[Assessment of preventive practices in primary care occurring in hospital]

Preventive measures are available for most of the pathological conditions causing premature mortality in France. Moreover, there is a seven-year discrepancy in life expectancy figures between persons in the least favorable socio-occupational categories and the rest of the general population. The overall target of our study was to analyze preventive practices applied as part of routine primary care in the outpatient clinics of a general medicine hospital in Paris (Hotel-Dieu) where the majority of patients belong to unfavorable social categories.

We collected and analyzed the content of all outpatient visits conducted during a three-week period using a questionnaire designed to gather information about areas of preventive care requiring particular attention.

Analysis of 211 outpatients visits shows that the population concerned was young (44±17-year-old) and that the visits lasted longer than commonly observed (21±8 min). Cancer screening was performed in 25 to 50% of the theoretical targeted population. Addictions were discussed during half of the visits, yet follow-up and advice on how to stop addictive behavior were insufficient. Blood pressure was measured during half of the visits. Vaccinations were checked for 60% of patients and STD status for 30%. Seventy percent of the patients stated they wanted to attend a preventive care consultation; the physician considered this type of consultation would be useful for 30% of patients; the opinions were in disagreement for half of the patients. Lack of time, heavy workload in terms of number of visits, and the current setup of charts prevented updating various precautionary measures, which would have been appropriate for each patient as a function of age, gender, past history and lifestyle.

This inquiry highlights many weaknesses in our preventive practices. Delegating some medical acts, a more adapted medical file and the implementation of dedicated consultations could help improve prevention in this particularly vulnerable population. The key to success of such measures lies in physician and patient awareness.