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This study examines how intellectual disability nurses employed in residential living services for persons with intellectual disabilities, in Norway, deal with medication management for these individuals. Using a qualitative study, a total of 18 intellectual disability nurses were interviewed as part of four focus groups. The results demonstrate six main challenges: First, Being alone with the responsibility of medication management - a challenge; Second, The need for further competence development; Third, Teaching and supervising unskilled colleagues in safe medication management; Fourth, Interpreting residents with little or only nonverbal communication; Fifth, The need to act as advocates when residents require hospitalization; Sixth, Deficient systems for medication management on several levels. The findings point to several major flaws in the system of medication management, which necessitates the need for highly qualified intellectual disability nurses. Managers must ensure that there is a secure system to mitigate errors and promote patient safety.

Background: More than 20 million children in the United States lack access to primary health care. Practice Learning: Research shows that students with regular access to physical and mental health services have fewer absences, are more social, less likely to participate in risky behaviors, have improved focus and higher test scores. Implication For School Health Policy, Practice, And Equity: School-based health centers (SBHCs) can be an important, valuable and viable health care delivery option to meet the full-range of primary health care needs of students where they spend the majority of their wake hours, ie, in school. Children in rural and other underserved communities, as well as those underinsured, non-insured, economically challenged, underserved, and the most vulnerable among us are especially at risk. Conclusions: This paper discusses the history, value, and importance of SBHCs from myriad perspectives, including physical and emotional wellbeing, academic and social success, and the promotion of a positive transition to adulthood. In addition, the authors' experiences that resulted in building the first SBHC in the Mid-Hudson Valley Region of New York State are shared. These experiences form the foundation for creating an important roadmap for individuals and school leaders that are interested in bringing a SBHC to their school and district.

Background: Understanding patients' experiences accessing primary health care (PHC) is necessary to improve service organisation. This study aims to examine individual, organisational, and contextual factors associated with patients' experience of accessing the multidisciplinary PHC clinic to which they are attached., Methods: This cross-sectional study builds on survey data collected in multidisciplinary PHC clinics located in 14 regions in the province of Quebec (Canada). Between September 2022 and June 2023, an online questionnaire was sent to patients with an email contact and attached to a family physician. Two patient-reported experience measures were assessed: (1) difficulty obtaining an appointment with their regular family physician or nurse practitioner and (2) perceived unmet healthcare needs. A self-reported online questionnaire based on the advanced access model was also sent to PHC professionals and administrative staff to assess the use of advanced access strategies in their practice. Multilevel logistic regression models were fit. Stratified analyses were conducted according to the number of consultations received., Findings: In total, 122,397 patients and 847 family physicians, 97 nurse practitioners and 347 administrative staff nested into 104 clinics answered the survey. In the overall sample, having a chronic disorder was the only individual factor associated with the patient experience of access. Organizational factors including estimation of demand and supply, use of a referral algorithm, and strategies to optimise consultations were associated with a better access experience. Patients from medium size clinics compared to small clinics had better experiences of care for both outcomes. Stratified analysis indicated similar results for patients who consulted at the clinic 1-5 times in the last 12 months as observed in the overall sample., Conclusions: This study indicates that enhancing organizational processes can improve patients' access experiences., (© 2024 The Author(s). The International Journal of Health Planning and Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The Australian Government began implementing Medicare policies in the late 1990s aiming to improve Indigenous Peoples' access to the primary care. No aggregate central list of what policies have been implemented exists. The aim of this review was twofold: first to perform a scoping review to identify any literature mentioning a policy implemented between 1996 and 2023 regarding Indigenous Peoples' access to Medicare or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for primary care, and secondly to synthesise and describe any policies to enable learning from past successes and failures., Methods: Scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR process. Seven electronic databases were searched for any papers identifying any policy implemented between 1996-2023 to improve Indigenous Peoples' access to primary care. This was supplemented with searches in Google, key government databases, hand searching and expert input., Results: Sixteen policies were implemented and organised into six categories according to the primary care barrier they targeted: Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) funding structure; lack of Indignenous-appropriate MBS items; Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) access barriers; inappropriate care from mainstream general practitioners; bureaucratic impediments to MBS and PBS access; and data gaps., Discussion/conclusion: This is the first synthesis of Medicare and PBS policy history to improve Indigenous Peoples' access to primary health care, and provides a platform for future analysis. Identifying the names of relevant policies in any area is key to accountability and reliance on individual expertise is no substitute for transparent and durable policy record-keeping. A searchable long-term policy repository should be established to ensure that related policies can be identified, and that key policy documentation is publicly available in perpetuity., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: China is transforming its hospital-centric service delivery system into a people-centered integrated care model, with service delivery organized around the health needs and expectations of people., Objective: To guide reforms and align with public expectations, this study profiles successful integration in primary health care from the public perspective., Methods: Guided by the rainbow model of integrated care, semi-structured interviews were conducted in six provinces in China. A total of 58 interviewees completed the interviews. Tape-based analysis was used to produce narrative summaries. Researchers listened to the recordings and summarized by 30-s segments. Thematic analysis was performed on summaries to identify thematic families., Results: Five themes and 16 sub-themes were generated. Respondents' expectations were primarily on three themes: clinical integration (such as interaction between professional and client, continuity, and empowering and engaging individuals), functional integration (such as resources management, quality improvement, and reforming payment systems), and system integration (such as institutional distribution and supervision). Yet a few interviewees mentioned professional integration (multi-disciplinary collaboration) and organizational integration (inter-organizational strategy)., Conclusions: Qualitative data were used to reveal public perceptions of successful primary health care integration. Service processes, institutional distribution, regulation, resource management, and quality improvement are more visible to the public and will be priorities for future efforts. Whereas inter-organizational strategies and multi-disciplinary collaboration have been shown to facilitate service improvements. Future efforts could consider how policy efforts can be grounded in visible service delivery through management practices.

Background: In Aotearoa New Zealand, co-payments to see a general practitioner (GP, family doctor) or collect a prescription are payable by virtually all adults., Objective: To examine the extent to which these user co-payments are a barrier to accessing health care, focussing on inequities for indigenous Māori., Methods: Pooled data from sequential waves (years) of the New Zealand Health Survey, 2011/12 to 2018/19 were analysed. Outcomes were self-reported cost barriers to seeing a GP or collecting a prescription in the previous year. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of barriers to care for Māori compared with non-Māori, sequentially adjusting for additional explanatory variables., Results: Pooled data included 107,231 people, 22,292 (21%) were Māori. Across all years, 22% of Māori (13% non-Māori) experienced a cost barrier to seeing a GP, and 14% of Māori (5% non-Māori) reported a cost barrier to collecting a prescription. The age- and wave-adjusted OR comparing Māori/non-Māori was 1.71 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.61, 1.81) for the cost barrier to primary care and 2.97 (95% CI: 2.75, 3.20) for the cost barrier to collecting prescriptions. Sociodemographics accounted for about half the inequity for both outcomes; in a fully adjusted model, age, sex, low income, and poorer underlying health were determinants of both outcomes, and deprivation was additionally associated with the cost barrier to collecting a prescription but not to seeing a GP., Conclusions: Māori experience considerable inequity in access to primary health care; evidence supports an urgent need for change to system funding to eliminate financial barriers to care., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Background: The COVID-19 vaccination campaign in several European countries involved collaboration between public health and Primary Health Care (PHC)., Objective: To highlight the role of PHC professionals in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, specifically in terms of vaccine administration, communication and contributing to vaccination population coverage., Methods: A descriptive retrospective study of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign across 28 European countries was conducted, covering data from December 2020 to November 2021. Data were collected by key informants recruited from each country, who were health professionals involved in their national vaccination campaigns. Utilising an ad-hoc semi-structured questionnaire, information was gathered on organisation, communication strategies, priority groups, vaccine types, and vaccination pathways in PHC., Results: PHC participated in communication strategies in 10 out of 28 countries, and vaccination was voluntary in most of them. The priority groups for vaccination varied across Europe, and the availability of vaccines in PHC differed between countries within the European Union (EU) and non-EU countries. The BioNTech Pfizer vaccine was the most widely available vaccine in most countries, followed by Moderna and AstraZeneca. PHC administered COVID-19 vaccines to the population, being the nurses the most involved, followed by general practitioners. Vaccination appointments were available online in 18/28 or by phone in 15/28, direct appointments at health centres were available in 8/28. In several countries, healthcare professionals who administered vaccines were given extra compensation for their role., Conclusion: PHC professionals played a crucial role in the successful distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines in European countries.

