Assessment of primary health care received by the elderly and health related quality of life: a cross-sectional study

Service Quality and Related Factors in Primary Health Care Services: A Cross-Sectional Study

Primary health care services aim to prevent diseases and improve health efficiently and effectively. This study measures perceived service quality in a primary healthcare organization and examines the effect of personality traits on service quality. The cross-sectional study population comprised individuals over the age of 18 who applied to the Bingöl Central Community Health Centre. A total of 460 participants were included in the study between November 2018 and March 2019. The participants completed a face-to-face questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics, the SERVQUAL Scale, and an abbreviated form of the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. This study is based on doctoral research in public health. The study found median values for personality trait sub-dimensions as follows: neuroticism: 2, psychoticism: 2.65, extraversion: 4, and lying: 5. The SERVQUAL Score was -0.02. The study revealed that the quality of primary health care services did not meet the participants' expectations. The study findings also indicated that age, educational attainment, and extraverted and psychotic personality traits were significantly associated with the satisfaction of service quality expectations (p < 0.05). It is recommended to provide primary health care services in facilities with good physical characteristics, with sufficient and competent health personnel, and in a timely and accurate manner to improve service quality.

Waist-to-Height Ratio: A Sensitive Tool for Assessing the Need for Nutritional Risk Management in Elderly Populations from Brazil

INTRODUCTION

Nutritional status assessment commonly relies on body mass index (BMI), which overlooks lean mass and adipose tissue distribution. However, waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) provide additional insights into fat accumulation. By combining these indices, it may be possible to identify older adults needing weight management interventions.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the WC and WHtR as strategies for identifying individuals requiring weight management.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 509 elderly individuals in Northeast Brazil. Weight, height, hip circumference, and waist circumference were measured, and combined with indices such as BMI WC, WHR, and WHtR to identify those who require weight management. The DeLong test compared areas under the curves using receiver operating characteristic curves and statistical significance. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated to verify usefulness for clinical application. A validation sample of 599 elderly individuals from the country's Southern region was used to confirm the results.

RESULTS

Both WC and WHtR showed adequate diagnostic accuracy with no statistically significant difference in AUCs. WHtR ≥ 0.50 had 92% sensitivity in identifying men and women requiring nutritional management. WC presented lower sensitivity but 93% specificity, useful for excluding elderly individuals from the nutritional risk category. These results were consistent in the validation sample.

CONCLUSION

WHtR is a valuable index for screening nutritional risk management in the elderly population, applicable to men and women. Conversely, WC performs better in excluding individuals who do not need nutritional risk management.

Atenção primária à saúde para o século XXI: primeiros resultados do novo modelo de financiamento

Resumo O Brasil, desde 1994, oferta serviços de atenção primária à saúde (APS) a partir da Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF). A ESF alcançou resultados importantes. Nesse período, o modelo de financiamento da APS não sofreu alterações metodológicas importantes. Neste artigo, descreve-se os resultados do novo modelo de financiamento para APS aprovado de forma tripartite em 2019, o “Previne Brasil”, que é composto por (i) capitação ponderada, (ii) incentivos a ações específicas e estratégicas e (iii) pagamento por desempenho. Esses primeiros resultados revelam o incremento de mais de 50 milhões de pessoas com cadastro qualificado e único, associado ao número recorde de mais de 52 mil equipes de Saúde da Família/Equipe de Atenção Primária (EAP) financiadas pelo Ministério da Saúde, sendo mais de 35 mil (67%) com uso de prontuário eletrônico. Além disso, o cadastro das pessoas e dos profissionais da APS brasileira junto ao Sistema de Informação em Atenção Básica (SISAB) se configura como o maior conjunto de dados demográficos e clínicos de saúde do mundo. Esses avanços favorecem a superação das dificuldades para o alcance de maior acesso, longitudinalidade e coordenação do cuidado, qualificando a APS brasileira em busca de melhores resultados em saúde.

Primary Care Assessment Tool: regional differences based on the National Health Survey from Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística

In 2019, unprecedentedly among the official statistical institutes worldwide, the IBGE included a particular module on evaluating primary health care in its central population-based population survey, the National Health Survey (PNS-2019). The survey considered the reduced version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT), developed and disseminated by Starfield and Shi, to assess the existence and extent of the structure and process characteristics of PHC services. It is the most significant probabilistic sample using this instrument ever conducted in a single country in the world that interviewed users aged 18 or over (n=9,677). The results of the Brazilian overall PCAT scores (5.9 [5.8; 5.9]) point to significant regional and intraregional contrasts, with the South of the country standing out with the best evaluations of primary care services (overall score = 6.3 [6.2; 6.5]) and the North with the worse (overall score = 5,5 [5,3; 5,7]). There were also statistically significant and more favorable differences between residents of households registered by family health teams, among older adults, and those using health services the most (adults with reported morbidities).

