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PRIMARY PREVENTION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

F. Dolak, A. Hudackova, I. Chloubova, J.T. Otaskova

Abstract

The aim of the survey was to map out selected general practitioners’ view on primary prevention. To achieve this objective, qualitative research through semi-structured interview was chosen. This interview was based on the standardized HLS-EU-Q47 questionnaire of the EU HLS Consortium for the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU), which is designed for mapping health literacy. The interview included 26 questions arranged into five categories and has been designed to find out the opinion of general practitioners on public access to primary prevention. Most physicians agree that preventative care system is set up well and efficiently. In two cases, doctors evaluated preventive health care system in the Czech Republic as unsatisfactory or insufficient. Prevention is, in the opinion of respondents, tackled better in certain diseases (ie. Diabetes, gynaecologic diseases), other preventive measures are still not discussed enough and less used by the public (eg. self-examination of the testicles in males). Some interviewees point out to the fact that patients are sometimes exposed an overwhelming amount of information. The most frequently discussed prevention topics in GP surgeries are weight reduction, prevention of hypertension, smoking cessation. Doctors encourage their patients by emphasizing the importance of prevention for maintaining physical health because the disease has an impact on social and economic stability. Interviewees agreed that better cooperation occurs with active clients. They also confirmed that more patients do not comply with preventive examinations, but doctors believe their patients know the importance of prevention. The current system of preventive care in the Czech Republic is set up well and efficiently. But it will always depend on the approach of both doctors and patients themselves mainly to preventive examinations and prevention of disease in general. The physician can be positively motivated with an increase in capitation payments in reimbursement ordinance, patients should be motivated with proper awareness, provision of comprehensive communication and active calls for preventive examinations. This study is supported by special funds for Research and Development of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of South Bohemia in ?eské Bud?jovice, number: ZGO2016_001.

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