Swiss Health Observatory

The purpose of this study is to determine the number, age, geographic distribution, and accessibility of primary care pediatricians (PCP) in Switzerland, and to model the regional need for substitutions of soon-to-retire PCPs 5 years from now. We conducted a population-based study applying the floating catchment area method (Modified Huff-model-based Variable 3 Step Floating Catchment Area, MHV3SFCA) to calculate supply density indices (SDI) and produced accessibility maps based on data on PCP of the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) and the spatial data set of the statistics on population and households (STATPOP). In 2019, 1332 PCPs were working in pediatric practices in Switzerland (average workload: 70.4%), caring for 1,335,177 children and adolescents under the age of 15 years (i.e., 1423 per PCP). We found significant regional differences: less than 60% of the recommended PCP density, particularly in the northern part of the country and in rural regions. The needed workforce is going to accentuate markedly until 2029, when around 1/4 of Swiss pediatricians currently working in private practices will be retired. Conclusion: We provided a detailed analysis of the spatial distribution of PCP in Switzerland and a simulation model of the demand within the next years based on expected retirements. Our findings show current geographic disparities in pediatric primary care provision, which will accentuate and lead to a PCP shortage in many regions of Switzerland in the near future. Without sufficient compensation, adaptations of pediatric healthcare models need to be considered to avoid dramatic underservice. Our methodology is applicable to many comparable settings worldwide.What is known:• pediatric care in many countries is challenged by impending retirement of older pediatric primary care providers• suitable statistical models are needed to identify the spatial distribution of current and future demandWhat is new:• We visualized regional differences in the accessibility of paediatric primary care in Switzerland at a small-scale level, and the spatial distribution of places in need of a replacement by 2029• Our model is applicable to other regions, countries, and disciplinesSupplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00431-025-06441-w.

The onset of a chronic physical health condition (CHC) can highly impact individuals' well-being and mental health. Social support has been shown to help people rebound after the onset of a CHC. Nonetheless, little is known about the longitudinal pattern of social support and its reciprocal association with mental health in CHC. This study aimed to illustrate the longitudinal pattern of perceived social support and to examine the reciprocal association between perceived social support and psychological distress across 6 years. Two random intercept cross-lagged panel models were conducted, one for emotional and one for practical support, using yearly assessments of 582 Swiss Household Panel's participants reporting a CHC. A reciprocal association was found, with psychological distress 1 year after the onset being linked to less emotional support in the following year and vice versa, more emotional support being linked to less psychological distress the following year. A unidirectional association was found for practical support, with more psychological distress 1 year before the CHC onset being linked to more practical support at the onset year. This study underlines the importance of involving the social environment of individuals living with a CHC, especially around the first year after the onset.

Small area analysis is a health services research technique that facilitates geographical comparison of services supply and utilization rates between health service areas (HSAs). HSAs are functionally relevant regions around medical facilities within which most residents undergo treatment. We aimed to identify HSAs for psychiatric outpatient care (HSA-PSY) in Switzerland. We used HSAr, a new and automated methodological approach, and comprehensive psychiatric service use data from insurances to identify HSA-PSY based on travel patterns between patients' residences and service sites. Resulting HSA-PSY were compared geographically, demographically and regarding the use of inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services. We identified 68 HSA-PSY, which were reviewed and validated by local mental health services experts. The population-based rate of inpatient and outpatient service utilization varied considerably between HSA-PSY. Utilization of inpatient and outpatient services tended to be positively associated across HSA-PSY. Wide variation of service use between HSA-PSY can hardly be fully explained by underlying differences in the prevalence or incidence of disorders. Whether other factors such as the amount of services supply did add to the high variation should be addressed in further studies, for which our functional mapping on a small-scale regional level provides a good analytical framework.

Abstract Unplanned readmissions shortly after discharge from hospital are common in chronic diseases. The risk of readmission has been shown to be related both to hospital care, e.g., medical complications, and to patients’ resources and abilities to manage the chronic disease at home and to make appropriate use of outpatient medical care. Despite a growing body of evidence on social determinants of health and health behaviour, little is known about the impact of social and contextual factors on readmission rates. The objective of this study was to analyse possible effects of educational, financial and social resources of patients with different chronic health conditions on unplanned 30 day-readmission risks. The study made use of nationwide inpatient hospital data that was linked with Swiss census data. The sample included n=62,109 patients aged 25 and older, hospitalized between 2012 and 2016 for one of 12 selected chronic conditions. Multivariate logistic regressions analysis was performed. Our results point to a significant association between social factors and readmission rates for patients with chronic conditions. Patients with upper secondary education (OR=1.26, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.44) and compulsory education (OR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.31, 1.74) had higher readmission rates than those with tertiary education when taking into account demographic, social and health status factors. Having private or semi-private hospital insurance was associated with a lower risk for 30-day readmission compared to patients with mandatory insurance (OR=0.81, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.90). We did not find a general effect of social resources, measured by living with others in a household, on readmission rates. The risk of readmission for patients with chronic conditions was also strongly predicted by type of chronic condition and by factors related to health status, such as previous hospitalizations before the index hospitalization (+77%), number of comorbidities (+15% higher probability per additional comorbidity) as well as particularly long hospitalizations (+64%). Stratified analysis by type of chronic condition revealed differential effects of social factors on readmissions risks. Compulsory education was most strongly associated with higher odds for readmission among patients with lung cancer (+142%), congestive heart failure (+63%) and back problems (+53%). We assume that low socioeconomic status among patients with chronic conditions increases the risk of unplanned 30-day readmission after hospitalisation due to factors related to their social situation (e.g., low health literacy, lower financial possibilities), which may negatively affect cooperation with care providers and adherence to recommended therapies as well as hamper active participation in the medical process and the development of a shared understanding of the disease and its cure. Higher levels of comorbidity in socially disadvantaged patients can also make appropriate self-management and use of outpatient care more difficult. Our findings suggest a need for increased preventive measures for disadvantaged populations groups to promote early detection of diseases and to remove financial or knowledge-based barriers to medical care. Socially disadvantaged patients should also be strengthened more in their individual and social resources for coping with illness.

