Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41733311›Full record

ArticleThe European journal of general practice2026

Primary health care policy advocacy in Europe: A cross-sectional study of family medicine associations.

Raquel Gómez-Bravo, Sara Ares-Blanco, Nick Mamo, Marina Guisado-Clavero, Sandra León-Herrera, Veronika Rasic, Ana Luisa Neves, Andreé Rochfort, Alex Harding, Eva Hummers and 7 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The European journal of general practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

17 authors.

Raquel Gómez-BravoCHNP, Rehaklinik, Luxembourg.ORCID 0000-0002-3786-8626
Sara Ares-BlancoFederica Montseny Health Centre, Gerencia Asistencial Atención Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Madrid, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-4984-8788
Nick MamoDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-9707-1643
Marina Guisado-ClaveroInvestigation Support Multidisciplinary Unit for Primary care and Community North Area of Madrid, Gerencia Asistencial Atención Primaria, Servicio Madrileño de Salud, Madrid, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-8448-2929
Sandra León-HerreraDepartment of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-1200-5904
Veronika RasicHealth Service, Bristol, UK.ORCID 0009-0000-9311-6966
Ana Luisa NevesImperial College London, Faculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-7107-7211
Andreé RochfortResearch Centre, Irish College of General Practitioners, Dublin, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0003-3904-031X
Alex HardingCollege of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter.
Eva HummersDepartment of General Practice and Family Medicine, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2707-6067
Radost AsenovaDepartment Urology and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.ORCID 0000-0003-2158-5792
Ferdinando PetrazzuoliDepartment of Clinical Sciences in Malmö, Centre for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-1058-492X
Aaron PoppletonSchool of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-3435-6721
Jose Miguel Bueno OrtizC.S. Fuente Álamo. Servicio Murciano de Salud. Grupo de Trabajo de Calidad y Seguridad de WONCA World, Fuente Álamo, España.
Shlomo VinkerDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.ORCID 0000-0001-9804-7103
Maria Pilar Astier-PeñaFamily Doctor. Health Centre of Universitas, Zaragoza. Health Service of Aragon. IIS-Aragon. Chair of Patient Safety Working Party of semFYC (Spanish Society for Family and Community Medicine) and Quality and Safety in Family Medicine of WONCA World (Global Family Doctors), Board Member of SECA (Spanish Society for Healthcare Quality), Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3192-7672
Thomas FreseMedizinische Fakultät der Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Halle (Saale), Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPolicy advocacy (PA) in European healthcare has a strong tradition promoting evidence-based policies. Key organisations, including the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the WHO's Evidence-Informed Policy Network, and the OECD play pivotal roles in integrating research into policymaking.

objectivesTo assess the involvement of European Family Medicine (FM) Associations in PA, identify key issues, and explore interactions with governmental and institutional bodies related to Primary Health Care (PHC)-defined as first-contact, continuous, comprehensive, and coordinated care provided by general practitioners/family doctors (GPs), in line with the WHO Alma-Ata and Astana declarations-and perceived challenges in PHC advocacy.

methodsAn exploratory descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among WONCA Europe Member Organisations and GPs involved in PA. Data collected between November 2023 and February 2024. Content analysis was performed to identify themes related to advocacy priorities.

resultsResponses were received from 12 member organisations across 12 countries and 37 participants from 17 countries. Key concerns included workforce shortages, high workloads, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient financial compensation. Public visibility, gender equality, and the integration of FM into university curricula were also highlighted. Eleven respondents reported active engagement with national governments in policy discussions.

conclusionRespondents highlighted the need for a more unified strategy to address common PHC challenges across Europe. WONCA Europe's Working Party on PA supports national efforts through exchange of best practices, research support, and promoting FM at national and European levels. Continued research and advocacy were viewed as essential for sustaining effective and equitable PHC in Europe.

Indexed as

Family PracticeHealth PolicyPrimary Health CareCross-Sectional StudiesEuropeHumansPolicy MakingEuropean healthcare systemsevidence-based policymakingfamily medicinePolicy advocacyprimary health care

Identifiers

PMID41733311
PMCPMC12934329

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.