Objective To examine the involvement in integrated basic medical care and basic public health services among medical staff in Guangzhou city, Guangdong province and to provide evidences for promoting the integration of medical care and public health in the city.
Methods Using convenience sampling and a self-designed questionnaire, we conducted an online anonymous survey among 7 416 grassroots medical staff in community/town health care institutions and village clinics covered by National Basic Public Health Service Project in 11 districts of Guangzhou city from December 2019 to January 2020.
Results Among the 7 305 participants with valid responses, 1 148 (15.72%) and 2 713 (37.14%) reported being engaged only in basic medical care and only in basic public health service; while, 3 444 (47.15%) reported being engaged in both basic medical care and basic public health service, of which, 541 (15.71%), 1 164 (33.80%), 1 012 (29.38%), and 727 (21.11%) were involved in one, 2 – 4, 5 – 7, and 8 or more integrated items of basic medical care and public health service, respectively. Reported by the participants, the top three integrated service items covered by National Basic Public Health Service Project were health education (reported by 2 522 73.23% of the participants), residents′ health record management (2 428 70.50%), and hypertensives′ management (2 201 63.91%). The reported proportion of being engaged in the integrated service items differed significantly by living residence, gender, occupation, category of medical institution, and whether being general practitioners (all P < 0.001); the participants not living in central urban regions, being male, being clinicians, working in village clinics, and being general practitioners reported a higher proportion compared to those reported by the participants living in central urban regions, being female, being public health doctors, working in community health care centers, and being medical personnel other than general practitioners.
Conclusion In Guangzhou city, the majority of grassroots medical staff were involved in integrated service items of health education, resident health records management, and hypertension patients management covered by National Basic Public Health Service Project. The participation of integrated medical care and public health services should be promoted among grassroots medical staff working in central urban regions, being female, being public health doctors, working in community health care centers, and being medical personnel other than general practitioners.
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