<p><strong>Background and Objectives: </strong>Previous research has examined the effect of family physician continuity of care within end-of-life care cancer patients and its association with reduced use of acute care services. However, such research has not been examined in the end of life homecare cancer population.<strong> Objectives: </strong>To investigate the association of family physician continuity with location of death, hospital and emergency room (ER) visits in the last 2 weeks of life in end of life homecare cancer patients.<strong> Research Design: </strong>Retrospective study involving secondary data analysis of 7 linked databases<strong>. Subjects: </strong>All those who died of cancer between January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006 in Ontario who had at least 1 visit to a family physician and enrolled in homecare for at least 2 weeks.<strong> Methods: </strong>The relationship of family physician continuity of care and location of death, and hospital and ER visits in the last 2 weeks of life was examined using logistic regression.<strong> Results: </strong>The Usual Provider of Care (UPC) measure demonstrated a dose response relationship with increasing continuity resulting in decreased odds of dying in the hospital and visiting the hospital and ER in the last 2 weeks of life. The Family Physician visits per week measure demonstrated a threshold effect relationship with location of death and hospital visits and dose response relationship with ER visits in the last 2 weeks of life. <strong>Conclusions:</strong> These results demonstrate an association between family physician continuity of care and location of death and visits to the hospital and ER in the last 2 weeks of life. This indicates the need for more involvement of family physicians in end of life cancer care.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Background Our objective was to identify and validate clinical and continuity of care variables associated with Oral anticoagulant (OAC)-related adverse events within 30 days of hospital discharge amongst seniors. Methods and Analysis This was a population-based retrospective cohort study of all adults aged 66 years or older who were discharged from hospital on an OAC from September 2010 to March 2015 in Ontario, Canada. The primary outcome was a composite of the time to first hospitalization or Emergency Department visit for a hemorrhage or thromboembolic event or mortality within 30 days of hospital discharge. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the association between the composite outcome and a set of prespecified covariates. A split sample method was applied to validate the final model. Results We included 120 721 Ontario seniors of which 5423 suffered one of the primary adverse events. Patients discharged on a direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC); dispensed the same OAC in the past 12 months; who had a history of a thromboembolic event; had a recent joint replacement or major surgery; had a cardiologist, hematologist or orthopedic surgeon as compared to a family medicine physician as the physician prescribing the OAC at discharge had a lower risk for the composite outcome. Though continuity of care was a variable in the final multivariate Cox model, it was not significant. The Cox model was stable with acceptable discrimination but poor goodness-of-fit. Conclusion In this study, we found that continuity of care as measured by outpatient follow-up in the 7 days post-discharge was not significantly associated with the composite outcome. Further exploration to improve the current model’s calibration and interpretation are required. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Background Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are associated with serious adverse events, with high rates immediately post-hospitalization. We aimed to identify and validate clinical and continuity of care variables in seniors discharged from hospital on an OAC, which are associated with OAC-related harm in the short-term high-risk period following hospitalization. Methods Data from administrative health databases in Ontario were used to identify and validate risk factors associated with time to first OAC-related serious events including hospitalization or emergency department visit for a bleeding or thromboembolic event, and mortality. Cox proportional hazards model and split-sample methods were utilized. Results We included 120,721 seniors of which 5423 suffered one of the primary events. Patient-, physician- and index hospitalization-characteristics were all associated with time to the composite outcome. Though continuity of care risk factor was part of the final model, it was not a significant predictor for the outcome. Conclusion Exploration of this model through sensitivity analysis is required.

