Improving delivery of primary care for vulnerable migrants: Delphi consensus to prioritize innovative practice strategies.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and prioritize innovative strategies to address the health concerns of vulnerable migrant populations. DESIGN: Modified Delphi consensus process. SETTING: Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-one primary care practitioners, including family physicians and nurse practitioners, who provided care for migrant populations. METHODS: We used a modified Delphi consensus process to identify and prioritize innovative strategies that could potentially improve the delivery of primary health care for vulnerable migrants. Forty-one primary care practitioners from various centres across Canada who cared for migrant populations proposed strategies and participated in the consensus process. MAIN FINDINGS: The response rate was 93% for the first round. The 3 most highly ranked practice strategies to address delivery challenges for migrants were language interpretation, comprehensive interdisciplinary care, and evidence-based guidelines. Training and mentorship for practitioners, intersectoral collaboration, and immigrant community engagement ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, as strategies to address delivery challenges. These strategies aligned with strategies coming out of the United States, Europe, and Australia, with the exception of the proposed evidence-based guidelines. CONCLUSION: Primary health care practices across Canada now need to evolve to address the challenges inherent in caring for vulnerable migrants. The selected strategies provide guidance for practices and health systems interested in improving health care delivery for migrant populations.

Ecosystem approach to promoting appropriate antibiotic use for children in indigenous communities in Ecuador / Enfoque ecosistémico de promoción del uso adecuado de antibióticos en niños de comunidades indígenas del Ecuador

Objetivo. Recopilar datos iniciales sobre las enfermedades infecciosas y el uso deantibióticos en dos comunidades indígenas andinas del Ecuador, con el objeto de determinar la factibilidad y la aceptabilidad de aplicar un enfoque ecosistémico para abordar los problemas asociados.Métodos. Mediante visitas a 65 hogares con niños menores de 5 años, se valoraron los factores de riesgo ambientales de las enfermedades infecciosas mediante una evaluación rápida. Se identificaron los conocimientos, las actitudes y las prácticas de los cuidadores relacionados con el uso de antibióticos por medio de una encuesta de conocimientos, prácticas y cobertura; el uso de antibióticos se dedujo a partir de lainspección de los botiquines; y se evaluó el estado general de salud de los 91 niños (incluido su estado de nutrición). Se organizó un taller para transmitir los resultadosy para diseñar una intervención de múltiples componentes basada en un marco ecosistémico de la salud. Resultados. Se encontraron numerosos factores de riesgo ambientales, especialmentelos relacionados con el agua y el saneamiento. El análisis del conocimiento, las actitudes y las prácticas reveló el uso de medicamentos tradicionales y occidentales, y profundas brechas de conocimiento. Había antibióticos en 60,9% de los hogares de Correuco y en 46,8% de La Posta; las tasas de desnutrición eran de 22,2% en Correuco y de 26,1% en La Posta; el mes anterior a la encuesta 26,7% de los niños de Correuco y 47,8% de los niños de La Posta habían tenido episodios de diarrea, con prescripción de antibióticos en 50,0% y 47,1% de los casos, respectivamente; y 28,9% de los niños de Correuco y 47,8% de los niños de La Posta habían tenido infecciones respiratorias agudas, con prescripción de antibióticos en 53,8% y 50,0% de los casos, respectivamente...

Objective. To collect baseline data on infectious diseases and antibiotic use in two Andean indigenous communities in Ecuador in order to determine the feasibility and acceptability of applying an ecosystem approach to address associated problems. Methods. In visits to 65 households with children under age 5 years, environmental risk factors for infectious diseases were evaluated through rapid assessment. Caregivers’knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic use were determined through a knowledge, practices, and coverage survey; antibiotic use was gleaned from inspection of medicine chests; and overall health of the 91 children (including nutritional status) wasassessed. A workshop was held to share results and to craft a multicomponent intervention using an ecohealth framework. Results. Numerous environmental risk factors were identified, especially related to waterand sanitation. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices revealed use of traditional and Western medicines and serious knowledge gaps. Antibiotics were present in 60.9% of households inCorreuco and 46.8% in La Posta; malnutrition rates were 22.2% in Correuco and 26.1% in La Posta; diarrheic episodes were experienced in the previous month by 26.7% of children in Correuco and 47.8% in La Posta, with antibiotics prescribed in 50.0% and 47.1% of cases, respectively; and acute respiratory infections were incurred by 28.9% of children in Correuco and 47.8% in La Posta, with antibiotics prescribed in 53.8% and 50.0% of cases, respectively. Conclusions. Environmental, social, and cultural factors must be addressed to preventantibiotic resistance in addition to training health personnel. An ecosystem approach is wellsuited for this goal.

Ecosystem approach to promoting appropriate antibiotic use for children in indigenous communities in Ecuador.

OBJECTIVE: To collect baseline data on infectious diseases and antibiotic use in two Andean indigenous communities in Ecuador in order to determine the feasibility and acceptability of applying an ecosystem approach to address associated problems. METHODS: In visits to 65 households with children under age 5 years, environmental risk factors for infectious diseases were evaluated through rapid assessment. Caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic use were determined through a knowledge, practices, and coverage survey; antibiotic use was gleaned from inspection of medicine chests; and overall health of the 91 children (including nutritional status) was assessed. A workshop was held to share results and to craft a multicomponent intervention using an ecohealth framework. RESULTS: Numerous environmental risk factors were identified, especially related to water and sanitation. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices revealed use of traditional and Western medicines and serious knowledge gaps. Antibiotics were present in 60.9% of households in Correuco and 46.8% in La Posta; malnutrition rates were 22.2% in Correuco and 26.1% in La Posta; diarrheic episodes were experienced in the previous month by 26.7% of children in Correuco and 47.8% in La Posta, with antibiotics prescribed in 50.0% and 47.1% of cases, respectively; and acute respiratory infections were incurred by 28.9% of children in Correuco and 47.8% in La Posta, with antibiotics prescribed in 53.8% and 50.0% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Environmental, social, and cultural factors must be addressed to prevent antibiotic resistance in addition to training health personnel. An ecosystem approach is well-suited for this goal.

Acompanhamento e controle de pacientes com hipertensão arterial sistêmica na Estratégia Saúde da Família Mais Viver, no município de Janaúba - Minas Gerais

A Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica é uma condição clínica de alta prevalência, mas com taxas baixas de controle. É considerada um dos principais fatores de risco para as doenças cardiovasculares, as quais se configuram a principal causa de morte em nosso país e responsáveis por alta frequência de internações, ocasionando custos elevados. A equipe de saúde elegeu a falta de controle da Hipertensão Arterial Sistêmica como problema prioritário da área de abrangência por ter constatado um sub diagnóstico dessa condição, pela falta de acompanhamento adequado dos pacientes e pela importância desse problema para a saúde pública. Este trabalho tem como objetivo propor um plano de intervenção para melhorar o controle da pressão arterial de pacientes da área de abrangência da Estratégia Saúde da Família "Mais Viver". Para subsidiar a elaboração do plano de ação foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica nos bancos de dados da Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde para identificar as evidências já existentes sobre o tema objeto deste estudo. Para a elaboração do plano de ação foram utilizados os passos do Planejamento Estratégico Situacional com a finalidade de ajudar a equipe a melhorar o seu desempenho junto aos usuários. Isto será possível através da implantação de ações como diagnosticar precocemente e cadastrar os hipertensos, manter a população bem informada sobre o assunto, estratificar o risco cardiovascular de todos os usuários diagnosticados como hipertensos e organizar o serviço para melhor atender aos hipertensos