Cohort study of ageing from Bagé (SIGa-Bagé), Brazil: profile and methodology

BACKGROUND

The Bagé Cohort Study of Ageing is a population-based cohort study that has recently completed the first follow-up of a representative sample of older adults from Bagé, a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is one of the first longitudinal studies to assess the impact of primary health care coverage on health conditions and inequalities. Our aim is to investigate the prevalence, incidence and trends of risk factors, health behaviours, social relationships, non-communicable diseases, geriatric diseases and disorders, hospitalisation, self-perceived health, and all-cause and specific-cause mortality. In addition, we aim to evaluate socioeconomic and health inequalities and the impact of primary health care on the outcomes under study.

METHODS/DESIGN

The study covers participants aged 60 or over, selected by probabilistic (representative) sampling of the urban area of the city of Bagé, which is covered by Primary Health Care Services. The baseline examination included 1593 older adults and was conducted from July 2008 to November 2008. After eight to nine years (2016/2017), the first follow-up was conducted from September 2016 to August 2017. All participants underwent an extensive core assessment programme including structured interviews, questionnaires, cognitive testing (baseline and follow-up), physical examinations and anthropometric measurements (follow-up).

RESULTS

Of the original participants, 1395 (87.6%) were located for follow-up: 757 elderly individuals (47.5%) were re-interviewed, but losses in data transfer occurred for 22. The remaining 638 (40.1%) had died. In addition, we had 81 (5.1%) refusals and 117 (7.3%) losses. Among the 1373 older adults who were followed down, there was a higher proportion of female interviewees (p=0.042) and a higher proportion of male deaths (p=0.001) in 2016/2017. There were no differences in losses and refusals according to gender (p=0.102). There was a difference in average age between the interviewees (68.8 years; SD ±6.5) and non-interviewees (73.2 years; SD ±9.0) (p<0.001). Data are available at the Department of Social Medicine in Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for any collaboration.

Trends in pediatric hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive respiratory diseases in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the trend in hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive respiratory diseases (ACSRD) of children under five years of age in Brazil.

DESIGN

Time series study of hospitalization rates using secondary information from the Hospital Information System of the Brazil's Unified Health System.

SAMPLE

Hospitalizations of children under five years of age living in Brazilian regions. Hospitalizations were separated according to cause: nose and throat infections, asthma, bacterial pneumonias, and lung diseases.

MEASUREMENTS

Rates were calculated for total hospitalizations for ACSRD, and by cause, age group, and region. Trends were analyzed by using means of simple linear regression and were classified into stationary (p ≥ .05), ascending (β positive and p < .05) or declining (β negative and p < .05) trends.

RESULTS

All regions showed stationary trends in total hospitalization rates for ACSRDs, except in the Southeast, where trends were ascending. Asthma was the only cause that showed a declining trend. Bacterial pneumonias showed stationary trends, while lung diseases and nose and throat infections had predominantly ascending trends.

CONCLUSION

Brazil's hospitalization rates for ACSRDs are high. Investigations into primary health care organization and work processes, as well as socioeconomic, cultural, and geographical factors are necessary.

New funding for a new Brazilian Primary Health Care

This paper aims to present a debate on the new Brazilian Primary Health Care (PHC) funding policy. We consulted the national and international literature, and we involved municipal, state, and federal PHC managers to develop the payment method. The proposed final model is based on weighted capitation, payment-for-performance, and incentive for strategic actions. Capitation is weighted by the socioeconomic vulnerability, demographic aspects, and municipal adjustment, the payment-for-performance consists of an entire set of 21 indicators, and incentives for strategic actions were facilitated from the maintenance of some specific programs. The results of the simulations pointed to low registration (90 million Brazilians) for the currently estimated coverage (148,674,300 Brazilians). Moreover, they showed an immediate increase in financial resources for 4,200 Brazilian municipalities. We observed that the funding proposal brings Brazilian PHC into the 21st century, points to the strengthening of PHC attributes, and materializes the principles of universality and equity of the Unified Health System.

Risk strata and quality of care for the elderly in Primary Health Care

Objective

to identify patterns of associations between the degree of compliance to laboratory test requests by risk strata and the parameters of quality of care outcomes in primary health care (PHC).

Method

a cross-sectional study involving 108 elderly patients with hypertension and/or diabetes treated in PHC. A semi-structured questionnaire and electronic medical record data were used. To evaluate the quality of care, the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) questionnaire was used. Descriptive analysis, multiple correspondence analysis and k-means grouping were performed.