Growing commodification of health care has resulted in a system that is impersonal, fragmented, and inequitable. A potential antidote to this poisonous situation is to understand and treat primary health care as a common good. Common goods are resources supported as essential to the wellbeing of all. They can be actualized through a Collective Impact approach of a developing a common agenda, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and backbone support organizations. Investing in primary health care as a common good, with investments in primary medical care spending, support, and workforce development, complemented by integrated support of public health and social drivers of health, can launch a transitional period that moves US health care toward greater accessibility, effectiveness, equity, and sustainability., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: None., (© Copyright 2024 by the American Board of Family Medicine.)

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) predictive models in primary health care have the potential to enhance population health by rapidly and accurately identifying individuals who should receive care and health services. However, these models also carry the risk of perpetuating or amplifying existing biases toward diverse groups. We identified a gap in the current understanding of strategies used to assess and mitigate bias in primary health care algorithms related to individuals' personal or protected attributes., Objective: This study aimed to describe the attempts, strategies, and methods used to mitigate bias in AI models within primary health care, to identify the diverse groups or protected attributes considered, and to evaluate the results of these approaches on both bias reduction and AI model performance., Methods: We conducted a scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines, searching Medline (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), PsycINFO (Ovid), and Web of Science databases for studies published between January 1, 2017, and November 15, 2022. Pairs of reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, applied selection criteria, and performed full-text screening. Discrepancies regarding study inclusion were resolved by consensus. Following reporting standards for AI in health care, we extracted data on study objectives, model features, targeted diverse groups, mitigation strategies used, and results. Using the mixed methods appraisal tool, we appraised the quality of the studies., Results: After removing 585 duplicates, we screened 1018 titles and abstracts. From the remaining 189 full-text articles, we included 17 studies. The most frequently investigated protected attributes were race (or ethnicity), examined in 12 of the 17 studies, and sex (often identified as gender), typically classified as "male versus female" in 10 of the studies. We categorized bias mitigation approaches into four clusters: (1) modifying existing AI models or datasets, (2) sourcing data from electronic health records, (3) developing tools with a "human-in-the-loop" approach, and (4) identifying ethical principles for informed decision-making. Algorithmic preprocessing methods, such as relabeling and reweighing data, along with natural language processing techniques that extract data from unstructured notes, showed the greatest potential for bias mitigation. Other methods aimed at enhancing model fairness included group recalibration and the application of the equalized odds metric. However, these approaches sometimes exacerbated prediction errors across groups or led to overall model miscalibrations., Conclusions: The results suggest that biases toward diverse groups are more easily mitigated when data are open-sourced, multiple stakeholders are engaged, and during the algorithm's preprocessing stage. Further empirical studies that include a broader range of groups, such as Indigenous peoples in Canada, are needed to validate and expand upon these findings., Trial Registration: OSF Registry osf.io/9ngz5/; https://osf.io/9ngz5/., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): RR2-10.2196/46684., (©Maxime Sasseville, Steven Ouellet, Caroline Rhéaume, Malek Sahlia, Vincent Couture, Philippe Després, Jean-Sébastien Paquette, David Darmon, Frédéric Bergeron, Marie-Pierre Gagnon. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 07.01.2025.)

This commentary examines the resilience of primary health care in Ukraine amidst the ongoing war, drawing a few reflections relevant for other fragile and conflict-affected situations. Using personal observations and various published and unpublished reports, this article outlines five reflections on the strengths, challenges, and necessary adaptations of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Ukraine. It underscores the concerted efforts of the government to maintain public financing of PHC, thereby averting system collapse. The research also highlights the role of strategic adaptations during the COVID-19 pandemic in fostering resilience during the war, including the widespread use of digital communication and skills training. The commentary emphasizes the role of managerial and financial autonomy in facilitating quick and efficient organizational response to crisis. It also recognizes emerging challenges, including better access to PHC services among the internally displaced persons, shifting patient profiles and service needs, and challenges related to reliance on local government financing. Finally, the authors advocate for a coordinated approach in humanitarian response, recovery efforts, and development programs to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of PHC in Ukraine.

Background: Participation and inclusion of service users in health governance impact the quality of care and citizen well-being. In developing countries, such as Kosovo, disadvantaged groups are particularly important due to deep exclusionary structures and multiple systemic barriers to participation and care provision., Purpose: To investigate the effects of three interventions on social participation in decision-making in several primary healthcare sites among the population and particularly vulnerable groups, i.e. ethnic minorities of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian backgrounds, elderly citizens, and people with disabilities., Methods: This study uses the consolidated framework of social participation and adapts it to Kosovo's primary healthcare context. We analysed the degrees of inclusiveness, intensity, and influence across three interventions, i.e., social participation mechanisms implemented in four municipalities and related primary care networks in Kosovo. We applied an embedded multiple-case study design relying on qualitative data collection., Results: Degrees of social participation within each case study ranged from low to moderate. Patient councils serve as representative mechanisms to consider patient complaints with an informative and liaising role. The community scorecard mechanism involves community representatives in decision-making processes, with varying levels of inclusiveness and participation intensity, effectively voicing their preferences and demands. The municipal health action plans process exhibits varying inclusiveness levels where community representatives wield decision-making influence., Conclusion: The participation mechanisms examined in this study could sustain moderate social participation across inclusiveness, intensity, influence and impact domains. These shared platforms between service users and providers produce the most meaningful influence. The use of these mechanisms has a promise of increasing social participation in primary care settings in Kosovo., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was granted ethical approval by the Medical Chamber in Kosovo (Ref. No. 43/2023]. The study adhered to principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, and the Law Nr. 04/L-135 on Scientific Research Activities in Kosova. Informed consent to participate was obtained from all participants prior to their involvement in the research. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The maternity continuum of care plays a vital role in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, its uptake remains low in Ethiopia, highlighting the need to identify challenges within the primary health care system to inform practice. Hence, this study aimed to explore the challenges of the maternity continuum of care within the primary health care system in northwest Ethiopia., Methods: An interpretive description approach was employed from March 3, 2022, to November 27, 2022, within the primary health care system in northwest Ethiopia. Maximum variation sampling was utilized, comprising 28 in-depth interviews, three focus group discussions with 29 participants, and four key informant interviews. The reflexive thematic analysis method was applied, and the results were mapped onto the constructs of the socio-ecological model., Results: The analysis identified four main themes: low maternity healthcare-seeking behavior (intrapersonal level), lack of peer and family support (interpersonal level), cultural influences on maternity care and low community responsiveness (community level), and inadequate health system readiness and response (health facility/system level). Some of the sub-themes include low health literacy and self-efficacy and misconceptions regarding maternity care at the intrapersonal level; peer and family pressure against seeking maternity care, low autonomy, and intimate partner violence at the interpersonal level; cultural influences on pregnancy disclosure and postnatal care and low social accountability at the community level; and delays in accessing ambulance services, long waiting times for maternity care, shortages of essential healthcare supplies, poor coordination of care, inadequate monitoring and evaluation, disrespectful maternity care, and dissatisfaction among healthcare workers at the health facility/system level., Conclusion: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and health facility- and system-level challenges have influenced the maternity continuum of care within the primary health care in northwest Ethiopia. Since these challenges are interdependent, considering a holistic approach within primary health care could lead to an improved maternity continuum of care., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Mihret, Alemu, Beshah, Gezie, Erlandsson and Lindgren.)

Objective: To identify the scientific evidence on the performance of PHC, based on the presence and extent of its attributes, in the view of nurses and physicians., Method: Scoping review according to the recommendations of the Joanna Brigss Institute, carried out between January 2023 on eight databases, and updated in December 2023. The keywords "primary health care assessment" and "quality of primary health care" were used. Articles in any language were included, which used the PCATool-Brazil instrument, professional version, with a population of nurses and physicians., Results: Nineteen studies were included, published between 2012 and 2022, in nine Brazilian states. The overall average of PHC performance ranged from 6.5 to 8.2 and only two of the total indicated low performance of PHC services. Regarding the attributes, accessibility showed the worst performance and family orientation the best in all the studies. Specialization and statutory employment were predominantly frequent as associated factors., Conclusion: The results show that access to health services still needs to be strengthened and/or expanded and that, on the other hand, factors such as training and worker attachment strengthen PHC performance.

