Comparison of depression care provided in general practice in Norway and the Netherlands: registry-based cohort study (The Norwegian GP-DEP study).

Background: Depression is highly prevalent in general practice, and organisation of primary health care probably affects the provision of depression care. General practitioners (GPs) in Norway and the Netherlands fulfil comparable roles. However, primary care teams with a mental health nurse (MHN) supplementing the GP have been established in the Netherlands, but not yet in Norway.

Usability of an animated diabetes information tool for patients with different health literacy levels: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Most currently available medication self-management support tools do not meet the needs of patients with limited health literacy. Recently, tools that are better tailored to the needs of patients with limited health literacy have been developed. This study aimed to assess the usability of an animated diabetes information tool by patients with diabetes with limited and adequate health literacy levels.

Adherence to coprescribing of laxatives with opioids and associated characteristics in general practices in the Netherlands.

Background: Guidelines recommend to prescribe a laxative with an opioid to prevent constipation. We aimed to determine the adherence by general practitioners (GPs) to this recommendation and to explore which GP- and patient related factors were associated with it from the perspective of the GP.  METHODS: We conducted an observational study using GPs' prescription data from the Nivel Primary Care Database combined with a questionnaire asking for reasons of non-adherence.

The Web-Based Advance Care Planning Program "Explore Your Preferences for Treatment and Care": Development, Pilot Study, and Before-and-After Evaluation.

Background: Web-based advance care planning (ACP) programs may support patients in thinking about and discussing their preferences for future treatment and care. However, they are not widely available, and only a limited number of programs are evidence based.

Objective: We aimed to develop and evaluate an evidence-based, interactive web-based ACP program that guides users through the process of thinking about, discussing, and recording of preferences for treatment and care.

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.

Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Led to Changes in the Tasks of the Primary Care Workforce? An International Survey among General Practices in 38 Countries (PRICOV-19).

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a large and varying impact on primary care. This paper studies changes in the tasks of general practitioners (GPs) and associated staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the PRICOV-19 study of 5093 GPs in 38 countries were used.

Gaming for Adherence to Medication using Ehealth in Rheumatoid arthritis (GAMER) study: a randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To examine the effect on adherence to disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of a serious game that targeted implicit attitudes toward medication.

Methods: A multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) was performed with adults with RA that used DMARDs and possessed a smartphone/tablet. Control and intervention groups received care as usual.

Status of the health information system in Ireland and its fitness to support health system performance assessment: a multimethod assessment based on stakeholder involvement.

Background: Between 2019 and 2021, the first Irish health system performance assessment (HSPA) framework was developed. As routinely collected health data are necessary to continuously populate indicators of an HSPA framework, a purpose-driven assessment of the health information system (HIS) in Ireland and its fitness to support the implementation of an HSPA framework was conducted. This study reports on the status of the Irish HIS through a multimethod assessment based on continuous broad stakeholder involvement.

The impact of a terrorist attack: Survivors' health, functioning and need for support following the 2019 Utrecht tram shooting 6 and 18 months post-attack.

Background: Extremely violent events such as terrorist attacks and mass shootings form a severe risk for the health and wellbeing of affected individuals. In this study based on a public health monitor, we focus on the health impact (including PTSD symptoms, physical problems and day-to-day functioning) of the Utrecht tram shooting, which took place in the morning of March 18th 2019. A lone gunman opened fire on passengers within a moving tram.

Social network responses to victims of potentially traumatic events: A systematic review using qualitative evidence synthesis.

Background: A substantial number of qualitative studies examined how adult victims of potentially traumatic events (PTEs) experienced support provided by family members, friends, colleagues, and other significant others in the informal network. Importantly, the large majority of qualitative studies focused on the perceived support of victims of specific events such as sexual offences, partner violence, homicide, accidents and disasters. Although it is likely that across specific PTEs there are similarities as well as differences in experienced support from the informal network, to date no systematic review synthesized the results of qualitative studies on support from the informal network following various types of PTEs.

Evaluating the feasibility, experiences, facilitators of and barriers to carers and volunteers delivering Namaste Care to people with dementia in their own home: a qualitative interview study in the UK and the Netherlands.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, facilitators of and barriers to delivering Namaste Care by volunteers and family carers to community-dwelling people with dementia, and to map family carers and volunteers' experiences with the programme.

Design: Qualitative interview study with two phases: (1) preparation phase; (2) pilot phase.

Setting: Private residences of community-dwelling people with dementia in the UK and the Netherlands.

Telemedicine in Neuromuscular Diseases During Covid-19 Pandemic: ERN-NMD European Survey.

