scholarly journals Primary care consultations in the UK between 2006 and 2015: An analysis of electronic health records

Author(s):  
Benjamin Eaton

Primary care accounts for the majority of patient contact within the NHS. Over time medical science and healthcare needs change, which may lead to differences in how patients are treated in primary care for good or ill. In this study over 700 million consultations were analysed over a 10 year period between 2006 and 2015 inclusively to examine the trends in how people access primary care. The number of consultations per person per year initially increased in the first two years from 5.81 to 5.92, an increase of 0.11(0.10 to 0.12 95% CI) before declining to 3.7 by 2015, a decrease of 2.21 from the peak in 2008(2.20 to 2.23 95% CI). Consultations were increasingly handled by health care assistants instead of Nurses and GPs, and increased slightly in duration for all types of staff. This reduction in number of consultations is theorized to be a consequence of the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath, further research is recommended on the impact of economic recessions and austerity policies on health care provision.

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Eaton

Primary care accounts for the majority of patient contact within the NHS. Over time medical science and healthcare needs change, which may lead to differences in how patients are treated in primary care for good or ill. In this study over 700 million consultations were analysed over a 10 year period between 2006 and 2015 inclusively to examine the trends in how people access primary care. The number of consultations per person per year initially increased in the first two years from 5.81 to 5.92, an increase of 0.11(0.10 to 0.12 95% CI) before declining to 3.7 by 2015, a decrease of 2.21 from the peak in 2008(2.20 to 2.23 95% CI). Consultations were increasingly handled by health care assistants instead of Nurses and GPs, and increased slightly in duration for all types of staff. This reduction in number of consultations is theorized to be a consequence of the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath, further research is recommended on the impact of economic recessions and austerity policies on health care provision.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen René Thyrian ◽  
Friederike Kracht ◽  
Angela Nikelski ◽  
Melanie Boekholt ◽  
Fanny Schumacher-Schönert ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The outbreak of the Corona virus is a challenge for health care systems worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyze a) knowledge about, and feelings related to the Corona-pandemic. Describe b) loneliness, depression and anxiety and, c) the perceived, immediate impact of the lockdown on frequency of social contacts and quality of health care provision of people with cognitive impairment during social distancing and lockdown in the primary care system and living at home in Germany. Methods: This analysis is based on data of a telephone-based assessment in a convenience sample of n=141 people with known cognitive impairment in the primary care setting. Data on e.g. cognitive and psychological status prior to the pandemic was available. Attitudes, knowledge about and perceived personal impact of the pandemic, social support, loneliness, anxiety, depression, change in the frequency of social activities due to the pandemic and perceived impact of the pandemic on health care related services were assessed during the time of lockdown. Results: The vast majority of participants are sufficiently informed about Corona (85%) and most think that the measures taken are appropriate (64%). A total of 11% shows one main symptom of a depression according to DSM-5. The frequency of depressive symptoms has not increased between the time before pandemic and lockdown in almost all participants. The sample shows minimal (65.0%) or low symptoms of anxiety (25%). The prevalence of loneliness is 10%. On average seven activities have decreased in frequency due to the pandemic. Social activities related to meeting people, dancing or visiting birthdays have decreased significantly. Talking with friends by phone and activities like gardening have increased. Utilization of health care services like day clinics, relief services and prescribed therapies have been reported to have worsened due to the pandemic. Visits to general practitioners decreased. Conclusions: The study shows a small impact of the pandemic on psychological variables like depression, anxiety and loneliness in the short-term in Germany. There is a decrease in social activities as expected. The impact on health care provision is prominent. There is a need for qualitative, in-depth studies to further interpret the results.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Kerr ◽  
Charlotte Curl ◽  
Andrew Geddis-Regan