Background: Digitalization has profoundly transformed health care delivery, especially within primary health care, as a crucial avenue for providing accessible, cost-effective care. While eHealth services are frequently highlighted for improving health care availability and promoting equality, it is essential to recognize that digitalization can inadvertently exclude individuals who lack the prerequisites to use eHealth services, that is, those with low eHealth literacy. Previous research has identified lower eHealth literacy among older individuals, those with lower educational levels, and those who use the internet less frequently. However, in a Swedish context, only a few studies have investigated eHealth literacy., Objective: This study investigated eHealth literacy and its association with health-related internet use and sociodemographic characteristics among primary health care visitors., Methods: This cross-sectional study used a quantitative, descriptive approach. Swedish-speaking patients visiting a primary health care center participated by answering the multidimensional eHealth Literacy Questionnaire (eHLQ) and questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics and internet usage. The study compared mean scores using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. A logistic regression analysis also explored the associations between eHealth literacy and significant independent variables identified in the univariate analyses., Results: As a group, the 172 participants rated highest in understanding and engagement with their health (median eHLQ score 3, IQR 2.8-3.4), as well as in feeling secure about the confidentiality of eHealth services (median eHLQ score 3, IQR 2-3), while they rated lower in motivation to use eHealth (median eHLQ score 2.6, IQR 2-3), the suitability of eHealth services to their personal needs (median eHLQ score 2.75, IQR 2-3), and their perceived ability to understand and use health-related internet information (median eHLQ score 2.6, IQR 2-3). The logistic regression analysis identified that lower eHealth literacy was associated with older age, particularly in domains related to finding, understanding, and using health-related internet information (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% CI 1-1.05; P=.03); digital technology use (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02-1.08; P<.001); and accessing well-functioning eHealth services (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1-1.05; P=.03). Additionally, in the logistic regression analysis, perceiving health-related internet information as not useful was linked to lower literacy in all eHLQ domains except one., Conclusions: Our findings regarding the primary challenges within our sample underscore the importance of developing and tailoring eHealth services to accommodate users' individual needs better, enhancing motivation for eHealth use, and continuing efforts to improve overall health literacy. These measures, which both eHealth developers and health care professionals should consider, are crucial for addressing the digital divide and expanding access to eHealth services for as many people as possible., (© Anna Sjöström, Senada Hajdarevic, Åsa Hörnsten, Ulf Isaksson. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org).)

Background: Community-based primary health care represents various community-based health care (CBPHC) models that incorporate health promotion and community development to deliver first-contact health services. Learning health systems (LHSs) are essential for improving CBPHC in which feedback from relevant stakeholders is used to continuously improve health systems with the goal of achieving population health and health equity. Performance reporting is one way to present data to clinicians and decision makers to facilitate a process of reflection, participation, and collaboration among partners to improve CBPHC., Methods: Our objective was to obtain feedback on a regional CBPHC performance portrait through key informant interviews. We used purposive convenience sampling to recruit participants who were clinicians in primary care and/or decision-makers in primary care at a regional level. The performance portrait summarized results of survey questions asked of patients, providers, and primary care organizations. The portrait was organized by the 10 pillars of the Patient's Medical Home (PMH) model. Interview questions specifically asked about portrait content, formatting, interpretability, utility, and dissemination strategies. Content analysis was used to analyze interview data., Results: We completed 19 interviews with key informants from the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia (n = 8), Ontario (n = 6) and British Columbia (n = 5). We coded transcripts into four content areas: (1) Usability as influenced by content and interpretability, (2) Formatting, (3) Utility, and (4) Dissemination. Using data and reporting back to clinicians and decision-makers about how their practices and jurisdictions are performing in primary care in meaningful ways is important. Our results suggest having available methodology notes, including the analysis used to develop any scoring, sampling and sample sizes, and interpretation of the statistics is necessary., Conclusions: This research was the first to create a comprehensive performance portrait using data driven by factors that are important to primary care partners. We obtained important feedback on the portrait in the context of usability, formatting, utility, and dissemination. This data needs to be used to provide feedback in continuous cycles to evaluate and improve CBPHC models as part of a LHS., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the University of British Columbia Behavioural Research Ethics Board (H18-02887), the Ottawa Health Sciences Research Ethics Board (20140458–01 H) and the Nova Scota Health Research Ethics Board (No. 1017564). All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. Informed consent was obtained from study participants via electronic signatures prior to interviews. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: In a prospective open study, with intervention, conducted in Primary Health Care Units by General Practitioners (GPs) in Portugal, the effectiveness of a single pill of candesartan/amlodipine (ARB/amlodipine), as the only anti-hypertension (anti-HTN) medication, in adult patients with uncontrolled HTN (BP > 140/or > 90 mm Hg), either previously being treated with anti-HTN monotherapies (Group I), or combinations with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) (Group II), or not receiving medication at all (Group III), was evaluated across 12-weeks after implementation of the new therapeutic measure., Materials and Methods: A total of 118 GPs recruited patients with uncontrolled HTN who met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Participants were assigned, according to severity, one of 3 (morning) fixed combination candesartan/amlodipine dosage (8/5 or 16/5 or 16/10 mg/day) and longitudinally evaluated in 3 visits (v0, v6 and v12 weeks). Office blood pressure was measured in each visit, and control of HTN was defined per guidelines (BP< 140/90 mmHg)., Results: Of the 1234 patients approached, 752 (age 61 ± 10 years, 52% women) participated in the study and were assigned to groups according to previous treatment conditions. The 3 groups exhibited a statistically significant increased control of blood pressure after receiving the fixed combination candesartan/amlodipine dosage. The overall proportion of controlled HTN participants increased from 0,8% at v0 to 82% at v12. The mean arterial blood pressure values decreased from SBP= 159.0 (± 13.0) and DBP= 91.1 (± 9.6) at baseline to SBP= 132,1 (± 11.3) and DBP= 77,5 (± 8.8) at 12 weeks ( p  < 0.01). Results remained consistent when controlling for age and sex., Conclusion: In patients with uncontrolled HTN, therapeutic measures in accordance with guidelines, with a fixed combination candesartan/amlodipine, allowed to overall achieve HTN control at 12 weeks in 82% of previously uncontrolled HTN patients, reinforcing the advantages of these strategies in primary clinical practice.

Background: Primary Health Care (PHC) was the cornerstone of the pandemic response., Objectives: We aimed to explore the positive and negative impact of the pandemic, during its final wave, through 'PHC providers' eyes', as well as their recommendations towards restructuring and enhancing PHC services., Methods: A two-phase qualitative study was conducted, pursuing data triangulation from Focus Groups (FGs) and individual, semi-structured interviews for the purposes of data completeness and confirmation (summer 2022 and spring 2023, respectively). A purposive sample of settings was employed, including in total five PHC units according to location with different population distribution; one in Athens (FGs) and four in Northern Greece (interviews). Inductive content analysis was used., Results: In total, 24 PHC professionals participated in FGs, whereas 17 were individually interviewed. Our findings reflect a general understanding of the pandemic's positive imprint, namely acceleration of digitalisation, establishment of health protection measures, recognition of PHC's role, raise in public awareness of primary prevention, team-cooperation, increase in providers' self-efficacy, appointment of health professionals and re-organisation of accessibility. The negative impact is summarised in fatigue/burnout in PHC providers, patient safety concerns and changes in patients' behaviour. To increase resilience, participants suggest restructuring PHC, recruiting PHC personnel and enhancing digital infrastructure, maintenance of sanitary protection measures, investment in quality, and empowering patients through health literacy., Conclusion: Based on the lessons learnt, building further on the pandemic-accelerated digitalisation, emphasising on quality improvement and patient safety, ensuring providers' well-being, and empowering citizens through health literacy could be key in promoting PHC resilience.

