Resilience of primary healthcare facilities: Experiences from 16 European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed-methods study conducted by EURIPA.

Background: The role of primary healthcare (PHC) during a pandemic varies across European countries. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has altered the working practices of family medicine doctors and impacted the resilience of healthcare systems.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine European healthcare system responses to the pandemic, focusing on rural and urban differences.

Patient safety in general practice during COVID-19: a descriptive analysis in 38 countries (PRICOV-19).

Background: This article aims to examine patient safety in general practice during COVID-19.

Methods: In total, 5489 GP practices from 37 European countries and Israel filled in the online self-reported PRICOV-19 survey between November 2020 and December 2021. The outcome measures include 30 patient safety indicators on structure, process, and outcome.

Follow-up of patients with chronic conditions within primary care practices during COVID-19: Results from 7 Central and Eastern-European countries from the cross-sectional PRICOV-19 study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed severe challenges to delivery of services at Primary Care level and for achieving follow-up of patients with chronic diseases.

Objectives: We analysed data from the PRICOV-19 study to explore determinants of active follow-up for chronic disease patients in seven Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries during the pandemic.

Methods: Pricov-19 was a cross-sectional study conducted within PC (Primary Care) practices in 37 European countries.

Recruitment, data collection, participation rate, and representativeness of the international cross-sectional PRICOV-19 study across 38 countries.

Background: Recruitment for surveys has been a great challenge, especially in general practice.

Methods: Here, we reported recruitment strategies, data collection, participation rates (PR) and representativeness of the PRICOV-19 study, an international comparative, cross-sectional, online survey among general practices (GP practices) in 37 European countries and Israel.

Results: Nine (24%) countries reported a published invitation; 19 (50%) had direct contact with all GPs/GP practices; 19 (50%) contacted a sample of GPs /GP practices; and 7 (18%) used another invitation strategy.

Did the organization of primary care practices during the COVID-19 pandemic influence quality and safety? - an international survey.

Background: Changes in demographics with an older population, the illness panorama with increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, and the shift from hospital care to home-based care place demand on primary health care, which requires multiprofessional collaboration and team-based organization of work. The COVID-19 pandemic affected health care in various ways, such as heightened infection control measures, changing work practices, and increased workload.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between primary care practices' organization, and quality and safety changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF OBESITY TREATMENT IN PRIMARY CARE USING PATIENT-ORIENTED APPROACH WITH MOTIVATIONAL COUNSELING FOR LIFESTYLE CORRECTION AND ITS COMBINATION WITH ARMODAFINIL THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH CONCOMITANT SHIFT WORK SLEEP DISORDER.

Objective: Aim: Conduct a comparative analysis of effectiveness of obesity treatment in primary care using patient-oriented approach with motivational counseling for lifestyle correction and its combination with armodafinil therapy in patients with concomitant shift work sleep disorder.

Patients And Methods: Materials and Methods: 75 patients with obesity were studied, 38 patients had shift work disorder. Patients were divided into 2 groups: I (37 patients with obesity treated with motivational counseling) and II (38 patients with obesity and shift work disorder treated additionally with armodafinil 150 mg daily).

Intermediate care in caring for dementia, the point of view of general practitioners: A key informant survey across Europe.

Background: Intermediate care is often defined as healthcare occurring somewhere between traditional primary (community) and secondary (hospital) care settings. High quality intermediate care is important in dementia, may prevent caregiver burnout and also lead to optimal care for people with dementia. However, very little is known about the point of intermediate care for persons with dementia in Europe.

Patient consultations during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a mixed-method cross-sectional study in 16 European countries.

Introduction: Remote consultations help reduce contact between people and prevent cross-contamination. Little is known about the changes in consultation in European rural primary care during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. The purpose of this mixed-methods cross-sectional study was to find out more about the effects of the pandemic on changes in patient consultations in European rural primary care.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Integrated Care Implementation in Central and Eastern Europe - Perspective from 9 CEE Countries.

Introduction: Health and social care systems in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries have undergone significant changes and are currently dealing with serious problems of system disintegration, coordination and a lack of control over the market environment.

Description: The increased health needs related to the ageing society and epidemiological patterns in these countries also require funding needs to increase, rationing to be reformed, sectors to be integrated (the managed care approach), and an analytical information base to be developed if supervision of new technological approaches is to improve. The period of system transitions in CEE countries entailed significant changes in their health systems, including health care financing.

The pros and cons of the implementation of a chronic care model in European rural primary care: the points of view of European rural general practitioners.

Introduction: This article describes the views of European rural general practitioners regarding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of the implementation of a chronic care model (CCM) in European rural primary care.

Methods: This was a mixed-methods online survey. Data were collected from 227 general practitioners between May and December 2017.

General practitioners' deprescribing decisions in older adults with polypharmacy: a case vignette study in 31 countries.

Background: General practitioners (GPs) should regularly review patients' medications and, if necessary, deprescribe, as inappropriate polypharmacy may harm patients' health. However, deprescribing can be challenging for physicians. This study investigates GPs' deprescribing decisions in 31 countries.

Patient Characteristics and General Practitioners' Advice to Stop Statins in Oldest-Old Patients: a Survey Study Across 30 Countries.

Background: Statins are widely used to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). With advancing age, the risks of statins might outweigh the potential benefits. It is unclear which factors influence general practitioners' (GPs) advice to stop statins in oldest-old patients.

Effects of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Cytokine, Toll-Like Receptor, and Progesterone Receptor Genes on Risk of Miscarriage.

Spontaneous abortion is a complex, multifactorial pathology, where various genetic, neural, endocrine, and immunological factors are involved. Cytokines, Toll-like receptors, and progesterone receptors play critical roles in embryonic implantation and development. A delicate, stage-specific equilibrium of these proteins is required for successful pregnancy outcome.

THE INCREASE OF EFFICIENCY OF TREATMENT IN PATIENTS WITH NON-STABLE ANGINA PECTORIS WITH USE OF NITROGEN OXIDE DONATOR.

Objective: Introction: One of the leading pathogenetic factors of CVD is a violation of the function of the endothelium of the vessels, which leads to endothelial dysfunction. The aіm: Increasing the efficiency of treatment of patients with NSAP based on the study of the dynamics of clinical picture, blood parametres, CRP, indices of endothelium dependent vasodilatation of the brachial artery with the use of arginine hydrochloride.

Patients And Methods: Materials and methods: The 45 patients with non-stable angina pectoris (NSAP), who were in inpatient treatment in the cardiological department of the Clinical city hospital of emergency care in Lviv, were examined.

Burden of cardiovascular disease across 29 countries and GPs' decision to treat hypertension in oldest-old.

Objectives: We previously found large variations in general practitioner (GP) hypertension treatment probability in oldest-old (>80 years) between countries. We wanted to explore whether differences in country-specific cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden and life expectancy could explain the differences.

Design: This is a survey study using case-vignettes of oldest-old patients with different comorbidities and blood pressure levels.

Variation in GP decisions on antihypertensive treatment in oldest-old and frail individuals across 29 countries.

Background: In oldest-old patients (>80), few trials showed efficacy of treating hypertension and they included mostly the healthiest elderly. The resulting lack of knowledge has led to inconsistent guidelines, mainly based on systolic blood pressure (SBP), cardiovascular disease (CVD) but not on frailty despite the high prevalence in oldest-old. This may lead to variation how General Practitioners (GPs) treat hypertension.