[Analysis of research in primary health care in the Murcia region (1988-1992)]. / Análisis de la producción científica en atención primaria de salud en la región de Murcia (1988-1992).

OBJECTIVE: To analyse Primary Health Care (PHC) research in Murcia between 1988 and 1992, looking at the possible influence of regional PHC conferences (RC) on the production of scientific work, which might be presented to RC, national conferences (NC) or national reviews (NR), as well as the impact of personal factors. DESIGN: A crossover, retrospective and descriptive study. PARTICIPANTS: Publications in NR and presentations at Murcia PHC RC and at NC between 1988 and 1992. 176 works were analysed. There were two sources of information: a) documents on PHC done in the region, articles, editorials or letters to the editor in NR collected in the IME (Spanish Medical Index), or as oral contributions, papers or posters in PHC RC or NC; b) personal and professional data of the authors. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Documents: title, authors, sources, date, theme, type, work centre and describer. Authors: sex, age, work activity, work situation, place of work and number of jobs. Statistical treatment: Chi squared and variance analysis. Between 1988 and 1992 works presented to RC duplicated (16 to 39) and increased by six to NC (1 to 6) and NR (2 to 13). Health Centres (62% of studies) made the greatest scientific contribution. CONCLUSIONS: The celebration of RC has a positive impact on the number of articles sent to NR, but not on the presentation of work in NC. Increase in the number of PHC research works (18 in 1988 and 52 in 1992) does not imply higher proportional collaboration of nonmedical health staff.

[Study of short-term unfitness for work because of common illness among primary care management employees]. / Estudio de la incapacidad laboral transitoria por enfermedad común en trabajadores de una gerencia de atención primaria.

OBJECTIVES: To find the level of absenteeism among workers in the primary care management of Murcia, along with their distribution by professional category, health area, age and gender; and (2) find the causes of absenteeism and the relationship between these causes and the number of days lost. DESIGN: A descriptive, retrospective, population-based study. SETTING: Primary care management in Murcia. POPULATION: The management staff in Murcia consisted of 1,225 employees, who overall had 610 short-term periods of unfitness for work (SUW) due to common illness and accidents not at work, between October 1st, 1992 and October 1st, 1993. The variables studied were: age, gender, professional category, area where they worked, reason for and length of SUW and type of care. MAIN RESULTS: Index of absenteeism (IA) = 0.50, index of Seriousness (IS) = 40.75, Index of Incapacity (IL) = 18.12 and overall rate (OR) = 4.96. We found a large amount of SUW "without diagnosis": 104 cases (17.04%), which was the second most frequent cause behind respiratory complaints (23.77%). The IS were high in pathologies of the circulatory system, mental illness and neoplasias. CONCLUSIONS: The length of SUW (IS) is not influenced by any of the variables studied, excepting the specific cause of the SUW. II and IA are affected by the model of care (greater in the traditional type, p < 0.05), the health area where they work (p < 0.001) and professional category (p < 0.001). The filling out the sickness note must be improved in order to lessen the number of SUWs "without diagnosis".