Health mediators as members of multidisciplinary group practice: lessons learned from a primary health care model programme in Hungary.

Background: A Model Programme of primary care group practices was implemented in Hungary between 2013 and 2017 - where virtually all GPs had worked in single practices - aiming to increase preventive service uptake and reduce inequalities based on a bilateral agreement between the Swiss and Hungarian governments. Group practices employed a wide variety of health professionals as well as support workers called health mediators. Employment of the latter was based on two decades of European experience of health mediators who specifically facilitate access to and use of health services in Roma minority groups.

Healthcare Utilization and All-Cause Premature Mortality in Hungarian Segregated Roma Settlements: Evaluation of Specific Indicators in a Cross-Sectional Study.

Roma is the largest ethnic minority of Europe with deprived health status, which is poorly explored due to legal constrains of ethnicity assessment. We aimed to elaborate health indicators for adults living in segregated Roma settlements (SRS), representing the most vulnerable Roma subpopulation. SRSs were mapped in a study area populated by 54,682 adults.

Influence of patient characteristics on preventive service delivery and general practitioners' preventive performance indicators: A study in patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus from Hungary.

Background: Regular primary healthcare (PHC) performance monitoring to produce a set of performance indicators for provider effectiveness is a fundamental method for improving guideline adherence but there are potential negative impacts of the inadequate application of this approach. Since performance indicators can reflect patient characteristics and working environments, as well as PHC team contributions, inadequate monitoring practices can reduce their effectiveness in the prevention of cardiometabolic disorders.

Objectives: To describe the influence of patients' characteristics on performance indicators of PHC preventive practices in patients with hypertension or diabetes mellitus.

Capitation-Based Financing Hampers the Provision of Preventive Services in Primary Health Care.

Mortality caused by non-communicable diseases has been extremely high in Hungary, which can largely be attributed to not performed preventive examinations (PEs) at the level of primary health care (PHC). Both structures and financial incentives are lacking, which could support the provision of legally defined PEs. A Model Programme was launched in Hungary in 2012 to adapt the recommendations for PHC of the World Health Organization.

Delivery of cardio-metabolic preventive services to Hungarian Roma of different socio-economic strata.

Background: Because the cardiovascular mortality in Hungary is high, particularly among the socio-economically deprived and the Roma, it is implied that primary health care (PHC) has a limited ability to exploit the opportunities of evidence-based preventions, and it may contribute to social health inequalities.

Objectives: Our study investigated the underuse of PHC preventive services.

Methods: Random samples of adults aged 21-64 years free of hypertension and diabetes mellitus were surveyed with participation rate of 97.

Changes in pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide following renal ischemia-reperfusion in rats.

PACAP (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide) occurs in two biologically active forms, with 38 and 37 amino acid residues (PACAP38 and PACAP27). In mammalian tissues, PACAP38 is the dominant form. Diverse effects have been described in the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urogenital systems.

Mice deficient in pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide display increased sensitivity to renal oxidative stress in vitro.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a multifunctional neuropeptide, showing widespread occurrence in the nervous system and also in peripheral organs. The neuroprotective effects of PACAP are well-established in different neuronal systems against noxious stimuli in vitro and in vivo. Recently, its general cytoprotective actions have been recognized, including renoprotective effects.