O objetivo geral do estudo foi analisar o processo de trabalho da enfermeira materno infantil (EMI), orientado ao cuidado da criança sadia no Programa de Vigilância da Nutrição, Crescimento e Desenvolvimento da Criança menor de 5 anos de idade, em uma instituição da Seguridade Social no México. Fundamentou-se nas concepções do processo de trabalho em saúde de Mendes-Golçalves (1994), no processo de trabalho da enfermagem como proposto por Almeida (1991) e Almeida e Rocha (1997), e nas concepções teóricas da micropolítica do trabalho vivo em saúde, que permitiram focalizar o espaço intercessor trabalhador/usuário (MERHY, 1997, 2004). Utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa com observação sistemática direta e entrevista semi-estruturada. Os sujeitos do estudo foram as enfermeiras (EMI), as assistentes médicas da EMI (AEMI) e as mães que compareceram à consulta de enfermagem. Observaram-se 87 consultas proporcionadas pelas EMI, e observação à área da recepção atendida pela AEMI, assim como entrevista a este pessoal (6 entrevistas) e as mães (25 entrevistas). A saturação dos dados e a compreensão do significado foram os critérios para estabelecer o número necessário de observações e entrevistas. As consultas proporcionadas pela EMI identificaram-se centradas na realização de procedimentos como: verificação do peso, estatura e revisão da carteira de vacinas conforme os protocolos de atenção (tecnologias duras), com diálogos mais bem identificados como monólogos da EMI à mãe. Verificou-se que o encontro entre a mãe/filho portadores de uma dada necessidade de saúde com a EMI portadora de um arsenal de saberes específicos e práticas, envolve um encontro de situações não equivalentes, a mãe tem a necessidade de que a EMI, no mínimo a cumprimente e a acolha. Assim o trabalho da EMI é capturado pelo trabalho morto, pela configuração institucional que se expressa no tempo de atendimento, na consulta marcada com antecedência, no seguimento dos protocolos e rotinas impostos pelo serviço que não permitem o estabelecimento de um núcleo cuidador. Mas como o trabalho da EMI é trabalho em saúde que se efetiva em um processo quase-estruturado, a EMI foi capaz de produzir trabalho vivo como fonte de tecnologias leves (tecnologias de relações, de acolhimento), baseando-se principalmente em seu autogoverno que lhe permitiu o estabelecimento de um núcleo de cuidado mãe/filho-centrado. A conformação da equipe de saúde foi identificada como equipe agrupamento caracterizada pela fragmentação e especificidade do trabalho com comunicação de aspectos só pessoais. As mães perceberam o cuidado à criança sadia como a realização de procedimentos, verificação do peso e estatura, ter um registro dos avanços no desenvolvimento de seu filho e o fornecimento da cota de leite, que surgiu como um orientador/desorientador da atenção que coloca os atores sociais em conflito com necessidades distintas. Recomenda-se a flexibilização das normas e rotinas que permitam a construção de um núcleo cuidador mãe/filho-centrado, baseado nas tecnologias leves como o acolhimento e a confiança, para que a mãe possa colocar suas dúvidas relacionadas ao cuidado de seu filho e desenvolva um grau de autonomia e assim reconhecer à enfermeira como cuidadora, educadora, conselheira e promotora da saúde / The general aim of this study was to analyze the work process of maternal child nurses, directed to the care of healthy children in the Program of Nutrition Surveillance, Growth and Development for children under 5 years of age at a social security institution in Mexico. This research was based on the concepts of health work process by Mendes-Gonçalves (1994), the nursing work process proposed by Almeida (1991) and Almeida and Rocha (1997) and on the theoretical conceptions of micropolitics of health work involving human staff, enabling the author to focus the worker/user space (1991) (MERHY, 1997, 2004). A qualitative approach was used through systematic direct observation and semi-structured interviews. The subjects were maternal child nurses, medical assistants who welcomed the patients when they arrived and mothers who went to the nursing consultation. 87 nursing consultations were observed as well as the reception of patients. In addition, author interviewed the staff (6 interviews) and mothers (25 interviews). Data saturation and meaning comprehension were the criteria to establish the necessary number of observations and interviews. The consultations were identified as centered in procedures such as: weight and height measurement, review of the vaccination record according to the care protocols (hard technologies) with dialogues identified as monologues of nurses to the mothers. Findings showed that the meeting between mother and child with specific health needs and nurses with large scientific and practical knowledge involves an approximation of non-equivalent situations. The mothers expect, at least, that nurses will be able to welcome them. Thus, the maternal child nurse work is captured by a work with machines, the institutional configuration that is expressed during the consultation period, with the appointment determined previously, in following protocols and routines imposed by the service and that do not allow the establishment of a caring core. However, with nurses work, the health work happens in a nearly-structured process and nurses were able to produce a live work as a source of soft technologies (relationship and welcome technologies), based mainly in their self-governance and allowing the establishment of a nucleus of care centered in the mother/child. The conformation of the health team was identified as a grouping team characterized by the fragmentation and specificity of the work with only the communication of personal aspects. Mothers perceived that the care of a healthy child is based on procedures to verify height and weight, registration of the development of their children and the supply of a milk portion, that appeared as a factor that guided/disturbed the care as resulted in conflict among the social actors with different needs. The author recommends the flexibilization of the norms and routines, enabling the construction of a nucleus centered in the mother/child, based on soft technologies of welcome and trust, allowing mothers to ask their questions related to the care of their children as well as to develop a level of autonomy, recognizing the nurse as a care provider, educator, advisor and health promoter.