This is a register-based study that examines the distribution of diagnoses made by general practitioners (GPs) in the public primary health care of the city of Vantaa, Finland. Data were gathered from the electronic health record (EHR) system and consisted of every record entered into the EHR system between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018. Both absolute numbers and relative proportions of the 10 th edition of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) diagnosis recordings were reported and calculated. Among GP visits, the 88 most common diagnoses covered 75% of all diagnoses. The most common diagnoses were related to the musculoskeletal (3.8%, ICD code M54) and respiratory systems (6.0%, ICD-10 code J06). Primary health care GP services were mostly used by children (age <5 years) and older adults (>65 years). Health examinations - mostly children's and maternity clinics appointments/visits - covered 20% of the GP office visits. Women between the ages 15-79 years had relatively more GP visits compared to men. The 88 most commonly recorded diagnoses covered the majority of the GP visits. Health examinations for the healthy were an important part of GPs' work. In an urban Finnish city, GP services were predominantly used by children and older adults.

Objective: This study described the experiences and perceptions of how primary health care professionals (PHCPs) support patients with venous leg ulcers (VLUs) in self-care monitoring., Design: A qualitative approach with reflexive thematic analysis was used, with 24 individual qualitative open interviews., Setting: Primary health care clinics and community health care in four southern regions in Sweden., Subjects: Registered nurses, district nurses and nurse assistants who had experience of caring for patients with VLUs. In total, 24 interviews were conducted with PHCPs in Sweden., Results: PHCPs have a vital role in promoting patient independence and responsibility, identifying needs and adapting care strategies, while also recognising unmet needs in patients with VLUs., Conclusion: PHCPs actively monitor patients' self-care and establish caring relationships. They see a need for a structured primary health care work routine for ulcer management.

Objective: To investigate whether the location and the number of nurse consultations have changed in response to the continuously decreasing number of GP consultations in the fourth-largest city in Finland. It has been suggested that nurse consultations are replacing GP consultations., Design: A retrospective register-based follow-up cohort study., Setting: Public primary health care in the City of Vantaa, Finland., Subjects: All documented face-to-face office-hour consultations with practical and registered nurses, and consultations with practical and registered nurse in the emergency department of Vantaa primary health care between 1 January 2009 and 31 December, 2014., Main Outcome Measures: Change in the number of consultations with practical and registered nurses between 2009 and 2014 in primary health care both during office-hours and in the emergency department., Results: Over the follow-up period, the monthly median number of practical nurse consultations in the emergency department per 1000 inhabitants increased from 1.6 (interquartile range [IQR] 1.3-1.7) to 10.5 (10.3-12.2) ( p  < 0.001) and registered nurse consultations from a median of 3.6 (3.0-4.0) to 14.5 (13.0-16.6) ( p  < 0.001). However, there was no significant change in the median monthly number of office-hour consultations with practical or registered nurses., Conclusions: It appears that in primary health care, medical consultations have shifted from GPs to nurses with lower education levels, and from care during office-hours to emergency care.

Background: Primary health care (PHC) systems and their successes and challenges vary between and within countries. We elucidate the role of PHC on health status and universal health coverage (UHC) by describing the achievements and challenges of PHC systems in seven countries representing the three economic levels: high-income (Belgium, Australia), middle-income (South Africa, Thailand), and low-income countries (Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Nepal)., Methods: We adopted a mixed-methods approach and (a) extracted quantitative data on the key health and universal health coverage index of countries and (b) conducted a scoping review of the PHC systems in these countries. We used key terms related to the following eight domains: service delivery, health workforce, health information system, health financing, medicines, and leadership and governance (the WHO's building blocks for national health systems) and community participation and multisectoral actions (other pillars of PHC) to identify the relevant literature and searched six databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. A total of 58 articles were identified and included in this review; data were charted and synthesised narratively., Results: There is variation in health services coverage and health status across the three economic levels. Countries expanded access to PHC services using strategies like telehealth and CHWs but faced challenges in sustainability, workforce retention, and service quality. Community engagement and multisectoral actions helped, though gaps in governance, resources, and essential medicines hindered progress towards UHC., Conclusions: By addressing the challenges and leveraging successful strategies, countries can move closer to achieving the goal of universal health coverage and improving health outcomes for all.

Introduction: Individuals experiencing homelessness have higher rates of chronic disease and face challenges accessing primary care. Virtual health care can reduce health inequity but needs user acceptance. A virtual health hub (VHH) for people experiencing homelessness in Sydney provided virtual GP and psychologist care within a crisis accommodation service. This included nursing assistance., Method: The VHH evaluation assessed the feasibility of the service specifically examining accessibility, efficiency, costs, technology, quality, and outcomes through attendance data, patient measures, stakeholder interviews, and case studies., Findings: Data indicated 40% client utilisation with high attendance for GPs and/or psychologists. All clients reported a high quality of care, appointment benefits, understanding clinicians, and treatment help, and that privacy was maintained. If the VHH was not available, one-third would not have sought treatment. The majority agreed that virtual care was the same or better than in-person care. Only a few experienced technical issues. Service provider interviews indicated the benefits of accessible and affordable care, perceived reduced hospital presentations, staff time saved, and reduced client costs. Limitations were the lack of physical examinations and lack of follow-up due to temporary accommodation. Strong stakeholder partnerships enabled implementation success., Conclusions: The VHH service is feasible and replicable with on-site assistance and stakeholder commitment.

Objective: To understand barriers and facilitators for strengthening health systems for person-centred care of people with multiple long-term conditions-multimorbidity (MLTC-M) at the primary healthcare (PHC) level in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs)., Design: A scoping review., Methods: We adopted a systematic scoping review approach to chart literature guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. The review focused on studies conducted in LMICs' PHC settings from January 2010 to December 2023. Papers were extracted from the following databases: PubMed, EBSCOhost and Google Scholar. Framework analysis was undertaken to identify barriers and facilitators for strengthening MLTC-M primary care according to the five health system pillars in the Lancet Global Health Commission on High-Quality Health Systems Framework., Results: The literature search yielded 4322 citations, evaluated 202 studies and identified 36 for inclusion. Key barriers within the people pillar included poverty, low health education and low health literacy; within the platform pillar, fragmented services and lack of multimorbid care guidelines were mentioned; within the workforce pillar, lack of required skills and insufficient health workers; and in the tools pillar: a shortage of essential medicines and adverse polypharmacy effects were prominent. A lack of political will and the absence of relevant national health policies were identified under the governance pillar. Facilitators within the people pillar included enhancing self-management support; within the platforms, pillar included integration of services; within the tools pillar, included embracing emerging technologies and information and communication technology services; and governance issues included upscaling interventions to respond to multimorbid care needs through enhanced political commitment and financial support., Conclusions: Potential solutions to strengthening the healthcare system to be more responsive to people with MLTC-M include empowering service users to self-manage, developing multimorbid care guidelines, incorporating community health workers into multimorbid care efforts and advocating for integrated person-centred care services across sectors. The need for policies and procedures in LMICs to meet the person-centred care needs of people with MLTC-M was highlighted., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

