Tackling health inequalities in a public health organization : the case of the Barcelona Public Health Agency

Background: Municipalities are important actors in the implementation of policies to tackle health inequalities, which requires political will, the availability of financial support, and technical and human resources. With the aim of aligning with local government political priorities, in 2017 the Barcelona Public Health Agency (Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, henceforth ASPB), which is responsible for the public health functions of the city, launched a strategy to improve the approach to tackling health inequalities in all its services. The objectives of this study were to show how social health inequalities were addressed in the ASPB from 2017 to 19 and to describe which actions were proposed after a participatory process aiming to create a plan to systematically incorporate health inequalities in ASPB actions. Methods: The ASPB has 304 workers, 8 directors and 20 services or departments. Participatory methodologies were carried out: 1) semi-structured interviews with department heads (N = 12, 60%); 2) world cafe workshops open to a group of workers (N = 63, 37%); 3) a Quick and Colorful voting session open to a group of workers (N = 108, 63%); and 4) Hanlon matrix with 19 actions to be prioritized (N = 12 services, 60%). Results: Semi-structured interviews and world cafe workshops provided 40 potential actions. After a step by step process of participatory prioritization, seven lines of action emerged: 1) to make progress in collaborative networking; 2) to promote policy evaluation; 3) to increase the ability of the ASPB to evaluate policies to reduce health inequalities; 4) to incorporate the axes of inequalities in all ASPB products; 5) to improve information on vulnerable groups; 6) to incorporate the gender perspective; and 7) to participate in an internal training plan to address health inequalities. Conclusions: The participation of ASPB public health professionals and staff allowed the organization to design a shared plan of actions to address health inequalities. This experience could be useful for other municipalities whose political agendas include tackling inequalities in health

A childhood obesity prevention programme in Barcelona (POIBA project) : Study protocol of the intervention

Overweight and obesity are a major public health concern that predispose affected individuals to the development of chronic diseases. Of importance, obesity is more common among disadvantaged neighbourhoods and it is precisely these environments that have the lowest involvement in preventive interventions. Consequently, it is very important to target these populations when designing an intervention. This study will provide an evaluated childhood obesity intervention which includes the perspective of gender and social inequalities. In addition, a sustainability plan has been developed for the intervention. It is planned that, in the near future, the intervention and its reinforcement are part of the set of health educational programmes offered by the Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (Spain) to schools, with funding both the cost of the training and the materials borne by the Agència

Evaluación de la atención primaria: Aproximación mediante el primary care assessment Tools (PCAT)

