 1.70, 6.58) among individuals without regular primary care physician visits (2.83, 95% CI: 1.35, 4.32) and without psychiatric visits (2.85, 95% CI: 0.56, 5.14). In contrast, no significant changes were observed in individuals with regular primary care (0.99, 95% CI: -0.78, 2.76) or regular psychiatric visits (0.59, 95% CI: -0.98, 2.16). The trend changes were not significant in any of the groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggests that a history of attending a medical institution may have prevented the rapid increase in suicides during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11756082/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143030345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the general practitioners' perception of the inter-professional care of rheumatoid arthritis patients (GEPRA-II): a qualitative interview study.","authors":"Anne-Laure Yailian, Audrey Janoly-Dumenil, Emmanuelle Vignot, Aurélie Fontana, Charline Estublier, Cyrille Confavreux, Roland Chapurlat, Claude Dussart, Humbert de Freminville","doi":"10.1186/s12875-025-02713-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-025-02713-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>A lack of medication adherence among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been reported. Inter-professional collaborations seem essential for an optimal therapeutic management of patients. The aim of this study was to analyse the barriers and facilitators of general practitioners (GPs) for the implementation of collaborative support programmes in RA.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative semi-structured study using face-to-face or telephone interviews was conducted. Eligible participants included French GPs referring patients with RA. Interviews were audio-recorded and then transcribed. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework with Nvivo^®12 software.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nineteen GPs were interviewed between August 2019 and February 2020. Five themes were identified in the care of their patients with RA. GPs reported being mainly involved in diagnosis and orientation, and frequently asked for pain management and explanation/reformulation of previously given information. They perceived their patients to be adherent to their treatments, although they frequently identified reasons for non-adherence. Regarding their perception of the community-hospital relationship, they sometimes considered it insufficient and expected more immediate interactions. Additionally, most interviewed GPs had no expectation regarding increased collaborations with community pharmacists (CPs) and several GPs were motivated to be more involved in a patient support programme. However, barriers were identified: lack of time and training, and insufficient payment.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The implementation of a collaborative patient support programme in RA should be developed taking into account the barriers and facilitators identified by GPs who appeared to be aware of the causes of potential non-adherence, and were particularly interested in receiving more information about the therapeutic monitoring of patients by hospital professionals.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11752799/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143026071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of musculoskeletal complaints, treatment approaches, and patient perceptions in family medicine clinics in a tertiary center in Jordan: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Moh'd S Dawod, Mohammad N Alswerki, Ahmad F Alelaumi, Jehad Feras AlSamhori, Rana J Rahhal, Lina Khraisat, Eman Mohammad Arabas, Hussein M Bdair, Reem M Alhyari, Mohammad Shahin, Mohammad Abu Hilal, Alaa Y Akel, Aws Khanfar","doi":"10.1186/s12875-025-02715-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-025-02715-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, such as back pain and joint disorders, are common globally and significantly burden healthcare systems. Family medicine clinics serve as the first point of care, requiring providers to manage diverse MSK issues and address gender-specific differences, especially in regions with limited resources, like the Middle East. This study evaluates MSK management, gender differences, and patient perceptions in Jordanian family medicine clinics, aiming to improve care strategies and outcomes in similar settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional study included 500 adults with musculoskeletal complaints at a Jordanian teaching hospital (January-June 2024). Data were collected via interviews and records, focusing on patient perceptions and health profiles. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained. Analysis was conducted in SPSS with p < 0.05 as the significance threshold.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In our study of 500 patients (mean age 46.1 years, 61.5% female), key gender differences emerged. Females had a higher prevalence of low back pain (61.9% vs. 38.1%, p = 0.024) and hip pain (100%, p = 0.008), as well as greater anxiety about disease progression (62.2% vs. 37.8%, p = 0.045) and fear of disability (64.2% vs. 35.8%, p = 0.048). Females also reported lower mental health (p = 0.036), sleep quality (p = 0.044), and overall quality of life (p = 0.019). In contrast, males showed higher workload (54.4% vs. 45.6%, p = 0.020), more work-related injuries (82.8%, p < 0.001), and greater disability (p = 0.024) with lower functional status (p = 0.041). These findings underscore significant gender-specific needs in MSK care.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study reveals notable gender-based differences in musculoskeletal complaints and treatment experiences in a Jordanian tertiary setting. Females reported higher rates of low back and hip pain, more frequent referrals, and lower quality of life, while males experienced greater occupational strain, work-related injuries, and disability.