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Selected Topics - Primary Health Care
Categories
Studies on Primary Health Care at UNSW
- UNSW Research Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity
The UNSW Research Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity (CPHCE) is a collaboration between three research groups within the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at UNSW. Together these groups share a focus on primary health care and health equity related research, teaching and development. CPHCE has a significant track record in intervention based research under three thematic areas: health system development; prevention and management of chronic disease and associated risk factors; and understanding and intervening to reduce health inequalities.
- UNSW Research Centre on Ageing and Retirement
Events
Global policies and related documents
- Declaration of Alma Ata on Primary Health Care
This declaration came out of the International Conference on Primary Health Care held in Alma Ata USSR in 1978. The declaration calls for urgent and effective national and international action to develop and implement primary health care throughout the world and particularly in developing countries.
- Five elements of the Global Patient Safety ChallengeThe WHO Global Patient Safety Challenge aims to raise awareness of the impact of health care-associated infections, build commitment from countries to give priority to reducing health care-associated infections and test the implementation of the newly developed WHO Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care. This page outlines the five elements of this challenge and provides links to additional information.
Reports, guidelines and projects
- Bridging the gap between primary care and public health
In August 2007, a registrar of our general practitioner training program in The Netherlands diagnosed pneumonia in a young, otherwise healthy, male patient. The registrar established that the patient was in a stable condition and had no risk factors for respiratory tract disease. After consulting the GP supervisor, the patient was treated in the community. This consultation illustrates the place of primary care in the ‘ecology of medical care’1 – most patients contact primary health care professionals for most health problems, most of the time. Through primary care, the use of medical care facilities is navigated, and patients’ needs are taken into account. The personalised decision was to treat him at home, the navigation decision that no referral or hospital admittance was needed. [author introduction] [Reprinted from Australian Family Physician Vol. 38, No. 4, April 2009]
- Capacity, Change and Performance: Study Report
The purposes of the study were: to enhance understanding of the interrelationships among capacity, change and performance across a wide range of development experiences; and to provide general recommendations and frameworks to support the effectiveness of external interventions aimed at improving capacity and performance. The study was thus intended to provide some new perspectives on capacity issues. First, it was to use an endogenous perspective of capacity – how capacity develops from within – rather than looking only at what outsiders, usually international agencies, can do to induce it. This implied considering external contributions as only an influence rather than the entry point of the research. Second, the study was to bring in ideas from the capacity literature beyond that produced by the international development community. Third, the study was to provide evidence of good practice in developing capacity.
- CHSRF Synthesis: Interprofessional Collaboration and Quality Primary Healthcare
"This synthesis was initiated to help the gain a better understanding of the evidence surrounding interprofessional collaboration in Canadian primary healthcare, and the potential benefits for patients and healthcare providers. It focuses on existing evaluations of interprofessional collaboration initiatives in the literature and projects funded through the Primary Health Care Transition Fund. The synthesis report incorporates: findings from initiatives or projects that involved primary healthcare provision; a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature regarding outcomes of interprofessional collaboration in primary healthcare; and a Canadian environmental scan to obtain stakeholder feedback."
- Contribution of Primary Care to Health Systems and Health
"Evidence of the health-promoting influence of primary care has been accumulating ever since researchers have been able to distinguish primary care from other aspects of the health services delivery system. This evidence shows that primary care helps prevent illness and death, regardless of whether the care is characterized by supply of primary care physicians, a relationship with a source of primary care, or the receipt of important features of primary care. The evidence also shows that primary care (in contrast to specialty care) is associated with a more equitable distribution of health in populations, a finding that holds in both cross-national and within-national studies. The means by which primary care improves health have been identified, thus suggesting ways to improve overall health and reduce differences in health across major population subgroups." [author abstract]
- Exploring the impact of primary health care research
"This report presents the results of a study conducted in 2007 by the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service, on seventeen diverse primary health care research projects funded by national competitive grants in Australia. The study aimed to examine, from the perspective of the chief investigators (CIs), the impact of these research projects and to explore how their projects made an impact."
- For primary care organizations: the importance of a structural domain
PURPOSE: Conceptual frameworks for primary care have evolved over the last 40 years, yet little attention has been paid to the environmental, structural and organizational factors that facilitate or moderate service delivery. Since primary care is now of more interest to policy makers, it is important that they have a comprehensive and balanced conceptual framework to facilitate their understanding and appreciation. We present a conceptual framework for primary care originally developed to guide the measurement of the performance of primary care organizations within the context of a large mixed-method evaluation of four types of models of primary care in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: The framework was developed following an iterative process that combined expert consultation and group meetings with a narrative review of existing frameworks, as well as trends in health management and organizational theory. RESULTS: Our conceptual framework for primary care has two domains: structural and performance. The structural domain describes the health care system, practice context and organization of the practice in which any primary care organization operates. The performance domain includes features of health care service delivery and technical quality of clinical care. CONCLUSION: As primary care evolves through demonstration projects and reformed delivery models, it is important to evaluate its structural and organizational features as these are likely to have a significant impact on performance.
