scholarly journals Facilitating equitable prevention and management of gout for Māori in Northland, New Zealand, through a collaborative primary care approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniva Lawrence ◽  
Sharon Scott ◽  
Fabio Saparelli ◽  
Georgina Greville ◽  
Andrew Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Serum Urate ◽  
Acute Gout ◽  
Serum Urate Level ◽  
Diabetes Status ◽  
Urate Lowering Treatment

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTIONThe Gout Stop Programme was developed for primary care in Northland, New Zealand, to address inequitable health outcomes for Māori and Pacific people with gout. AIMThe aim of the programme was to make it easier for clinicians to prescribe urate-lowering treatment, facilitate patient adherence through education and support, and reduce barriers to gout prevention and long-term management. METHODSFrom 2015 to 2017, patients with acute gout who met inclusion criteria were prescribed treatment according to a ‘Gout Stop Pack’ option, based on renal function and diabetes status. Patients were monitored by community pharmacists. Gout educators and a Gout Kaiāwhina (community support worker) provided education and support to patients and whānau (families). Patient completion of the programme and outcomes, according to target serum urate level, were recorded. Patient experience was documented using a questionnaire and rating scale. RESULTSIn total, 160 clinicians prescribed therapy at 887 patient presentations; 71% were Māori and Pacific patients. The completion rate was 55% in this group and 84% for the non-Māori and non-Pacific group. In the Māori and Pacific group, 40% reached the target serum urate level (≤0.36 mmol L-1) in 91 days, and 26% required further titration. In the non-Māori/non-Pacific group, these rates were 51% and 19% respectively. Following programme completion, 68% of Māori and Pacific patients and 65% of non-Māori and non-Pacific patients continued to take allopurinol. The 21 patients interviewed rated the programme as excellent or very good. DISCUSSIONCulturally appropriate education and support for patients and the primary care team was essential. Collaboration between prescribers, community pharmacists and support workers reduced barriers to initiating prevention and long-term urate-lowering treatment and urate testing in this high-needs gout population.

scholarly journals Electronic transmission of prescriptions in primary care: transformation, timing and teamwork

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 340
Author(s):  
Chloë Campbell ◽  
Caroline Morris ◽  
Lynn McBain
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Interprofessional Communication ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Handwritten Signature ◽  
Purposive Sample

ABSTRACTINTRODUCTIONDuring the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown in New Zealand in March 2020, there was a rapid shift to virtual consultations in primary care. This change was supported by system adjustments to enable electronic transmission of prescriptions without a handwritten signature if they met certain security criteria. International research suggests potential for unintended consequences with such changes, so it is important to understand the effect on professional practice in New Zealand general practice and community pharmacy.AIMThe purpose of this study was to undertake a preliminary exploration of the experiences of New Zealand general practitioners and community pharmacists when prescriptions are transmitted electronically directly from prescriber to pharmacy.METHODSSemi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of four pharmacists and four general practitioners gathered qualitative data about their experiences of the shift to electronic transmission of prescriptions. Participants’ perceptions of effect on professional workflow, interprofessional interactions between general practitioners and pharmacists, and interactions with patients were explored. Interviews were audio-recorded, and the data analysed thematically using an inductive approach.RESULTSFour themes were identified: workflow transformation; mixed impact on interactions with patients; juggling timing and expectations; and new avenues for interprofessional communication (with some cul-de-sacs).DISCUSSIONBoth general practitioners and pharmacists experienced transformational changes to workflow. This was positive for general practitioners due to saved time and increased work flexibility. Pharmacists noted potential benefits but also some challenges. To fully reap teamwork benefits, more work is needed on managing the timing issues and patient expectations, and to refine the new modes of communication between health-care practitioners.

scholarly journals Serum Urate and the Risk of Parkinson's Disease: Results From a Meta-Analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunhong Shen ◽  
Yi Guo ◽  
Wei Luo ◽  
Chen Lin ◽  
Meiping Ding
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Serum Urate ◽  
High Serum ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Serum Urate Level