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11748281/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143017278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Communicating certainty via verbal probability phrases: comparing health contexts with no context.","authors":"Yiyun Shou, Lok Him Lee, Joey Elizabeth Yeo, Michael Smithson","doi":"10.1186/s12875-024-02687-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02687-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Medical professionals often use verbal phrases to communicate uncertainties and certainties with their patients and the general public.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to investigate factors that can influence people's interpretation of probability phrases of certainty and uncertainty communicated by doctors in health and medical settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An experimental study with a randomized factorial design was conducted to examine both context-related factors and individual difference factors on participants' interpretation across directions of phrases and frames of the context.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Context significantly influenced participants' interpretation of probability phrases regardless of their level of certainty. Participants' self-reported prior beliefs were the main driver of this context effect. When participants were in a state of uncertainty, their reliance on experts significantly reduced the prior beliefs' effect. Finally, refuting probability phrases might provide more reassurance than affirming phrases.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>People may perceive the outcomes communicated by doctors differently from what the doctors intend to convey, depending on their prior beliefs, reliance on doctors and the direction of phrases. When communicating uncertainties and certainties with patients and general public, it is important for medical professionals to understand audience's prior experiences, and to foster medical trust and audience's reliance on medical professionals to reduce bias in clinical risk communication.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11745002/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143017275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating assumptions in motivational interviewing among general practitioners: a qualitative study.","authors":"Paul Aujoulat, Amélie Manac'h, Catherine Le Reste, Delphine Le Goff, Jean Yves Le Reste, Marie Barais","doi":"10.1186/s12875-025-02706-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02706-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Unhealthy behaviours contributing to cardiovascular issues, diabetes, strokes, and cancer, pose significant health risks. General practitioners (GPs) are pivotal in guiding behaviour change, with Motivational Interviewing (MI) showing promise. MI, developed by William Miller and Stephen Rollnick, aims to enhance motivation for change. Despite its efficacy in areas like smoking cessation and weight loss, its uptake among French GPs remains uncertain.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This qualitative study was to explore GPs' understanding of MI, its perceived benefits and the obstacles to its implementation in western Brittany (Finistère). Semi-structured interviews, conducted by two female trainees, explored MI knowledge, benefits, and barriers with a thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between November 2020 and May 2021, 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs. Participants had a limited understanding of MI, often confusing it with persuasion. MI was seen as a patient-centered tool fostering behavioural change, with reported benefits in cancer screening, chronic disease management, and vaccination. However, barriers such as time constraints, limited training availability, and systemic issues hinder its adoption. Participants emphasized MI's utility for challenging cases but noted it was unnecessary for engaged patients. MI could also enhance doctor-patient relationships and physician satisfaction. Overcoming barriers requires addressing logistical issues, integrating MI into training, and promoting its long-term efficiency to improve healthcare outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study highlighted GPs' limited knowledge of MI but recognized its value in promoting patient-centered care and behaviour change. GPs identified its potential in areas like cancer screening, chronic disease management, and vaccine hesitancy while noting barriers such as time constraints and insufficient training. Addressing these challenges through better integration into training and practice could enhance patient outcomes and provider satisfaction. Focused efforts are needed to translate MI's potential into routine clinical use.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11744887/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143017292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with delayed referrals of patients with sepsis from primary to tertiary healthcare in Blantyre, Malawi: a qualitative study.","authors":"Sylvester Kaimba, Eric Umar","doi":"10.1186/s12875-025-02708-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-025-02708-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Sepsis is defined as invasion of pathogens into the blood stream together with the host response to this invasion. Thus, sepsis consists of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)caused by infection. It is a life-threatening condition that requires prompt detection and early definitive medical intervention. Globally, sepsis is common, with an estimated 31.5 million cases per year. Sepsis accounts for a significant in-hospital mortality rate of 17% in high-income countries, while in Malawi, it ranges from 17 to 50%. For Malawi, the trend can be reversed with improvements in patient referral system within the healthcare system. The study sets out to establish factors associate with delay referral of patients with sepsis from primary healthcare to tertiary hospitals and to understand healthcare workers and patients' perspectives on barriers associated with delayed referral of patients with sepsis from primary to tertiary healthcare.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative descriptive study in six health centres within Blantyre District health office. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 respondents: healthcare providers [n = 12]; patients [n = 10] using semi-structured interview guides. Purposive sampling techniques were used in selecting healthcare providers (health centre in charges) and patients.