Qualitative study on the use of emergency services by people with serious mental disorder in Spain.

BACKGROUND: The population with severe mental disorders (SMD) is a frequent user of emergency services. Situations of psychiatric decompensation can have devastating consequence and can cause problems in getting urgent medical care. The objective was to study the experiences and needs of these patients and their caregivers regarding the demand for emergency care in Spain. METHODS: Qualitative methodology involving patients with SMD and their informal caregivers. Purposive sampling by key informants in urban and rural areas. Paired interviews were carried out until data saturation. A discourse analysis was conducted, obtaining a codification in categories by means of triangulation. RESULTS: Forty-two participants in twenty-one paired interviews (19 ± 7.2 min as mean duration). Three categories were identified. 1º Reasons for urgent care: poor self-care and lack of social support, as well as difficulties in accessibility and continuity of care in other healthcare settings. 2º Urgent care provision: trust in the healthcare professional and the information patients receive from the healthcare system is crucial, telephone assistance can be a very useful resource. 3º Satisfaction with the urgent care received: they request priority care without delays and in areas separated from the other patients, as well as the genuine interest of the professional who attends them. CONCLUSIONS: The request for urgent care in patients with SMD depends on different psychosocial determinants and not only on the severity of the symptoms. There is a demand for care that is differentiated from the other patients in the emergency department. The increase in social networks and alternative systems of care would avoid overuse of the emergency departments.

Influencia del acompañante en las consultas de Atención Primaria sobre las habilidades en comunicación y el tiempo de entrevista / Influence of the companion in Primary Care consultations on communication skills and interview time

Objetivos: Valorar la influencia del acompañante en consulta sobre la calidad de la comunicación médico-paciente y la duración de la consulta. Diseño: Descriptivo transversal. Emplazamiento: Diez centros de salud. Participantes: Médicos residentes de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria. Intervenciones: Auditoría por pares de videograbaciones de consultas a demanda. Mediciones principales: Habilidades en comunicación utilizando el cuestionario CICAA-2 (mejorable, aceptable o adecuada); edad (MIR), sexo (MIR, paciente y acompañante), motivos de consulta y duración de la entrevista. Análisis bivariante y multivariante. Autorización del CEI, consentimiento informado oral y custodia de las videograbaciones. Resultados: Participaron 73 MIR (53,8% mujeres, 32,9±7,7 años) valorando 260 entrevistas (60,3% mujeres, 2,1±1,0 motivos de consulta). Un 27,7% de consultas con acompañante (sexo femenino 65,3%). La duración media de las entrevistas fue de 8,5±4,0 minutos, superior 2,7±0,5 minutos en consultas con acompañante (p<0,001 t de Student) y con mayor número de motivos de consulta (40% con ≥ 3 motivos, p=0,048 X2). El valor medio de la puntuación total de la escala CICAA-2 (46,9±16,5) fue superior en las consultas con acompañante (diferencia 4,6±2,3), al igual que la tarea 2 (39,3±15,8 con diferencia 4,4±2,2) (p<0,05 t de Student). El modelo obtenido con regresión logística binaria muestra una mayor duración de la consulta con acompañante (OR 1,2; IC [1,1-1,3]) y posiblemente mejor puntuación en la tarea 2 (OR 1,02; IC [0,99-1,1]). Conclusiones: Las comunicaciones triádicas suponen un desafío para las habilidades de comunicación del médico, que mejora sus capacidades para identificar y comprender los problemas del paciente, aunque a costa de una mayor inversión de tiempo.(AU)

