Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23586694›Full record

ArticleBMC family practice2013

Quality of sickness certification in primary health care: a retrospective database study.

Ylva Skånér, Britt Arrelöv, Lars G Backlund, Magdalena Fresk, Amanda Waleh Aström, Gunnar H Nilsson

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC family practice, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Ylva SkånérDepartment of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Centre for Family Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. ylva.skaner@ki.se
Britt Arrelöv
Lars G Backlund
Magdalena Fresk
Amanda Waleh Aström
Gunnar H Nilsson

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn the period 2004-2009, national and regional initiatives were developed in Sweden to improve the quality of sickness certificates. Parameters for assessing the quality of sickness certificates in primary health care have been proposed. The aim of this study was to measure the quality of sickness certification in primary health care by means of assessing sickness certificates issued between 2004 and 2009 in Stockholm.

methodsThis was a retrospective study using data retrieved from sickness certificates contained in the electronic patient records of 21 primary health care centres in Stockholm County covering six consecutive years. A total number of 236 441 certificates were used in the current study. Seven quality parameters were chosen as outcome measures. Descriptive statistics and regression models with time, sex and age group as explanatory variables were used.

resultsDuring the study period, the quality of the sickness certification practice improved as the number of days on first certification decreased and the proportion of duly completely and acceptable certificates increased. Assessment of need for vocational rehabilitation and giving a prognosis for return to work were not significantly improved during the same period. Time was the most influential variable.

conclusionsThe quality of sickness certification practice improved for most of the parameters, although additional efforts to improve the quality of sickness certificates are needed. Measures, such as reminders, compulsory certificate fields and structured guidance, could be useful tools to achieve this objective.

Indexed as

Quality Indicators, Health CareAdultAgedCertificationElectronic Health RecordsFemaleHealth BehaviorHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeeds AssessmentPractice Patterns, Physicians'Primary Health CareQuality Assurance, Health CareRegression AnalysisRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID23586694
PMCPMC3637144

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.