The role of hospitals in strengthening primary health care in the Western Pacific

Semi-Markov Multistate Modeling Approaches for Multicohort Event History Data

Two Cox-based multistate modeling approaches are compared for modeling a complex multicohort event history process. The first approach incorporates cohort information as a fixed covariate, thereby providing a direct estimation of the cohort-specific effects. The second approach includes the cohort as a stratum variable, which offers an extra flexibility in estimating the transition probabilities. Additionally, both approaches may include possible interaction terms between the cohort and a given prognostic predictor. Furthermore, the Markov property conditional on observed prognostic covariates is assessed using a global score test. Whenever departures from the Markovian assumption are revealed for a given transition, the time of entry into the current state is incorporated as a fixed covariate, yielding a semi-Markov process. The two proposed methods are applied to a three-wave dataset of COVID-19-hospitalized adults in the southern Barcelona metropolitan area (Spain), and the corresponding performance is discussed. While both semi-Markovian approaches are shown to be useful, the preferred one will depend on the focus of the inference. To summarize, the cohort-covariate approach enables an insightful discussion on the behavior of the cohort effects, whereas the stratum-cohort approach provides flexibility to estimate transition-specific underlying risks according to the different cohorts.

Assessing the Impact of Community Health Coaching on Self-Management of Chronic Illness Among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Approach

Background

Chronic illnesses among older adults require effective self-management strategies. Community health coaching, which provides personalized guidance and support, has shown promise in improving self-management behaviors and patient activation. This study examines the impact of health coaching on self-management among older adults and investigates the mediating role of patient activation.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 older adults with chronic illnesses attending primary healthcare centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM-13), Self-Management Behavior Scale (SMBS), and Health Coaching Perception Questionnaire (HCPQ). Multiple regression and mediation analyses were conducted to assess the relationships between health coaching, patient activation, and self-management behaviors.

Results

Health coaching was significantly associated with improved self-management behaviors (β = 0.42, p < 0.001). Higher satisfaction with coaching was related to better medication adherence and dietary modification. Patient activation partially mediated the relationship between health coaching and self-management, with an indirect effect coefficient of 0.22 (p < 0.01). The results highlight the role of activation in enhancing health coaching effectiveness.

Conclusion

Community health coaching positively influences self-management behaviors in older adults, with patient activation serving as a critical mediator. Integrating health coaching into primary care could improve chronic illness management and support healthy aging.

Exploring disparities of teleconsultation readiness: A comparative analysis of healthcare facilities in Indonesia

Objectives

To investigate the implementation of teleconsultation and assess the level of readiness for its adoption among various types of healthcare facilities.

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved medical doctors working in a public hospital, a private hospital, and community health centers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. We recruited 29 medical specialists from various departments in two hospitals and 27 heads of community health centers. The readiness items were categorized into sections that encompassed various readiness areas such as core, technological, motivational, learning, work culture, and policy readiness. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance and the Kruskal-Wallis test to evaluate differences in levels of readiness across healthcare facilities. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to further assess factors predicting the implementation of teleconsultation.

Results

Variations in technological readiness were observed between the community health centers and the public hospital (p = 0.006) and the private hospital (p = 0.007). Differences in learning readiness were found between the public hospitals and private hospitals (p = 0.01). There were also disparities in cultural readiness between the public hospital and the private hospital (p = 0.04) and between public hospital and community health centers (p = 0.01). Logistic regression revealed an association between technological readiness and the use of video teleconsultation (OR = 1.13; p = 0.017). The private hospital was more likely to implement video-based teleconsultation than was the public hospital (OR = 2.68; p = 0.003) or community health centers (OR = 3.13; p ≤ 0.001).

Conclusion

Significant differences in technology readiness were identified among community health centers, public hospitals, and private hospitals. Future policy implementation should focus on customizing technology use and providing cultural training to help healthcare institutions with different technological readiness levels.

History of primary health care in Iran

Background

The history of the primary healthcare system in Iran portrays a journey of strategic development and implementation that has resulted in significant advancements in healthcare access and overall population well-being. Starting in the early 1980s, Iran embarked on a comprehensive approach to health care delivery prioritizing universal access, equity, and community participation.

