Original scientific paper
Are there differences in the trends of home visits between rural and urban regions in Croatia?1995-2014
Hida Javorić
; Ordinacija obiteljske medicine, Remetinečki gaj 14, 10 345 Zagreb
Mladenka Vrcić Keglević
; Zaklada za razvoj obiteljske medicine, Črešnjevec 32, 10 000 Zagreb
Abstract
Introduction and aims:
Home visits are within the scope of family practice (FP) in Croatia as well as it is in other countries. The aim of the study was to determine the overall trends in home visits (HV) in Croatian FM. We investigated whether there were any differences in the trends of HV between
Croatian rural and urban regions.
Methods:
This was perspective study, from 1995 to 2014. Data were collected from the Croatian Health Service Yearbooks. The number of family doctors and the number of home visits were collected for each study year in relation to regions; Croatia was divided in three regions: rural, semi-rural and urban.
Results.
Significantly higher number of home visits was found in rural regions than in semi-rural and urban ones. In 2000 the average number of home visits was higher in rural - 0.16 per patient - than in semi-rural (0.14) and urban (0.10) regions. In the same year, each family doctor in rural areas performed 189 home visits, in comparison to
178 in semi-rural and 120 in urban regions. The differences in trends were not found, the number of home visits increased until the year 2000 and then decreased in all regions.
Conclusion.
A higher number of home visits was found in Croatian rural regions than in semi-rural and urban ones. These results should be taken in
consideration in FP delivery planning.
Keywords
home visits, family practice, rural/ urban differences; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
149214
URI
Publication date:
9.12.2015.
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