La Atención Primaria (AP) es un nivel clave en un sistema sanitario y la evaluación es una de las principales herramientas básicas para mejorar los servicios. Según el modelo de AP definido por B Starfield y de amplio consenso internacional, ésta debe: a) ser accesible y ser utilizada como el primer contacto con el sistema de salud; b) ofrecer una atención continuada y global, y c) estar coordinada con los otros niveles del sistema sanitario, además de tener un enfoque familiar y comunitario, y competencia cultural. Así, B Starfield definió las cuatro dimensiones esenciales de la atención primaria como: primer contacto, longitudinalidad, integralidad y coordinación; y las dimensiones relacionadas: enfoque familiar, orientación comunitaria y competencia cultural. En Estados Unidos, Starfield y Shy diseñaron un conjunto de instrumentos para valorar las dimensiones de la AP, Primary Care Assessment Tools (PCAT). El objetivo general de esta tesis fue obtener instrumentos de evaluación del modelo teórico de la Atención Primaria (AP) que permitan su utilización en Catalunya y en el contexto español, y a partir de ellos hacer una primera evaluación en Catalunya bajo la perspectiva de desigualdades sociales. Para ello se realizaron dos procesos independientes de adaptación del cuestionario Primary Care Assessment Tools (PCAT), uno para poder utilizarlo en una encuesta de salud y otro para obtener medidas de los Equipos de Atención Primaria (EAP). La metodología ha sido en gran parte la misma, en base a las recomendaciones de adaptación transcultural, siguiendo los siguientes pasos: traducción, retrotraducción, comité de expertos, prueba pretest y medición de propiedades psicométricas del cuestionario obtenido. Para la valoración de la AP en Catalunya se incluyó en el cuestionario de la encuesta de Salud de Catalunya del año 2006 el conjunto de ítems seleccionados en uno de los trabajos que se presentan en esta tesis doctoral. Se aplicó a una muestra representativa de la población mayor de 15 años (N=13.292). Se ajustaron modelos multivariados de regresión negativa para la obtención de las razones de prevalencia y sus intervalos de confianza del 95%. Como resultados de esta tesis doctoral, se han obtenido dos instrumentos independientes, ambos en catalán y en castellano: a) un conjunto de ítems para poder incluir en la encuesta de salud, un PCAT abreviado de 10 ítems para adultos, y 2) el PCAT-Equipo de Atención Primaria versión extensa que permitirá el análisis de todas las dimensiones de la AP definidas por B Starfield (primer contacto, longitudinalidad, integralidad, coordinación, enfoque familiar, orientación comunitaria y competencia cultural). El PCAT-10 incluido en la Encuesta de Salud de Catalunya del año 2006 permitió conocer que la valoración de la AP obtenía una puntación de 7 sobre 10, y sin presentar un patrón de desigualdad, ya que no se mostraron diferencias en las puntuaciones según clase social. En conclusión, a partir del trabajo realizado se encuentran ya disponibles unos instrumentos en catalán y castellano que amplían el marco de evaluación de la AP en el contexto del sistema sanitario en España y Catalunya. Además permiten utilizar el enfoque de evaluación desde la población potencialmente usuaria así como de los equipos encargados de realizar la atención, los Equipos de Atención Primaria. Desde la perspectiva de la población, el PCAT-10 ha presentado buenas propiedades métricas, proporciona un índice para la evaluación de la AP y permitirá la monitorizado en el tiempo y el análisis en subgrupos y en el total de la población. A partir de la valoración de los directores/as de EAP se podrá evaluar el modelo teórico completo de la AP definido por B. Starfield.Primary Care is a key level in the health system, and evaluation is one of the main instruments to improve services. According to the model defined by B Starfield, one with broad international consensus, PC has to be: a) accessible and used as the first contact with the health system; b) it must offer longitudinal and comprehensiveness attention, and c) it must be coordinated with the other levels of the health care system, be focused on family, with community orientation, and demonstrate cultural competence. B. Starfield defines the four essential dimensions of PC: first contact, longitudinality, comprehensiveness and coordination; and as related dimensions: family focus, community orientation and cultural competence. In the United States, Starfield and Shy designed a group of instruments to evaluate the PC dimensions, the Primary care Assessment Tools (PCAT). The main objective of this thesis is to obtain instruments for the evaluation of the theoretical model of Primary Care (PC) for use in Catalonia, and in the Spanish context in general, and from them to make a first evaluation in Catalonia from the perspective of social inequalities. To this end, two independent processes of adapting the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) questionnaire have been made, one to use in a health survey and the other to obtain measurements of the PC facilities. To a great extent, the methodology has been the same for both, based of the recommendations for transcultural adaptation: translation, retro translation, committee of experts, pretest and measurement of psychometric properties of the obtained questionnaire. For the assessment of PC in Catalonia, the set of items selected in one of the works presented in this doctoral thesis was included in the questionnaire of 2006 - the Catalan Health Survey. It was conducted on a representative sample of the population over 15 years (N=13.292). It has been adjusted with multivariate negative binomial regression models to obtain prevalence ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Two independent instruments have been obtained, in Catalan and Spanish: a) a set of items to be included in the health survey, a brief PCAT of 10 items for adults and b) PCAT- PC team, extended version, which will allow the analysis of all the dimensions of the PC defined by B Starfield (first contact, longitudinality, comprehensiveness, coordination, family centeredness, community orientation and cultural competence). The PCAT-10 included in the Health Survey of Catalonia in 2006 revealed that the evaluation of the AP resulted in a mark of 7 over 10, showing no pattern of inequality, since differences in the scores were not according to social class. In conclusion, there are already available instruments in Catalan and Spanish that extend the frame of evaluation of the PC in the context of the health system in Spain and Catalonia. From the perspective of the population, the abbreviated PCAT-10 has presented good metric properties and provides an index for the evaluation of the PC that will allow monitoring over time and analysis in sub-groups, as well as in the total population. Through the evaluation of directors of PC teams, the complete theoretical model of the AP defined by B Starfield will be able to be evaluated

España en Europa - Europa en España (1986-2006)

Aquesta publicació té per objectiu oferir un balanç dels primers vint anys des de l'adhesió d'Espanya a l'Europa comunitària en termes de «europeïtzació», una formulació que és objecte de creixent atenció per part dels estudiosos del procés d'integració europea. Per això s'analitzen tant la incidència d'Espanya a la Unió Europea com la d'aquesta en el sistema institucional, els processos polítics i les polítiques públiques espanyoles. El resultat reflecteix el grau creixent de simbiosi que, amb alguns matisos, s'ha anat generant entre ambdós nivells al llarg d'aquests anys.La presente publicación tiene por objetivo ofrecer un balance de los primeros veinte años desde la adhesión de España a la Europa comunitaria en términos de «europeización», una formulación que es objeto de creciente atención por parte de los estudiosos del proceso de integración europea. Para ello se analizan tanto la incidencia de España en la Unión Europea como la de ésta en el sistema institucional, los procesos políticos y las políticas públicas españolas. El resultado refleja el grado creciente de simbiosis que, con algunos matices, se ha ido generando entre ambos niveles a lo largo de estos años

