Diverse roles of Primary Health Care in COVID-19 vaccination across 28 European countries - Insights from the Eurodata study.

Background: The COVID-19 vaccination campaign in several European countries involved collaboration between public health and Primary Health Care (PHC).

Objective: To highlight the role of PHC professionals in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, specifically in terms of vaccine administration, communication and contributing to vaccination population coverage.

Methods: A descriptive retrospective study of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign across 28 European countries was conducted, covering data from December 2020 to November 2021.

The Use of COVID-19 Mobile Apps in Connecting Patients with Primary Healthcare in 30 Countries: Eurodata Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated changes in European healthcare systems, with a significant proportion of COVID-19 cases being managed on an outpatient basis in primary healthcare (PHC). To alleviate the burden on healthcare facilities, many European countries developed contact-tracing apps and symptom checkers to identify potential cases. As the pandemic evolved, the European Union introduced the Digital COVID-19 Certificate for travel, which relies on vaccination, recent recovery, or negative test results.

Exploring the accessibility of primary health care data in Europe's COVID-19 response: developing key indicators for managing future pandemics (Eurodata study).

Background: Primary Health Care (PHC) plays a crucial role in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, with only 8% of cases requiring hospitalization. However, PHC COVID-19 data often goes unnoticed on European government dashboards and in media discussions. This project aims to examine official information on PHC patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, with specific objectives: (1) Describe PHC's clinical pathways for acute COVID-19 cases, including long-term care facilities, (2) Describe PHC COVID-19 pandemic indicators, (3) Develop COVID-19 PHC activity indicators, (4) Explain PHC's role in vaccination strategies, and (5) Create a PHC contingency plan for future pandemics.

Primary care indicators for disease burden, monitoring and surveillance of COVID-19 in 31 European countries: Eurodata Study.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of patients received ambulatory treatment, highlighting the importance of primary health care (PHC). However, there is limited knowledge regarding PHC workload in Europe during this period. The utilization of COVID-19 PHC indicators could facilitate the efficient monitoring and coordination of the pandemic response.

The role of primary health care in long-term care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in 30 European countries: a retrospective descriptive study (Eurodata study).

Background And Aim: Primary health care (PHC) supported long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in attending COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study is to describe the role of PHC in LTCFs in Europe during the early phase of the pandemic.

Methods: Retrospective descriptive study from 30 European countries using data from September 2020 collected with an ad hoc semi-structured questionnaire.

The reliability of patient blood pressure self-assessments - a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) is an increasingly important tool in managing hypertension (HTN); however, its efficacy depends on its accuracy. This study aimed to explore the differences between blood pressure (BP) measurements conducted by patients and medical professionals and the patient demographic factors correlating with inaccurate self-measured BP levels.

Methods: One hundred hypertensive patients completed a questionnaire inquiring about their health status and HBPM procedures and were filmed while measuring their BP using their own devices.

Barriers and attitudes towards cervical cancer screening in primary healthcare in Poland - doctors' perspective.

Background: Healthcare systems have adopted different strategies to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. In Poland, a population-based screening program was implemented in 2006, leading to a downward trend in cervical cancer burden. However, screening rates are still low in relation to other EU member states.

The quality of patients' self-blood pressure measurements: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The accurate and independent measurement of blood pressure (BP) by patients is essential for home BP monitoring (HBPM) and determining the quality of hypertension (HTN) control. This study aimed to evaluate the BP self-measurement techniques of hypertensive patients and their accuracy in accordance with established guidelines. We sought to identify the common errors that patients make and suggest improvements that can be implemented in the primary healthcare setting to increase the reliability of HBPM conducted by hypertensive patients.

Are students at Krakow universities turning to energy-boosting dietary supplements?

Introduction: Recent studies have revealed an increase in the consumption of dietary supplements including frequency of use of caffeine, which is addictive and potentially harmful in higher doses. Energy drinks include high doses of caffeine and are particularly targeted at young people.

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the frequency of use of caffeine-containing energy products, associated factors and understanding the associated side- effects in university students.