Bakgrunn: Bakgrunn for studien er Barsel hjemme, et prosjekt som har sett på en helhetlig modell for svangerskap, fødsel og barselomsorg. Det har vært et samarbeid mellom Ullevål universitetssykehus og Bydelene Sagene/St.Hanshugen. Kvinnene som har deltatt har gått til jordmødre fra prosjektet som er/har vært ansatt på sykehuset i svangerskapet, født på Ullevål og reist tidlig hjem i barsel med besøk fra samme gruppe jordmødre. Hensikt: Evaluere Barsel hjemme ved å se på pasienterfaringer med prosjektet og undersøke kvinnenes opplevelse og ønsker når det gjelder kontinuitet og helhet i svangerskap, fødsel og barselomsorg. Metode: En triangulering av metoder er brukt: Dette inkluderer en pasienterfaringsundersøkelse, en anonym spørreundersøkelse som er sammenliknet med en liknende undersøkelse fra en barselavdeling, og fokusgruppediskusjon med kvinner fra prosjektet som er analysert med inneholdsanalyse. Funn: Kvinnene som har deltatt i Barsel hjemme er svært fornøyd med prosjektet, gjennomgående mer fornøyd enn kvinner som har hatt vanlig barselopphold ved sykehuset. De hadde deltatt igjen om det hadde vært mulig. De er ikke opptatt av kontinuitet i den forstand at samme person trenger å følge de i hele forløpet. Her spiller forventninger en viktig rolle. Personalets evne til å skape en god relasjon, en følelse av trygghet og se individuelle behov er mer viktig. De ønsker mer kontinuitet i informasjonen de får under svangerskap, fødsel og barseltid. Konklusjoner: Barsel hjemme er et prosjekt som kvinnene anbefaler, og som de skulle ønske fortsatte. Når det gjelder kontinuitet og helhet er dette avhengig av forventinger. Det at personalet kan skape personlige relasjoner og møte kvinnene på deres individuelle behov er det viktigste. / Background: This study is based on a project known as “Barsel hjemme” (“postnatal careat home”), whose main goal has been to develop a model for prenatal, birth, and postnatalcare, focusing particularly on continuity. Participants had prenatal check-ups with projectmidwives, delivered their babies at Ullevål University Hospital, and were discharged fromthe hospital early in the postnatal period. Project midwives visited all participants at home. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate Barsel hjemme by examining patient satisfaction andassessing their experiences and desires through the prism of continuity. Methods: A triangulation of methods was used. This included a patient satisfaction survey;an anonymous survey that was then compared with a similar survey from a standardpostnatal department; and content analysis of focus group discussions. Findings: Women who participated in Barsel hjemme were very satisfied, generally moresatisfied than women from a standard postnatal department. They would participate again ifpossible. They did not define continuity of care as being cared for by the same person.Expectations played an important role in how they experienced the project. Midwives’ability to create a personal connection and treat participants as individuals were paramount.Participants wanted greater continuity in the information given during pregnancy, birth, andthe postnatal period. Conclusions: Women recommend the Barsel hjemme project and want it to continue.Continuity of care hinges on individual expectations. Personal relationships and recognitionof individuality are of primary importance. / <p>ISBN 978-91-85721-94-8</p>

[Truncated abstract] Background: This thesis examines pharmacotherapy use in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. It includes antiplatelet agents, beta-blockers, statins and ACE inhibitors, all shown in landmark clinical trials and meta-analyses to reduce the risk of cardiac events in patients with known coronary disease. Underuse of effective preventive therapies represents a lost opportunity to reduce mortality and morbidity. Overseas studies have shown significant underuse of effective therapies at the time of hospital discharge following an acute event and later in ambulatory care. Australian data on prescribing practices following an acute coronary event and, ongoing use in ambulatory care are sparse. Aims: The aim of this thesis was to quantify the prescription of known effective therapies at the time of hospital discharge following an acute coronary event and ongoing use in ambulatory care. A secondary aim was to identify barriers to optimal secondary prevention thus providing an evidential basis to recommend change. Methods: This was an observational study of a cohort of post-MI patients admitted to a tertiary and affiliate hospital in Perth, Western Australia. The continuum of care from the treatment plan at discharge through to the treatment regimen and risk factor management 12 months post-MI was examined. The intermediate step, communication about the treatment plan with the patient and the primary health care provider was also examined. The study involved a review of hospital medical records and follow-up questionnaires to patients and their general practitioners at 3 and 12 months post-MI. All post-myocardial patients were included in the analysis of prescriptions at discharge. The follow-up study included patients 80 years and younger with no terminal conditions. Patient interviews at 3 months and interviews and focus groups with key hospital staff provided qualitative data to inform the quantitative data.

