A stop-smoking strategy after cervical cancer screening: Results of a cluster-randomised controlled trial in Dutch general practice.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess whether brief stop-smoking advice given to women who smoke and visit their general practice for cervical cancer screening improves smoking cessation outcomes.

Methods: This two-arm cluster-randomised controlled trial was conducted in 75 Dutch general practices. Participants in the intervention group received brief stop-smoking advice based on the Ask-Advise-Connect method, delivered by a practice assistant.

General Practitioners' Experiences With Implementing Colon or Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care in Primary Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey Nested Within Two Randomized-Controlled Trials.

Purpose: To evaluate general practitioners' (GPs) experiences with providing cancer survivorship care and explore readiness for implementation.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey study was nested within two randomized-controlled trials conducted in the Netherlands between 2015 and 2023, comparing GP- with specialist-led survivorship care for patients with colon or prostate cancer. An adapted version of the normalisation measure development (NoMAD) survey was distributed among participating GPs.

Structured alcohol cessation support program versus current practice in acute alcoholic pancreatitis (PANDA): Study protocol for a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial.

Background/objectives: The most important risk factor for recurrent pancreatitis after an episode of acute alcoholic pancreatitis is continuation of alcohol use. Current guidelines do not recommend any specific treatment strategy regarding alcohol cessation. The PANDA trial investigates whether implementation of a structured alcohol cessation support program prevents pancreatitis recurrence after a first episode of acute alcoholic pancreatitis.

Diagnostic properties of natriuretic peptides and opportunities for personalized thresholds for detecting heart failure in primary care.

Objectives: Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent syndrome with considerable disease burden, healthcare utilization and costs. Timely diagnosis is essential to improve outcomes. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) in detecting HF in primary care.

Use of the Smoking Cessation App Ex-Smokers iCoach and Associations With Smoking-Related Outcomes Over Time in a Large Sample of European Smokers: Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Digital interventions are increasingly used to support smoking cessation. Ex-smokers iCoach was a widely available app for smoking cessation used by 404,551 European smokers between June 15, 2011, and June 21, 2013. This provides a unique opportunity to investigate the uptake of a freely available digital smoking cessation intervention and its effects on smoking-related outcomes.

Characteristics of heart failure in the Amsterdam metropolitan area (AMSTERDAM-HF): Data from a dynamic general practice cohort (2011-2021).

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a common cardiac syndrome with a high disease burden and poor prognosis in our aging populations. Understanding the characteristics of patients with newly diagnosed HF is essential for improving care and outcomes. The AMSTERDAM-HF study is aimed to examine the population characteristics of patients with incident HF.

Cost-effectiveness of general practitioner- versus surgeon-led colon cancer survivorship care: an economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to assess cost-effectiveness of general practitioner (GP) versus surgeon-led colon cancer survivorship care from a societal perspective.

Methods: We performed an economic evaluation alongside the I CARE study, which included 303 cancer patients (stages I-III) who were randomised to survivorship care by a GP or surgeon. Questionnaires were administered at baseline, 3-, 6-, 12-, 24- and 36-months.

Reasons for No Colonoscopy After an Unfavorable Screening Result in Dutch Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Nationwide Questionnaire.

Purpose: We aimed to assess participant-reported factors associated with non-follow-up with colonoscopy in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.

Methods: In May 2019, we distributed a nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire (n = 4,009) to participants in the Dutch CRC screening program who received a positive fecal immunochemical test (FIT). Among respondents who reported no colonoscopy, we assessed the presence of a contraindication, and those without were compared with those who reported colonoscopy by logistic regression analysis.

Patient experiences of GP-led colon cancer survivorship care: a Dutch mixed-methods evaluation.

Background: Colon cancer survivorship care constitutes both follow-up and aftercare. GP involvement may help to personalise care.

Aim: To explore patients' experiences of GP-led versus surgeon-led survivorship care.

General Practitioners' needs and wishes for clinical decision support Systems: A focus group study.

Background: Shared decision making (SDM) can be beneficial for patients, healthcare professionals, but is often not applied in practice. A clinical decision support system (CDSS) can facilitate SDM. However, CDSS acceptance rates are rather low.

TARGET-HF: developing a model for detecting incident heart failure among symptomatic patients in general practice using routine health care data.

Background: Timely diagnosis of heart failure (HF) is essential to optimize treatment opportunities that improve symptoms, quality of life, and survival. While most patients consult their general practitioner (GP) prior to HF, the early stages of HF may be difficult to identify. An integrated clinical support tool may aid in identifying patients at high risk of HF.

Detection of atrial fibrillation in primary care with radial pulse palpation, electronic blood pressure measurement and handheld single-lead electrocardiography: a diagnostic accuracy study.

Objective: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of three tests-radial pulse palpation, an electronic blood pressure monitor and a handheld single-lead ECG device-for opportunistic screening for unknown atrial fibrillation (AF).