Posterior urethral valves (PUV) constitute the most common infra-vesical urinary obstruction in boys. PUV are often accompanied by severe consequences to the lower and upper urinary tract (LUT, UUT). They also represent a major urological cause for pediatric renal transplantations. Surgical options for primary management invariably aim at abolition of valves. However, temporary urinary diversion may sometimes be a viable alternative, especially in critically ill patients or preterm infants. It was a retrospective, descriptive study which was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Surgery, Rajshahi Medical College from January 2018 to December 2018. All stable patients with the diagnosis of posterior urethral valves were included in the study. Endoscopic valve fulguration was performed in all diagnosed patients using bugbee electrode and an adequate sized cystoscope. The procedure was performed under general anesthesia and the urinary bladder was drained with a suitable size Foley's or silicon catheter for 14days. Patients were discharged from the hospital 48-72 hours after the procedure on oral antibiotics and were advised to come to the outpatient department for follow up visits for a period of 6 months. A total of 84 patients were included in the study. All were males with a mean age of 6.5years ranging from 6 months to 12 years. Sixty five patients were without any diversion while 19 had vesicostomy or ureterostomy already done in our department or somewhere else. Stricture urethra was seen in 5 patients, incontinence of urine was seen in 7 patients, nocturnal enuresis in 15 patients and recurrent urinary tract infection in 19 patients. Chronic renal failure was seen in 4 patients while 16 patients lost the follow up.18 patients had an uneventful recovery. Urethral valve ablation is the definitive treatment of posterior urethral valves. Endoscopic urethral valve fulguration is safe, effective and definitive way of management for posterior urethral valves. Early treatment improves the quality of life and prevents the ongoing renal damage. Early presentation in fetal and neonatal life has worst prognosis due to associated renal dysplasia.
 TAJ 2018; 31(2): 68-72

Der im Internet frei zugangliche Versorgungsatlas (www.versorgungsatlas.ch) gibt erstmals einen systematischen Uberblick uber die regionalen Unterschiede in der stationaren Behandlung in der Schweiz. Der vom Berner Institut fur Sozial- und Praventivmedizin und dem Obsan entwickelte Atlas bildet gegenwartig rund 30 der haufigsten stationaren Behandlungen in Schweizer Akutspitalern ab und ermoglicht so die Identifikation von Behandlungen mit grossen regionalen Unterschieden. Dies bildet die Grundlage, um anschliessend mogliche Grunde fur die Unterschiede in den Regionen zu erkennen und eingehender zu analysieren.

Abstract In this systematic review the validity of the dose–response relationships between physical activity (PA) and energy expenditure (EE) on defined health outcomes (cardio- and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality, cancer) for the elderly is questioned. Medline, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were reviewed for epidemiological longitudinal studies in populations aged 60+ for the years 1985–2007. Although most of the 18 identified studies generally demonstrated an inverse dose–response relationship between PA and EE level with morbidity and mortality, the range of dose–responses was remarkably broad. The nature of the dose–response relationship remained unclear. PA questionnaires - even those constructed for the elderly - do not cover the extremely diverse aspects of age-specific PA behavior and modes of muscular activity. Only non-age-specific tables had been used to estimate the EE in the elderly. Direct measurements of EE were limited. The results have implications for the interpretation of the dose–response relationships between PA and EE on defined health outcomes in old age.

Disabled workers who start receiving Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) must wait twenty-four months to qualify for Medicare. Legislation introduced in Congress would eliminate this waiting period, to guarantee that people with disabilities severe enough to qualify for SSDI will not be uninsured. We provide a longitudinal view of Medicare enrollment before age sixty-five by following a national sample of people ages 55-64. One person in six was covered by Medicare before turning sixty-five. A quarter of new enrollees were uninsured during the waiting period. There were great disparities in reliance on Medicare and coverage in the waiting period.

Weight loss affects cardiovascular risk profiles in obese patients. Surgery is not a plausible or viable response to the public health problem of obesity, given that more than 30% of adults are obese in some countries. However, most studies investigating the effects of weight loss on the cardiovascular risk profile are focussed on weight loss and limited to short-term effects. Since newer data show a rebound of cardiovascular risks in studies that complete a short-term follow-up, the question arises whether, and to what extent, long-term treatments offer a more sustained cardiovascular benefit beside the extensive or less marked weight loss. Aims The purpose of this article is to critically review existing data on the long-term cardiovascular effects of weight loss in obese and overweight patients treated with dietary interventions, physical activity programmes, behavioural therapy and pharmacological treatments and their combination. Method Inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed, randomized controlled trials (RCT) in the English language which presented data on cardiovascular effects at a follow-up of at least 18 months during or after weight reduction interventions. The search was limited to adults and the publication years between 1990 and 2007. Studies of patients with diagnoses such as coronary heart disease and cancer, and medically treated diabetes and hypertension were excluded. Results Twenty-three studies measured cardiovascular risk factors after 18 months or more. Mean BMI was 33.9 kg/m2 including 13,733 patients. Mean duration of the studies was 37 months with a dropout rate of 16.1% on average. Regardless of the absolute amount of weight loss a positive effect on cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure, lipids and glucose tolerance was found.