Low Back Pain Disparities in Portugal: A Population-Based Study Analysing the Role of Social Determinants of Health.

Introduction: Despite growing research, the relationship between social determinants of health (SDoH) and low back pain (LBP) remains inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the associations between SDoH and self-reported LBP in the Portuguese population in 2019 and explore potential differences between rural and urban areas.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that includes 13,230 participants from the 2019 Portuguese National Health Interview Survey.

Concept mapping to promote clinical reasoning in multimorbidity: a mixed methods study in undergraduate family medicine.

Background: Clinical reasoning significantly impacts physicians' performance and patient care quality. Research into learning transfer within clinical reasoning education, especially in managing multimorbidity in Family Medicine, is crucial. This study evaluates the impact of concept maps (CMs) on promoting clinical reasoning skills among undergraduate students, compared to traditional teaching methods (TM).

A scoping review on implementation processes and outcomes of models of care for low back pain in primary healthcare.

Background: To address the societal burden of low back pain (LBP), several health systems have adopted Models of Care (MoCs). These evidence-informed models aim for consistent care and outcomes. However, real-world applications vary, with each setting presenting unique challenges and nuances in the primary healthcare landscape.

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.

Immunotherapy for advanced and recurrent malignant pleural mesothelioma.

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors (single-agent or combination therapy) in people with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma in a first-line or salvage setting.

Cross-cultural adaptation and reliability of the European Portuguese version of the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire: A methodological study.

Purpose: To culturally adapt the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) to European Portuguese and evaluate its reliability in individuals with musculoskeletal conditions.

Materials And Methods: The study was carried out in two phases. In the first phase, the MSK-HQ was translated and culturally adapted.

Exploring barriers and facilitators to the adoption of regular exercise practice in patients at risk of a recurrence of low back pain (MyBack project): a qualitative study.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore potential barriers and facilitators to the adoption of regular exercise practice in patients at risk of a recurrence of low back pain (LBP).

Materials And Methods: Eleven patients, who recovered from a previous episode of LBP, participated in two focus groups. The semi-structured interview schedule was informed by the Behaviour Change Wheel and the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Promoting clinical reasoning in undergraduate Family Medicine curricula through concept mapping: a qualitative approach.

Clinical reasoning is a crucial skill for physicians, enabling them to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application. The gap between basic sciences and clinical practice persists as a challenge, with traditional teaching methods yet to effectively bridge it. Concept maps (CMs), visual tools for organizing and connecting knowledge, hold promise for enhancing clinical reasoning in the undergraduate medical curriculum.

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.

The effectiveness of concept mapping as a tool for developing critical thinking in undergraduate medical education - a BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 81.

Background: Concept maps (CMs) visually represent hierarchical connections among related ideas. They foster logical organization and clarify idea relationships, potentially aiding medical students in critical thinking (to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe). However, there are inconsistent claims about the use of CMs in undergraduate medical education.

Protocol for a cluster randomised trial of a goal-oriented care approach for multimorbidity patients supported by a digital platform.

Introduction: Health information systems represent an opportunity to improve the care provided to people with multimorbidity. There is a pressing need to assess their impact on clinical outcomes to validate this intervention. Our study will determine whether using a digital platform (Multimorbidity Management Health Information System, METHIS) to manage multimorbidity improves health-related quality of life (HR-QoL).

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.

Telemedicine as a tool for continuing medical education.

Background: There is a growing interest in the use of digital technologies to foster learning in the health professions, along with the drive to expand teleconsultations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to explore whether telemedicine between levels of care can act as continuous medical education (CME) tool for general practitioners (GPs) and hospital consultants at the referral cardiology department.

Methods: This qualitative study was embedded in an organizational case study of the introduction of a new service model in the Portuguese health system.

The long-term psychosocial consequences of screen-detected ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive breast cancer.

Objective: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a risk factor for invasive breast cancer (IBC). The prognosis of DCIS is considerably better than for IBC, yet women do not distinguish between the threat. We aimed to compare the psychosocial consequences of screen-detected DCIS and IBC, and to examine this comparison over time.

Quantification of overdiagnosis in randomised trials of cancer screening: an overview and re-analysis of systematic reviews.

The degree of overdiagnosis in common cancer screening trials is uncertain due to inadequate design of trials, varying definition and methods used to estimate overdiagnosis. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the risk of overdiagnosis for the most widely implemented cancer screening programmes and assess the implications of design limitations and biases in cancer screening trials on the estimates of overdiagnosis by conducting an overview and re-analysis of systematic reviews of cancer screening. We searched PubMed and the Cochrane Library from their inception dates to November 29, 2021.

Interaction at the primary-secondary care interface: Patients' and physicians' perceptions of teleconsultations.

Introduction: Previous qualitative research on teleconsultations has focused on synchronous communication between a patient and a clinician. This study aims to explore physicians' and patients' perceptions of the interaction on the interface between primary care and the Cardiology service of a referral hospital through teleconsultations.

Methods: This qualitative study was embedded in an organizational case study concerning the introduction and rollout of a new service model that took place at the point of care.

Clinical questions in primary care: Where to find the answers - a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Clinicians raise at least one question for every two patients they see, but search for an answer to less than half of these questions, and rarely use evidence-based resources. One barrier to evidence-based practice is doubt that the search would yield an answer, and we found insufficient evidence to refute this concern. This study aims to identify what proportion of clinical questions in primary care can be answered with online evidence-based practice resources, and what proportion of these can be answered with pre-appraised evidence.

Non-attendance in cervical cancer screening among migrant women in Portugal: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Cervical cancer has a high mortality rate among women worldwide. Although cervical cancer screening (CCS) is an effective strategy in reducing mortality of the disease, inequalities in accessing screening exist, particularly among migrant women. This study aims to characterize migrant women's participation in CCS and determine factors associated with non-attendance to CCS.

Teleconsultations and their implications for health care: A qualitative study on patients' and physicians' perceptions.

Background: Digitization in everyday medical practice has gained importance along with the drive to expand teleconsultations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous qualitative research on teleconsultations has focused on synchronous communication between patients and clinicians. This study aims to explore physicians' and patients' perspectives on the adoption of teleconsultations between primary care and the referral cardiology department.