Design: We performed a diagnostic accuracy study in the intention-to-screen arm of a cluster randomised controlled trial aimed at opportunistic screening for AF in general practice. We performed radial pulse palpation, followed by electronic blood pressure measurement (WatchBP Home A) and handheld ECG (MyDiagnostick) in random order.

Addressing colon cancer patients' needs during follow-up consultations at the outpatient clinic: a multicenter qualitative observational study.

Purpose: To describe colon cancer patients' needs and how healthcare providers respond to these needs during routine follow-up consultations in hospital.

Methods: A multicenter qualitative observational study, consisting of follow-up consultations by surgeons and specialized oncology nurses. Consultations were analyzed according to Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences.

Symptoms and seeking supportive care and associations with quality of life after treatment for colon cancer: Results from the I CARE cohort study.

Objective: Patients treated for colon cancer report many symptoms that affect quality of life (QoL). Survivorship care aims at QoL improvement. In this study, we assess associations between symptoms and seeking supportive care and lower QoL and QoL changes overtime during survivorship care.

Stop smoking advice by practice assistants after routine cervical screening in general practice: A qualitative exploration of potential barriers and enablers.

Background: Cervical screening could be an appropriate routine moment to provide female smokers with tailored stop smoking advice. In Dutch general practice, cervical smears are performed by practice assistants.

Objectives: This study was performed in preparation for a randomised trial to identify potential barriers and enablers for a brief stop smoking strategy performed by trained practice assistants after routine cervical screening.

Smoking cessation strategy in the national cervical cancer screening program (SUCCESS): study protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised trial and process evaluation in Dutch general practice.

Introduction: Cervical cancer screening in general practice could be a routine moment to provide female smokers with stop smoking advice and support. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of a stop smoking strategy delivered by trained practice assistants after the cervical smear, and to evaluate the implementation process.

Methods And Analysis: The study is a two-arm, pragmatic cluster randomised trial, in Dutch general practice.

Delivering colon cancer survivorship care in primary care; a qualitative study on the experiences of general practitioners.

Background: With more patients in need of oncological care, there is a growing interest to transfer survivorship care from specialist to general practitioner (GP). The ongoing I CARE study was initiated in 2015 in the Netherlands to compare (usual) surgeon- to GP-led survivorship care, with or without access to a supporting eHealth application (Oncokompas).

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were held at two separate points in time (i.

Changes in the Diagnosis of Stroke and Cardiovascular Conditions in Primary Care During the First 2 COVID-19 Waves in the Netherlands.

Background And Objectives: Although there is evidence of disruption in acute cerebrovascular and cardiovascular care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, its downstream effect in primary care is less clear. We investigated how the pandemic affected utilization of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular care in general practices (GPs) and determined changes in GP-recorded diagnoses of selected cerebrovascular and cardiovascular outcomes.

Methods: From electronic health records of 166,929 primary care patients aged 30 or over within the Rotterdam region, the Netherlands, we extracted the number of consultations related to cerebrovascular and cardiovascular care, and first diagnoses of selected cerebrovascular and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, lipid disorders), conditions, and events (angina, atrial fibrillation, TIA, myocardial infarction, stroke).

Higher chances of survival to hospital admission after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in patients with previously diagnosed heart disease.

Aim: This study aimed to determine whether patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) with a pre-OHCA diagnosis of heart disease have higher survival chances than patients without such a diagnosis and to explore possible underlying mechanisms.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study in 3760 OHCA patients from the Netherlands (2010-2016) was performed. Information from emergency medical services, treating hospitals, general practitioner, resuscitation ECGs and civil registry was used to assess medical histories and the presence of pre-OHCA diagnosis of heart disease.

Experiences with screening for atrial fibrillation: a qualitative study in general practice.

Background: Guidelines recommend screening for atrial fibrillation (AF). Currently, screening is not considered standard care among GPs.

Aim: To explore the experiences of primary care workers with different methods of screening for AF and with implementation in daily practice.

Screening for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in primary care using Holter monitoring and intermittent, ambulatory single-lead electrocardiography.

Background: Timely detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is important because of its increased risk of thrombo-embolic events. Single time point screening interventions fall short in detection of paroxysmal AF, which requires prolonged electrocardiographic monitoring, usually using a Holter. However, traditional 24-48 h Holter monitoring is less appropriate for screening purposes because of its low diagnostic yield.

Recruitment challenges to the I CARE study: a randomised trial on general practitioner-led colon cancer survivorship care.

Objectives: The I CARE study (Improving Care After colon canceR treatment in the Netherlands) aims to compare surgeon-led to general practitioner (GP)-led colon cancer survivorship care. Recruitment to the trial took longer than expected. In this descriptive study, recruitment is critically reviewed.