scholarly journals Continuity of nursing care in Finnish primary health care settings: A 15-year follow-up

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Risto Raivio ◽  
Eija Paavilainen ◽  
Kari J. Mattila

Objective: Continuity is an essential part of high-quality nursing care. This study is the first systematic follow-up of Finnish primary health care patients assessing continuity of health centre nursing staff. The aim was to ascertain how longitudinal interpersonal continuity of care is related to patients’ characteristics, their consultation experiences, and how continuity had changed over the 15-year study period.Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among patients attending the health centres in the Tampere University Hospital catchment area from 1998 to 2013. A total of 157,549 patients responded out of 363,464 in almost 60 health centres. We analysed the opinions of patients (n = 47,470) who had visited a nurse during the survey weeks. Opinions on the continuity of care were assessed with the question: “When visiting the health centre, do you usually see the same nurse”, the alternatives being “yes” or “no”. A binary logistic regression model was used.Results: Almost two thirds of the respondents had met the same nurse when visiting their health care centre. Longitudinal interpersonal continuity of care decreased by 15 percentage (67%-52%) during the study years. Continuity was connected to patient-related items such as a visit in the preceding 12 months (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.17-1.49) and non-urgency of the visit (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27-1.63). The most prominent factor contributing to the sense of continuity of care was how attentively nurses had listened to their patients’ problems and shown an interest in them and a willingness to answer their questions (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.120-1.43).Conclusions: In the past 15 years patient-reported longitudinal interpersonal continuity of nursing care has declined. However continuity of care proved to enhance the experienced quality of primary health care. Continuity was best realized in nursing care when nurses had listened to their patients’ problems, showed interest toward them and a willingness to answer their questions.

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 710-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Matumoto ◽  
Kátia Cristina dos Santos Vieira ◽  
Maria José Bistafa Pereira ◽  
Claudia Benedita dos Santos ◽  
Cinira Magali Fortuna ◽  
...  

This descriptive and quantitative study aimed to characterize the production of nursing care in primary health care services in a region of the city of Ribeirão Preto, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The study sample comprised care actions delivered by nurses and registered in the HygiaWeb Information System, from 2006 to 2009. Statistical analysis was performed. Results showed that nursing care delivered by nurses accounted for 9.5 to 14.6% of total professional care provided by professionals. Eventual care actions were the most frequent. The concentration of programmatic care was higher for children, women, pregnant and postpartum women. In conclusion, the predominance of eventual care demonstrated that the health system has been focused on acute conditions. Little of nursing work has been directed at the achievement of comprehensiveness, considering the inexpressive share of longitudinal follow up in total care delivery. The expansion of nursing staff represents potential for care delivery to the population, but further qualification of nursing actions is needed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Thumé ◽  
Marciane Kessler ◽  
Karla P. Machado ◽  
Bruno P. Nunes ◽  
Pamela M. Volz ◽  
...  

Abstract 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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Safstrom ◽  
T.J Jaarsma ◽  
L.N Nordgren ◽  
M.L Liljeroos ◽  
A.S Stomberg

