Challenges in Help-Seeking Behaviors among Rural Older People Mitigated through Family Physician-Driven Outreach: A Systematic Review

Ohta, R (通讯作者),Unnan City Hosp, Community Care, Unnan 6991221, Japan.
2022-12
Help-seeking behaviors (HSBs) refer to approaches taken by individuals towards their health and symptoms, and they are supported by healthcare professionals. Outreach interventions aimed at older people in rural communities can mitigate difficulties in implementing HSBs and help them remain healthy. This systematic review investigated evidence regarding family medicine-involved outreach aimed at HSBs among older individuals in rural areas. We searched three databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science) for international and original interventional articles regarding family physicians involved in outreach to older people in rural or underserved areas between April 2000 and October 2022. The articles were analyzed and summarized based on the setting, country, health issues, and outreach outcomes. Of the 376 studies identified, four were included in this review. Our findings showed that family physician-involved outreach to rural and underserved areas improved health outcomes, including anxiety, subjective physical function, and diabetic care. The challenges of outreach interventions include the duration and continuity of outreach, the active participation of family physicians and patients in the outreach programs, and the focus of outreach participants. Although the number of studies included was small, family physician-involved outreach to rural and underserved areas was shown to improve various health outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
卷号:19|期号:24
收录类别:SCIE
语种
英语
来源机构
Shimane University
被引频次(WOS)
0
被引频次(其他)
0
180天使用计数
1
2013以来使用计数
1
EISSN
1660-4601
出版年
2022-12
DOI
10.3390/ijerph192417004
学科领域
循证公共卫生
关键词
help-seeking rural family medicine physician outreach older people elderly
WOS学科分类
Environmental Sciences Public, Environmental & Occupational Health