Objective:Serum urate may exert protective effects against Parkinson's disease (PD) through its antioxidant capacities. In this article, we examine the hypothesis that high serum urate levels are associated with lower risk of PD.Methods:We searched NCBI (PubMed), ISI Web of Science and EMBASE for studies that reported the risk of PD associated with serum urate. Fixed or random effects meta-analysis was used to pool results across studies, and further analysis was used to assess the effects by gender.Results:Six studies met the inclusion criteria involving a total of 33 185 participants. Overall, we found a 33% reduction in PD incidence among persons with high serum urate level (relative risk [RR]=0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.91). Subgroup analysis was performed with 20 641 men and 12 544 women included, indicating statistically significant protective effects of serum urate in men (RR=0.60; 95% CI, 0.40-0.90) but not in women. A dose-response trend of serum urate to reduce PD risk was also observed involving 11 795 participants (RR=0.77; 95% CI, 0.68-0.88). Additionally, high serum urate levels seemed to slow the clinical decline of PD patients (RR=0.56; 95% CI, 0.43-0.72).Conclusions:In light of these findings, our study confirms previous findings of a robust association between high serum urate level and PD risk, especially in men. It also suggests that long-term exposure to high serum urate may be linked to the delay of PD progression, however more well-designed investigations are needed.

scholarly journals Effect of Clinical Typing on Serum Urate Targets of Benzbromarone in Chinese Gout Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaomei Xue ◽  
Xuan Yuan ◽  
Lin Han ◽  
Xinde Li ◽  
Tony R. Merriman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serum Urate ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Acute Gout ◽  
Type Group ◽  
Cholesterol Levels ◽  
Chemical Indicators ◽  
Serum Urate Level ◽  
Secondary Endpoints ◽  
Physical And Chemical ◽  
Gout Flare

IntroductionAchieving a goal of serum urate levels in patients with gout is an important way to prevent gout and its complications while it remains difficult with a low targeting rate worldwidely. Currently, hyperuricemia classification has not been widely applied to the management of gout owing to insufficient clinical evidences. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of achieving target urate based on hyperuricemia classification in Chinese patients with gout.MethodsIn this prospective study, patients with gout receiving urate lowering therapy with benzbromarone were assigned to two groups, a renal underexcretion and an unclassified type. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients achieving the serum urate target (<360 μmol/L) during the 12-week study. The frequency of acute gout attacks as well as physical and chemical indicators were secondary endpoints.ResultsTarget serum urate level was achieved in 60.5% of underexcretors compared with 39.0% of patients of the unclassified type at week 12 (P = 0.002). Blood glucose and cholesterol levels were lower in the underexcretor group compared with the unclassified type group at the end of the trial, without significant different frequencies in gout flare during the study. In subgroup analysis, stratified by body mass index and estimated glomerular filtration rate, the proportion of patients with serum urate <360 μmol/L was greater in the underexcretion compared with the unclassified type group.ConclusionsThe increased achievement of target serum urate in the underexcretion group supports the use of a clinical hyperuricemia typing treatment strategy for gout.

scholarly journals The feasibility of assessing the Flinders Programme of Patient Self-Management in New Zealand primary care settings

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Horsburgh ◽  
Janine Bycroft ◽  
Faith Mahony ◽  
Dianne Roy ◽  
Denise Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Participant Recruitment ◽  
Practice Nurses ◽  
Management Capacity ◽  
Term Trial

INTRODUCTION: The Flinders ProgramTM has been adopted in New Zealand as a useful and appropriate approach for self-management with primary care clients who have chronic conditions. The Flinders ProgramTM has not been evaluated in New Zealand settings. AIM: To assess the feasibility of undertaking a substantive long-term trial to gauge the effectiveness of primary care nurses using the Flinders ProgramTM to improve health outcomes for New Zealand populations. METHODS: A pilot study was undertaken considering four components of feasibility of conducting a long-term trial: practice recruitment, participant recruitment, delivery of the intervention and outcome measures. This included comparing 27 intervention and 30 control patients with long-term health conditions with respect to change in self-management capacity—Partners in Health (PIH) scale—quality of care using the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) scale and self-efficacy across six months. Intervention participants received care planning with practice nurses using the Flinders ProgramTM in general practices, while control participants received usual care in comparable practices. RESULTS: General practice and participant recruitment was challenging, together with a lack of organisational capacity and resources in general practice for the Flinders ProgramTM. The measures of self-management capacity (PIH), quality of care (PACIC) and self-efficacy were useful and valuable primary outcome measures. DISCUSSION: The overall findings do not support a substantive trial of the Flinders ProgramTM in primary care. Difficulties associated with participant recruitment and ability of practice nurses to undertake the Flinders ProgramTM within general practice need to be resolved. KEYWORDS: Self-management; long-term conditions; chronic conditions; chronic illness; primary care; nurses

