Optimizing the frequency of physician encounters in follow - up care for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

Background: Decisions on the frequency of physician encounters for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have significant impacts on both patients' health outcomes and burden on health systems, whereas definitive intervals for physician encounters are still lacking in most clinical guidelines. This study systematically reviewed the existing evidence evaluating different frequencies of physician encounters among T2DM patients.

Methods: Systematic search of studies evaluating different visit frequencies for follow - up care in T2DM patients was performed in MEDLINE Ovid, Embase Ovid, and Cochrane library from database inception to 25 March 2022.

Patient enablement and health-related quality of life for patients with chronic back and knee pain: a cross-sectional study in primary care.

Background: Chronic back and knee pain impairs health- related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient enablement can improve HRQoL.

Aim: To determine whether enablement was a moderator of the effect of chronic back and knee pain on HRQoL.

Design And Setting: A cross-sectional study of Chinese patients with chronic back and knee problems in public primary care clinics in Hong Kong.

Assessment of Hypertension Complications and Health Service Use 5 Years After Implementation of a Multicomponent Intervention.

Importance: There is a lack of information regarding the impact of implementing a protocol-driven, team-based, multicomponent intervention in public primary care settings on hypertension-related complications and health care burden over the long term.

Objective: To compare hypertension-related complications and health service use at 5 years among patients managed with Risk Assessment and Management Program for Hypertension (RAMP-HT) vs usual care.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this population-based prospective matched cohort study, patients were followed up until the date of all-cause mortality, an outcome event, or last follow-up appointment before October 2017, whichever occurred first.

Age-specific associations between the number of co-morbidities, all-cause mortality and public direct medical costs in patients with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective cohort study.

Aim: To evaluate the association between the number of co-morbidities, all-cause mortality and public health system expenditure in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) across different age groups.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective observational study of T2D patients using electronic health records in Hong Kong was conducted. Patients were stratified by age (< 50, 50-64, 65-79, ≥ 80 years) and the number of co-morbidities (0, 1, 2, 3, ≥ 4), defined using the Charlson Comorbidity Index and prevalent chronic diseases identified in local surveys.

Long-term spill-over impact of COVID-19 on health and healthcare of people with non-communicable diseases: a study protocol for a population-based cohort and health economic study.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant spill-over effect on people with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) over the long term, beyond the direct effect of COVID-19 infection. Evaluating changes in health outcomes, health service use and costs can provide evidence to optimise care for people with NCDs during and after the pandemic, and to better prepare outbreak responses in the future.

Methods And Analysis: This is a population-based cohort study using electronic health records of the Hong Kong Hospital Authority (HA) CMS, economic modelling and serial cross-sectional surveys on health service use.

Ten-Year Effectiveness of the Multidisciplinary Risk Assessment and Management Programme-Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) on Macrovascular and Microvascular Complications and All-Cause Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: The Risk Assessment and Management Programme-Diabetes Mellitus (RAMP-DM) is a protocol-driven, risk-stratified, and individualized management program offered by a multidisciplinary team in addition to usual care for primary care patients with diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of RAMP-DM for preventing complications and mortality over 10 years.

Research Design And Methods: A population-based, prospective cohort study of adult patients with type 2 diabetes managed in the Hong Kong public primary health care system between 2009 and 2010 was conducted.

Development and validation of a diabetes mellitus and prediabetes risk prediction function for case finding in primary care in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study and a prospective study protocol paper.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major non-communicable disease with an increasing prevalence. Undiagnosed DM is not uncommon and can lead to severe complications and mortality. Identifying high-risk individuals at an earlier disease stage, that is, pre-diabetes (pre-DM), is crucial in delaying progression.

Prognostic value of nocturnal blood pressure dipping on cardiovascular outcomes in Chinese patients with hypertension in primary care.

Meta-analyses showed that non-dipping of nocturnal blood pressure on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was associated with adverse cardiovascular prognosis. However, these prognostic studies were mainly conducted in Caucasian and Japanese populations. Whether this association applies to Chinese patients remained uninvestigated.

Retrospective cohort study to investigate the 10-year trajectories of disease patterns in patients with hypertension and/or diabetes mellitus on subsequent cardiovascular outcomes and health service utilisation: a study protocol.

