Dataset Information

The development of academic family medicine in central and eastern Europe since 1990.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Since the early 1990s former communist countries have been reforming their health care systems, emphasizing the key role of primary care and recognizing family medicine as a specialty and an academic discipline. This study assesses the level of academic development of the discipline characterised by education and research in central and eastern European (CEE) countries.

Methods

A key informants study, using a questionnaire developed on the basis of a systematic literature review and panel discussions, conducted in 11 central and eastern European countries and Russia.

Results

Family medicine in CEE countries is now formally recognized as a medical specialty and successfully introduced into medical training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Almost all universities have FM/GP departments, but only a few of them are led by general practitioners. The specialist training programmes in all countries except Russia fulfil the recommendations of the European Parliament. Structured support for research in FM/GP is not always available. However specific scientific organisations function in almost all countries except Russia. Scientific conferences are regularly organised in all the countries, but peer-reviewed journals are published in only half of them.

Conclusions

Family medicine has a relatively strong position in medical education in central and eastern Europe, but research in family practice is less developed. Although the position of the discipline at the universities is not very strong, most of the CEE countries can serve as an example of successful academic development for countries southern Europe, where family medicine is still not fully recognised.

SUBMITTER: Krzton-Krolewiecka A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3608318 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The development of academic family medicine in central and eastern Europe since 1990.

Krztoń-Królewiecka Anna A Švab Igor I Oleszczyk Marek M Seifert Bohumil B Smithson W Henry WH Windak Adam A

BMC family practice 20130319

<h4>Background</h4>Since the early 1990s former communist countries have been reforming their health care systems, emphasizing the key role of primary care and recognizing family medicine as a specialty and an academic discipline. This study assesses the level of academic development of the discipline characterised by education and research in central and eastern European (CEE) countries.<h4>Methods</h4>A key informants study, using a questionnaire developed on the basis of a systematic literatu ...[more]

PMID: 23510461

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Project description:Increasing numbers of genetic variants are being recognized among piroplasms, but the precise taxonomical status, the tick vector and the geographical range of several species or genotypes are still unknown. Bovine piroplasmosis was reported to re-emerge in north-east Hungary. Because Theileria-infection was newly diagnosed in one cattle herd in the same region of the country, the aim of this study was to molecularly identify the relevant agent, to find its local vector tick species, and to examine the range of Babesia/Theileria spp. of ruminants in Haemaphysalis sp. ticks collected previously in Hungary.Blood samples were drawn on two occasions from 90 dairy cattle in northern Hungary, and ticks were collected on their pastures. In addition, questing ticks (315 Haemaphysalis inermis, 259?H. concinna and 22?H. punctata), which originated mainly in the same region of the country from 2007, were included in the study. DNA was extracted from these samples, followed by molecular analysis for piroplasms. In the cattle Theileria orientalis was identified, with 100 % sequence homology to isolates from Japan, China, South-Africa and Australia. Based on GenBank data this genotype has not been previously reported in Europe. The prevalence of infection in the herd remained almost constant in the main tick season, suggesting exposure in previous years. Retrospective analysis of ticks revealed the presence of Babesia crassa in H. inermis, for the first time in Europe and in this tick species. On the other hand, H. concinna carried five different piroplasms, including B. motasi that was also newly detected in Central-Eastern Europe and in this tick species; whereas H. punctata harboured Theileria sp. OT3, hitherto known to occur in the Mediterranean region.Results of this study broaden the range of piroplasms that are infective for ruminants in Central-Eastern Europe. Although bovine babesiosis and theileriosis was known to occur in Hungary, molecular evidence is provided here for the first time on the presence of Babesia and/or Theileria spp. of sheep, goats and cervids in Hungary.

Dataset Information

The development of academic family medicine in central and eastern Europe since 1990.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

The development of academic family medicine in central and eastern Europe since 1990.

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