Gout

2013 ◽  
pp. 1199-1210
Author(s):  
Nicola Dalbeth
Keyword(s):  
Disease Patient ◽  
Joint Damage ◽  
Serum Urate ◽  
Acute Attack ◽  
Dietary Factors ◽  
Acute Gout ◽  
Chronic Synovitis ◽  
Renal Tubular

Gout is a common and treatable disorder of purine metabolism. Gout typically presents as recurrent self-limiting episodes of severe inflammatory arthritis affecting the foot. In the presence of persistent hyperuricaemia, tophi, chronic synovitis, and joint damage may develop. Diagnosis of gout is confirmed by identification of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals using polarizing light microscopy. Hyperuricaemia is the central biochemical cause of gout. Genetic variants in certain renal tubular urate transporters including SLC2A9 and ABCG2, and dietary factors including intake of high-purine meats and seafood, beer, and fructose, contribute to development of hyperuricaemia and gout. Gout treatment includes: (1) management of the acute attack using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, or low-dose colchicine; (2) prophylaxis against gout attacks when commencing urate-lowering therapy (ULT), with NSAIDs or colchicine; and (3) long-term ULT to achieve a target serum urate of less than 0.36 mmol/litre. Interleukin (IL)-1β‎‎ is a central mediator of acute gouty inflammation and anti-IL-1β‎‎ therapies show promise for treatment of acute attacks and prophylaxis. The mainstay of ULT remains allopurinol. However, old ULT agents such as probenecid and benzbromarone and newer agents such as febuxostat and pegloticase are also effective, and should be considered in patients in whom allopurinol is ineffective or poorly tolerated. Management of gout should be considered in the context of medical conditions that frequently coexist with gout, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and chronic kidney disease. Patient education is essential to ensure that acute gout attacks are promptly and safely managed, and long-term ULT is maintained.

Long-term management of gout

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Perez-Ruiz ◽  
Irati Urionagüena ◽  
Sandra P. Chinchilla
Keyword(s):  
Structural Damage ◽  
Serum Urate ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Long Term Treatment ◽  
Patient Reported ◽  
Concomitant Medications ◽  
Urate Lowering Treatment ◽  
Term Management

Long-term management of gout comprises several aspects. Although in the short term, prophylaxis and treatment of acute episodes of inflammation are of great importance, the milestone for the long-term management of gout is targeted, sustained, and long-term control of hyperuricaemia. Treating to target subsaturating serum urate (SUA) levels, which may be initially dependent on the severity of the disease in the individual patient, is associated with a progressive reduction to no episodes of acute inflammation, regression and disappearance of subcutaneous and articular monosodium urate deposits and associated chronic inflammation, and improvement in patient-reported, health-related quality of life. Early and effective urate-lowering treatment to target levels will also prevent the development of structural damage. Urate-lowering treatment includes any measure intending to reduce SUA levels to target: lifestyle changes, modifications of concomitant medications favouring hyperuricaemia, and urate-lowering medications (ULMs). Availability of ULMs is variable worldwide, and prescription should be judicious, according to approved labels, and always considering associated health conditions and concomitant medications. Effectiveness and safety should be periodically monitored. Long-term treatment of gout still remains suboptimal in the twenty-first century. As practising clinicians, we cannot afford to neglect a ‘curable disease’.

scholarly journals The Flinders Programme of Chronic Condition Self-Management in New Zealand: survey findings

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Horsburgh ◽  
Janine Bycroft ◽  
Felicity Goodyear-Smith ◽  
Dianne Roy ◽  
Faith Mahony ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Chronic Condition ◽  
Complex Interventions ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Primary Care Nurses