There are over 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this figure is expected to rise to over a million by 2021. Increasingly, oral healthcare professionals in primary care will see more patients affected by dementia at varying stages of the disease, and it is therefore crucial that they have a basic understanding of the disease and how these patients can be managed in a primary care environment. The first article in this series of two provides a definition of dementia and describes the symptoms of the disease along with the key issues related to oral health, such as oral pain. Oral pain can have far reaching consequences, but identifying it can be problematic, particularly in the latter stages of the disease. This article will therefore cover how to diagnose pain in patients with dementia. Information is also provided about how to make dental surgeries more ‘dementia friendly’.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen René Thyrian ◽  
Friederike Kracht ◽  
Angela Nikelski ◽  
Melanie Boekholt ◽  
Fanny Schumacher-Schönert ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The outbreak of the Corona virus is a challenge for health care systems worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyze a) knowledge about, and feelings related to the Corona-pandemic. Describe b) loneliness, depression and anxiety and, c) the perceived, immediate impact of the lockdown on frequency of social contacts and quality of health care provision of people with cognitive impairment during social distancing and lockdown in the primary care system and living at home in Germany. Methods This analysis is based on data of a telephone-based assessment in a convenience sample of n = 141 people with known cognitive impairment in the primary care setting. Data on e.g. cognitive and psychological status prior to the pandemic was available. Attitudes, knowledge about and perceived personal impact of the pandemic, social support, loneliness, anxiety, depression, change in the frequency of social activities due to the pandemic and perceived impact of the pandemic on health care related services were assessed during the time of lockdown. Results The vast majority of participants are sufficiently informed about Corona (85%) and most think that the measures taken are appropriate (64%). A total of 11% shows one main symptom of a depression according to DSM-5. The frequency of depressive symptoms has not increased between the time before pandemic and lockdown in almost all participants. The sample shows minimal (65.0%) or low symptoms of anxiety (25%). The prevalence of loneliness is 10%. On average seven activities have decreased in frequency due to the pandemic. Social activities related to meeting people, dancing or visiting birthdays have decreased significantly. Talking with friends by phone and activities like gardening have increased. Utilization of health care services like day clinics, relief services and prescribed therapies have been reported to have worsened due to the pandemic. Visits to general practitioners decreased. Conclusions The study shows a small impact of the pandemic on psychological variables like depression, anxiety and loneliness in the short-term in Germany. There is a decrease in social activities as expected. The impact on health care provision is prominent. There is a need for qualitative, in-depth studies to further interpret the results.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen René Thyrian ◽  
Friederike Kracht ◽  
Angela Nikelski ◽  
Melanie Boekholt ◽  
Fanny Schumacher-Schönert ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The outbreak of the Corona virus is a challenge for health care systems worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyze a) knowledge about, and feelings related to the Corona-pandemic. Describe b) loneliness, depression and anxiety and, c) the perceived, immediate impact of the lockdown on frequency of social contacts and quality of health care provision of people with cognitive impairment during social distancing and lockdown in the primary care system and living at home in Germany. Methods: This analysis is based on data of a telephone-based assessment in a convenience sample of n=141 people with known cognitive impairment in the primary care setting. Data on e.g. cognitive and psychological status prior to the pandemic was available. Attitudes, knowledge about and perceived personal impact of the pandemic, social support, loneliness, anxiety, depression, change in the frequency of social activities due to the pandemic and perceived impact of the pandemic on health care related services were assessed during the time of lockdown. Results: The vast majority of participants are sufficiently informed about Corona (85%) and most think that the measures taken are appropriate (64%). A total of 11% shows one main symptom of a depression according to DSM-V. The frequency of depressive symptoms has not increased between the time before pandemic and lockdown in almost all participants. The sample shows minimal (65.0%) or low symptoms of anxiety (25%). The prevalence of loneliness is 10%. On average seven activities have decreased in frequency due to the pandemic. Social activities related to meeting people, dancing or visiting birthdays have decreased significantly. Talking with friends by phone and activities like gardening have increased. Utilization of health care services like day clinics, relief services and prescribed therapies have been reported to have worsened due to the pandemic. Visits to general practitioners decreased. Conclusions: The study shows a small impact of the pandemic on psychological variables like depression, anxiety and loneliness in the short-term. There is a decrease in social activities as expected. The impact on health care provision is prominent. There is a need for qualitative, in-depth studies to further interpret the results.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen René Thyrian ◽  
