Process and effect evaluation of a referral aid for smoking cessation counselling in primary care: Findings of a randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: This study explored the use and effects of a smoking cessation referral in: 1) practice nurses (PNs), and 2) smokers. The use of evidence-based smoking cessation interventions (EBSCIs) can double the likelihood of a successful smoking cessation attempt. A referral aid was developed to aid Dutch PNs in primary care in deciding which smokers are the most suitable for EBSCI.

[Dietary interventions in irritable bowel syndrome: 10 tips].

Diet plays an important role in the development of abdominal symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Most patients indicate that their symptoms are triggered or modulated by specific food. Both, patients and treating physicians, often prefer dietary interventions as a treatment for IBS, when compared to pharmacological or psychotherapy.

How to persuade more primary care professionals to adopt a valued smoking cessation referral aid: a cross-sectional study of facilitators and barriers.

Background: To study the factors associated with the intention of primary care professionals (PCPs) to use or not use a referral aid (RA) for selecting an evidence-based smoking cessation intervention (EBSCI).

Methods: Participants (n = 85) were recruited from June to September 2020 to complete an online questionnaire based on the I-Change Model to assess the factors associated with the adoption of RA. The differences between PCPs with (n = 37) and without (n = 48) the intention to adopt in terms of demographics, motivational factors, and post-motivational factors were subsequently assessed.

Reaching consensus on GP interprofessional competencies: a nominal group study.

Background: As the requirements for collaboration in primary care increase, effective interprofessional teamwork between GPs and other primary care professionals is crucial. The need for more training in interprofessional collaborative competencies is widely recognised. However, existing competency frameworks do not sufficiently specify interprofessional collaboration to guide interprofessional competency development.

Insight in the diagnosis and treatment of coeliac disease in general practice: A survey and case vignette study among 106 general practitioners.

Background: Coeliac disease (CD) is a highly prevalent (∼1%) disease that allegedly remains undiagnosed in over 80% of the cases because of atypical symptoms or silent disease. Currently, it is unknown how GPs deal with (suspected) CD.

Objectives: This study aimed to better understand the diagnostic approach and the clinical reasoning process of GPs concerning CD and concurrently address diagnostic pitfalls.

Awareness of HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancers among GPs in The Netherlands: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is increasing in high income countries. HPV-associated OPC generally presents as an invasive disease, often with lymph node involvement, in relatively young patients with minimal or no history of smoking and alcohol consumption. Knowledge on HPV-associated OPC among primary care professionals is essential for disease recognition and early start of treatment.

Vital signs, clinical rules, and gut feeling: an observational study among patients with fever.

Background: GPs decide which patients with fever need referral to the emergency department (ED). Vital signs, clinical rules, and gut feeling can influence this critical management decision.

Aim: To investigate which vital signs are measured by GPs, and whether referral is associated with vital signs, clinical rules, or gut feeling.

Effectiveness of an exercise training programme COPD in primary care: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation is very effective in improving exercise capacity, dyspnea and quality of life in the small group of patients with moderate to severe COPD. Given that little is known about exercise training in the large group of patients with mild to moderate COPD, we assessed the effectiveness of an exercise training programme in primary care.

Methods: In this RCT, 90 patients with mild to moderate COPD (FEV 74.

Longitudinal Relationships between Asthma-Specific Quality of Life and Asthma Control in Children; The Influence of Chronic Rhinitis.

Managing pediatric asthma includes optimizing both asthma control and asthma-specific quality of life (QoL). However, it is unclear to what extent asthma-specific QoL is related to asthma control or other clinical characteristics over time. The aims of this study were to assess in children longitudinally: (1) the association between asthma control and asthma-specific QoL and (2) the relationship between clinical characteristics and asthma-specific QoL.

[The contribution of an asthma diagnostic consultation service in obtaining an accurate asthma diagnosis for primary care patients: results of a real-life study].

Objective: Previous studies showed that general practitioners (GPs) have problems in diagnosing asthma accurately, resulting in both under and overdiagnosis. To support GPs in their diagnostic process an asthma diagnostic consultation service (ADCS) was set up.

Design: We evaluated the performance of this ADCS by analysing the (dis)concordance between the GPs working hypotheses and the ADCS diagnoses and possible consequences this had on the patients' pharmacotherapy.

Gender differences in partners of patients with COPD and their perceptions about the patients.

Background/objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) not only affects patients but also their partners. Gender-related differences in patients with COPD are known, for instance regarding symptoms and quality of life. Yet, research regarding gender differences in partners of patients with COPD has been conducted to a lesser extent, and most research focused on female partners.

Patient versus proxy-reported problematic activities of daily life in patients with COPD.

Background And Objective: Loved ones (proxies) of patients with COPD are confronted with the patients' limitations in activities of daily living (ADLs). However, it remains unknown whether proxies are able to correctly estimate the problematic ADLs of the patient. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the level of agreement between patient-reported and proxy-reported problematic ADLs of the patient.

