Assessing the representativeness of physician and patient respondents to a primary care survey using administrative data

Knowledge, attitude and practice of physicians regarding periconceptional folic acid for women at low risk of a neural tube defect affected pregnancy

Canadian expert guidelines recommend low-risk women to consume a daily multivitamin supplement containing 400 µg of folic acid (FA) to prevent neural tube defects. Mandatory food fortification coupled with intake of prenatal vitamin/mineral supplements (PVS), most of which contain ≥ 1000 µg-FA, has resulted in an unprecedented shift in Canadian pregnant women folate status. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of physicians regarding periconceptional FA recommendations, intake and health related outcomes, since they play an essential role in promoting appropriate FA intake. Seventy-seven physicians answered the self-administered KAP survey. Only half of physicians knew the correct dose and duration of FA for low-risk women. Approximately 70% were unsure of, or unfamiliar with the most recent guidelines and 60% of physicians most often recommend a ≥ 1000 µg-FA supplement. Knowledge score 1 (KS1), which related to low-risk women, was associated with physicians' attitude toward believing that most PVS contain the recommended amount of FA (p = 0.004). Significant correlations were also found between KS1 and the total practice score (TPS) (r = 0.45, p < 0.0001) as well as between the total knowledge score and TPS (r = 0.38, p = 0.0007). Our findings show that physicians lacking knowledge regarding periconceptional FA is associated with their attitude and practice. Despite a vast majority of physicians being unsure or uncomfortable recommending PVS that are not in line with recommendations, a lack of knowledge and a widely accessible 400 µg-FA PVS, enables a contradictory practice in reality.

Factors Associated with Survey Non-Response in a Cross-Sectional Survey of Persons with an Axial Spondyloarthritis or Osteoarthritis Claims Diagnosis

Non-response in surveys can lead to bias, which is often difficult to investigate. The aim of this analysis was to compare factors available from claims data associated with survey non-response and to compare them among two samples. A stratified sample of 4471 persons with a diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and a sample of 8995 persons with an osteoarthritis (OA) diagnosis from a German statutory health insurance were randomly selected and sent a postal survey. The association of age, sex, medical prescriptions, specialist physician contact, influenza vaccination, hospitalization, and Elixhauser comorbidity index with the survey response was assessed. Multiple logistic regression models were used with response as the outcome. A total of 47% of the axSpA sample and 40% of the OA sample responded to the survey. In both samples, the response was highest in the 70-79-year-olds. Women in all age groups responded more often, except for the 70-79-year-olds. Rheumatologist/orthopedist contact, physical therapy prescription, and influenza vaccination were more frequent among responders. In the logistic regression models, rheumatologist/orthopedist treatment, influenza vaccination, and physical therapy were associated with a higher odds ratio for response in both samples. The prescription of biologic drugs was associated with higher response in axSpA. A high Elixhauser comorbidity index and opioid use were not relevantly associated with response. Being reimbursed for long-term care was associated with lower response-this was only significant in the OA sample. The number of quarters with a diagnosis in the survey year was associated with higher response. Similar factors were associated with non-response in the two samples. The results can help other investigators to plan sample sizes of their surveys in similar settings.

Balancing patient priorities for technical and interactional aspects of care in a measure of primary care quality

AIM

This study attempts to strike a balance to measure primary care quality in a way that considers what is important to patients, providers and the healthcare system, all at the same time.

BACKGROUND

The interest in delivering patient-centered primary care implies a need for patient-centered performance measurement. However, the distinction between measures of patient experience and technical aspects of care raises an unanswerable question: if a provider has good performance on technical measures but not on patient experience measures (or vice versa), what can be said about the quality of care?

METHODS

We surveyed patients to determine the relative priorities of each of a series of primary care measures in the patients' relationship with their primary care provider. The on-line survey was co-designed with patient co-investigators. The items consisted of 14 primary care quality measures used in pre-existing performance report, 41 additional indicators including a novel set of patient-generated Key Performance Indicators and 17 questions about patients' demographics, health and socioeconomic status as well as open-ended questions.

FINDINGS

Despite challenges, the study suggests that this is feasible. We argue that it is necessary to get better at measuring and finding ever-better ways to put patients at the center of primary care.

Sexual healthcare knowledge, attitudes, and practices among primary care physicians in Trinidad and Tobago

BACKGROUND

Our understanding of healthcare professionals' competence level in both their sexual history taking practices and their attitudes in addressing sexual health concerns of patients in middle and old age is lacking. This research aimed to assess primary care physicians' (PCPs) knowledge, attitudes, and sexual healthcare practices toward patients who are ≥45 years in Trinidad and Tobago.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A self-reported survey instrument assessing clinical sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and practices was administered nationwide to all registered PCPs (n = 155) in the public healthcare service. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were conducted using STATA.

RESULTS

PCPs, who were foreign medical graduates, middle-aged, male, and worked in urban centers, had improved odds of discussing sexual health with middle-aged and older patients. PCPs with any training in sexual health communication or sexual history taking were three times more likely to initiate a sexual health discussion or take a sexual history. Over 90% of physicians reported taking a sexual history only if the discussion was patient initiated and over 50% of PCPs indicated they will not ask these older patients about their sexual orientation, sexual partners, sexual abuse, or violence.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though PCPs reported having a positive willing attitude toward offering sexual health care to these patients, they had a low level of knowledge of sexual function in later life and inconsistent sexual history taking practices. There is a great need for training physicians' on sexual health communication and history taking and on sexual function in older adults.