Impacto del tabaquismo y del consumo excesivo de alcohol en la mortalidad de la población de la ciudad de Barcelona: 1983-1998 Impact of smoking and alcohol consumption on mortality in the population of Barcelona [Spain]: 1983-1998

Objetivos: Analizar la mortalidad atribuible al tabaquismo y al consumo excesivo de alcohol, así como su evolución, en la ciudad de Barcelona entre 1983 y 1998. Métodos: Se incluyen todas las defunciones de las personas residentes en Barcelona desde 1983 a 1998. Los datos poblacionales se han obtenido de los Padrones de Habitantes. La mortalidad atribuible al tabaquismo y al consumo de alcohol se obtiene calculando las Fracciones Atribuibles Poblacionales a partir de los riesgos relativos de estudios previos en la población de los EE.UU. Resultados: En 1998 se produjeron 2.205 muertes atribuibles al hábito tabáquico, lo que representó el 13,8% de la mortalidad en la población de 35 años o más, y una reducción del 9,6% respecto a 1983. Durante el período 1983-1998 aumentó, en varones y mujeres, la mortalidad por cáncer de pulmón atribuible al tabaquismo (155,84/100.000 y 9,39/100.000 habitantes en 1998, respectivamente) y la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC) (95,82 y 11,29/100.000 habitantes en 1998). La mortalidad por consumo de alcohol en 1998 representó el 4,3% de la mortalidad total, reduciéndose en un 26% desde 1983. La cirrosis hepática siguió siendo la primera causa de muerte atribuible al consumo de alcohol en varones en 1998, aunque su importancia relativa disminuyó (17,1% de la mortalidad atribuible al consumo de alcohol en 1998, 24,3% en 1983). Conclusiones: La mortalidad atribuible al hábito tabáquico y al consumo excesivo de alcohol ha descendido en la ciudad de Barcelona durante el período de estudio. Asimismo, se ha incrementado la importancia relativa de la mortalidad atribuible al tabaquismo para el cáncer de pulmón y la EPOC en ambos sexos, mientras que se ha reducido la proporción de mortalidad atribuible al consumo excesivo de alcohol para las cirrosis hepáticas en el caso de los varones.Objectives: To analyze the mortality attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption in the city of Barcelona from 1983 to 1998. Methods: All deaths among residents of the city of Barcelona from 1983 to 1998 were included. Population data were obtained from the city inhabitants register. The mortality attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption was calculated by population attributable fractions using relative risks from previous studies in the US population. Results: In 1998, 2,205 deaths were attributable to smoking, representing 13.8% of all deaths among the population aged 35 years or older and a decrease of 9.6% compared with deaths in 1983. From 1983 to 1998 there was an increase in smoking-attributable adjusted mortality rates for lung cancer (155.84/100,000 inhabitants in men and 9.39/100,000 in women in 1998) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (95.89/100,000 in men and 11.29/ 100,000 in women in 1998). In 1998, deaths attributed to alcohol consumption accounted for 4.3% of total mortality, representing a reduction of 26% since 1983. Among men, the primary cause of alcohol-attributable mortality was liver cirrhosis (17.1%), although its relative importance decreased (accounting for 17.1% of alcohol-attributable mortality in 1998 compared with 24.3% in 1983). Conclusions: The mortality attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption decreased in the city of Barcelona during the study period. Smoking-attributable mortality from lung cancer and COPD increased in both sexes. Alcohol consumption-attributable mortality from liver cirrhosis decreased in men

Utility of an information system for primary care

Objective: To know the usefulness and applicability of an information system for basic health areas put into operation 16 years ago. Design: Descriptive study of selected indicators registered in 1994 and 2004. Setting: Basic health areas of Barcelona, Spain. Participants: Population living in Barcelona, Spain, during 1994 and 2004. Measurements: The following indicators were described, and standardized taking the Barcelona 2004 population as reference: proportion of foreign population, proportion of unemployment, number of mothers less than 20 years old, AIDS incidence rate, tuberculosis incidence rate, and traffic accident, ischaemic disease, lung cancer (for men), breast cancer (for women), and total mortality rates. Results were presented for one basic health area, its corresponding district, and Barcelona. Moreover, users of the information system were interviewed about their level of knowledge, and the adequacy, usefulness, and limitations of the system. Results: Disaggregated annual information allows comparing indicators between different fields and years. The information system was found useful to users to describe the level of health of the community and to design preventive interventions. Conclusions: Although some of the indicators did not show the desired level of accuracy, the information system for basic health areas showed to be useful to know the level of health of the population assigned to primary healthcare teams