O objetivo geral do estudo foi analisar o processo de trabalho da enfermeira materno infantil (EMI), orientado ao cuidado da criança sadia no Programa de Vigilância da Nutrição, Crescimento e Desenvolvimento da Criança menor de 5 anos de idade, em uma instituição da Seguridade Social no México. Fundamentou-se nas concepções do processo de trabalho em saúde de Mendes-Golçalves (1994), no processo de trabalho da enfermagem como proposto por Almeida (1991) e Almeida e Rocha (1997), e nas concepções teóricas da micropolítica do trabalho vivo em saúde, que permitiram focalizar o espaço intercessor trabalhador/usuário (MERHY, 1997, 2004). Utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa com observação sistemática direta e entrevista semi-estruturada. Os sujeitos do estudo foram as enfermeiras (EMI), as assistentes médicas da EMI (AEMI) e as mães que compareceram à consulta de enfermagem. Observaram-se 87 consultas proporcionadas pelas EMI, e observação à área da recepção atendida pela AEMI, assim como entrevista a este pessoal (6 entrevistas) e as mães (25 entrevistas). A saturação dos dados e a compreensão do significado foram os critérios para estabelecer o número necessário de observações e entrevistas. As consultas proporcionadas pela EMI identificaram-se centradas na realização de procedimentos como: verificação do peso, estatura e revisão da carteira de vacinas conforme os protocolos de atenção (tecnologias duras), com diálogos mais bem identificados como monólogos da EMI à mãe. Verificou-se que o encontro entre a mãe/filho portadores de uma dada necessidade de saúde com a EMI portadora de um arsenal de saberes específicos e práticas, envolve um encontro de situações não equivalentes, a mãe tem a necessidade de que a EMI, no mínimo a cumprimente e a acolha. Assim o trabalho da EMI é capturado pelo trabalho morto, pela configuração institucional que se expressa no tempo de atendimento, na consulta marcada com antecedência, no seguimento dos protocolos e rotinas impostos pelo serviço que não permitem o estabelecimento de um núcleo cuidador. Mas como o trabalho da EMI é trabalho em saúde que se efetiva em um processo quase-estruturado, a EMI foi capaz de produzir trabalho vivo como fonte de tecnologias leves (tecnologias de relações, de acolhimento), baseando-se principalmente em seu autogoverno que lhe permitiu o estabelecimento de um núcleo de cuidado mãe/filho-centrado. A conformação da equipe de saúde foi identificada como equipe agrupamento caracterizada pela fragmentação e especificidade do trabalho com comunicação de aspectos só pessoais. As mães perceberam o cuidado à criança sadia como a realização de procedimentos, verificação do peso e estatura, ter um registro dos avanços no desenvolvimento de seu filho e o fornecimento da cota de leite, que surgiu como um orientador/desorientador da atenção que coloca os atores sociais em conflito com necessidades distintas. Recomenda-se a flexibilização das normas e rotinas que permitam a construção de um núcleo cuidador mãe/filho-centrado, baseado nas tecnologias leves como o acolhimento e a confiança, para que a mãe possa colocar suas dúvidas relacionadas ao cuidado de seu filho e desenvolva um grau de autonomia e assim reconhecer à enfermeira como cuidadora, educadora, conselheira e promotora da saúde / The general aim of this study was to analyze the work process of maternal child nurses, directed to the care of healthy children in the Program of Nutrition Surveillance, Growth and Development for children under 5 years of age at a social security institution in Mexico. This research was based on the concepts of health work process by Mendes-Gonçalves (1994), the nursing work process proposed by Almeida (1991) and Almeida and Rocha (1997) and on the theoretical conceptions of micropolitics of health work involving human staff, enabling the author to focus the worker/user space (1991) (MERHY, 1997, 2004). A qualitative approach was used through systematic direct observation and semi-structured interviews. The subjects were maternal child nurses, medical assistants who welcomed the patients when they arrived and mothers who went to the nursing consultation. 