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European Journal of Public Health, Vol. 24, Supplement 2, 2014
Results The results show that health care providers’ perspectives and awareness of factors such as patient’s gender, age, level of education, ethnicity, sexual orientation and mental health for providing health on equal terms. The results identify important criteria to provide care on equal terms, categorize factors that influence patients’ access to care on equal terms and map factors facilitating care on equal terms. Furthermore the results shows health care providers perspectives on which type of patient group who are more likely to obtain attention in primary health care centers. Conclusions The public health actions that are recommended as a consequence of the study are: – Initiating the development of action plans for health on equal terms. – Strengthening and encouraging continuation of the work for providing health on equal terms. Main message Factors that affect health and care on equal terms can be categorized in three categories: structural/organizational factors in health care (e.g. shortage of physicians), structural/ organizational factors in society (e.g. resident area) and patients ‘/users’ situation/character (e.g. education, ethnicity). Providing health on equal terms need knowledge, training and awareness. Key message Providing health on equal terms need knowledge, training and awareness.
Health care providers’ perspective on ‘‘Health on Equal Terms’’ Sharareh Akhavan S Akhavan, O Aytar, L Bogg, A So¨derlund, P Tillgren School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Ma¨lardalen University, Va¨stera˚s, Sweden Contact:
[email protected]
Background Equity in health and providing care on equal terms is one of the most important aspects of a welfare society. The goal of health care in Sweden is good health and care on equal terms for the entire population. At the same time, several scientific studies and reports shows the Swedish health care system is not equitable. A National Learning Project - Health on equal terms was conducted in seven Primary Health Care centers in four county councils/regions in disadvantaged areas in Sweden during 2011-2013. One part of the project aimed to map and identify health care providers’ perspective on ‘‘Health on equal terms’’. Method A follow-up study was conducted. Web questionnaires which included both close- ended, open-ended and multiple choice questions send to health care providers in the seven Primary Health Care centers which participated in the project. 141 health care providers completed the questionnaires in 2011 and respectively 147 in 2013. SPSS were used to analyze quantitative data and content analysis to analyze the qualitative data.
