Assessing the precision of a time-sampling-based study among GPs: balancing sample size and measurement frequency.

Background: Our research is based on a technique for time sampling, an innovative method for measuring the working hours of Dutch general practitioners (GPs), which was deployed in an earlier study. In this study, 1051 GPs were questioned about their activities in real time by sending them one SMS text message every 3 h during 1 week. The required sample size for this study is important for health workforce planners to know if they want to apply this method to target groups who are hard to reach or if fewer resources are available.

Do effects of common case-mix adjusters on patient experiences vary across patient groups?

Background: Many survey studies in health care adjust for demographic characteristics such as age, gender, educational attainment and general health when performing statistical analyses. Whether the effects of these demographic characteristics are consistent between patient groups remains to be determined. This is important as the rationale for adjustment is often that demographic sub-groups differ in their so-called 'response tendency'.

Determinants of general practitioner's cancer-related gut feelings-a prospective cohort study.

Background: General practitioners (GPs) use gut feelings to diagnose cancer in an early stage, but little is known about its impact.

Method: Prospective cohort study of patients in 44 general practices throughout the Netherlands, from January 2010 until December 2013. GPs completed a questionnaire regarding gut feelings, patient and GP characteristics, if they noticed a cancer-related gut feeling during patient consultation.

Use of general practice services 5 years after an episode of mental illness: case-control study using electronic records.

Background: Depression, anxiety, and emotional distress occur frequently and are usually treated in general practice. Little has been reported about the long-term course of these conditions and the long-term use of medical services.

Aim: To follow up patients with depression, anxiety, and emotional distress in general practice for 5 years and examine the length and number of index episodes, prescribing behaviour, and the use of services in general practice.

Reducing antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory tract infections in family practice: results of a cluster randomized controlled trial evaluating a multifaceted peer-group-based intervention.

Irrational antibiotic use for respiratory tract infections (RTI) is a major driver of bacterial resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multifaceted peer-group based intervention aiming to reduce RTI-related antibiotic prescriptions in family practice. This was a cluster randomized controlled trial with pre- and follow-up measurement.

Differences in palliative care quality between patients with cancer, patients with organ failure and frail patients: A study based on measurements with the Consumer Quality Index Palliative Care for bereaved relatives.

Background: Palliative care is rooted in the care for incurably ill cancer patients. Yet today there is a recognised need for palliative care for patients with non-cancer conditions. However, the often unpredictable illness trajectories and the difficulty in predicting the imminence of death in people with non-cancer conditions may hamper the provision of high-quality palliative care.

Factors associated with the self-perceived ability of nursing staff to remain working until retirement: a questionnaire survey.

Background: It is important to learn how employers in European countries can prevent nursing staff from changing occupation or taking early retirement in order to counteract expected nursing shortages. However, to date research on nursing staff's ability to remain working until retirement age has been limited. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the associations between different job and organisational characteristics, job satisfaction, occupational commitment and the self-perceived ability to continue working in the current line of work until the official retirement age.

Autonomous home-care nursing staff are more engaged in their work and less likely to consider leaving the healthcare sector: a questionnaire survey.

Background: The need for home care is rising in many Western European countries, due to the ageing population and governmental policies to substitute institutional care with home care. At the same time, a general shortage of qualified home-care staff exists or is expected in many countries. It is important to retain existing nursing staff in the healthcare sector to ensure a stable home-care workforce for the future.

Clinicians' beliefs and attitudes toward patient self-management in the Netherlands; translation and testing of the American Clinician Support for Patient Activation Measure (CS-PAM).

Background: The aim of this study was to test the Dutch version of the Clinician Support for Patient Activation Measure (CS-PAM), to explore the beliefs of Dutch clinicians about patients' self-management, and to establish whether there are differences in this respect between general practitioners and other primary care providers.

Methods: The CS-PAM was translated in Dutch and data were collected in a sample of 489 general practitioners and other primary care providers. Statistical analyses (RASCH, Cronbach's α) were performed to establish the psychometric properties of the instrument.

Patient experiences of inpatient hospital care: a department matter and a hospital matter.

Objective: To examine the added value of measuring and possibly presenting patient experiences at the department level, in addition to the hospital level, and to explore the possibility that patient experiences differ according to the 'type' of hospital department.

Design: Secondary analysis of data from a widely used survey on patient experiences of Dutch inpatient hospital care [Consumer Quality Index (CQI) Inpatient Hospital Care].

Setting: Inpatient hospital care experience survey of patients of 78 Dutch hospitals.

Partners of cancer patients consult their GPs significantly more often with both somatic and psychosocial problems.

Objective: Partners of cancer patients experience psychological distress and impaired physical health around and after the diagnosis of cancer. It is unknown whether these problems are presented to the general practitioner (GP). This study aimed to establish partners' GP use around the diagnosis of cancer.

Participation of people with physical disabilities: three-year trend and potential for improvement.

Objective: To provide an insight into developments in participation over the period 2008 to 2010 among Dutch people with physical disabilities and into their demands for additional participation.

Design: Trend study with additional cross-sectional survey.

Setting: Community-dwelling people with physical disabilities.

Determinants of increased primary health care use in cancer survivors.

Purpose: The number of cancer survivors is increasing, and patients with cancer often experience long-lasting consequences of cancer and its treatment. Because of the variety of health problems and high prevalence of comorbidity, primary care physicians (PCPs) seem obvious candidates to take care of these patients, and insight into primary health care (PHC) use of cancer survivors is needed. We aimed to find determinants for PHC use in cancer survivors.

Measuring patient activation in The Netherlands: translation and validation of the American short form Patient Activation Measure (PAM13).

Background: The American short form Patient Activation Measure (PAM) is a 13-item instrument which assesses patient (or consumer) self-reported knowledge, skills and confidence for self-management of one's health or chronic condition. In this study the PAM was translated into a Dutch version; psychometric properties of the Dutch version were established and the instrument was validated in a panel of chronically ill patients.

Methods: The translation was done according to WHO guidelines.

Factors influencing the adoption of home telecare by elderly or chronically ill people: a national survey.

Aims And Objectives: The primary aim is to provide insight into client characteristics and characteristics of home telecare contacts, which may influence the adoption of home telecare. Secondary aim is to examine the applicability of four perceived attributes in Rogers' diffusion of innovations theory, which may influence the adoption: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and observability.

Background: Western countries face strongly increasing healthcare demands.