Background: This study will be the first scoping review dedicated to investigating screening strategies for eating disorders specifically performed in the primary health care setting, as no comprehensive examination has been performed to date. Our primary aim is to explore the available literature and assess and identify validated screening strategies for eating disorders in adolescents and adults within the primary care context., Methods: The study protocol was developed following the guidance outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. This study will adhere to the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews to report review data. The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework. The review will include studies that involve validated screening strategies for eating disorders in adolescents and adults utilising primary health care services. Experimental, quasiexperimental, observational, qualitative, and mixed-methods study designs and reviews will be eligible without language or publication year restrictions. Six databases (MEDLINE-PubMed, Embase, LILACS, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO) and grey literature will be searched. Studies will be selected and extracted by two independent reviewers via online Covidence. The results will be presented in narrative form and through tables and graphs. When possible, descriptive qualitative content analysis will be conducted., Discussion: The expected results of this scoping review will shed light on validated strategies for screening for eating disorders in primary health care. This will equip health care professionals with well-substantiated empirical evidence. Moreover, it is anticipated to uncover research gaps, nurturing the ongoing development and refinement of screening strategies for eating disorders in primary health care. The results will be widely disseminated to the scientific community, policy-makers, service providers, and the general public., Systematic Review Registration: This protocol has been registered on the Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/pybvf )., Competing Interests: Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: People with disabilities frequently experience barriers in seeking healthcare that lead to poorer health outcomes compared to people without disabilities. To overcome this, it is important to assess the accessibility of primary health facilities - broadly defined to include a disability-inclusive service provision - so as to document present status and identify areas for improvement. We aimed to identify, adapt and pilot test an appropriate tool to assess the accessibility of primary health facilities in Luuka District, Uganda., Methods: We conducted a rapid literature review to identify appropriate tools, selecting the Disability Awareness Checklist (DAC) on account of its relative brevity and development as a sensitization and action tool. We undertook three rounds of adaptation, working together with youth researchers (aged 18-35) with disabilities who then underwent 2 days of training as DAC facilitators. The adapted tool comprised 71 indicators across four domains and 12 sub-domains. We also developed a structured feedback form for facilitators to complete with healthcare workers. We calculated median accessibility scores overall, per domain and per sub-domain, and categorised feedback form suggestions by type and presumed investment level. We pilot-tested the adapted tool in 5 primary health facilities in one sub-district of Luuka, nested within a pilot healthcare worker training on disability., Results: The median overall facility accessibility score was 17.8% (range 12.3-28.8). Facility scores were highest in the universal design and accessibility domain (25.8%, 22.6-41.9), followed by reasonable accommodation (20.0%, 6.7-33.3). Median scores for capacity of facility staff (6.67%, 6.7-20.0), and linkages to other services were lower (0.0%, 0-25.0). Within the feedback forms, there were a median of 21 suggestions (range 14-26) per facility. Most commonly, these were categorised as minor structural changes (20% of suggestions), with a third categorised as no (2%) or low (33%) cost, and the majority (40%) medium cost., Conclusions: Overall accessibility scores were low, with many opportunities for low-cost improvement at the facility level. We did not identify any issues with the implementation of the tool, suggesting few further adaptations are required for its future use in this setting., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Ethical approval was granted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Observational Research Ethics Committee (LSHTM Ref 28327-1) and Uganda Virus Research Institute Research and Ethics Committee (UVRI REC Ref: GC/127/904) and Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST Ref: SS1348ES). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

In July 2023, primary health care experts from more than 20 countries, the World Health Organization (WHO), and most agencies within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) met at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC, to catalyze action toward revitalizing primary care in the United States align efforts to advance primary health care worldwide, and improve health and security for all. 1 This meeting was informed by the NASEM's critical primary care report, which highlighted the need for federal leadership to strengthen primary care services in the United States, especially for underserved populations, and to inform primary care systems around the world. To that end, this meeting was designed to explore the challenges and opportunities of investing in primary health care as a common good and critical for health security and resilience across the globe. 2 In this issue, you will find {number} special communications from this conference that highlight the need to evolve from primary care to primary health care, the importance of primary care and public health collaboration, and the necessity for ongoing external scientific expertise to inform US federal government coordination efforts.Despite the clear consensus among global stakeholders regarding the importance of Primary Health Care to health equity, behavioral health, health security, and pandemic resilience, a year later the anticipated HHS Action Plan to guide implementation of the NASEM primary care recommendations has yet to be launched. While some agencies are moving ahead with initiatives and programs within their purview, the lack of a Primary Care Action Plan remains a missed opportunity to coalesce politically powerful stakeholders around a united and much-needed vision for a US health system centered on Primary Health Care, particularly in light of our challenges in responding to COVID-19., (© Copyright 2024 by the American Board of Family Medicine.)

Background: Digital microscopy combined with artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being implemented in health care, predominantly in advanced laboratory settings. However, AI-supported digital microscopy could be especially advantageous in primary health care settings, since such methods could improve access to diagnostics via automation and lead to a decreased need for experts on site. To our knowledge, no scoping or systematic review had been published on the use of AI-supported digital microscopy within primary health care laboratories when this scoping review was initiated. A scoping review can guide future research by providing insights to help navigate the challenges of implementing these novel methods in primary health care laboratories., Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to map peer-reviewed studies on AI-supported digital microscopy in primary health care laboratories to generate an overview of the subject., Methods: A systematic search of the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and IEEE will be conducted. Only peer-reviewed articles in English will be considered, and no limit on publication year will be applied. The concept inclusion criteria in the scoping review include studies that have applied AI-supported digital microscopy with the aim of achieving a diagnosis on the subject level. In addition, the studies must have been performed in the context of primary health care laboratories, as defined by the criteria of not having a pathologist on site and using simple sample preparations. The study selection and data extraction will be performed by 2 independent researchers, and in the case of disagreements, a third researcher will be involved. The results will be presented in a table developed by the researchers, including information on investigated diseases, sample collection, preparation and digitization, AI model used, and results. Furthermore, the results will be described narratively to provide an overview of the studies included. The proposed methodology is in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews., Results: The scoping review was initiated in January 2023, and a protocol was published in the Open Science Framework in January 2024. The protocol was completed in March 2024, and the systematic search will be performed after the protocol has been peer reviewed. The scoping review is expected to be finalized by the end of 2024., Conclusions: A systematic review of studies on AI-supported digital microscopy in primary health care laboratories is anticipated to identify the diseases where these novel methods could be advantageous, along with the shared challenges encountered and approaches taken to address them., International Registered Report Identifier (irrid): PRR1-10.2196/58149., (©Joar von Bahr, Vinod Diwan, Andreas Mårtensson, Nina Linder, Johan Lundin. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 01.11.2024.)

Background: Standardizing the knowledge of health care givers and eliminating their misconceptions would help to achieve optimal service for contraception. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge levels of physicians and nurses working at primary health care centers about the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use., Methods: This is a cross-sectional review of 306 professional care givers (117 physicians and 189 nurses) who are working at primary health care centers., Results: Only 17.3% of health care givers recommend OCP as their first professional choice of contraception for their patients. Approximately 50.3% of these care givers do not feel qualified about the OCPs and 81.7% of them wish to have regular training about OCPs. There is a significantly higher number of male health care givers who claim that OCPs cause acne, sexual dysfunction, ectopic pregnancy, deep vein thrombosis, and liver cancer (respectively p = 0.040, p = 0.028, p = 0.001, p = 0.001, and p = 0.020). When compared to nurses, there is a significantly higher number of physicians who state that OCPs cause acne, depression, sexual dysfunction, ectopic pregnancy, deep vein thrombosis, breast cancer and liver cancer., Conclusion: Physicians and nurses working at primary health centers in an inland Turkish province have relatively lower rates of recommendation for OCP use. These lower recommendation rates become significantly more obvious in male physicians with ≥ 14 years' experience. The concern about probable adverse effects, the lack of standardization in formal education, the absence of post-graduate training and the shortage of time and resources for counseling might have led to the limitation in OCP use., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee of Afyonkarahisar Health Science University (approval no: 2022/8-375). All participants were informed about the study and written consent was obtained from each participant. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Ethiopia has made notable progress in reducing maternal and perinatal mortality, yet challenges remain in meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Persistent issues such as low service utilization, coupled with poor quality, fragmented care, and ineffective referral systems hinder progress. The "Improve Primary Health Care Service Delivery (IPHCSD)" project, implemented by JSI and Amref Health Africa since April 2022, seeks to address these gaps through a Networks of Care (NoCs) approach. This paper describes the lessons learned from implementing the NoCs approach to optimize primary health care in Ethiopia., Methods: The project incorporates embedded implementation science, guided by the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework. Key implementation strategies co-designed included strengthening community engagement, establishing NoCs, and introducing quality improvement initiatives using the Model for Improvement. Routine program monitoring data, NoCs process evaluation, and facility service statistics were utilized for this study. Service statistics were analyzed using Student's t-test and interrupted time-series analysis to compare maternal and child care outcomes before and after the NoCs intervention, with counterfactual estimates generated to assess the intervention's impact. Qualitative data from key informant interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed to identify themes and patterns using Atlas.ti., Results: The NoCs approach has significantly enhanced relational linkages between primary health care facilities and health care providers, fostering stronger collaboration and communication. This has fostered trust, improved care coordination, optimized primary health care performance, and increased health service utilization within woreda health systems. The interrupted time series analysis indicated that the rate of ANC 8+ visits was 29.8% per month higher than expected without the NoCs strategy (Coef: 2.39; p-value < 0.01) and an 18.4% increase in obstetric complications managed (Coef: 1.71; p-value = 0.050), with a 43% overall increase. Perinatal mortality decreased by 34%, from 31.3 to 20.1 per 1,000 births [t-test: 2.12; p-value: 0.040)]., Conclusion: The NoCs approach in Ethiopia has proven effective in enhancing the relational elements, care coordination, and quality of primary health care services, leading to better maternal and child health outcomes. The findings expand the existing body of research on NoCs implementation best practices and further confirm that it provides a scalable model for strengthening health services in low-resource settings., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2025 Tiruneh et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Syndromic surveillance using primary health care (PHC) data is a valuable tool for early outbreak detection, as demonstrated by the potential to identify COVID-19 outbreaks. However, the potential of such an early warning system in the post-COVID-19 era remains largely unexplored. We analyzed PHC encounter counter of respiratory complaints registered in the database of the Brazilian Unified National Health System from October 2022 to July 2023. We applied EARS (variations C1/C2/C3) and EVI to estimate the weekly thresholds. An alarm was determined when the number of encounters exceeded the week-specific threshold. We used data on hospitalization due to respiratory disease to classify as anomalies the weeks in which the number of cases surpassed predetermined thresholds. We compared EARS and EVI efficacy in anticipating anomalies. A total of 119 anomalies were identified across 116 immediate regions during the study period. The EARS-C2 presented the highest early alarm rate, with 81/119 (68%) early alarms, and C1 the lowest, with 71 (60%) early alarms. The lowest true positivity was the EARS-C1 118/1,354 (8.7%) and the highest was EARS-C3 99/856 (11.6%). Routinely collected PHC data can be successfully used to detect respiratory disease outbreaks in Brazil. Syndromic surveillance enhances timeliness in surveillance strategies, albeit with lower specificity. A combined approach with other strategies is essential to strengthen accuracy, offering a proactive and effective public health response against future outbreaks.

