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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research article

The quality of preventive health care delivered to adults: results from a cross-sectional study in Southern Italy

Authors: Benedetto Manuti, Paolo Rizza, Aida Bianco, Carmelo GA Nobile, Maria Pavia

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

It is assumed that providing clinical preventive services to patients can identify or detect early important causes of adult mortality. The aim of this study was to quantify access to preventive services in Southern Italy and to assess whether and how the provision of preventive care was influenced by any specific characteristics of patients.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study adults aged 18 years and over attending primary care physician (PCP) offices located in Southern Italy were interviewed from June through December 2007. Quality indicators of preventive health care developed from RAND's Quality Assessment Tools and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify and to assess the role of patients' characteristics on delivery of clinical preventive services.

Results

A total of 1467 subjects participated in the study. Excepting blood pressure preventive check (delivered to 64.4% of eligible subjects) and influenza vaccination (recommended to 90.2% of elderly), the rates of delivery of clinical preventive services were low across all measures, particularly for screening and counseling on health habits. Rates for providing cancer screening tests at recommended times were 21.3% for colonoscopy, 51.5% for mammography and 52.4% for Pap smear. Statistical analysis showed clear disparities in the provision of clinical preventive services associated with age, gender, education level, perceived health status, current health conditions and primary care access measures.

Conclusions

There is overwhelming need to develop and implement effective interventions to improve delivery of routine clinical preventive services.
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Metadata
Title
The quality of preventive health care delivered to adults: results from a cross-sectional study in Southern Italy
Authors
Benedetto Manuti
Paolo Rizza
Aida Bianco
Carmelo GA Nobile
Maria Pavia
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-10-350

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