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study demonstrating that the main referral pathways for patients with sepsis include community-to-facility and facility-to-facility referrals. Ambulances and personal transport are common transportation mode used during referrals. Primary care facilities face several challenges that delay referrals from primary to tertiary health facility of patients with sepsis, such as lack of referral transport, poor communication, poor road network, shortage of skilled healthcare workers, patient preferences, delayed treatment-seeking action, and ambulances prioritising maternal conditions.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patients' delay and failure to access prompt and timely referral services result from the healthcare system's lack of transport, communication problems, bad road networks and shortage of well-trained personnel. Referral delays have deleterious effects on patient-care outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11742747/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143017281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patient perspectives on stress after ICU and a short primary care based psychological intervention - results from a qualitative sub‑study of the PICTURE trial.","authors":"Antina Beutel, Linda Sanftenberg, Chris M Friemel, Robert Philipp Kosilek, Maggie Schauer, Thomas Elbert, Ulf-Dietrich Reips, Tomke Schubert, Sabine Gehrke-Beck, Konrad Schmidt, Jochen Gensichen","doi":"10.1186/s12875-024-02698-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02698-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Approximately 20-25% of patients who survive medical treatment at an intensive care unit (ICU) develop post-traumatic stress symptoms. There is currently a gap in follow-up care for them. As part of the PICTURE study, general practitioners (GPs) carried out a brief interview-based intervention. The aim of this sub-study is to record the most distressing memories of ICU treatment from the patient's perspective and their evaluation of a GP-based brief psychological intervention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Participants were recruited from the intervention group of the main PICTURE study using selective sampling. All of them had experienced an ICU stay with mechanical ventilation and severe organ failure in the previous two years. They were interviewed about their experience of psychological stress during their ICU stay and their retrospective evaluation of the intervention. Semi-structured, guideline-based telephone interviews were conducted for this purpose, processed, and analyzed using the structuring qualitative content analysis based on Mayring.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>When asked N = 8 patients about the most stressful memory of their stay at ICU, the main themes were helplessness, pain, fixation, inability to communicate and sleep disturbances. The question of amnesia regarding the stay in the ICU was answered affirmatively by half of the interviewees but was not experienced as stressful. The brief trauma-focused intervention carried out by their GPs was well received by all respondents.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The interviewees confirm that aversive traumatizing experiences are often associated with intensive care treatment and reinforce each other. These are due to the treatment setting but should be reduced wherever possible. In view of chronification and the lack of specific follow-up treatment options for these patients and the long waiting times for psychotherapy, the implementation of low-threshold treatment options by GPs appears to be ideally suited to closing this gap in care, particularly for patients with mild to moderate symptoms of a post-traumatic stress disorder.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>The main trial was registered at ClinTrials gov (NCT03315390) and at the German Register of Clinical Trials (DRKS, DRKS00012589) on 17/10/2017.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11734548/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143017296","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physicians' and patients' perceived risks of chronic pain medication and co-medications in Quebec, Canada: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Gwenaëlle De Clifford-Faugère, Anaïs Lacasse, Hermine Lore Nguena Nguefack, Marimée Godbout-Parent, Aline Boulanger, Nancy Julien","doi":"10.1186/s12875-025-02704-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-025-02704-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The risks associated with medications and co-medications for chronic pain (CP) can influence a physician's choice of drugs and dosages, as well as a patient's adherence to the medication. High-quality care requires patients to participate in medication decisions. This study aimed to compare perceived risks of medications and co-medications between physicians and persons living with CP.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional survey conducted in Quebec, Canada, included 83 physicians (snowball sampling) and 141 persons living with CP (convenience sampling). Perceived risks of adverse drug reaction of pain medications and co-medications were assessed using 0-10 numerical scales (0 = no risk, 10 = very high risk). An arbitrary cutoff point of 2-points was used to ease the interpretation of our data. Physicians scored the 36 medication subclasses of the Medication Quantification Scale 4.0 (MQS 4.0) through an online survey, while CP patients scored the medication subclasses they had taken in the last three months through telephone interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Persons living with CP consistently perceived lower risks of adverse drug reaction compared to physicians. For eight subclasses, the difference in the mean perceived risk score was > 2 points and statistically significant (p < 0.05): non-specific oral NSAIDs, acetaminophen in combination with an opioid, short-acting opioids, long-acting opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and medical cannabis.