Search the digital library catalog

Abstract: Background: As the global population ages, there is an increasing focus on enhancing the psychological well-being of older adults. A key strategy is person-centred care, which emphasises recognising each individual as unique, with their values, needs, and preferences. This study explored older adults’ perceptions of person-centred care and its relationship with their general health and psychological well-being. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 632 participants aged 65 to 96 years (mean age = 73.4 ± 6.7) was conducted, comprising 435 (69%) female and 197 (31%) male participants. Of these, 57% lived in home environments, while 43% resided in retirement homes. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire that included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), and the Person-Centred Practice Inventory for Service Users (PCPI-SU). Data analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics 28.0, and non-parametric tests such as the Kruskal–Wallis test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Spearman’s correlation were used. Results: Older adults who reported more frequent contact with relatives or loved ones (daily or several times per week) and those residing in home environments perceived significantly higher levels of person-centred care compared to those with less frequent contact and those living in retirement homes (p < 0.001 for both variables). General health varied significantly according to gender (p = 0.009), level of education (p < 0.001), and living environment (p = 0.004), while psychological well-being among older adults showed significant differences based solely on their level of education (p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that person-centred care (p = 0.017) and monthly income (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the psychological well-being of older adults, independent of their living environment. Conclusions: The findings suggest that person-centred care and monthly income significantly predict psychological well-being among older adults. Differences in perceived care and health outcomes were also observed based on gender, education level, and living environment. These results underscore the importance of promoting person-centred care practices, particularly in retirement home settings, to enhance psychological well-being in older adult populations.
Keywords: older adults, psychological well-being, health, person-centred care
Published in DKUM: 04.11.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 3
Link to file

Abstract: Background: Artificial intelligence and machine learning are playing crucial roles in digital transformation, aiming to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, equity, and responsiveness of primary health systems and their services. Method: Using synthetic knowledge synthesis and bibliometric and thematic analysis triangulation, we identified the most productive and prolific countries, institutions, funding sponsors, source titles, publications productivity trends, and principal research categories and themes. Results: The United States and the United Kingdom were the most productive countries; Plos One and BJM Open were the most prolific journals; and the National Institutes of Health, USA, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China were the most productive funding sponsors. The publication productivity trend is positive and exponential. The main themes are related to natural language processing in clinical decision-making, primary health care optimization focusing on early diagnosis and screening, improving health-based social determinants, and using chatbots to optimize communications with patients and between health professionals. Conclusions: The use of machine learning in primary health care aims to address the significant global burden of so-called “missed diagnostic opportunities” while minimizing possible adverse effects on patients.
Keywords: primary health care, machine learning, research landscape, synthetic knowledge synthesis
Published in DKUM: 24.07.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 6
Full text (887,18 KB)

Abstract: COVID-19 outbreak has significantly changed all aspects of general practice in Europe. This art-icle focuses on the academic challenges for the discipline, mainly in the field of education,research, and quality assurance. The efforts of the European Region of the World Organisationof National Colleges, Academies, and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/FamilyPhysicians (WONCA Europe) to support academic sustainability of the discipline in the time ofpandemic are presented. Medical education was affected by the pandemic, threatening both itsproductivity and quality. Emerging new educational methods might be promising, but theresults of their rapid implementation remain uncertain. A relatively small number of publicationsrelated to COVID-19 and general practice is available in the medical literature. There is a short-age of original data from general practice settings. This contrasts with the crucial role of GPs infighting a pandemic. COVID-19 outbreak has opened widely new research areas, which shouldbe explored by GPs. Maintaining the quality of care and safety of all patients during the COVID-19 pandemic is the utmost priority. Many of them suffer from poor access or inadequate man-agement of their problems. Rapid implementation of telemedicine brought both threats andopportunities. The COVID-19 pandemic also challenged doctors' safety and well-being. Theseaspects will require discussion and remedy to prevent deterioration of the quality of primarycare. WONCA Europe is making a multi-faceted effort to support GPs in difficult times of thepandemic. It is ready to support future efforts to uphold the integrity of family medicine as anacademic discipline.
Keywords: infectious diseases, quality of care, public health, community medicine, health care organisation, management, medical education
Published in DKUM: 07.01.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 11
Full text (1,35 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: Background: General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as the first point of contact for possibly infected patients and are responsible for short and long-term follow-up care of the majority of COVID-19 patients. Nonetheless, they experience many barriers to fulfilling this role. The PRICOV-19 study investigates how GP practices in 38 countries are organized during the COVID-19 pandemic to guarantee safe, effective, patient-centered, and equitable care. Also, the shift in roles and tasks and the wellbeing of staff members is researched. Finally, PRICOV-19 aims to study the association with practice- and health care system characteristics. It is expected that both characteristics of the GP practice and health care system features are associated with how GP practices can cope with these challenges. This paper describes the protocol of the study. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, data are collected through an online questionnaire sent to GP practices in 37 European countries and Israel. The questionnaire is developed in multiple phases, including a pilot study in Belgium. The final version includes 53 items divided into six sections: patient flow (including appointments, triage, and management for routine care); infection prevention; information processing; communication; collaboration and self-care; and practice and participant characteristics. In the countries where data collection is already finished, between 13 and 636 GP practices per country participated in the study. Questionnaire data are linked with OECD and HSMR data regarding national policy responses to the pandemic and analyzed using multilevel models considering the system- and practice-level. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, the PRICOV-19 study is the largest and most comprehensive study that examines how GP practices function during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its results can significantly contribute to better preparedness of primary health care systems across Europe for future major outbreaks of infectious diseases.
Keywords: family medicine, primary health care, COVID-19
Published in DKUM: 05.07.2024; Views: 141; Downloads: 14
Full text (1,31 MB)
This document has many files! More...

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to explore the infuence of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 on vaccination hesitancy among Slovenian postsecondary students. A cross-sectional study using a set of previously tested instruments and ad hoc questions created by the authors was chosen as the method to gain insight into various health and sociodemographic aspects of Slovenian postsecondary students afected by the COVID-19-induced closures and suspensions of educational activities at tertiary educational institutions (N= 5999). Overall, 39.7% of participating students expressed an intention to get vaccinated at the frst possible opportunity, whereas 29.2% expressed no intent to do so. The highest vaccine hesitancy was observed among prospective teachers (50.3%) and the lowest among prospective physicians (5,7%). When examining the role of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 on the Slovenian postsecondary students' intentions to get vaccinated the results of logistic regression showed that only fear of COVID-19 played a mild and signifcant role.
Keywords: vaccination, health care, health occupations, medical research, risk factors, signs and symptoms, students
Published in DKUM: 05.07.2024; Views: 111; Downloads: 9
Full text (950,20 KB)
This document has many files! More...