“The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19
Abstract Background The international study PRICOV-19 aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organisation of primary health care. The German part focuses on German general practitioners during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper addresses the following research qu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | BMC Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-023-02115-4 |
| _version_ | 1797659819677581312 |
|---|---|
| author | Stefanie Stark Emmily Schaubroeck Marie Kluge Larissa Burggraf Marco Roos Eve Borowski Esther Van Poel Sara Willems Thomas Kühlein Susann Hueber Felix Werner |
| author_facet | Stefanie Stark Emmily Schaubroeck Marie Kluge Larissa Burggraf Marco Roos Eve Borowski Esther Van Poel Sara Willems Thomas Kühlein Susann Hueber Felix Werner |
| author_sort | Stefanie Stark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The international study PRICOV-19 aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organisation of primary health care. The German part focuses on German general practitioners during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper addresses the following research questions: (1) How were changes in tasks on primary care and patient treatment perceived by GPs?, (2) What was the role of GPs during the pandemic, and how was their wellbeing?, (3) How did GPs perceive health policy measures?, and, (4) What influenced the attitudes of GPs on health policy measures? Methods This study pursues a multi-country cross-sectional design. Data collection took place throughout Germany from 01.02. to 28.02.2021 with a quantitative online questionnaire consisting of 53 items. The questionnaire was analysed through descriptive and inferential analyses using correlation and multiple regression models. Results The response rate was 20.4% (n = 349). The respondents were mainly GPs (59.6%) in single practices (62.5%) with a mean work experience of 15 to 20 years. GPs experienced a change in their work and practice organisation (80.3%). They felt a high responsibility (70.6%) and found their work has become more meaningful to them (76%). They also saw a lack of political support (75.2%) and that the measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice (66.4%). Not many GPs were at risk of being distressed (53.4%) but rated the health policies rather negatively (60%). The multiple regression showed, the more GPs were exposed to risk of distress, the worse they assessed the government's measures. Conclusion GPs perceived their work as relevant and felt confident they could fulfil their tasks, but noticed that health policy initially hardly supported the outpatient sector. Health policies should increase their competence in relation to primary care, ensure its needs and consider an active inclusion of GPs in preparedness plans. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:20:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07b21a75f6764a49b4ba0048dcd87cfd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-4553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T18:20:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-07b21a75f6764a49b4ba0048dcd87cfd2023-10-15T11:24:34ZengBMCBMC Primary Care2731-45532023-10-0124S111210.1186/s12875-023-02115-4“The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19Stefanie Stark0Emmily Schaubroeck1Marie Kluge2Larissa Burggraf3Marco Roos4Eve Borowski5Esther Van Poel6Sara Willems7Thomas Kühlein8Susann Hueber9Felix Werner10Institute of General Practice, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent UniversityInstitute of General Practice, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Institute of General Practice, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, University of AugsburgInstitute of General Practice, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent UniversityInstitute of General Practice, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Institute of General Practice, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Institute of General Practice, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Abstract Background The international study PRICOV-19 aims to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organisation of primary health care. The German part focuses on German general practitioners during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper addresses the following research questions: (1) How were changes in tasks on primary care and patient treatment perceived by GPs?, (2) What was the role of GPs during the pandemic, and how was their wellbeing?, (3) How did GPs perceive health policy measures?, and, (4) What influenced the attitudes of GPs on health policy measures? Methods This study pursues a multi-country cross-sectional design. Data collection took place throughout Germany from 01.02. to 28.02.2021 with a quantitative online questionnaire consisting of 53 items. The questionnaire was analysed through descriptive and inferential analyses using correlation and multiple regression models. Results The response rate was 20.4% (n = 349). The respondents were mainly GPs (59.6%) in single practices (62.5%) with a mean work experience of 15 to 20 years. GPs experienced a change in their work and practice organisation (80.3%). They felt a high responsibility (70.6%) and found their work has become more meaningful to them (76%). They also saw a lack of political support (75.2%) and that the measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice (66.4%). Not many GPs were at risk of being distressed (53.4%) but rated the health policies rather negatively (60%). The multiple regression showed, the more GPs were exposed to risk of distress, the worse they assessed the government's measures. Conclusion GPs perceived their work as relevant and felt confident they could fulfil their tasks, but noticed that health policy initially hardly supported the outpatient sector. Health policies should increase their competence in relation to primary care, ensure its needs and consider an active inclusion of GPs in preparedness plans.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-023-02115-4Primary health careGeneral practitionersCOVID-19PRICOV-19Quality of careHealth policy |
| spellingShingle | Stefanie Stark Emmily Schaubroeck Marie Kluge Larissa Burggraf Marco Roos Eve Borowski Esther Van Poel Sara Willems Thomas Kühlein Susann Hueber Felix Werner “The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19 BMC Primary Care Primary health care General practitioners COVID-19 PRICOV-19 Quality of care Health policy |
| title | “The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19 |
| title_full | “The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19 |
| title_fullStr | “The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | “The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19 |
| title_short | “The measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice” – insights of the PRICOV-19 study on German general practitioners in times of COVID-19 |
| title_sort | the measures taken by the government overburdened the daily practice insights of the pricov 19 study on german general practitioners in times of covid 19 |
| topic | Primary health care General practitioners COVID-19 PRICOV-19 Quality of care Health policy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-023-02115-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stefaniestark themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT emmilyschaubroeck themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT mariekluge themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT larissaburggraf themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT marcoroos themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT eveborowski themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT esthervanpoel themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT sarawillems themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT thomaskuhlein themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT susannhueber themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 AT felixwerner themeasurestakenbythegovernmentoverburdenedthedailypracticeinsightsofthepricov19studyongermangeneralpractitionersintimesofcovid19 |