87 nursing consultations were observed as well as the reception of patients. In addition, author interviewed the staff (6 interviews) and mothers (25 interviews). Data saturation and meaning comprehension were the criteria to establish the necessary number of observations and interviews. The consultations were identified as centered in procedures such as: weight and height measurement, review of the vaccination record according to the care protocols (hard technologies) with dialogues identified as monologues of nurses to the mothers. Findings showed that the meeting between mother and child with specific health needs and nurses with large scientific and practical knowledge involves an approximation of non-equivalent situations. The mothers expect, at least, that nurses will be able to welcome them. Thus, the maternal child nurse work is captured by a work with machines, the institutional configuration that is expressed during the consultation period, with the appointment determined previously, in following protocols and routines imposed by the service and that do not allow the establishment of a caring core. However, with nurses work, the health work happens in a nearly-structured process and nurses were able to produce a live work as a source of soft technologies (relationship and welcome technologies), based mainly in their self-governance and allowing the establishment of a nucleus of care centered in the mother/child. The conformation of the health team was identified as a grouping team characterized by the fragmentation and specificity of the work with only the communication of personal aspects. Mothers perceived that the care of a healthy child is based on procedures to verify height and weight, registration of the development of their children and the supply of a milk portion, that appeared as a factor that guided/disturbed the care as resulted in conflict among the social actors with different needs. The author recommends the flexibilization of the norms and routines, enabling the construction of a nucleus centered in the mother/child, based on soft technologies of welcome and trust, allowing mothers to ask their questions related to the care of their children as well as to develop a level of autonomy, recognizing the nurse as a care provider, educator, advisor and health promoter.

Good continuity of care is considered desirable and is often referred to as an essential component in creating a more patient-centered health care. However, what is meant by continuity of care is not entirely self-evident and there are different ways to quantify and address it. The purpose of this study is to introduce a method for continuous measurement of continuity, where visits between patients and physicians in various care clinics are of interest. Five established measurements (indices) of continuity of care were evaluated; MFPC, K, COC, MCI and SECON. Calculations on these indices were made using hospital visits-related data from January 2011 to April 2015, where a  time window of 1.5 years was used when calculating index values. The results from the calculations show a high correlation between all indices when calculated on an average of all patients at a clinic. Based on this, properties such as intuitive interpretation and simple calculations made MFPC-index this study’s single choice of index. It can be used to examine the change of  a clinic’s patient’s continuity over time. The index also allows to assign a value to a physician, showing how much continuity that doctor contributes to all its patients. A tool was also developed to visualises how many visits each patient has had with how many different doctors at a clinic. This tool allows the identification of individual patients whose continuity can be seen as undesired. These three components of the method for continuous measurement of continuity can be seen as representations of continuity from a system’s, physician’s and patient’s perspective.