This study aimed to estimate the morbidity associated with toothache treated in the primary health care (PHC) setting, stratified by the population size of Brazilian municipalities, from 2018 to 2022. This longitudinal ecological study was based on public national data from routine public dental service utilization records within the Health Information System for Primary Care. These data were employed to compute the rate of dental appointments for users with toothache (per 1,000 users) within each municipality throughout 15 four-month periods (P1-2018 to P3-2022), classified by population size. We integrated the databases for population size, denominator, and numerators. A longitudinal data regression model was used to estimate the four-monthly variation before and after P2-2020. Records from 5,332 municipalities (95.72%) were analyzed. The average rate of dental appointments for users with toothache (per 1,000 users) ranged from 9.65 (P2-2020) to 27.24 (P1-2018). Throughout the period, larger municipalities showed the lowest rates. Before P2-2020, the average rate in municipalities with >100,000 inhabitants fell by an average of 20.56% every four months, higher than the 7.25% variation in municipalities with < 5,000 inhabitants. After P2-2020, the rate in municipalities with < 5,000 inhabitants rose by 2.27%, a value lower than the variation in larger municipalities. The rates of dental appointments for users with toothache in the PHC setting indicate the persistent severity of dental conditions among public health service users, with variations across different regions of the country. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the rate of dental appointments for users with toothache, underscoring the need for dental services to enhance their adaptability and responsiveness to such crises.

Background: Chronic physical illnesses are often associated with significant psychological distress and chronic mental illnesses are often co-morbid with physical illnesses. Efforts to integrate mental health into primary health care in Uganda are underway. However, there are enormous logistical challenges. Effective resource-oriented and evidence-based interventions such as DIALOG + have the potential to improve treatment outcomes for patients with chronic conditions. We aimed to assess the acceptability of DIALOG + among patients with chronic physical illnesses in Uganda., Methods: This was a qualitative aspect of a mixed methods exploratory non-controlled study conducted in chronic physical illness out-patient clinics at two hospitals in Uganda. We conducted fifteen in-depth interviews with patients, ten key informant interviews with clinicians, and four focus group discussions with patients. Thematic data analysis was done through an iterative process., Results: The results support the acceptability of the intervention as evidenced by willingness to participate, better relationships between patients and clinicians, and improved control of both physical illnesses and psychological distress. Participants also talked about ways in which the implementation of DIALOG + could be improved., Conclusion: DIALOG + is acceptable among patients with chronic physical illness in primary health care settings in Uganda., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: We received ethical approval from the Makerere University College of Health Sciences (#REC REF 2020 − 195) and Queen Mary University of London (QMERC 2018/67) Research Ethics committees. This Qualitative study was part of an exploratory non-controlled study conducted in 3 countries of Uganda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia and the protocol was published elsewhere [9]. All participants provided written informed consent to participate in the study, which included consent for the recording of the sessions. The research was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki following ethical principles for medical research involving human participants. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Teledermatoscopy (TDS) has proven to be effective and reliable for diagnosis of skin malignancies. The factors that determine the success of implementation of TDS are largely unknown., Objectives: To investigate barriers to implementation of TDS in primary health care (PHC) at center and individual level., Methods: Following introduction of TDS, cross-sectional quantitative data and free text comments were collected by surveys sent to PHC centers and PCH practitioners. Successful implementation was defined as regularly sent cases at center level and self-reported usage at individual level. Factors associated with implementation were evaluated with Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis test and logistic regression., Results: 93/117 (78.2%) of PHC centers and 239/725 (32.9%) of PHC practitioners answered the surveys. 54.8% (n = 51) of PHC centers and 64.3% (n = 153) of PHC practitioners had implemented TDS. There was a strong association between hardware arrival before introduction and TDS usage at center level (OR 6.0; 95% CI 1.5-24.3). At individual level, male sex was positively associated with usage (OR 1.9; 95%, CI 1.0-3.4), and for every year of increased age, the chance of using TDS decreased with 3% (OR 1.0, 95% CI 0.9-1.0). No other factor was associated with implementation. "Good" was the most common overall impression (54.8%), and the majority found no problems using the system (> 85%). The most common complaint was technical issues followed by no added value., Conclusions: Successful implementation of TDS was strongly associated with hardware arrival at center level, and to male sex and younger age at individual level. Satisfaction was overall high., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the Swedish Ethics review authority, nr 2020–04763. Participation in the study was voluntary. Primary care physicians with a user account in the TDS platform were invited by email to participate. The email contained information about the planned research and that participation was voluntary. No identification data was collected, and hence, no written consent was obtained. Consent for participation was considered given by completing and submitting the questionnaire. The study conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: ÅI is involved in research with teledermatoscopy system provider Gnosco AB. ÅI has no financial interests in Gnosco AB and they did not participate in design, result interpretation or writing of this study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: This study describes the methodology used in the development of MonitoraSB, an innovation in the field of evaluating and monitoring oral health services in primary health care (PHC) in Brazil, and it discusses its characteristics and possible uses., Methods: MonitoraSB includes a matrix of indicators and digital tools, developed in collaboration with oral health team dentists and oral health managers. The indicators evaluate the provision and management of oral health services and were developed on the basis of the model for evaluating the effectiveness of oral health care. The dashboard and calculator were developed to facilitate the operational use of the indicators., Results: The 54 indicators in the matrix, with demonstrated content validity and measurability, cover various aspects of oral health care in PHC, from the organization and capacity of services to the profile of care and resolution. The dashboard offers navigation and interactivity, allowing regional, state and municipal analysis and making geographical and temporal comparisons. The calculator allows indicators to be obtained at the local level., Conclusion: The implementation of MonitoraSB could promote the strengthening of PHC, supporting informed decision-making and the consolidation of the universal, comprehensive and equitable oral health care model.

