Das Gesundheitswesen
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Das Gesundheitswesen · Aug 2010
Review[Do primary care physicians acting as gatekeepers really improve health outcomes and decrease costs? A systematic review of the concept gatekeeping].
The aim of this systematic review was to analyse the effects of gatekeeping where primary care physicians (PCP) control access to specialist care. ⋯ International evidence on effects of gatekeeping is limited by the low internal validity of studies and applicability to other contexts. It suggests that gatekeeping by PCP decreases utilization of specialist care and health care costs. Based on very few studies health outcomes and patient quality of life in gatekeeping models might be comparable with those in open access models. Evidence is inconsistent or not available concerning the quality of care, patient or provider satisfaction.
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Das Gesundheitswesen · Aug 2010
Comparative Study[Pain and pain management for children in Greifswald and East Pomerania: comparison with the results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS)].
Pain in children and adolescents in Germany is a common health problem which has a high socioeconomic impact. There have been no studies allowing a reliable estimation of the prevalence of pain in children in the 5 (th) grade (age range 9-13 years) in schools in the region of the city of Greifswald and the administrative district East Pomerania. This population-based cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of pain in children, the treatment of pain and compared these data with the results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). ⋯ Compared to other epidemiological studies, pain is also a common health problem for children in the city of Greifswald and the administrative district East Pomerania. The data base enables comprehensive conclusions on the health-related state of students in Greifswald/East Pomerania. Further studies should examine additional factors on medication and the degree of doctor?s visits, e. g., parental attitudes towards medication and parental motivation towards the degree of visiting a doctor.