scholarly journals Bypassing primary care facilities: health-seeking behavior of middle age and older adults in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Changle Li ◽  
Zhuo Chen ◽  
M. Mahmud Khan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Facilities

Abstract Background With economic development, aging of the population, improved insurance coverage, and the absence of a formal referral system, bypassing primary healthcare facilities appear to have become more common. Chinese patients tend to visit the secondary or tertiary healthcare facilities directly leading to overcrowding at the higher-level facilities. This study attempts to analyze the factors associated with bypassing primary care facilities among patients of age 45 years or older in China. Methods Random effects logistic models were used to examine bypassing of primary health facilities among rural-urban patients. Data from 2011 to 2015 waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were used. Results Two in five older patients in China bypass primary health centers (PHC) to access care from higher-tier facilities. Urban patients were nearly twice as likely as rural patients to bypass PHC. Regardless of rural-urban residence, our analysis found that a longer travel time to primary facilities compared to higher-tier facilities increases the likelihood of bypassing. Patients with higher educational attainment were more likely to bypass PHCs. In rural areas, patients who reported their health as poor or those who experienced a recent hospitalization had a higher probability of bypassing PHC. In urban areas, older adults (age 65 years or older) were more likely to bypass PHC than the younger group. Patients with chronic conditions like diabetes also had a higher probability of bypassing. Conclusions The findings indicate the importance of strengthening the PHCs in China to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health system. Significantly lower out-of-pocket costs at the PHC compared to costs at the higher tiers had little or no impact on increasing the likelihood of utilizing the PHCs. Improving service quality, providing comprehensive person-centered care, focusing on family health care needs, and providing critical preventive services will help increase utilization of PHCs as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of the health system.

scholarly journals Spreading Telehealth for Older Adults in Rural Areas Through Network of Geriatric Interprofessional Teams

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 796-796
Author(s):  
Steven Barczi ◽  
Megan Gately ◽  
Lauren Welch ◽  
Kathryn Nearing ◽  
Stephen Thielke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Team Care ◽  
Geriatric Consultation ◽  
Complex Care Needs ◽  
Nursing Professionals ◽  
Community Based Services

Abstract Older adults living in rural areas have limited access to geriatrics interprofessional team care. In the Veteran healthcare system, geriatric teams such as geriatricians, nursing professionals, social workers, pharmacists and psychologists, located in urban areas link up with rural clinics to provide geriatric consultation remotely through clinical video telehealth and other means in the project GRECC Connect. Since its inception in 2014, the service has now grown to 16 geriatric teams offering consultation to over 100 clinic sites serving older rural Veterans. GRECC Connect delivered over 2,000 consultations in 2019, meeting complex care needs by identifying and linking geriatric services and management to patients with geriatric syndromes. The network of established geriatric teams, local champions and a shared Electronic Health Record facilitated the spread, while ongoing effort to build and maintain relationships between consultants and local rural provider teams and other community based services are important for ongoing success.

scholarly journals Digital ageing in Europe: a comparative analysis of Italian, Finnish and Swedish national policies on eHealth

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Heli Valokivi ◽  
Simone Carlo ◽  
Elin Kvist ◽  
Marjo Outila
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Policy Debates ◽  
High Age ◽  
Demographic Challenge ◽  
Digital Landscape

Abstract Ageing Europeans are today healthier than previous generations and often manage to live independently up to a high age. The proportion of people 80 years of age and older has increased significantly, and with high age the risk of multi-illness and dementia increases. Strong urbanisation processes have changed the demographic structure in rural areas, and young women and men have migrated towards the urban areas to study and work, while older persons have remained behind. This demographic challenge of increasing numbers of persons older than 80 years with care needs living in remote rural areas has become a major European social problem. In tackling this dilemma, many European countries have high expectations for eHealth, digitalisation and welfare technology. In this comparative study of policy debates in Italy, Finland and Sweden, we analyse how – between 2009 and 2019 – the issues of eHealth have been articulated in national and regional policies of the three countries with deep differences in terms of digitalisation and health systems, but with similar ageing populations. We identify in the documents three core topics – the role of technology, the rural issue and responsibility for care. These topics are treated in the documents with differences and similarities between the three countries. Beyond the differences and similarities, the documents reveal both a certain techno-enthusiasm about the role of eHealth in the life of the older adults as well as a limited understanding of the complexity (relationally as well as spatially) of the digital landscape of caring for older adults.

scholarly journals The experience, results, and possible perspectives of organizing the optimally accessible primary medical care for the rural population of Zaporizhzhia region

