This study examined patient and appointment factors as predictors of nonattendance in addiction mental health services. Data were collected from the electronic files of 7,641 patients treated for a substance use disorder in outpatient clinics of an addiction mental health organization in the Netherlands. Negative binomial regression analyses revealed that cocaine use, poly substance use, limitations in interpersonal functioning, presence of anxiety disorder and cluster C personality disorder, age, level of education, source of income, and planning consistency were associated with nonattendance.
DOCUMENT
This study examined patient and appointment factors as predictors of nonattendance in addiction mental health services. Data were collected from the electronic files of 7,641 patients treated for a substance use disorder in outpatient clinics of an addiction mental health organization in the Netherlands. Negative binomial regression analyses revealed that cocaine use, poly substance use, limitations in interpersonal functioning, presence of anxiety disorder and cluster C personality disorder, age, level of education, source of income, and planning consistency were associated with nonattendance.
DOCUMENT
Background: This study investigates patients’ use of eHealth services, their awareness of the availability of these services, and their intention to use them in primary care. It also examines patient characteristics and factors that influence the use of these services. Methods: A cross-sectional design using questionnaires was conducted. Based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), the participants rated the two most common services. Descriptive analyses and linear correlation analyses were performed. A simple linear regression was conducted to identify factors influencing the participants’ intention to use eHealth services. Results: In total, 1203 participants with an average age of 43.7 years were surveyed. The participants’ usage rates varied, with the lowest at 2.4%, for measuring vital signs, and the highest at 47.4%, for booking appointments. The intentions to use the services ranged from 22.5%, for video consultations, to 46.6%, for prescription refill requests. Approximately 20% of the respondents were unaware of each service’s availability. Positive associations were found between all the constructs and the intention to use online services, with a younger age being the most significant factor. Conclusions: The use of and intention to use eHealth services varied greatly. The participants were often unaware of the availability of these services. Promoting the availability and benefits of eHealth services could enhance patient engagement in primary care settings.
MULTIFILE
Vulnerable pregnant women are an important and complex theme in daily practice of birth care professionals. Vulnerability is an important risk factor for maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Providing care for these women is often complex. First, because it is not always easy to identify vulnerability. Secondly, vulnerable women more often cancel their appointments with midwives and finally, many professionals are involved while they do not always know each other. Even though professionals are aware of the risks of vulnerability for future mothers and their (unborn) children and the complexity of care for these women, there is no international definition for ‘vulnerable pregnancies’. Therefore, we start this project with defining a mutual definition of vulnerability during pregnancy. In current projects of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (RUAS) we define a vulnerable pregnant woman as: a pregnant woman facing psychopathology, psychosocial problems, and/or substance abuse combined with lack of individual and/or social resources (low socioeconomic status, low educational level, limited social network). In the Netherlands, care for vulnerable pregnant women is fragmented and therefore it is unclear for birth care professionals which interventions are available and effective. Therefore, Dutch midwives are convinced that exchanging knowledge and best practices concerning vulnerable pregnancies between midwifery practices throughout Europe could enhance their knowledge and provide midwives (SMB partners in this project) with tools to improve care for vulnerable pregnant women. The aim of this project is to exchange knowledge and best practices concerning vulnerable pregnancies between midwifery practices in several European countries, in order to improve knowledge and skills of midwives. As a result, guidelines will be developed in order to exchange selected best practices which enable midwives to implement this knowledge in their own context. This contributes to improving care for vulnerable pregnant women throughout Europe.