Objetives: To know the influence of the companion in triadic clinical encounter on the quality of doctor–patient communication and the duration of the interview. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Location: 10 Primary Care Centers. Participants: Resident doctors of Family and Community Medicine. Interventions: Peer review of video recordings of clinical demand consultations. Main measurements: CICAA-2 questionnaire to assess communication skills (improvable, acceptable or adequate); age and sex, reasons for consultation and duration of the interview. Bivariate and multivariate analyses. Ethical authorization, oral informed consent and custody of the video recordings. Results: 73 RD (53.8% women, 32.9±7.7 years) participated with 260 interviews (60.3% women and 2.1±1.0 clinical demands). 27.7% of consultations with a companion (female sex 65.3%). The mean duration of the interviews was 8.5±4.0min. Clinical encounters lasted longer when a companion attended (2.7±0.5min more; p<.001 Student t) and with a greater number of clinical demands (40% with ≥3 reasons, p=0.048 X2). The mean value of the total score of the CICAA-2 scale (46.9±16.5; difference 4.6±2.3) and Task 2 (39.3±15.8 with difference 4.4±2.2) were higher when companion was present (p<.05 Student t). The model obtained with logistic regression shows a longer duration of the consultation with a companion (OR 1.2; CI [1.1–1.3]) and possibly a better score in Task 2 communication skills (OR 1.02; CI [0.99–1.1]). Conclusions: Triadic communications challenge the clinician's communication skills, improving their abilities to identify and understand patient problems, albeit at the cost of a greater investment of time.(AU)

[Influence of the companion in Primary Care consultations on communication skills and interview time]. / Influencia del acompañante en las consultas de Atención Primaria sobre las habilidades en comunicación y el tiempo de entrevista.

OBJETIVES: To know the influence of the companion in triadic clinical encounter on the quality of doctor-patient communication and the duration of the interview. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study. LOCATION: 10 Primary Care Centers. PARTICIPANTS: Resident doctors of Family and Community Medicine. INTERVENTIONS: Peer review of video recordings of clinical demand consultations. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: CICAA-2 questionnaire to assess communication skills (improvable, acceptable or adequate); age and sex, reasons for consultation and duration of the interview. Bivariate and multivariate analyses. Ethical authorization, oral informed consent and custody of the video recordings. RESULTS: 73 RD (53.8% women, 32.9±7.7 years) participated with 260 interviews (60.3% women and 2.1±1.0 clinical demands). 27.7% of consultations with a companion (female sex 65.3%). The mean duration of the interviews was 8.5±4.0min. Clinical encounters lasted longer when a companion attended (2.7±0.5min more; p<.001 Student t) and with a greater number of clinical demands (40% with ≥3 reasons, p=0.048 X2). The mean value of the total score of the CICAA-2 scale (46.9±16.5; difference 4.6±2.3) and Task 2 (39.3±15.8 with difference 4.4±2.2) were higher when companion was present (p<.05 Student t). The model obtained with logistic regression shows a longer duration of the consultation with a companion (OR 1.2; CI [1.1-1.3]) and possibly a better score in Task 2 communication skills (OR 1.02; CI [0.99-1.1]). CONCLUSIONS: Triadic communications challenge the clinician's communication skills, improving their abilities to identify and understand patient problems, albeit at the cost of a greater investment of time.

Oferta de actividades preventivas propuestas por médicos residentes de Medicina Familiar en Atención Primaria y su relación con las habilidades comunicacionales / Accomplishment of preventive activities proposed by resident doctors of Family Medicine in Primary Care and its relationship with communication skills

Objetivo: Conocer la oferta de actividades preventivas propuestas por médicos residentes de medicina familiar en la consulta a demanda de Atención Primaria y su relación con las habilidades comunicacionales. Diseño: Estudio descriptivo multicéntrico mediante videograbación de la consulta médica. Emplazamiento: Ocho centros de salud de Jaén (Andalucía). Participantes: Setenta y tres médicos residentes de cuarto año. Mediciones principales: Se valora la oferta de actividades preventivas (según el Programa español de actividades preventivas y promoción de la salud -PAPPS-) y las características del médico, el paciente y la consulta. Valoración por pares de la comunicación médico-paciente mediante la escala CICAA. Análisis descriptivo, bivariable y de regresión logística. Resultados: Se valoran 260 entrevistas (duración 8,5 ± 4,0 min) de 73 residentes (50,7% mujeres, edad media 32,9 ± 7,7 años, 79% medio urbano). El paciente es más frecuentemente mujer (60%), que acude sola (72%) por procesos agudos (80%) y con 2,1 ± 1,0 motivos de consulta. Se ofertan actividades preventivas en un 47% (duración inferior al minuto) de tipo primario (70%) y secundario (59%) mediante consejo (72%) o cribado (52%), centradas en el área cardiovascular (52%) y estilos de vida (53%). Un 80% se relaciona con el motivo de consulta. Habilidades en comunicación: 41% mejorables, 26% adecuadas, 23% excelentes. La oferta de actividades preventivas se relaciona con la duración de la consulta (OR = 1,1; IC 95% 1,01; 1,16) y la puntuación del CICAA (OR = 1,03; IC 95% 1,01; 1,10). Conclusiones: Se realizan actividades preventivas en casi la mitad de las consultas, aunque centradas en consejo y cribado y ligadas a la demanda del paciente. El tiempo de consulta y las habilidades de comunicación favorecen una mayor oferta preventiva