INTRODUCTION: The Flinders ProgramTM of Chronic Condition Self-Management in New Zealand (NZ) has been given focus as a useful and appropriate approach for self-management support and improvement of long-term condition management. AIM: To determine the use of the Flinders ProgramTM in NZ and identify barriers and enablers to its use. METHOD: A web-based survey was undertaken in June 2009 with 355 eligible participants of the 500 who had completed ‘Flinders’ training in NZ since 2005. RESULTS: 152 (43%) respondents completed the survey over a one-month time frame. Of those who responded, the majority were primary care nurses (80%; 118). Fifty-five percent (82) of survey respondents reported using some or all of the Flinders tools. Of these, 11% (16) reported using all of the tools or processes with 77% (104) of respondents having completed six or fewer client assessments utilising the Flinders tools. This indicates that respondents were relatively inexperienced with use of the Flinders ProgramTM. Barriers to implementation were identified as the time needed for structured appointments (up to one hour), funding, resistance from colleagues, lack of space and insufficient ongoing support. DISCUSSION: Despite the extent of training in the use of the Flinders ProgramTM, there is limited use in clinical practice of the tools and processes associated with the model. Without structured support for quality improvement initiatives and self-management programmes, the ability to implement learned skills and complex interventions is limited. KEYWORDS: Self-management; long-term conditions; chronic conditions; chronic illness; primary care; nurses

scholarly journals Long-term condition management: health professionals’ perspectives

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Ashworth ◽  
Shona Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Service Development ◽  
Health Board ◽  
Long Term Conditions ◽  
Family Nursing

INTRODUCTION: Long-term conditions (LTCs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in New Zealand. The burden upon patients and health care services to manage these conditions has prompted calls for primary care to lead the way in early diagnosis and coordination of LTC care. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perspectives of health professionals in a geographically-isolated region of New Zealand regarding current levels of LTC management to provide direction for future service development. METHODS: Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews conducted in 2009 with 10 purposively sampled health professionals in the primary care field, including four general practitioners, four nurses and two management team personnel, all practising in a regional District Health Board. The resultant data were analysed using a general inductive thematic approach. FINDINGS: Three main themes were identified by the health professionals as being key issues pertaining to the management of LTCs. These are discussed as issues pertaining to management, information and communication and leadership. CONCLUSION: The results showed that LTC management is rated as highly important by health care professionals who are aware of the need to change current delivery methods to improve client outcomes. All those interviewed highlighted issues related to funding as being a significant barrier to implementing innovations in LTC management, including nurse-led services. Plans to develop integrated family health centres, information technology systems and increased collaboration between clinicians were hailed as potential solutions to improving LTC management. KEYWORDS: Chronic disease; family nursing; family practice; nurse led clinics; nurse’s practice patterns

scholarly journals Young People and the Management of Chronic Illness by Primary Care Pharmacists: A Systematic Review

Pharmacy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Mohammed Almunef ◽  
Julie Mason ◽  
Chris Curtis ◽  
Zahraa Jalal
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Young People ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Chronic Illnesses ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Subject Headings

Recent evidence has shown that the incidence of long-term illnesses in young people aged 10–24 years is increasing. It is essential to highlight the importance of long-term health conditions in this age group and understand young people’s health needs to be able to improve current support for young people. Pharmacists, as medicine experts, are in a unique position to promote young people’s health. The role of primary care pharmacists in the management of chronic illnesses in young people has not been widely researched. The aim of this review was to explore the current role of primary care pharmacists in the management of chronic illnesses in young people aged 10–24 years. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and Embase subject headings (Emtree) terms, covering three main themes: Pharmacists, young people and chronic illnesses. Articles were critically appraised using Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools. Eight articles were included in this review. Seven articles included original research studies (one observational study, two surveys, two qualitative interview studies and two interventions). The remaining article was a literature review. All of the articles made reference to community pharmacists, while there was no information about GP pharmacists. Roles that community pharmacists identified as high-priority in their practice when dealing with young people included supporting young people to develop generic healthcare skills, counselling and building trusted relationships directly with young people, helping young people to find credible health information and the provision of specialist services. Community pharmacists feel that they have a role to play in supporting young people with chronic illness and have identified many areas where they can provide services and support.

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