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 369-373
Author(s):  
O. H. Aleksieiev ◽  
V. V. Taranov ◽  
V. P. Petrykhin
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Primary Healthcare ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
Healthcare Facility ◽  
Service Area ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Care Facilities

Nowadays, the assessment of the activity of the domestic healthcare system is an important and actual issue, especially against the background the active reformation of this industry. One of the important elements of the assessment is studying the availability of primary healthcare to the rural population. The aim of this work is to study the territorial accessibility of primary healthcare, the adequacy and effectiveness of the principles of forming a network of primary care facilities in the rural areas of Zaporizhzhia region that enables to address issues and optimize the location of primary care facilities in the rural areas. Materials and methods. The materials of the research were the data of the official statistical reports for the past 20 years, which characterize the state of health and the degree of medical care accessibility to the rural population. During the research, the technique of complex social and hygienic research was applied, with the use of historical, sociological, sanitary and statistical methods, organizational experiment and others. Results. The article presents the main results of studying the current state of primary healthcare organization for the rural population of Zaporіzhzhia region against the background of active reforming processes. According to the research results, the main elements forming the system of accessibility are territorial, medical, social and economic. The main factors of impact on territorial accessibility are identified. These are: the nature of the settlement of rural residents (density, compactness, service-area radius, the proportion of the rural population, the distance between villages, the distance from a household to a healthcare facility); quality of roads; transport connections between settlements and healthcare facilities; availability of communication means. Conclusions. As a result of the research, the following conclusions were drawn. Such factors as population density, compactness of its location, service-area radius, distance between villages, distance from a household to a healthcare facility, condition and quality of roads, transport connections between settlements and healthcare facilities are important during forming or improving the network of healthcare facilities in rural areas. These factors must be considered for the rational placement of primary care facilities in rural areas.  

scholarly journals Rural–Urban Differences in the Factors Affecting Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults of Two Regions in Myanmar

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2818
Author(s):  
Yuri Sasaki ◽  
Yugo Shobugawa ◽  
Ikuma Nozaki ◽  
Daisuke Takagi ◽  
Yuiko Nagamine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Middle School ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Wealth Index ◽  
School Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle School Level

The aim of the study was to investigate rural–urban differences in depressive symptoms in terms of the risk factors among older adults of two regions in Myanmar to provide appropriate intervention for depression depending on local characteristics. This cross-sectional study, conducted between September and December, 2018, used a multistage sampling method to recruit participants from the two regions, for face-to-face interviews. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Depressive symptoms were positively associated with living in rural areas (B = 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12,0.72), female (B = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.31,0.79), illness during the preceding year (B = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.45,0.91) and non-Buddhist religion (B = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.001,1.15) and protectively associated with education to middle school level or higher (B = −0.61; 95% CI: −0.94, −0.28) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.20; 95% CI: −0.30, −0.10). In women in urban areas, depressive symptoms were positively associated with illness during the preceding year (B = 0.78; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.20) and protectively associated with education to middle school level or higher (B = −0.67; 95% CI: −1.23, −0.11), middle or high wealth index (B = −0.92; 95% CI: −1.59, −0.25) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.20; 95% CI: −0.38, −0.03). In men in rural areas, illness during the preceding year was positively associated with depressive symptoms (B = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.33, 1.42). In women in rural areas, depressive symptoms were positively associated with illness during the preceding year (B = 0.83; 95% CI: 0.36, 1.30) and protectively associated with primary education (B = −0.62; 95% CI: −1.12, −0.12) and the frequency of visits to religious facilities (B = −0.44; 95% CI: −0.68, −0.21). Religion and wealth could have different levels of association with depression between older adults in the urban and rural areas and men and women. Interventions for depression in older adults should consider regional and gender differences in the roles of religion and wealth in Myanmar.

scholarly journals Innovative Partnership Between Primary Care, AAA, and Academia Connects 4Ms and Social Determinants of Health

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 107-107
Author(s):  
Suzanne Leahy ◽  
Katie Ehlman ◽  
Lisa Maish ◽  
Brad Conrad ◽  
Jillian Hall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Preliminary Evaluation ◽  
Language And Literacy ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Primary Care Clinics ◽  
College Of Nursing ◽  
Value Based Care ◽  
The University

