Showing papers by "Marieke D. Spreeuwenberg published in 2021"

Benefits and barriers of technologies supporting working carers—A scoping review

Abstract: Combining work and care can be very challenging. If not adequately supported, carers' employment, well-being and relationships may be at risk. Technologies can be potential solutions. We carried out a scoping review to find out what is already known about technologies used by working carers. The search included academic and grey literature published between January 2000 and June 2020. Sixteen relevant publications were analysed and discussed in the context of the broader discourse on work-care reconciliation. Technologies discussed can be classified as: (a) web-based technologies; (b) technologies for direct communication; (c) monitoring technologies; and (d) task-sharing tools. Technologies can help to make work-care reconciliation more manageable and alleviate psychosocial and emotional stress. General barriers to using technology include limited digital skills, depending on others to use technologies, privacy and data protection, cost, limited technological capabilities, and limited awareness regarding available technologies. Barriers specific to some technologies include work disruptions, limited perceived usefulness, and lacking time and energy to use technologies. More research into technologies that can address the needs of working carers and how they are able to use them at work is needed.

Positive Health and the happy professional: a qualitative case study.

Abstract: Primary care professionals (PCPs) face mounting pressures associated with their work, which has resulted in high burn-out numbers. Increasing PCPs’ job satisfaction is proposed as a solution in this regard. Positive Health (PH) is an upcoming, comprehensive health concept. Among others, this concept promises to promote PCPs’ job satisfaction. However, there is limited research into PH’s effects on this topic. This study, therefore, aims to provide insight into how adopting PH in a general practice affects PCPs’ job satisfaction. An ethnographic case study was conducted in a Dutch general practice that is currently implementing PH. Data collected included 11 semi-structured interviews and archival sources. All data were analyzed thematically. Thematic analysis identified three themes regarding PCPs’ adoption of PH and job satisfaction, namely [1] adopting and adapting Positive Health, [2] giving substance to Positive Health in practice, and [3] changing financial and organizational structures. Firstly, the adoption of PH was the result of a match between the practice and the malleable and multi-interpretable concept. Secondly, PH supported PCPs to express, legitimize, and promote their distinctive approach to care work and its value. This strengthened them to further their holistic approach to health and stimulate autonomy in practice, with respect to both patients and professionals. Thirdly, the concept enabled PCPs to change their financial and organizational structures, notably freeing time to spend on patients and on their own well-being. This allowed them to enact their values. The changes made by the practice increased the job satisfaction of the PCPs. PH contributed to the job satisfaction of the PCPs of the general practice by functioning as an adaptable frame for change. This frame helped them to legitimize and give substance to their vision, thereby increasing job satisfaction. PH’s malleability allows for the frame’s customization and the creation of the match. Simultaneously, malleability introduces ambiguity on what the concept entails. In that regard, PH is not a readily implementable intervention. We recommend that other organizations seeking to adopt PH consider whether they are willing and able to make the match and explore how PH can help substantiate their vision.

Patients' perspectives on a new delivery model in primary care: A propensity score matched analysis of patient-reported outcomes in a Dutch cohort study.

Abstract: Rationale, aims and objective Primary Care Plus (PC+) focuses on the substitution of hospital-based medical care to the primary care setting without moving hospital facilities The aim of this study was to examine whether population health and experience of care in PC+ could be maintained Therefore, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and experienced quality of care from a patient perspective were compared between patients referred to PC+ and to hospital-based outpatient care (HBOC) Methods This cohort study included patients from a Dutch region, visiting PC+ or HBOC between December 2014 and April 2018 With patient questionnaires (T0, T1 and T2), the HRQoL and experience of care were measured One-to-two nearest neighbour calliper propensity score matching (PSM) was used to control for potential selection bias Outcomes were compared using marginal linear models and Pearson chi-square tests Results One thousand one hundred thirteen PC+ patients were matched to 606 HBOC patients with well-balanced baseline characteristics (SMDs 05), indicating no difference in HRQoL development between the groups over time Regarding experienced quality of care, no differences were found between PC+ and HBOC patients Only travel time was significantly shorter in the HBOC group (P ≤ 001) Conclusion Results show equal effects on HRQoL outcomes over time between the groups Regarding experienced quality of care, only differences in travel time were found Taken as a whole, population health and quality of care were maintained with PC+ and future research should focus more on cost-related outcomes