L’amélioration du pronostic des pathologies chroniques à début pédiatrique s’est accompagnée d’un nombre grandissant de patients atteignant l’âge adulte. Cependant, l’adolescence et l’entrée dans la vie adulte est une période de multiples changements et de crises, pouvant être à l’origine de rupture avec le système de soins et de complications médicales. Dans cette thèse, j’ai tout d’abord décrit les hospitalisations et la mortalité des jeunes ayant été déclarés en affection de longue durée (ALD) avant 14 ans (N=1752), en comparaison à des jeunes sans pathologie chronique (N=52346). Pour cela, une cohorte rétrospective (2005-2014) a été reconstruite à partir de l’échantillon généraliste des bénéficiaires de l’Assurance maladie. Environ 3% des jeunes de 14 ans avaient déjà été déclarés en ALD. Les profils de mortalité par sexe et les tendances par âge de l’incidence des hospitalisations étaient différents de ceux de la population générale du même âge, en particulier après 18 ans, où l’on observait une chute de l’incidence des hospitalisations. Ensuite, à partir de ces mêmes données, j’ai montré que le pronostic de ces jeunes malades, y compris la mortalité, était associé à la précarité sociale, mesurée par la couverture maladie universelle complémentaire, montrant ainsi que la gratuité des soins à laquelle ces jeunes ont droit dans le système de santé français ne permettait pas de compenser les inégalités sociales dans cette population. Enfin, à un moment ou un autre, ces jeunes sont transférés vers un service d’adultes. Ce passage est un moment crucial dans leur suivi, qui peut être à l’origine d’une discontinuité du suivi médical. Des programmes de transition sont mis en place progressivement pour préparer et accompagner ce transfert. J’ai réalisé une revue systématique de la littérature (23 études) qui a montré qu’il existait deux aspects de la continuité des soins au moment de ce transfert : l’engagement (premier contact) et le maintien dans le suivi en service d’adultes. Cette analyse a également mis en exergue la pauvreté des études existant actuellement pour évaluer les programmes de transition en termes de continuité des soins. Finalement, ces résultats soulèvent de nombreuses questions, notamment les stratégies d’adaptation de ces jeunes vis-à-vis des situations à haut risque et le rôle du transfert en service d’adultes sur le comportement des patients, le pronostic et les pratiques cliniques. Des études incluant largement l’ensemble des jeunes atteints d’une pathologie chronique, intégrant notamment des facteurs liés à l’organisation des soins, liés à la pathologie, individuels et familiaux, devraient être encouragées. / The prognosis of childhood-onset chronic conditions has improved, such that more patients now reach adulthood. However, adolescence and entry into adulthood is a critical period that may be associated with poor outcomes, including gaps in care continuity and medical complications. Here, I first described hospitalization and mortality rates in youths registered for a long-term disease (LTD) before the age of 14 (N=1,752), relative to those with no LTD (N=52,346). A retrospective cohort (2005-2014) was built from a sample of the French national health insurance database, called Echantillon généraliste des Bénéficiaires. Approximately 3% of 14-year-old youths had been registered for a LTD. The mortality patterns by gender and the trend in hospitalization rates by age were different from those in the general population of the same age, especially after reaching the age of 18, which was followed by a fall in hospitalization rates. Then, using the same data, I showed that the prognosis of these youths living with a chronic disease, including mortality, was associated with low socio-economic level, as measured by being covered by Couverture Maladie Universelle Complementaire, a public complementary health insurance offering free access to care, delivered on the basis of very low househould incomes. Hence, overcoming financial barriers did not offset social health inequalities in this population. At last, one day, these youths have to be transferred to adult care. Moving to adult care is a critical time in patients’ follow-up that may lead to discontinuity in medical care. Transition programs are being gradually implemented, to prepare and smooth the transfer and support youths during this period. I performed a systematic review of literature (23 studies) that highlighted two aspects of continuity of care during transfer: engagement (first contacts) and retention in adult care once the first contact has been established. This review also emphasized the paucity of knowledge to evaluate transition programs in terms of care continuity. Finally, the results of this PhD raises many issues that need to be addressed, including coping strategies of young patients with high risk situations, and the role of transfer to adult care on patient behavior, prognosis and clinical practices. Studies involving patients with a large spectrum of severe chronic diseases, including factors related to healthcare organization, related to the disease, individual and familial, should be encouraged.