Results

it was observed low compliance of the care practice, standing out as the worst parameter the evaluation of the diabetic foot (2.2%). Three clusters were identified, with cluster 1 having the highest number of individuals (37.0%), with better indicators of quality of care, evidenced by above 50% of compliance with laboratory tests (75.0%), high PACIC score (47.2%), control of blood pressure (70.0%) and metabolic levels (95.0%), and satisfaction with health (92.5%) and health access (90.0%). In contrast, cluster 3 (29.6%) was made up of individuals with worse outcomes of care.

Conclusion

low compliance of care practice and asymmetries among health actions and users’ needs were observed, indicating failures in the care process in PHC.

Depression and cancer were independently associated with quality of life in Brazilian older people

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the factors associated with low health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older people living in Brazil.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study of the Jewish community residing in Sao Paulo, Brazil, we extensively evaluated the characteristics - including clinical, functional and sociodemographic - of 496 older people. Quality of life was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), while the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to measure depressive symptoms.

RESULTS

After adjusting for potential confounders, we found that GDS score (β = -0.07; P = 0.04) and cancer (β = -0.47; P = 0.05) were associated with a low WHOQOL-BREF score.

CONCLUSION

Depressive symptoms and cancer were independently associated with low HRQoL among older people living in Brazil.

Quality of life in a sample of Brazilian adults using the generic SF-12 questionnaire

Summary Objective: This study describes the summary scores of the Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire, according to socio-demographic factors obtained in a probabilistic and representative sample of the Brazilian urban population. Method: Five thousand (5,000) individuals, over the age of 15, were assessed in 16 capital cities, in the five regions of the country. The selection of households was random. Face-to-face approach was applied in the household interviews. The SF-12 questionnaire was used to assess quality of life. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were also evaluated: gender, age, marital status, skin color, region of the country and use of the public health service. Results: The mean value (SD) of the SF-12 for the entire population was 49.3 (8.7) for the physical component (PCS-12) and 52.7 (9.7) for the mental component (MCS-12). Statistical differences were found for gender (PCS-12 and MCS-12), age (PCS-12) and working status (PCS-12 and MCS-12). Women, elderly, widowed and unemployed individuals, those with lower income and with complaints in the last seven days showed lower mean values (PCS-12 and MCS-12). Conclusion: From this point forward, we can provide the basis for comparisons with future research that use the SF-12 for quality of life assessment in Brazil. The Brazilian population has a lower degree of quality of life related do the physical component, and the SF-12 is a useful and discriminative instrument for assessing quality of life in different socio-demographic groups.

Modelling factors influencing the adoption of smart-home technologies

Purpose

Smart-home technology (SHT) has been identified by the World Health Organization as a possible solution for assisting older people to maintain their independence and to live safely at home when performing the activities of daily living. This study aims to identify the factors, as well as their inter-relationships, influencing senior citizens to adopt elderly-friendly SHT that supports ageing-in-place in high-density Hong Kong living settings.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretive structural modelling approach has been used to analyse the factors to develop a better understanding of the relationships between factors influencing SHT adoption, and “Matrice d’Impacts Croisés-Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement” analysis has been used to classify the analysed factors.

Findings

The results suggested that strong government support, efficient backup supporting service and the design of user interface devices have been found as the driving factors encouraging the adoption of SHT. Other factors, including the maintenance of devices, levels of usage and penetration of devices, individual needs and financial considerations, were considered as autonomous factors and are less important to the decision to adopt SHT.

Originality/value

This study provides useful information to policymakers and building designers on the human perspective of SHT adoption, such as the needs and requirements of older people to be considered in SHT technical design and appropriate technological solutions.

[Experiences with primary care associated to health, socio-demographics and use of services in children and adolescents]

This study aimed to evaluate user experiences with primary care for children and adolescents according to health, socio-demographic characteristics, and use of healthcare services. The 2006 Catalan Health Interview Survey studied a representative sample of the population aged 0 to 14 (n = 2,200). Parents reported their experiences with primary care through 17 items from the Primary Care Assessment Tool. Multivariate models were fitted to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) of scoring low on experiences with primary care by health, use of services, and socio-demographic variables. A low first contact-accessibility score was associated with declared chronic conditions. Immigrant parents declared a poor experience with several primary care functions. A low score on first contact-accessibility, continuity of care, and cultural competence was less likely when children had double healthcare coverage and more likely when they had visited emergency services. Improvement of some aspects of primary care services may reduce both use of emergency services and inequity in this area.