Is there an added value of faecal calprotectin and haemoglobin in the diagnostic work-up for primary care patients suspected of significant colorectal disease? A cross-sectional diagnostic study.

Background: The majority of primary care patients referred for bowel endoscopy do not have significant colorectal disease (SCD), and are - in hindsight - unnecessarily exposed to a small but realistic risk of severe endoscopy-associated complications. We developed a diagnostic strategy to better exclude SCD in these patients and evaluated the value of adding a faecal calprotectin point-of-care (POC) and/or a POC faecal immunochemical test for haemoglobin (FIT) to routine clinical information.

Methods: We used data from a prospective diagnostic study in SCD-suspected patients from 266 Dutch primary care practices referred for endoscopy to develop a diagnostic model for SCD with routine clinical information, which we extended with faecal calprotectin POC (quantitatively in μg/g faeces) and/or POC FIT results (qualitatively with a 6 μg/g faeces detection limit).

Effectiveness of Teamwork in an Integrated Care Setting for Patients with COPD: Development and Testing of a Self-Evaluation Instrument for Interprofessional Teams.

Introduction: Teamwork between healthcare providers is conditional for the delivery of integrated care. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of the conceptual framework Integrated Team Effectiveness Model for developing and testing of the Integrated Team Effectiveness Instrument.

Theory And Methods: Focus groups with healthcare providers in an integrated care setting for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were conducted to examine the recognisability of the conceptual framework and to explore critical success factors for collaborative COPD practice out of this framework.

Erratum: An innovative COPD early detection programme in general practice: evaluating barriers to implementation.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/npjpcrm.2014.

Measurement properties of the Timed Up & Go test in patients with COPD.

We aimed to investigate the construct validity of the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to identify characteristics related to an abnormal TUG time and to examine the responsiveness of the TUG to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). TUG time was assessed before and after comprehensive PR in 500 COPD patients, and compared cross-sectionally in 100 non-COPD subjects. Physical health outcomes, mental health outcomes, symptom-related outcomes and multidimensional indices were assessed in COPD patients only.

Health Status and Morbidities in Resident Relatives of Patients With COPD.

Objectives: Resident relatives of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may play a major role in obtaining a healthy lifestyle for patients. Little is known about resident relatives. This study aimed to compare health status, morbidities, care dependency, and mobility between patients with COPD and their resident relatives.

Impact of cardiovascular comorbidities on COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and its responsiveness to pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with moderate to very severe COPD: protocol of the Chance study.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Patients with COPD are characterised by a reduced health status, which can be easily assessed by the COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Previous studies show that health status can be worsened by the presence of comorbidities.

Postoperative abdominal adhesions and bowel obstruction. A survey among Dutch general practitioners.

Background: There is increasing interest among specialists in the complications after abdominal surgery due to adhesions.

Objective: Exploration of experiences, attitudes and expectations of general practitioners concerning bowel obstruction and postoperative abdominal adhesions.

Methods: In October 2012 a postal questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 800 Dutch GPs.

An economic evaluation of a video- and text-based computer-tailored intervention for smoking cessation: a cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although evidence exists for the effectiveness of web-based smoking cessation interventions, information about the cost-effectiveness of these interventions is limited.

Objective: The study investigated the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of two web-based computer-tailored (CT) smoking cessation interventions (video- vs. text-based CT) compared to a control condition that received general text-based advice.

An innovative COPD early detection programme in general practice: evaluating barriers to implementation.

In the Netherlands an innovative programme for early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in primary care among patients aged 40-70 years has been evaluated in both an effect study and a pilot implementation study. Health-care providers identified four obstacles for successful implementation of a COPD early detection programme. This Brief Communication describes the most important results of a qualitative study using in-depth interviews.

Efficacy of a physical exercise training programme COPD in primary care: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is recognized as a systemic illness with significant extra-pulmonary features, such as exercise intolerance and muscle weakness. Pulmonary rehabilitation has been shown to be very effective in counteracting these consequences in patients with more advanced COPD. However, limited data is available on the efficacy of a physical exercise training programme in patients with mild to moderate COPD in primary care.

Addressing passive smoking in children.

Background: A significant number of parents are unaware or unconvinced of the health consequences of passive smoking (PS) in children. Physicians could increase parental awareness by giving personal advice.

Aim: To evaluate the current practices of three Dutch health professions (paediatricians, youth health care physicians, and family physicians) regarding parental counselling for passive smoking (PS) in children.

Exacerbations in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease receiving physical therapy: a cohort-nested randomised controlled trial.

Background: Physical exercise training aims at reducing disease-specific impairments and improving quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD exacerbations in particular negatively impact COPD progression. Physical therapy intervention seems indicated to influence exacerbations and their consequences.

Discrepancy between functional exercise capacity and daily physical activity: a cross-sectional study in patients with mild to moderate COPD.

Background: In patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the six-minute walk distance reflects the functional exercise level for daily physical activity. It is unknown if this also applies to patients with mild to moderate COPD in primary care.

Aims: To assess the relationship between functional exercise capacity and physical activity in patients with mild to moderate COPD.