Friederike Kracht ◽  
Angela Nikelski ◽  
Melanie Boekholt ◽  
Fanny Schumacher-Schönert ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The outbreak of the Corona virus is a challenge for health care systems worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyze a) knowledge about, and feelings related to the Corona-pandemic. Describe b) loneliness, depression and anxiety and, c) the perceived, immediate impact of the lockdown on frequency of social contacts and quality of health care provision of people with cognitive impairment during social distancing and lockdown in the primary care system and living at home in Germany. Methods: This analysis is based on data of a telephone-based assessment in a convenience sample of n=141 people with known cognitive impairment in the primary care setting. Data on e.g. cognitive and psychological status prior to the pandemic was available. Attitudes, knowledge about and perceived personal impact of the pandemic, social support, loneliness, anxiety, depression, change in the frequency of social activities due to the pandemic and perceived impact of the pandemic on health care related services were assessed during the time of lockdown. Results: The vast majority of participants are sufficiently informed about Corona (85%) and most think that the measures taken are appropriate (64%). A total of 11% shows one main symptom of a depression according to DSM-5. The frequency of depressive symptoms has not increased between the time before pandemic and lockdown in almost all participants. The sample shows minimal (65.0%) or low symptoms of anxiety (25%). The prevalence of loneliness is 10%. On average seven activities have decreased in frequency due to the pandemic. Social activities related to meeting people, dancing or visiting birthdays have decreased significantly. Talking with friends by phone and activities like gardening have increased. Utilization of health care services like day clinics, relief services and prescribed therapies have been reported to have worsened due to the pandemic. Visits to general practitioners decreased. Conclusions: The study shows a small impact of the pandemic on psychological variables like depression, anxiety and loneliness in the short-term in Germany. There is a decrease in social activities as expected. The impact on health care provision is prominent. There is a need for qualitative, in-depth studies to further interpret the results.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jochen René Thyrian ◽  
Friederike Kracht ◽  
Angela Nikelski ◽  
Melanie Boekholt ◽  
Fanny Schumacher-Schönert ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The outbreak of the Corona virus is a challenge for health care systems worldwide. The aim of this study is to analyze a) knowledge about, and feelings related to the Corona-pandemic. Describe b) loneliness, depression and anxiety and, c) the perceived, immediate impact of the lockdown on frequency of social contacts and quality of health care provision of people with cognitive impairment during social distancing and lockdown in the primary care system and living at home in Germany. Methods: This analysis is based on data of a telephone-based assessment in a convenience sample of n=141 people with known cognitive impairment in the primary care setting. Data on e.g. cognitive and psychological status prior to the pandemic was available. Attitudes, knowledge about and perceived personal impact of the pandemic, social support, loneliness, anxiety, depression, change in the frequency of social activities due to the pandemic and perceived impact of the pandemic on health care related services were assessed during the time of lockdown. Results: The vast majority of participants are sufficiently informed about Corona (85%) and most think that the measures taken are appropriate (64%). A total of 11% shows one main symptom of a depression according to DSM-VDSM-5. The frequency of depressive symptoms has not increased between the time before pandemic and lockdown in almost all participants. The sample shows minimal (65.0%) or low symptoms of anxiety (25%). The prevalence of loneliness is 10%. On average seven activities have decreased in frequency due to the pandemic. Social activities related to meeting people, dancing or visiting birthdays have decreased significantly. Talking with friends by phone and activities like gardening have increased. Utilization of health care services like day clinics, relief services and prescribed therapies have been reported to have worsened due to the pandemic. Visits to general practitioners decreased. Conclusions: The study shows a small impact of the pandemic on psychological variables like depression, anxiety and loneliness in the short-term. There is a decrease in social activities as expected. The impact on health care provision is prominent. There is a need for qualitative, in-depth studies to further interpret the results.


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