- Health care outside hospitals: Accesssing generalist and specialist care in eight countries
"The delivery of health care is changing. While the acute hospital will always play a key role in the provision of health care...in many countries there is an increasing interest in the scope to transfer some types of care out of hospitals....This policy brief aims to describe a broad spectrum of models by exploring the arrangements that are in place in eight countries. This is intended to provide a basis for a more informed discussion on the future of health care outside the hospital."
- Primary care in the driver's seat: organisational reform in European primary health care
Published by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policy,"... this book is a study of the reforms of primary care in Europe as well as their impacts on the broader co-ordination mechanisms within European health care systems. It also provides suggestions for effective strategies for future improvement in health care system reform…..”
- Primary care physician supply and other key determinants of health care utilisation: The case of Switzerland
The Swiss government decided to freeze new accreditations for physicians in private practice in Switzerland based on the assumption that demand-induced health care spending may be cut by limiting care offers. This legislation initiated an ongoing controversial public debate in Switzerland. The aim of this study is therefore the determination of socio-demographic and health system-related factors of per capita consultation rates with primary care physicians in the multicultural population of Switzerland..." The study documents a large small-area variation in utilisation and provision of health care resources in Switzerland. Effects of physician density appeared to be strongly related to Swiss language regions and may be rooted in the different cultural backgrounds of the served populations.
- Primary Health for All
“…Sixty years ago at the launch of the World Health Organization, the world’s governments declared health to be a fundamental human right ‘without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.’ Thirty years ago in Alma Ata, the world’s governments called for health for all by the year 2000, mainly through the expansion of access to primary health facilities and services. While the world missed that target by a long shot, we can still achieve it, at remarkably low cost. Ten key steps can bring us to health for all in the next few years…”.
- Results Based Logical Model for Primary Health Care: Laying an evidenced based foundation to guide performance, measurement, monitoring and evaluation
"This Canadian project analyzed the stated goals and objectives of primary health care outlined in federal and provincial legislation, and by primary health care stakeholder groups, to understand the expected outcomes of investments. Existing conceptual models of health, health care and primary health care were reviewed, as well as literature on linkages between the structure, process and outcomes of primary health care. Key stakeholder input on a draft logic model was sought in a multi-stage iterative feedback and revision process. Stakeholder consultations included approximately 650 individuals across British Columbia."
- The Future Direction of General Practice - A roadmap
"...This sets out a vision for patient services in primary care in the 21st century. The roadmap provides a blue print for the delivery of services to patients and firmly establishes the discipline of family medicine. It shows how primary care can be scaled up by GPs to bring about major advances in clinical care using a new model of care and sets out a world-class vision for tackling crucial issues such as health inequalities and access...."
- The role of hospitals in enhancing public health security: perspectives from the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Hospitals are an integral part of a healthcare system and their ability to mount an effective response in the face of threats to global health security depends largely on the performance of the health system itself. In the last two decades, 15 of the 22 countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) covering 85% of the population have been directly or indirectly involved in conflict situations. Six EMR countries Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Palestine, Somalia and Lebanon have or are currently experiencing complex emergencies. Although the basic approaches for reducing impact of disasters are preparedness and mitigation, and response, the past practices in the Eastern Mediterranean have historically focused upon post-disaster response and humanitarian assistance efforts and the need to work on disaster risk and preparedness has tended to “fall between the cracks”. The critical role of hospitals in protecting public health security has been recognized in the region for some years. The key interventions include: thus far (a) adoption of a strategic framework to safeguard hospitals and health facilities from external forces; (b) Adoption of the regional strategy and implementation of a region-wide survey for safer hospitals and health facilities in 2003; (c) mounting an emergency response to operationalize hospitals in the event of natural disasters and catastrophic emergencies; and (d) development of an e-Atlas of Disaster Risk. The broad directions for ensuring an effective role of hospitals for protecting public health security in countries of the EMR include (a) ensuring that hospitals, especially those that are newly constructed are resilient to the risks of natural disasters; (b) ministries of health should ensure that the hospitals are well prepared and capacities developed to effectively to respond to disasters and emergencies; and (c) development partners and civil society organizations should help minimize the consequences of disasters by better collaboration with the national government to achieve great harmony and alignment in the event of a disaster. [author abstract] [International Hospital Federation Reference Book 2008/2009]
- Towards a National Primary Health Care Strategy: A Discussion Paper from the Australian Government
"The Australian Government has committed to the development of Australia’s first National Primary Health Care Strategy (‘the Strategy’). Developing the Strategy will require consideration of a wide range of issues associated with the current planning, delivery, governance and financing of primary health care services in Australia, some of which cut across Commonwealth, state and territory responsibilities… This Discussion Paper is intended to provide a broad framework and basic information on key issues impacting on primary health care. Its purpose is to stimulate input and comment to assist in the development of the Strategy... Future directions and reforms, to be identified through the Strategy, will need to recognise and build on the many aspects of our system which are working well. Importantly, the Strategy needs to recognise the critical contribution of the many dedicated health care professionals who are delivering services in our communities."