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Divergent risk perceptions between physicians and patients underscore the necessity of facilitating a more extensive discussion on medications and co-medications risks to empower patients to make informed decisions and participate in shared decision-making regarding their treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11730153/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virtual primary care for people living with dementia in Canada: cross-sectional surveys of patients, care partners, and family physicians.","authors":"Vladimir Khanassov, Deniz Cetin-Sahin, Sid Feldman, Saskia Sivananthan, Allan Grill, Isabelle Vedel","doi":"10.1186/s12875-025-02710-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-025-02710-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Virtual care (VC) for dementia in primary care settings is an important aspect of healthcare delivery in Canada. However, the evidence informing optimal and sustainable provision of VC for persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their care partners is scarce. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the frequency of VC use, (2) identify characteristics of PLWD, care partners, and family physicians (FPs) that are associated with the use of VC, and (3) explore FPs' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to provide VC for PLWD and their care partners.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Alzheimer Society of Canada and College of Family Physicians of Canada conducted three nationwide cross-sectional surveys between October 2020 and April 2021: (1) One with PLWD, (2) one with care partners of PLWD, and (3) one with FPs. Virtual care was defined as two-way synchronous communication by telephone and/or a web camera. The prevalence of VC use among FPs, PLWD, and care partners was described. Logistic regression models were used to determine characteristics of participants (sociodemographic, urbanicity, frequency and availability of support for connecting with FPs, and FPs' practice characteristics) associated with any VC use (phone and/or video). Inductive thematic analysis of open-ended questions explored FPs' perceptions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>131 PLWD, 341 care partners, and 125 FPs participated. 61.2% of PLWD, 59.5% of care partners, and 77.4% of FPs reported using VC. The models for PLWD (included age and ethnicity) and care partners (included gender/sex, urbanicity, and receiving support from a family member/friend to connect with FP) were inconclusive. FPs with > 20 years in practice were less likely to provide VC (OR = 0.23, 95%CI: 0.08-0.62, p < 0.01). FPs perceived that preferences regarding virtual vs. in-person care, office/family support, technology and family presence, and remuneration for FPs influenced VC use.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Virtual primary dementia care uptake in Canada is substantial and mainly performed via telephone. According to FPs, physician-patient-caregiver partnerships and infrastructure for VC play key roles in using VC. Virtual care could facilitate access to primary care and minimize potential disruptions to in-person care for PLWD. Outcomes of virtual primary care for dementia need further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11731411/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social issues in general practice - a survey assessing the interprofessional perspective of general practitioners and social workers regarding frequency, challenges, and needs.","authors":"Tonia Gerber, Laura Diaz Hernandez, René Rüegg, Dunja Vetter, Andreas Zeller","doi":"10.1186/s12875-024-02702-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12875-024-02702-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Health or illness and social issues cannot be viewed in isolation. Social problems can influence well-being and disease. General Practitioners (GPs) are requested to offer counselling opportunities to respond to the social issues of their patients adequately. Counselling on non-medical issues in general practice increases GPs' workload. The study aimed to analyse the occurrence of social problems as well as the strengths and weaknesses of existing working agreements between social services and GPs in primary care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We carried out a cross-sectional online survey between December 2022 and January 2023 among a sample of Swiss GPs from the Sentinella-Network, the uniham-bb-Network and social workers from the SAGES-Network.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings come from a sample of 143 GPs (mean age 54 years, 37.8% female) and 41 social workers (mean age 43 years, 75.6% female). GPs face a median of 3 patients with social problems per week (IQR 5.2). They reported encountering patients facing \"Finance\" issues most frequently, with 78.8% encountering such cases between \"more than 3 patients per week\" and \"1-3 patients per month\". \"Work\" (76.4%) and \"Loneliness\" (73.7%) were also among the most commonly encountered social problems. When suspecting the problem, GPs more often addressed the issue if it was about \"Addiction\" (83.2%), \"Loneliness\" (72.3%), or \"Protection\" (71.4%). More than half of GPs (56.0%) reported having contact with social workers less than once a month, while approximately half of the social workers reported having contact with GPs 1 to 3 times a month (48.7%). GPs (69.3%) and social workers (76.3%) would like more contact. The most frequently mentioned benefits of an increased collaboration from the GPs' perspective were \"improved quality of care (more time for medical issues)\" (64.8%) and \"improved mental health of patients\" (55.6%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Social problems in general practice are common, but the interprofessional cooperation between GPs and social workers is scarce. However, both parties appear to be in favour of closer interprofessional collaboration and seem to be willing to attempt to improve joint patient care in the future. The integration of social workers into general practice is promising for a comprehensive, interprofessional, and preventative patient approach to providing the best healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":72428,"journal":{"name":"BMC primary care","volume":"26 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11731376/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}