Abstract Nationally, there is a growing focus on addressing geriatric care in primary care settings. HRSA’s Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) has called for academic and health system partners to develop a reciprocal, innovative, cross-sector partnership that includes primary care sites and community-based agencies serving older adults. Through the University of Southern Indiana’s GWEP, the College of Nursing and Health Professions, the Deaconess Health System, three primary care clinics, and two Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) have joined to transform the healthcare of older adults regionally, including rural residents in the 12-county area. Core to the project is a value-based care model that “embeds” AAA care managers in primary care clinics. Preliminary evaluation indicates early success in improving the healthcare of older adults at one primary clinic, where clinical teams have referred 64 older adult patients to the AAA care manager. Among these 64 patients, 80% were connected to supplemental, community-based health services; 22% to programs addressing housing and transportation; and, nearly 10% to a range of other services (e.g., job training; language and literacy; and technology). In addition to presenting limited data on referred patients and referral outcomes, the presentation will share copies of the AAA referral log, to illustrate how resources were categorized by SDOH and added to support integration of the 4Ms.

scholarly journals A National Accessibility Audit of Primary Health Care Facilities in Brazil—Are People with Disabilities Being Denied Their Right to Health?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 2953
Author(s):  
Alexandro Pinto ◽  
Luciana Sepúlveda Köpcke ◽  
Renata David ◽  
Hannah Kuper
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Internal Space ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Primary Health Care Facilities

Poor accessibility of healthcare facilities is a major barrier for people with disabilities when seeking care. Yet, accessibility is rarely routinely audited. This study reports findings from the first national assessment of the accessibility of primary health care facilities, undertaken in Brazil. A national accessibility audit was conducted by trained staff of all 38,812 primary healthcare facilities in Brazil in 2012, using a 22-item structured questionnaire. An overall accessibility score was created (22 items), and three sub-scales: external accessibility (eight items), internal accessibility (eight items), information accessibility (six items). The main finding is that the overall accessibility score of primary care facilities in Brazil was low (mean of 22, standard deviation (SD) of 0.21, on a 0–100 scale). Accessibility of different aspects of the healthcare facilities was also low, including external space (mean = 31.0, SD = 2.0), internal space (18.9, 1.9) and accessibility features for people with other visual or hearing impairments (6.3, SD = 1.0). Scores were consistently better in the least poor regions of Brazil and in facilities in larger municipality size (indicating more urban areas). In conclusion, large-scale accessibility audits are feasible to undertake. Poor accessibility means that people with disabilities will experience difficulties in accessing healthcare, and this is a violation of their rights according to international and Brazilian laws.

scholarly journals The Role of Emergency Medical Services in Geriatrics: Bridging the Gap between Primary and Acute Care

CJEM ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judah Goldstein ◽  
Jennifer McVey ◽  
Stacy Ackroyd-Stolarz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Emergency Medical Services ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Functional Independence ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Frail Older Adults ◽  
Emergency Medical

AbstractCaring for older adults is a major function of emergency medical services (EMS). Traditional EMS systems were designed to treat single acute conditions; this approach contrasts with best practices for the care of frail older adults. Care might be improved by the early identification of those who are frail and at highest risk for adverse outcomes. Paramedics are well positioned to play an important role via a more thorough evaluation of frailty (or vulnerability). These findings may inform both pre-hospital and subsequent emergency department (ED) based decisions. Innovative programs involving EMS, the ED, and primary care could reduce the workload on EDs while improving patient access to care, and ultimately patient outcomes. Some frail older adults will benefit from the resources and specialized knowledge provided by the ED, while others may be better helped in alternative ways, usually in coordination with primary care. Discerning between these groups is a challenge worthy of further inquiry. In either case, care should be timely, with a focus on identifying emergent or acute care needs, frailty evaluation, mobility assessments, identifying appropriate goals for treatment, promoting functional independence, and striving to have the patient return to their usual place of residence if this can be done safely. Paramedics are uniquely positioned to play a larger role in the care of our aging population. Improving paramedic education as it pertains to geriatrics is a critical next step.

scholarly journals The Differences in the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease, Its Risk Factors, and Achievement of Therapeutic Goals among Urban and Rural Primary Care Patients in Poland: Results from the LIPIDOGRAM 2015 Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (23) ◽  
pp. 5656
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Studziński ◽  
Tomasz Tomasik ◽  
Adam Windak ◽  
Maciej Banach ◽  
Ewa Wójtowicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Primary Care Physicians ◽  
Primary Care Patient ◽  
Care Patient ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Therapeutic Goals ◽  
Rural Primary Care