Syfte: Att beskriva barnmorskors inställning till vårdmodellen caseload midwifery. Metod: En webbaserad enkätundersökning med kvalitativ ansats som analyserades med induktiv innehållsanalys. Resultat: Totalt besvarade 58 barnmorskor enkäten varav fyra exkluderades. Av svaren utvecklades sex stycken kategorier: “Kontinuitet kan ge tryggare vård”, “Etablerad relation kan leda till stöd”, “Kan påverka patientsäkerheten”, “Kan påverka kompetensen”, “Ett alternativ för framtiden” och “Behov vid implementering”. Dessa skapade två teman: “Kontinuerlig kontakt kan medföra trygghet och utmaningar” och “Framtidsvision för ett hållbart yrkesliv”. Det framkom att caseload midwifery kan skapa trygghet genom kontinuerlig relation men det är även en modell som möter flertalet utmaningar. Caseload midwifery kan vara ett alternativt tillägg till mödrahälsovårdens standardmodell. Den kan ses som en framtidsvision som baseras på hållbarhet genom tillfredsställande arbetsmiljö om goda arbetsvillkor tillmötesgås. Slutsatser: Majoriteten av barnmorskorna är positiva till caseload midwifery då modellen kan leda till många lösningar men den möter också flertalet utmaningar. Införandet av vårdmodellen kan vara en hållbar lösning för framtiden eftersom det är en attraktiv och efterlängtad modell. / Aim: To describe the attitudes towards caseload midwifery amongst midwives. Method: A web-based questionnaire based on a qualitative approach and analyzed through an inductive content analysis. Result: In total 58 midwives answered the questionnaire of which four were excluded. Six categories developed in total: “Continuity can lead to safer care”, “An established relationship can lead to trust and support”, “It can affect the patient safety”, “It can affect the competence”, “An alternative for the future” and “Needs for implementation”. All together these categories developed two themes: “A contact made continuously could lead to safety and challenges” and “A vision for the future based for a sustainability professional career”. Caseload midwifery can create safety through a continuous relationship nonetheless it is also a model that faces several challenges. Caseload midwifery can be an alternative model which would fit well as an addition to the standard model of maternal health care. It can be seen as a vision for the future based on sustainability throughout a more satisfactory working atmosphere, but only if good conditions are met. Conclusions: The majority of the midwives were positive towards caseload midwifery because the model might lead to solutions but it also leads to adversities. An implement of the model of care could be a sustainable solution for the future since it is attractive and longed for.

The objectives for this study were to develop a continuity of care scale, to assess the mean level of continuity of care, to assess association between demographic variables and clinical variables with continuity of care, and to assess association between continuity of care and medication adherence among Medicare beneficiaries. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to achieve the objectives using data from the 2015 to 2017 Medicare Current Beneficiaries Survey (MCBS). To be included in the sample, beneficiaries had to have a hyperlipidemia diagnosis, be continuously enrolled in Medicare Part D for six months from start of medication adherence, be continuously enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B in the preceding year, and had to have at least two prescription claims for hyperlipidemia medications. Beneficiaries were excluded if they had a proxy responder, had an Alzheimer’s disease or dementia diagnosis, were enrolled in Medicare due to end-stage renal disease or disability, or were residing in a long-term care facility. Among 2,120 beneficiaries that met sample selection criteria, 57 percent were aged 75 years or older, 57 percent were female, and 87 percent were White. An overall continuity of care scale was developed using MCBS items that asked respondents about their care experience. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine subscales of continuity of care using a randomly selected 60 percent of the sample, which yielded three subscales of continuity of care: relational continuity (Factor 1), informational continuity (Factor 2), and management continuity (Factor 3). Confirmatory factor analysis conducted using the remaining 40 percent of the sample validated factor structure of the continuity of care scale. The mean level of overall continuity of care among Medicare beneficiaries was 3.26 out of 4. Medication adherence was assessed using proportion of days (PDC) covered for anti-hyperlipidemia medications. Beneficiaries with a PDC of 80 percent or more were considered medication adherent. Approximately, 81 percent of beneficiaries were adherent to prescribed hyperlipidemia medications. Association between demographic variables and clinical variables with overall continuity of care was assessed using multivariable logistic regression based on purposeful selection of variables method. Older age, low perceived health status, and lower number of prescribed medications were associated with low overall continuity of care. Race and marital status were found to have interaction effect on overall continuity of care. Among non-white beneficiaries, married beneficiaries reported higher overall continuity of care than not-married beneficiaries. Among married beneficiaries, whites reported lower overall 12 continuity of care than non-whites. Association between overall continuity of care and medication adherence was assessed using multivariable logistic regression with purposeful selection of variables method. There was no association found between overall continuity of care and medication adherence.