Background: Telemedicine (TM) contributes to bridge the gap between healthcare facilities and patients' homes with neuromuscular disease (NMD) because of mobility issues. However, its deployment is limited due to difficulties evaluating subtle neurological signs such as mild weakness or sensory deficits. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare delivery worldwide, necessitating rapid measures implementation by health care providers (HCPs) to protect patients from acquiring SARS-CoV-2 while maintaining the best care and treatment.

Feasibility of a protocol for deprescribing antihypertensive medication in older patients in Dutch general practices.

Background: Older patients using antihypertensive medication may experience Adverse Drug Events (ADEs), and thus benefit from deprescribing. The lack of a practical protocol may hamper deprescribing. Therefore, we aimed to develop a deprescribing protocol, based on a review of literature, combined with a feasibility test in a small number of patients.

Implementation of a threefold intervention to improve palliative care for persons experiencing homelessness: a process evaluation using the RE-AIM framework.

Background: Palliative care provision for persons experiencing homelessness is often poor. A threefold consultation service intervention was expected to increase knowledge of palliative care and multidisciplinary collaboration, and improve palliative care for this population. This intervention comprised: 1) consultation of social service professionals by palliative care specialists and vice versa; 2) multidisciplinary meetings with these professionals; and 3) training and education of these professionals.

End of life in general practice: trends 2009-2019.

Objectives: To assess possible trends between 2009 and 2019 in the Netherlands of palliative care indicators: the provision of palliative care or treatment, hospitalisations in the last month before death, use of specialised palliative care services and place of death.

Methods: The study design was a repeated retrospective cross-sectional design with questionnaires filled in by general practitioners within a clustered sample of 67 Sentinel practices. Patients whose death was non-sudden, and thus could have received palliative care, between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2019 were included in the study, resulting in 3121 patients.

Understanding relationships between asthma medication use and outcomes in a SABINA primary care database study.

Adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in asthma is suboptimal. Patients may rely more on their short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) to control symptoms, which may increase their risk of exacerbations and uncontrolled asthma. Our objective is to describe ICS adherence and SABA use among Dutch primary care patients with asthma, and how these are related to exacerbations and self-reported asthma control.

Patient experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in Dutch primary care.

Background: Changes in primary care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic could have affected patient experience of primary care both positively and negatively.

Aim: To assess the experiences of patients in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design & Setting: A qualitative study of patients from regions with high and low COVID-19 prevalence in the Netherlands.

Comparative performance of public and private primary care service delivery in Malaysia: An analysis of findings from QUALICOPC.

Introduction: Primary care services are essential in achieving universal health coverage and Malaysia is looking into public-private partnership to overcome resource constraints. The study aims to compare the performance of primary care service delivery dimensions between public and private sector.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used the data from the Malaysian International Quality and Costs of Primary Care (QUALICOPC) study conducted in 2015-2016.

Assessment of the inclusion of vaccination as an intervention to reduce antimicrobial resistance in AMR national action plans: a global review.

Background: Vaccination can reduce antibiotic use by decreasing bacterial and viral infections and vaccines are highlighted in the WHO Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as an infection prevention measure to reduce AMR. Our study aimed to analyze whether WHO Member States have developed AMR national action plans that are aligned with the Global Action Plan regarding objectives on vaccination.

Methods: We reviewed 77 out of 90 AMR national action plans available in the WHO library that were written after publication of the Global Action Plan in 2015.

Using a Taxonomy to Systematically Identify and Describe Self-Management Interventions Components in Randomized Trials for COPD.

Self-management interventions (SMIs) may improve outcomes in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). However, accurate comparisons of their relative effectiveness are challenging, partly due to a lack of clarity and detail regarding the intervention content being evaluated. This study systematically describes intervention components and characteristics in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to COPD self-management using the COMPAR-EU taxonomy as a framework, identifying components that are insufficiently incorporated into the design of the intervention or insufficiently reported.

Physicians' and Patients' Interruptions in Clinical Practice: A Quantitative Analysis.

Purpose: Physicians' interruptions have long been considered intrusive, masculine actions that inhibit patient participation, but a systematic analysis of interruptions in clinical interaction is lacking. This study aimed to examine when and how primary care physicians and patients interrupt each other during consultations.

Methods: We coded and quantitatively analyzed interruption type (cooperative vs intrusive) in 84 natural interactions between 17 primary care physicians and 84 patients with common somatic symptoms.

Gender and age concordance between patient and GP: an observational study on associations with referral behaviour.

Background: Appropriate referral from primary to secondary care is essential for maintaining a healthcare system that is accessible and cost-effective. Social concordance can affect the doctor-patient interaction and possibly also referral behaviour.

Aim: To investigate the association of gender concordance and age concordance on referral rates in primary care in The Netherlands.