Objective: To determine the offer of preventive activities by resident physicians of family medicine in the Primary Care consultations and the relation with their communication habilities. Design: A descriptive multicentre study assessing medical consultations video recording. Location: Eight Primary Healthcare centres in Jaen (Andalucia). Participants: Seventy-three resident physicians (4th year) filmed and observed with patients. Principal measurements: Offer of preventive activities (according to the Spanish Program of Preventive Activities and Health Promotion -PAPPS-). Doctor, patient and consultation characteristics. Peer-review of the communication between physicians and patients, using a CICAA scale. A descriptive, bivariate, logistic regression analysis was performed. Results: Two hundred and sixty interviews were evaluated (duration 8.5 ± 4.0 min) of 73 residents (50.7% women, mean age 32.9 ± 7.7 years, 79% urban environment). The patient is more frequently a woman (60%) who comes alone (72%) due to acute processes (80%) and with 2.1 ± 1.0 demands. Preventive activities are offered in 47% (duration less than one minute) of primary (70%) and secondary (59%) prevention, offered through advice (72%) or screening (52%) and focused on the cardiovascular area (52%) and lifestyles (53%). Eighty percent related to the patient's reason for consultation. Communication skills 41% improvable, 26% adequate, 23% excellent. The offer of preventive activities is related to the duration of the consultation (OR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.01; 1.16) and communication skills (OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01; 1.10). Conclusions: Preventive activities are carried out in almost half of the consultations, although focused on advice and screening and linked to the patient's demand. Consultation time and communication skills favor a greater preventive offer

[Accomplishment of preventive activities proposed by resident doctors of Family Medicine in Primary Care and its relationship with communication skills]. / Oferta de actividades preventivas propuestas por médicos residentes de Medicina Familiar en Atención Primaria y su relación con las habilidades comunicacionales.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the offer of preventive activities by resident physicians of family medicine in the Primary Care consultations and the relation with their communication habilities. DESIGN: A descriptive multicentre study assessing medical consultations video recording. LOCATION: Eight Primary Healthcare centres in Jaen (Andalucia). PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-three resident physicians (4th year) filmed and observed with patients. PRINCIPAL MEASUREMENTS: Offer of preventive activities (according to the Spanish Program of Preventive Activities and Health Promotion -PAPPS-). Doctor, patient and consultation characteristics. Peer-review of the communication between physicians and patients, using a CICAA scale. A descriptive, bivariate, logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty interviews were evaluated (duration 8.5±4.0min) of 73 residents (50.7% women, mean age 32.9±7.7 years, 79% urban environment). The patient is more frequently a woman (60%) who comes alone (72%) due to acute processes (80%) and with 2.1±1.0 demands. Preventive activities are offered in 47% (duration less than one minute) of primary (70%) and secondary (59%) prevention, offered through advice (72%) or screening (52%) and focused on the cardiovascular area (52%) and lifestyles (53%). Eighty percent related to the patient's reason for consultation. Communication skills 41% improvable, 26% adequate, 23% excellent. The offer of preventive activities is related to the duration of the consultation (OR=1.1, 95% CI 1.01; 1.16) and communication skills (OR=1.03, 95% CI 1.01; 1.10). CONCLUSIONS: Preventive activities are carried out in almost half of the consultations, although focused on advice and screening and linked to the patient's demand. Consultation time and communication skills favor a greater preventive offer.