A nationwide cross-sectional study, LIPIDOGRAM2015, was carried out in Poland in the years 2015 and 2016. A total of 438 primary care physicians enrolled 13,724 adult patients that sought medical care in primary health care practices. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, and CVD were similar in urban and rural areas (49.5 vs. 49.4%; 13.7 vs. 13.1%; 84.2 vs. 85.2%; 14.4 vs. 14.2%, respectively). The prevalence of obesity (32.3 vs. 37.5%, p < 0.01) and excessive waist circumference (77.5 vs. 80.7%, p < 0.01), as well as abdominal obesity (p = 43.2 vs. 46.4%, p < 0.01), were higher in rural areas in both genders. Mean levels of LDL-C (128 vs. 130 mg/dL, p = 0.04) and non-HDL-C (147 vs. 148 mg/dL, p = 0.03) were slightly higher in rural populations. Altogether, 14.3% of patients with CVD from urban areas and 11.3% from rural areas reached LDL <70 mg/dL (p = 0.04). There were no important differences in the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, and CVD, or in mean levels of blood pressure, cholesterol fractions, glucose, and HbA1c between Polish urban and rural primary care patient populations. A high proportion of patients in cities and an even-higher proportion in rural areas did not reach the recommended targets for blood pressure, LDL-C, and HbA1c, indicating the need for novel CVD-prevention programs.

scholarly journals Decomposing Urban-rural Differences in Multimorbidity Among Older Adults in India: A Study Based on Lasi Data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shekhar Chauhan ◽  
Shobhit Srivast ◽  
Pradeep Kumar ◽  
Ratna Patel
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Decomposition Analysis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Ageing Study ◽  
Urban Rural ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

Abstract Background: Multimorbidity is defined as the co-occurrence of two or more than two diseases in the same person. With rising longevity, multimorbidity has become a prominent concern among the older population. Evidence from both developed and developing countries shows that older people are at much higher risk of multimorbidity, however, urban-rural differential remained scarce. Therefore, this study examines urban-rural differential in multimorbidity among older adults by decomposing the risk factors of multimorbidity and identifying the covariates that contributed to the change in multimorbidity.Methods: The study utilized information from 31,464 older adults (rural-20,725 and urban-10,739) aged 60 years and above from the recent release of the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) wave 1 data. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate decomposition analysis techniques were used.Results: Overall, significant urban-rural differences were found in the prevalence of multimorbidity among older adults (difference: 16.3; p<0.001). Moreover, obese/overweight and high-risk waist circumference were found to narrow the difference in the prevalence of multimorbidity among older adults between urban and rural areas by 8% and 9.1%, respectively.Conclusion: There is a need to substantially increase the public sector investment in healthcare to address the multimorbidity among older adults, more so in urban areas, without compromising the needs of older adults in rural areas.

scholarly journals Comparison of The Risk Factors For Falls Among Older Adults Between Urban and Rural Areas of Shantou City, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaodong Chen ◽  
Zeting Lin ◽  
Ran Gao ◽  
Yijian Yang ◽  
Liping Li
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Fall Prevention ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Balance Function ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Risk Factors For Falls

Abstract Background: To investigate the prevalence of falls and risk factors among older adults in urban and rural areas and to facilitate the design of fall prevention interventions.Methods: We used cluster random sampling to investigate the sociodemographic information, living habits, medical history, and falls among 649 older adult participants. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to examine fall risk factors in urban and rural areas.Results: The fall rate and rate of injury from falls among older adults in urban areas were 27.3% and 18.6%, respectively, which were higher than those in rural areas (17.0% and 12.2%; P<0.05). Multivariable analysis showed that the risk factors for falls among urban older adults included a high school or below education level (OR=3.737, 95% CI: 1.503~9.291); diabetes medicine use (OR=4.518, 95% CI: 1.228~16.626); incontinence (OR=8.792, 95% CI: 1.894~40.824); lack of fall prevention education (OR = 11.907, 95% CI: 1.321～107.354); and reduced balance function (OR = 3.901, 95% CI: 1.894~7.815). The risk factors among rural older adults included a previous nonfarming occupation (OR=2.496, 95% CI: 1.416~4.398); incontinence (OR =11.396, 95% CI: 1.901~68.327); poor living environment (OR=3.457, 95% CI: 1.488~8.033); and reduced balance function (OR =4.260, 95% CI: 2.361~7.688).Discussion: The rate of falls among older adults in urban areas is higher than that in rural areas of Shantou City. Fall prevention in urban areas should target older adults with low education and modify the diabetes medication use. Interventions should focus on improving the home environment of older adults in rural areas.

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