Educational resources
- Active First Aid Online
This online manual has been designed to help a first aider in most emergency situations by providing simple to follow treatment sections. Emergency situations require prompt action, and an untrained first aider can often find themselves at a loss to know what to do. This manual will assist first aider’s to provide first aid efficiently and effectively.
- Culture Training Manual for Medical Workers in Aboriginal Communities
This training manual introduces health care workers to the culture of the Pitjantjatjara people of Central Australia. The information provided is goal specific and focuses on cultural differences that may affect the achievement of particular medical outcomes in indigenous communities.
- Do Bugs Need Drugs
"Do Bugs Need Drugs" is a community education project to address the problem of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance has resulted from the overuse of antibiotics, mostly for respiratory tract infections. This website provides information for healthcare professionals, the public, teachers, parents and children"
- Health Care Information Resources
This site, which has been developed by Tom Flemming the head of Community Services at McMaster University's Health Sciences Library contains a collection of links to sources of health care information of interest to a broad spectrum of potential users, both in Canada and beyond.
- Primary Care: Clinical Practice Guidelines
Practice Guidelines are intended to assist physicians and other health care providers in clinical decision-making by describing a range of generally acceptable approaches for the diagnosis, management, or prevention of specific diseases or conditions.
- Pocket book of hospital care for children: Guidelines for the management of common illnesses with limited resources
This Pocket Book presents up-to-date clinical guidelines which are based on a review of the available published evidence by subject experts, for both inpatient and outpatient care in small hospitals where basic laboratory facilities and essential drugs and inexpensive medicines are available. It focuses on the inpatient management of the major causes of childhood mortality, such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, severe malnutrition, malaria, meningitis, measles, HIV infection and related conditions. It covers neonatal problems and surgical conditions of children which can be managed in small hospitals
- Primary Care Internet Guide
This guide from the University of Bergen Department of Public Health and Primary Care provides links to primary care Internet resources. It includes links to journals and web sites.
Organisations and Networks
- National Primary and Community Health Network
The National Primary and Community Health Network is a coalition of government representatives, peak bodies and others interested in sharing information on primary health care and the important role it plays in the Australian health system.
UN and multinational
Government
Non Government
- Doctors for Global Health
"Doctors for Global Health is a private, not-for-profit organization promoting health, education and other human rights throughout the world. DGH currently focuses its efforts on providing primary health care and public health services to war-torn Morazan Province in northern El Salvador"
- HealthWrights
HealthWrights - the Working Group for People's Health and Rights is a non-profit organisation, committed to advancing the health, basic rights, social equality, and self-determination of disadvantaged persons and groups. It believes that health for all people is only possible in a global society where the guiding principles are sharing, mutual assistance, and respect for cultural and individual differences.
- Management Sciences for Health (MSH)
MSH is a private, nonprofit international organisation working in public health areas to improve management and access to critical services in primary health care, child survival, maternal and child health, family planning and reproductive health.
- Medical Technology & Practice Patterns Institute (MTPPI)
"MTPPI is a nonprofit organization established in 1986 to conduct research on the clinical, economic, and social implications of new and emerging health care technologies. MTPPI's research is directed toward the formulation and implementation of local and national health care policies."
- Project Concern International
Project Concern International is a San Diego / USA based non-profit health organisation, dedicated to saving the lives of children and mothers worldwide with basic medical care, nutritious food, clean water and health education, it stresses the education and involvement of local volunteers.
Academic Institutions with particular focus in this area
Key Conferences, conference and workshop reports
Coming conferences
Conference reports
Journals, Newsletters, Forums
- PHC RIS eBulletin
PHC RIS eBulletin is a fortnightly bulletin published by the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (Australia) of of information about general practice and primary health care research, evaluation and development.
Bibliographies, Libraries
Public health bookshops
Original website founded Lucien E. Schlosser and Eberhard Wenzel, 1997.
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