Objective: To examine the effect of Primary Health Care (PHC) on the association between multimorbidity and emergency service utilization among adults in Brazil., Methods: This is a cross-sectional, nationwide household-based study using data from the 2019 National Health Survey. Poisson regression was used to assess emergency service utilization among individuals with multimorbidity. The interaction of variables such as Family Health coverage and orientation to PHC in these associations was also evaluated., Results: The prevalence of multimorbidity was 31.2% (95%CI 30.9-31.5), Family Health coverage was 71.8% (95%CI 71.4-72.0), and low orientation of services toward PHC was 70% (95%CI 69.1-70.9). Emergency service utilization had a prevalence of 2.0% (95%CI 1.9-2.0), being twice as high among individuals with multimorbidity (3.1; 95%CI 2.9-3.3) compared to those without this condition (1.4; 95%CI 1.3-1.5). However, individuals with multimorbidity and Family Health coverage had a 20% lower prevalence of emergency service utilization than those without Family Health coverage (PR 0.8; 95%CI 0.6-0.9). The association between emergency service utilization and multimorbidity was not modified by the evaluation of the service as highly oriented toward PHC (p=0.956)., Conclusion: The study showed that Family Health coverage exerted a positive effect on the association between multimorbidity and emergency service utilization.

Objectives: to identify the process of health literacy development among primary care patients, relating it to their self-care practices., Methods: qualitative, prospective research with 22 patients from two Family Health Strategy units. Data were obtained through individual semi-structured interviews, examined through descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis., Results: the results discuss how participants learn about health and how this resonates in their behaviors, culminating in two thematic categories: "Health knowledge construction"; and "Dialogue between health knowledge construction and patient care actions"., Final Considerations: health knowledge is developed mainly through interpersonal relationships, mediated by health professionals through bonding and communication. Community educational actions and training of health professionals in communication can promote health literacy and self-care among patients.

Continuing medical education (CME) is the foremost among the learning strategies that enhance knowledge and skills within the medical profession. This study aimed to evaluate primary healthcare professionals' CME in Abha City. A total of 267 primary health care (PHC) professionals. The researcher designed a data collection sheet that comprised personal characteristics and aspects of CME. About two-thirds of participants (65.5%) attended CME courses during the last year. The main criteria for attending CME courses were their topics (43.4%), convenience of time (41.2%), and interests (31.5%). About 16.1% of participants found that previously attended CME courses were not useful because of being a waste of time (12.7%), not obtaining any benefit (7.9%), and wasting of money (3.7%). On the other hand, 83.9% found that previously attended CME courses were useful because of their improved knowledge (68.9%) and skills (47.6%), while 30.7% stated that attending CME courses was to fulfill the required CME hours. Lectures were the most preferred educational method(48.3%). Hospital consultants were mostly preferred speakers (53.6%), followed by PHC physicians (34.1%) and university staff (25.8%). The main participants' source of information (95.5%), followed by textbooks (25.1%) and their colleagues at PHC (12.4%). About 31.5% of participants had no or low improvement in their knowledge, 38.6% underwent intermediate improvement and 30% had high improvement. Regarding improved skills, 43.4% had no or low improvement, 45.3% had intermediate improvement and 11.2% had high improvement. The main barriers against attending CME courses were the lack of time (44.9%) and the high workload (41.2%). CME attendance differed significantly according to participants' position (P = .023), with physicians being the most frequently attending (72.9%) and pharmacists being the least frequently attending (36.4%). Participants' knowledge improvement due to CME attendance differed significantly according to their position, with the highest improvement among lab technicians. Participants' skills improvement was highest among those aged > 40 years, among males, non-Saudis, those with Doctorate degrees, physicians, and those with > 10 years' experience. PHC professionals find CME courses valuable for knowledge enhancement, with lectures, videos, and presentations preferred. Information sources include internet, textbooks, and colleagues, but time constraints and workloads hinder attendance., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Improved access to quality antenatal care (ANC) promotes healthy behaviors and early complication management, enhancing maternal and newborn outcomes. The Enhancing Nutrition and Antenatal Infection Treatment for Maternal and Child Health (ENAT) intervention in Ethiopia aimed to increase newborn birth weight by improving ANC utilization and quality. ENAT task shared and decentralized ANC services to facilitate early contact and point of care (POC) testing and management of maternal infections and anemia. This study assessed if task sharing and decentralization improved utilization and quality of ANC services at primary health care facilities., Methods: The study assessed changes in ANC coverage and quality before and after the ENAT intervention, in 65 health centers and 303 health posts across Amhara and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. The intervention task shared ANC services at health centers (Augst 2018-January 2021) and then decentralized services to health posts (February 2021-February 2022). Using descriptive analyses, this study assessed, between baseline and endline, changes in coverage in the proportion of women who: enrolled early into ANC; had at least one ANC contact; and had four or more ANC contacts. Similarly, the study separately assessed each quality indicator through changes in the proportion of iron and folic acid supplementation, and deworming tablets, and POC testing and treatment for anemia, syphilis, and asymptomatic bacteriuria at baseline, phase I and phase II., Results: ANC utilization and quality improved in the 368 sites. Between baseline and endline the proportion of women having an ANC contact before 16 weeks of gestational age increased from 6 to 37%, while those receiving at least one ANC contact and four or more ANC contacts increased from 74 to 91% and 45-57%, respectively. Iron and folic acid supplementation and deworming increased from 44 to 97% and from 44 to 79%, respectively. In the final 12 months of the intervention, 87%, 80%, and 87% of pregnant women attending ANC received POC testing for anemia, syphilis, and asymptomatic bacteriuria, respectively., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that bringing ANC services closer to communities can increase early ANC contact and enhance the coverage and quality of services, leading to better maternal and newborn health outcomes., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All study interventions were conducted in accordance to relevant guidelines and regulations or in accordance to the Declaration of Helsinki. Authors obtained IRB determination from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Institutional Review Board Office (IRB No: 23589) as this was Research/Not Human Subjects Research Secondary Data Analysis involving the use of existing, de-identified data/specimens, including publicly available data. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: General medical practitioners and other staff at primary care medical practices have an important role in facilitating patient access to online services in the National Health Service in England. These services range from online ordering of repeat prescriptions to conducting online consultations with health care professionals. We have defined "digital facilitation" as that range of processes, procedures, and personnel that seeks to support patients in their uptake and use of online services., Objective: We report how we have synthesized the evidence from a mixed methods study of digital facilitation in primary care in England. The study's objectives were to identify, characterize, and explore the benefits and challenges of different models of digital facilitation in general medical practices in England and to design a framework for evaluation of the effectiveness and costs of digital facilitation interventions., Methods: Our study comprised scoping review of literature, survey of staff in general practices, survey of patients, and ethnography at case study practices plus stakeholder interviews. We compiled a triangulation matrix of the findings from individual work packages through an iterative process whereby each work package's results were first analyzed separately and were then cumulatively combined across work packages in 3 successive workshops. From the resulting matrix, we developed a program theory and an implementation theory and constructed a framework for evaluations of digital facilitation in primary care. The final step of the synthesis process was to discuss the results with national and regional National Health Service stakeholders., Results: Triangulation yielded a combined set of findings summarized within 11 thematic groupings: 3 setting the scene within which digital facilitation takes place, and 8 related to different types of digital facilitation, their implementation, and effectiveness. Some thematic groupings were evident in the findings of all 4 of the research work packages; others were not addressed in all the work packages but were evident from those where they were addressed. Throughout the synthesis, there were no instances where findings from one work package contradicted the findings of another. Findings either reinforced each other or offered complementary or additional insights. The discussion at the stakeholder meeting held at the end of the study resulted in the research team clarifying some findings but not changing any of them., Conclusions: Digital facilitation can take many forms, though much of what is currently done in primary care practices in England is reactive and passive. Clear lines of responsibility, digital tools and platforms that work well for patients and practice staff, and investment in staff time and training are all needed if digital facilitation is to deliver on its promise. We propose a framework for future evaluations of the effectiveness and costs of digital facilitation interventions., (© Jon Sussex, Helen Atherton, Gary Abel, Christopher Clark, Emma Cockcroft, Brandi Leach, Christine Marriott, Jennifer Newbould, Emma Pitchforth, Rachel Winder, John Campbell. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (https://humanfactors.jmir.org).)

