Family practice
Audio Summaries

Primary healthcare practitioners' views and experiences of providing postpartum contraception counselling and care: a rapid review

Apr 28, 2026

The authors aimed to explore primary healthcare practitioners' views and experiences regarding postpartum contraceptive counselling and care to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. Through a rapid review of relevant studies, they found that practitioners exhibited varied knowledge and attitudes towards postpartum contraception, faced structural and logistical barriers, lacked adequate training, and identified a need for improved resources and guidelines. The study concludes that enhancing contraceptive counselling requires better education, standardized guidelines, and addressing systemic barriers in healthcare settings.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of an algorithm to predict COPD exacerbations in primary care: an interrupted time series analysis

Apr 24, 2026

The authors aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Clinical Exacerbation Score for Health Search (CEX-HScore) in predicting COPD exacerbations and referrals in Italian primary care through an interrupted time series analysis. They found that while the implementation of CEX-HScore did not significantly change overall exacerbation rates or referrals, it did lead to a notable increase in the coding accuracy of exacerbations among newly diagnosed COPD patients. The study suggests that further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of CEX-HScore on clinical outcomes.

Implementing the screening for poverty and related social determinants and intervening to improve knowledge of and links to resources (SPARK) in primary care clinics across Canada

Apr 22, 2026

The authors aimed to evaluate the implementation of the SPARK tool for collecting demographic and social needs data in primary care clinics across Canada. Their findings indicate that the SPARK tool was well-accepted and feasible for use, with high satisfaction rates among patients and clinic staff, although some challenges related to resource allocation and integration were noted. The study offers valuable insights for enhancing the sustainability of social needs screening in primary care settings.

The impact of sleep duration, sleep debt and insomnia symptoms on infection risk: a longitudinal cohort study with 1-year follow-up

Apr 20, 2026

The authors aimed to determine whether sleep duration, sleep debt, and insomnia symptoms at baseline could predict the prevalence of infections one year later. Their findings indicate that insufficient sleep, whether through short duration, significant sleep debt, or insomnia, is associated with a higher risk of various infections, including influenza-like illnesses and gastrointestinal infections. This study highlights the importance of adequate sleep for reducing infection risk.

Evaluating the early effects of using an online educational module to elicit patient preferences for treatment following pre-visit screening for urinary incontinence in primary care

Apr 20, 2026

The authors aimed to evaluate whether treatment preferences for urinary incontinence (UI) elicited through an online educational module align with actions taken by primary care providers (PCPs). The study found low completion rates of the module and low congruence between patient preferences and PCP actions, indicating that the current implementation may not be effective and suggesting a need for simpler strategies to enhance patient education and shared decision-making.

Insomnia as a risk factor for the development of depression and anxiety in primary care: a matched population-based cohort study

Apr 20, 2026

This study investigates the relationship between insomnia and the subsequent development of depression and anxiety in primary care settings. The authors found that patients diagnosed with insomnia had a significantly higher risk (odds ratio = 1.53) of developing depression or anxiety within five years compared to matched healthy controls. These results suggest that insomnia may serve as an important marker for the early detection and prevention of these mental health issues in primary care.

Measuring the relationship between outpatient family physician visit regularity and acute care utilization during the end of life: a population-level retrospective cohort study

Apr 9, 2026

The authors aimed to investigate the relationship between the regularity of outpatient visits to family physicians and the utilization of acute care services in the last month of life for patients with cardiorespiratory conditions. Their findings indicated that higher visit regularity, as measured by the relative variance index, was associated with increased hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and acute care deaths, suggesting that more consistent outpatient care may correlate with greater acute care needs. However, the sensitivity of the relative variance index to different observation periods raises questions about its effectiveness as a quality indicator for end-of-life care.

Performance of the Dutch Triage standard in managing fever in children in out-of-hours primary care: a secondary analysis of the chili study

Apr 9, 2026

This study investigates the effectiveness of the Dutch Triage Standard (NTS) in assessing urgency and guiding management decisions for febrile children in out-of-hours primary care. The authors analyze the agreement between pre-consultation urgency classifications and post-consultation outcomes, finding that higher urgency classifications correlate with increased referral rates, yet many consultations are classified as low urgency, indicating a potential inefficiency in triage practices. The results suggest a need for improved triage methods to better allocate resources and reduce unnecessary consultations.

Identifying patient and provider determinants of primary care experiences and outcomes for persons with chronic conditions: a multilevel analysis of a nation-wide survey in Norway

Apr 9, 2026

The authors aimed to investigate how patient experiences and perceived outcomes for individuals with chronic conditions are influenced by their registered general practitioners (GPs) and to identify the patient and GP-level factors associated with these experiences and outcomes. Their analysis of a nationwide survey in Norway revealed significant variations in patient-reported experiences among different GPs, with health literacy and continuity of care being key determinants. The findings suggest that targeted initiatives at the GP level could enhance care experiences for patients with chronic conditions.

Smoking cessation success prediction of parents of children with acute respiratory system disease and influencing factors: a cross-sectional study

Apr 4, 2026

This study aimed to assess the smoking cessation success among parents of children with acute respiratory diseases and identify factors influencing this success. The findings indicated that parents whose children had been hospitalized for respiratory issues and those who had previously attempted to quit smoking had higher success prediction scores, particularly among women who tried to quit during pregnancy. Overall, the study revealed a moderate level of smoking cessation success prediction among the participants.