Do Polish primary care physicians meet the expectations of their patients? An analysis of Polish QUALICOPC data.

Background: Meeting the expectations of patients is one of the most crucial criteria when assessing the quality of a healthcare system. This study aimed to compare the expectations and experiences of patients of primary care in Poland and to identify key patient characteristics affecting these outlooks.

Methods: The study was performed within the framework of the international Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC) cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study.

Impact of family physicians on cervical cancer screening: cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey in a region of southern Poland.

Background: Despite worldwide efforts in encouraging routine pap smears for early detection of cervical cancer, Poland's screening rate lags behind the rest of the European Union at 20.2%. Family physicians (FPs) in Poland rarely perform pap smears, and little is known about the experiences and attitudes of Polish patients regarding pap smear screening in a primary healthcare (PHC) setting.

Experiences of adult patients using primary care services in Poland - a cross-sectional study in QUALICOPC study framework.

Background: Patients as real healthcare system users are important observers of primary care and are able to provide reliable information about the quality of care. The aim of this study was to explore the patients' experiences and their level of satisfaction with the process and outcomes of care provided by primary care physicians in Poland and to identify the characteristics of the patients, their physicians, and facilities associated with patient satisfaction.

Methods: The study is based on data from the Polish part of the Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC) cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study.

Quality of primary health care in Poland from the perspective of the physicians providing it.

Background: Primary care (PC) allows patients to address most of their health needs and is essential for high quality healthcare systems. The aim of the study was to analyze the insight of nine core dimensions of Polish PC system: "Economic conditions", "Workforce", "Accessibility", "Comprehensiveness", "Continuity", "Coordination", "Quality of care", "Efficiency" and "Equity" and to identify the characteristics of the providing physicians that influence their perception of the quality of care.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted as part of an international QUALICOPC project.

[Family medicine as a medical specialty and an academic discipline in the medical students' assessment].

Background: Family medicine has been recognized as the key element of a good health care system. Despite the significance of the family physician's role the number of medical students choosing to train in family medicine has been declining in recent years.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe opinions about family medicine and family medicine teaching among medical students.

Determinants of influenza vaccination coverage rates among primary care patients in Krakow, Poland and the surrounding region.

Objective: Poland is significantly behind other European countries in terms of influenza vaccination coverage. In addition, the vaccination rate among health care personnel in Poland is also very low. The aim of this study was to determine the current barriers to achieving effective influenza vaccination coverage among primary health care (PHC) patients and physicians in Poland and to reveal any associations between the patients' and physicians' characteristics and the influenza vaccination coverage rate among patients.

Management of Gastrointestinal Disorders in Central and Eastern Europe: Self-Reported Practice of Primary Care Physicians.

Background: Gastrointestinal disorders account for 7-10% of all consultations in primary care. General practitioners' management of digestive disorders in Central and Eastern European countries is largely unknown.

Aims: To identify and compare variations in the self-perceived responsibilities of general practitioners in the management of digestive disorders in Central and Eastern Europe.

The development of academic family medicine in central and eastern Europe since 1990.

Background: Since the early 1990s former communist countries have been reforming their health care systems, emphasizing the key role of primary care and recognizing family medicine as a specialty and an academic discipline. This study assesses the level of academic development of the discipline characterised by education and research in central and eastern European (CEE) countries.

Methods: A key informants study, using a questionnaire developed on the basis of a systematic literature review and panel discussions, conducted in 11 central and eastern European countries and Russia.

Family medicine in post-communist Europe needs a boost. Exploring the position of family medicine in healthcare systems of Central and Eastern Europe and Russia.

Background: The countries of Central and Eastern Europe have experienced a lot of changes at the end of the 20th century, including changes in the health care systems and especially in primary care. The aim of this paper is to systematically assess the position of family medicine in these countries, using the same methodology within all the countries.

Methods: A key informants survey in 11 Central and Eastern European countries and Russia using a questionnaire developed on the basis of systematic literature review.