Introduction: Hypertension (HT) and diabetes mellitus (DM) and are major disease burdens in all healthcare systems. Given their high impact on morbidity, premature death and direct medical costs, we need to optimise effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of primary care for patients with HT/DM. This study aims to find out the association of trajectories in disease patterns and treatment of patients with HT/DM including multimorbidity and continuity of care with disease outcomes and service utilisation over 10 years in order to identify better approaches to delivering primary care services.

Screening for diabetic retinopathy with different levels of financial incentive in a randomized controlled trial.

Aims/introduction: To examine the impact of different levels of financial incentive in terms of fee subsidization on diabetic retinopathy screening in the private primary care setting in Hong Kong.

Materials And Methods: All general practitioners working in the private sector and registered in two electronic public databases were invited to participate. Consecutive patients with diabetes mellitus were then recruited by the participating practitioners.

Effectiveness of routine measurement of health-related quality of life in improving the outcomes of patients with musculoskeletal problems-a cluster randomised controlled trial: protocol paper.

Introduction: Managing chronic musculoskeletal problems usually focuses on pain control using medications, but outcomes are often unsatisfactory and sometimes harmful. Information on a patient's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may trigger a doctor to tailor management improving quality of life. The aim of this trial is to find out whether routine measurement and reporting of a patient's EuroQoL 5-Dimension 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L) HRQOL data using an electronic platform can improve HRQOL and pain in patients with chronic knee or back problems in primary care.

Prediction models and nomograms for 10-year risk of end-stage renal disease in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in primary care.

Aims: To develop and validate 10-year risk prediction models, nomograms and charts for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in primary care, in order to guide individualized treatment.

Materials And Methods: This was a 10-year population-based observational cohort study. A total of 141 516 Chinese T2DM patients without history of cardiovascular disease or ESRD who were managed in public primary care clinics in 2008 were included and followed up until December 2017.

Associations between demographic factors and psychological distress among Chinese residents in Hong Kong: beyond socioeconomic classes.

Most studies highlighted the association between psychological distress and socioeconomic status (SES). There were weaker explanations for distress found in the middle classes, especially in Asian countries. We conducted a questionnaire survey with 1626 adult Chinese primary-care attenders from 13 private and 6 public clinics in different districts of Hong Kong.

Prevalence of diabetic nephropathy among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and different categories of their estimated glomerular filtration rate based on the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation in primary care in Hong Kong: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy and different categories of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) as calculated by the CKD-EPI equation among Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care in Hong Kong. The associated factors of diabetic nephropathy were also analyzed.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 35,109 Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes followed up in all General Outpatient Clinics in a Hospital Authority cluster and had undergone comprehensive diabetic complication assessment from April 2013 to March 2016.

Combined nicotine patch with gum versus nicotine patch alone in smoking cessation in Hong Kong primary care clinics: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: The prevalence of daily cigarette smoking has dropped to 10% in Hong Kong (HK) in 2017, however, smoking still kills 5700 persons per year. Studies suggest that abstinence rates are higher with combined NRT than single NRT, although local data on safety and benefits of combined NRT are lacking. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of combined NRT with single NRT among HK Chinese.

Views of Hong Kong Chinese primary care attenders on psychological distress: causes, management and recovery.

Background: Most of the previous studies of help seeking for psychological distress were conducted in Western countries. Chinese studies have had a stronger emphasis on psychosis.

Objective: This study aims to understand how Hong Kong Chinese primary care attenders see psychological distress, including its causes, management approaches and recovery, and whether their views are different from Western views.

Ten-year risk prediction models of complications and mortality of Chinese patients with diabetes mellitus in primary care in Hong Kong: a study protocol.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major disease burden worldwide because it is associated with disabling and lethal complications. DM complication risk assessment and stratification is key to cost-effective management and tertiary prevention for patients with diabetes in primary care. Existing risk prediction functions were found to be inaccurate in Chinese patients with diabetes in primary care.

Do patients with and without a regular primary care physician have their psychological distress looked after differently?

Background: While qualitative studies suggested that continuity of care by primary care physicians (PCPs) facilitated consultations for psychological problems, there was limited quantitative evidence. This survey compared management of psychological distress between patients with and without a regular PCP.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted with 1626 adult primary care attenders from 13 private and 6 public clinics in Hong Kong.