Modified version of the PCAT-A10 tool for the evaluation of primary care

Objetivo: Evaluar las características métricas del índice Primary Care Assessment Tool de 10 ítems, para adultos (PCAT-A10), versión en castellano y catalán, reducida del original Primary Care Assessment Tool-Adult Edition (PCAT-AE), habiendo modificado el ítem de salud mental. Diseño: Estudio observacional transversal. Emplazamiento: Población residente en la ciudad de Barcelona. Participantes: De los 3.496 participantes mayores de 14 años de la muestra aleatoria representativa de la población de Barcelona, de la Encuesta de Salud de Barcelona 2016-17, se seleccionaron los que declararon tener un médico/a de cabecera, que alguna vez en la vida habían realizado una visita a algún especialista y que habían contestado más del 50% de ítems del PCAT-A10 (n = 3.107). Mediciones principales: Descriptiva de los ítems, análisis de consistencia interna y de correlación ítem-total corregida del índice PCAT-A10 modificado y los 10 ítems que lo conforman. Se analizan tres escenarios de tratamiento de las no respuestas: sustitución por 0, por el valor intermedio (2,5) y excluyendo las personas que no contestaron algún ítem. Resultados: El índice PCAT-A10 obtuvo alfa de Cronbach de 0,73, 0,79 y 0,85 en los tres escenarios nombrados, correlaciones ítem-total corregida entre 0,41 y 0,66, y 20,8% de no respuesta al ítem de salud mental. Conclusiones: La nueva versión del PCAT-A10 presenta una alta fiabilidad con una mayor respuesta en el ítem de salud mental respecto a la versión anterior.Objective: To evaluate the measurement characteristics of the Spanish and Catalan versions of the 10-Item Primary Care Assessment Tool for adults (PCAT-A10), shortened from the original Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT), with a new mental health item. Design: Cross-sectional observational study. Location: The city of Barcelona. Participants: Of the 3,496 people over 14 years of age from the representative random sample of the Barcelona population, from the 2016-17 Barcelona Health Survey, those who declared they had a family doctor, and had visited a specialist at some time in their lives, and had answered more than 50% of PCAT-A10 items were selected (n=3,107). Main measurements: Item descriptive analysis, analysis of internal consistency, corrected item - total correlation, of the PCAT-A10 index and the 10 items that make it up. Three scenarios for non-response to treatment were analysed: substitution by 0, by the intermediate value, and excluding people who did not answer any item. Results: The PCAT-A10 index obtained Cronbach alphas of 0.73, 0.79, and 0.85 in the three mentioned scenarios, correlation item total corrected between 0.41 and 0.66, and 20.8% non-responses to the mental health item. Conclusions: The new version of PCAT-A10 has a high reliability with a higher response in the mental health item compared to the previous version

Perceptions and beliefs of public policymakers in a Southern European city

Introduction: Socio-economic inequalities in health are large in urban areas; however, local municipal governments may plan, manage and provide services and policies which can reduce these. The objective of this study was to describe the beliefs and perceptions of public policymakers in a European city, Barcelona. They are the key actors in designing and implementing urban public policies. Methods: A qualitative research study describing policymakers’ beliefs on health inequalities. The study population were twelve policymakers. These were politicians or officers from the city council. Informant profiles were selected using a theoretical sample. Semi-structured individual interviews were performed to collect the data and a thematic content analysis was carried out. Results: Politicians were aware of health inequalities in their city and identified diverse social causes. They viewed reducing inequalities as a priority for the city’s government. Officers were less knowledgeable and described less efforts in addressing health inequalities. It was stated by some that reducing inequalities in non-health sectors helped to reduce health inequalities indirectly and there was some collaboration between two sectors. The most frequent barriers encountered when implementing policies were funding and the cities’ limited authority. Conclusions: Officers and policymakers had different levels of awareness and access to information on health and its socials determinants. Officers referred to specific causes of health inequalities and policies which related to their sectors and politicians were more familiar with upstream determinants and policies. Some participants explained that policies and programmes needed to be evaluated and very little intersectoral action was said to be carried out. More efforts should be made to provide all policymakers with information on the social determinants of health inequalities. Research on health inequalities and policy should engage with policymakers and promote health as a cross cutting issue in the city council in liaison with the third sector.This article has been partially funded by the project INEQ-CITIES, “Socioeconomic inequalities in mortality: evidence and policies of cities of Europe”; project funded by the Executive Agency for Health and Consumers-DG SANCO (Commission of the European Union), project n°2008 12 13 and CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Públic