Introduction

The foundation of this system was established during the Alma-Ata Conference in 1978, which placed a strong emphasis on the role of primary health care in attaining health for all.Iran's unwavering commitment to this approach led to the creation of an extensive network of rural and urban health centers designed to offer essential health services and preventive care to all citizens.

Discussion

Over the years, the expansion of Iran's primary healthcare system has yielded noteworthy accomplishments. Maternal and child mortality rates have seen substantial declines, attributed to improved access to maternal care and immunization services. The effectiveness of the system in reaching diverse populations has been enhanced through community engagement and the integration of traditional medicine. Furthermore, Iran's focus on health education and disease prevention has resulted in heightened public awareness and the adoption of healthier lifestyles. Despite these achievements, challenges continue to persist. Disparities in the quality and accessibility of services between urban and rural areas remain a concern. Moreover, the ongoing necessity for infrastructure development, training of the health workforce, and efficient resource allocation underscore the continuous efforts required to strengthen the primary healthcare system.

Conclusions

The history of Iran's primary health care system is marked by progress and achievements, underscored by an unwavering commitment to providing comprehensive, community-based care. Iran's journey serves as an exemplary model, highlighting the positive impact of prioritizing primary health care in achieving better health outcomes for its population. As Iran continues to evolve its health system, addressing challenges and building upon successes, the history of its primary health care system serves as a valuable lesson in the pursuit of accessible and equitable health care for all.

The impact of pharmacist interventions, follow-up frequency and default on glycemic control in Diabetes Medication Therapy Adherence Clinic program: a multicenter study in Malaysia

BACKGROUND

Pharmacist's involvement in optimizing medication adherence among diabetic patients has been implemented for over a decade. Diabetes Medication Therapy Adherence Clinic (DMTAC) was set up to educate diabetic patients, monitor treatment outcomes, and manage drug-related problems. While evidence shows that pharmacist-led DMTAC was effective in reducing HbA1c, there was limited data regarding the impact of different intervention types and default to follow-up on glycemic control.

AIM

To assess the impact DMTAC on glycemic control and the difference in glycemic control between hospital and health clinic settings as well as defaulter and non-defaulter. In addition, the impact of pharmacist's interventions, DMTAC follow-up frequencies, and duration of diabetes on glycemic control were also determined.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted among diabetes patients under DMTAC care between January 2019 and June 2020 in five hospitals and 23 primary health clinics. Patients' demographics data, treatment regimens, frequencies of DMTAC visits, defaulter (absent from DMTAC visits) and types of pharmacists' intervention were retrieved from patients' medical records and electronic database. HbA1c was collected at baseline, 4-6 months (post-1), and 8-12 months (post-2).

RESULTS

We included 956 patients, of which 60% were females with a median age of 58.0 (IQR: 5.0) years. Overall, the HbA1c reduced significantly from baseline (median: 10.2, IQR: 3.0) to post-1 (median: 8.8, IQR: 2.7) and post-2 (median: 8.3, IQR: 2.6%) (p < 0.001). There were 4317 pharmacists' interventions performed, with the majority being dosage adjustment (n = 2407, 55.8%), followed by lab investigations (849, 19.7%), drugs addition (653, 15.1%), drugs discontinuation (408, 9.5%). Patients treated in hospitals received significantly more interventions than those treated in primary health clinics (p < 0.001). We observed significantly less reduction in HbA1c in DMTAC follow-up defaulters than non-defaulters after 1 year (- 1.02% vs. - 2.14%, p = 0.001). Frequencies of DMTAC visits (b: 0.19, CI: 0.079-0.302, p = 0.001), number of dosage adjustments (b: 0.83, CI: 0.015-0.151, p = 0.018) and number of additional drugs recommended (b: 0.37, CI: 0.049-0.691, p = 0.024) had positive impact on glycemic control whereas duration of diabetes (b: - 0.0302, CI: - 0.0507, - 0.007, p = 0.011) had negative impact.

CONCLUSION

Glycemic control improved significantly and sustained up to one year among patients in pharmacists-led DMTAC. However, DMTAC defaulters experienced poorer glycemic control. Considering more frequent visits and targeted interventions by pharmacists at DMTAC resulted in improved HbA1c control, these strategies should be taken into account for future program planning.