In recent years there has been a sustained rise in the number of international migrants, and scholarship and practice have increasingly focused on the relationship between health and migration. However, the entitlement to state-subsidized services for migrants with precarious or irregular legal status, often fleeing distressing living conditions, is typically limited to emergency lifesaving health treatment, with nonstate programs attempting to complement this constrained approach. This paper asks whether a primary health care (PHC) approach could serve as a blueprint for institutional priority-setting and for the realization of human rights obligations to help states meet their core international commitments regarding migrant health rights. I look at the multi-actor response in Colombia-where almost three million Venezuelans have sought to settle and many more have transited during the last nine years-as a case study to explore the possibility of a meaningful PHC-oriented right to health in the migration context. Using human rights law standards and commentaries, I suggest that, with some qualifications, this approach holds promise., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (Copyright © 2024 Angeleri.)

Globally, people are living longer, and many will have multiple, complex chronic diseases. These chronic diseases are often a leading cause of death and disability particularly in emerging developed countries. For these emerging nations, the current trajectory of gradual health system change is likely to lag changing population needs and escalating cost pressures. Consequently, there is a need for a stepwise evolutionary change in the approach to care delivery in these countries. The integrated care (IC) concept describes a collaborative model for organizing healthcare systems, particularly for chronic disease management that pulls together health systems, social science, managerial and patient-centered perspectives. The IC approach could help drive forward efforts to improve population health outcomes, reduce duplication and inefficiency in health care systems, and could be the solution needed by emerging developed countries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We hereby confirm that we have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: JEMS ® (Joanne Elphinston Movement Systems) described as a systematic, holistic approach to analyze and create sound foundations for movement, is increasing in popularity among physiotherapists. The aim of this study was to investigate and capture the experiences and narratives of physiotherapists (PTs) using JEMS ® for rehabilitation with patients in primary healthcare., Materials and Methods: In this qualitative description study, we invited 13 PTs to focus group discussions (FGD). Four groups were conducted, three FGD at different locations in Region Västra Götaland, Sweden, and one FGD using Skype. The groups met on one occasion. The FGD method has a qualitative semi-structured research design based on a social constructivist tradition of research. Data were analyzed using the Kreuger method, considering the content of the discussion in a collective understanding of the subject and the interaction taking place among participants., Results: Three themes were identified: how the PTs describe their practical and emotional experiences, and how JEMS ® has changed their clinical work. Most clearly emerged subjects considering the interaction and communication with the patient, about finding a structure in clinical practice and about the development the informants experience in their role as a physiotherapist and as an individual., Conclusions: The FGD was chosen to capture the variety and width of experiences of the PTs using JEMS ® . The opportunity for learning and reflecting in the FGDs was appreciated by the PTs. The interaction between the patient and the PT was described as fundamental in establishing foundations for movement. Opportunities to meet and treat patients regardless of functional limitations elaborated and were in that way applicable in primary healthcare where patients seek a physiotherapist for a variety of reasons.

Background: Otomicroscopy and pneumatic methods are superior to otoscopy alone in diagnosing acute otitis media (AOM). There is a lack of knowledge regarding the use of different diagnostic methods for AOM in primary health care in Sweden and Norway., Methods: This cross-sectional study included a questionnaire completed by general practitioners (GPs) and specialist trainees (STs/residents/registrars) working in primary care in Sweden and Norway. Multivariable binary logistic regressions were performed to evaluate the use of diagnostic methods and written advice adjusted for educational level, sex and country., Results: Otoscopy was the most frequently used method. Sweden had greater access to the more accurate diagnostic methods. In Norway, the following methods were used to a lesser extent: pneumatic otoscopy, adjusted OR 0.15 (95% CI 0.10-0.23; p  < .001), otomicroscopy, adjusted OR 0.013 (95% CI 0.070-0.027; p  < .001), pneumatic otomicroscopy, adjusted OR 0.028 (95% CI 0.010-0.078; p  < .001) and tympanometry, adjusted OR 0.31 (95% CI 0.21-0.45; p  < .001). Written advice was used to a greater extent in Norway, adjusted OR 4.5 (95% CI 3.1-6.7; p  < .001). The STs used pneumatic otoscopy and pneumatic otomicroscopy to a lesser extent, adjusted OR 0.65 (95% CI 0.45-0.93; p  = .019) and 0.63 (95% CI 0.43-0.92; p  = .016)., Conclusions: Swedish physicians both used and had greater access to the significantly better diagnostic methods compared with Norwegian physicians while the opposite applied to the use of written information. The GPs used pneumatic otoscopy and pneumatic otomicroscopy to a greater extent than STs. Compared with 2012, the Swedish physicians now more frequently used pneumatic otoscopy.

Background: Due to demographic changes in the Western world governments emphasize the need for viable solutions, e.g. through decentralization of specialist health care services and better coordination within and between health care services. Both Norway and Canada have been through health care reforms and initiatives aiming to improve continuity and coordination of services. Organizational change to primary care in both countries encompasses both team-based service delivery involving allied health professionals, and new blended payment models. The objective of this study was to explore patient pathways in primary healthcare from various health personnel's perspectives, and across various primary care organizations in Norway and Canada., Methods: The study had a qualitative design, including interviews with physicians, nurses and managers (n = 19) in primary care, from a county in Norway and a region in Canada. Data were analyzed with a thematic approach, in line with recommendations from Braun & Clarke., Results: Three themes were identified: 1) Structural challenges, 2) Towards a more specialized primary health care and 3) Dedication could improve continuity. Findings indicate that coordinating health care services was assumed difficult due to different health care levels, funding systems, managements, electronic record systems and organizations. Hospitals were assumed more task oriented, while primary health care services were considered more care oriented, and this challenged the coordination across organizations. Primary care services were perceived to be more and more specialized, also representing a threat for coordination and continuity. Health care personnel in both countries perceived that dedicated personnel for each patient could improve information flow and continuity across services., Conclusions: Achieving continuity and coordination of health care services seems challenging. Integration strategies seem essential for reducing silo thinking and fragmentation of health care services., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The project was based on the principles stated in the declaration of Helsinki [58]. All data were anonymized and treated in strict adherence to prevailing regulations. All participants were informed that participation was voluntary and of their right to withdraw at any stage, and provided their informed, written consent to participate. In Norway, the study was approved by the Norwegian Knowledgesector’s Service Provider (Sikt, project no. 203279). According to Norwegian legislations, no ethical approval from National research Ethics Committees was needed [59, 60]. In Canada, the project received an ethics approval from the University of Alberta Research Ethics Board (Pro00118728). Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Contracting HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and malaria during pregnancy significantly affects the health of the woman, the pregnancy, and the unborn child. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends testing pregnant women for these infections to achieve triple elimination of mother-to-child transmissions. However, this goal has not been fully realized in low- to medium-income countries, primarily due to segmented testing practices. This study aimed to investigate the effect of introducing a four-tests panel on the quality of antenatal care (ANC) among pregnant women attending selected Primary Health Care facilities in Kenya., Methods: Using a multi-design approach, we analyzed ANC medical records from 577 pregnant women attending eight facilities across four different counties. Blood from the women fingerpick was tested for HIV, Syphilis Hepatitis B Virus and Malaria using the four-tests panel and the results compared to those in the medical records., Results: Out of 577 ANC women, only 8.3% had test results for all four infections available. The majority of the mothers had been tested for syphilis (93.7%), HIV (78.5%), and malaria (62.6%), only 19.5% had been tested for HBV. Testing the women using the 4-tests panel yielded positivity rates of 6.9% for HIV, 0.9% for syphilis, 1.9% for malaria, and 1.1% for HBV. Among those without previous test results, the positivity rate was 2.8% for syphilis, 13.8% for HIV (with 10.6% testing positive for recent p24 infections, F = 24.876, p < 0.001), 2.3% for malaria, and 4.5% for HBV, with 83.3% of these individuals having no prior test results. The mean positivity rate of those tested using the 4-tests panel compared to segmented single tests was significantly different. The panel was cost-effective and user-friendly for healthcare workers, and in facilities facing staff shortages, it reduced turnaround time and workloads by half. The use of the panel also improved the profiling of ANC mothers and enhanced data management for the four infections by 91.7%., Conclusion: Adopting the 4-tests panel has the potential to improve test result outputs, enhance the quality-of-service delivery, and contribute significantly to the achievement of triple elimination goals., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ochwoto, Matiang’i, Machuki Onchieku, Ndoria, Matoke, Otinga, Ngondo, Zablon, Buyl, Mathebula and Matoke-Muhia.)