Original scientific paper
Organization and Functioning of Primary Health Care for Pre-school Children in Croatia: A Longitudinal Study from 1995 to 2012
Josip Buljan
; Family Practice »Dr. Josip Buljan«, Velika Kopanica, Croatia
Gordana Prljević
; Family Practice »Dr. Gordana Prljevi}«, Krapinske Toplice, Croatia
Martina Menegoni
; Family Practice »Dr. Gordana Prljevi}«, Krapinske Toplice, Croatia
Irena Bralić
; University of Split, School of Medicine, Specialist Pediatrics’ Practice »Dr. Irena Bralić«, Trogir, Split, Croatia
Abstract
Primary health care for children in Croatia are mostly provided by primary pediatricians (PP) in the urban and by
family doctors in rural areas. During past decades, as a part of health care reforms, primary pediatric care experiences
several changes. This study was undertaken in order to investigate the trends in organizational structure and functioning
of the PPs, based on routinely collected data from Croatian Health Service Yearbooks, 1995 to 2012. The results have
consistently shown a shortage of PPs in Croatia. The shortage obviously affects the average number of children per PP;
number increased from 994 in 1995, to 1556 children in 2010, which was far above the standard. The shortage of PPs is
also related to the high number of visits (30 to 40) per PP and per working day. The obtained results clearly show only
the trends, therefore further research is needed for a full understanding of the PHC for pre-school children.
Keywords
primary health care; pre-school children; primary pediatricians; organization; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
147535
URI
Publication date:
29.12.2014.
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