Abstract Background Since healthcare systems are increasingly complex and often fragmented, continuity of care after hospitalization is a priority to increase patient safety and satisfaction. Aim Describe factors related to continuity of care in patients hospitalized due to cardiac conditions. Methods This cross-sectional multicenter study enrolled patients 6 weeks after hospitalization due to cardiac conditions. A total of 993 patients were included (mean age 72.2 (SD 10.4), males 66%) with AMI (35%), AF (25%), angina (21%) and HF (17.3%). Patients completed the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire, a questionnaire based on the definition that continuity of care is “the extent to which a series of health care services is experienced as connected and coherent and is consistent with a patient's health needs and personal circumstances”. The total score of the questionnaire ranges from 6 to 30, higher score indicating higher continuity and a score &lt;24 indicating insufficient continuity. Cronbach's alpha on the total PCCQ was 0.94. Correlations between PCCQ and quality of life, depression, anxiety, perceived control and health care utilization were estimated using spearman rang correlation. Results Insufficient continuity of care ranged between 47% to 59% in the different diagnosis groups, which the highest continuity in the AMI group and lowest in patients with atrial fibrillation. In patients hospitalized due to AMI (n=355, mean age 71 (± 11), 70% men), continuity of care was related to higher perceived control, higher quality of life, a good financial situation, being a man, no symptoms of anxiety or depression (ᚹ range 0.17–0.26 p≤0.002). A low score on the PCCQ were associated with follow-up visit to a nurse in primary care after hospitalization (ᚹ −0.12 p=0.033). In patients hospitalized due to angina (n=210, mean age 73 (± 9), 74% men), continuity of care was related to higher perceived control, higher quality of life and no depressive symptoms (ᚹ range between 0.20 and 0.26 p=0.005). In patients with AF, (n=255, mean age 71 (± 10.), 58% men), continuity of care was related to having had contact by telephone with a nurse-led AF clinic, higher perceived control, higher quality of life and not being depressed (ᚹ range between 0.14–0.25 p=0.03). In patients with HF, (n=173, mean age 77 (±8) 59% men), continuity was related to male ender, younger age, follow-up in a nurse-led HF clinic and not being anxious (ᚹ range between 0.16 and 0.22 p=0.004–0.047). Low total score on PCCQ correlated to having had telephone contact with nurse in primary care (ᚹ −0.24 p=0.002). Conclusion Almost half of all patient reported insufficient continuity of care. Perceived control, quality of life, and symptoms of depression were related to higher continuity of care in all diagnose groups except heart failure. Further, there was a correlation between continuity and follow-up visits or contact by telephone with nurse-led clinics in all diagnose groups except angina. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden, Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland


2017 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 949-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Nery Teixeira Palombo ◽  
Elizabeth Fujimori ◽  
Áurea Tamami Minagawa Toriyama ◽  
Luciane Simões Duarte ◽  
Ana Luiza Vilela Borges

ABSTRACT Introduction: Nutritional counseling and growth follow-up are priorities when providing care to children; however, these have not been completely incorporated into primary health care. Objective: To know the difficulties for providing nutritional counseling and child growth follow-up, from a professional healthcare perspective. Method: Qualitative study, using Donabedian as theoretical framework, developed by 53 professionals in the field of primary health care. Data was obtained from focal groups and submitted to content analysis. Results: The main difficulties for nutritional counseling were clustered in the category of ‘perceptions and beliefs related to child feeding’. The ‘problems of infrastructure and healthcare’ and ‘maintenance of the hegemonic medical model’ are the main difficulties for following-up growth. Final considerations: Besides investments in infrastructure, healthcare training is indispensable considering beliefs and professional experiences, so in fact, nutritional counseling and child growth follow-up are incorporated in primary health care.


2013 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. HSI.S11226
Author(s):  
Enakshi Ganguly ◽  
Bishan S. Garg

Introduction Health assistants are important functionaries of the primary health care system in India. Their role is supervision of field-based services among other things. A quality assurance mechanism for these health assistants is lacking. The present study was undertaken with the objectives of developing a tool to assess the quality of health assistants in primary health centres (PHCs) and to assess their quality using this tool. Methodology Health assistants from three PHCs in the Wardha district of India were observed for a year using a tool developed from primary health care management Aavancement program modules. Data was collected by direct observation, interview, and review of records for quality of activities. Results Staff strength of health assistants was 87.5%. None of the health assistants were clear about their job descriptions. A supervisory schedule for providing supportive supervision to auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) was absent; most field activities pertaining to maternal and child health received poor focus. Monthly meetings lacked a clear agenda, and comments on quality improvement of services provided by the ANMs were missing. Conclusion Continuous training with sensitization on quality issues is required to improve the unsatisfactory quality.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document