Background/Objectives: Assessing population healthcare needs is essential for effective primary health care (PHC) planning; however, existing approaches often rely on biomedical or service-centered frameworks (i.e., approaches focusing on utilization patterns, clinical indicators, and provider performance metrics) that may not adequately capture the multidimensional and context-dependent nature of health needs. This study aimed to develop and validate the Primary Care Needs Assessment (PCNA) questionnaire, a participatory, multidimensional, and context-sensitive instrument for assessing perceived unmet healthcare needs and contextual determinants of health in community-based PHC settings. Methods: A sequential mixed-methods design was employed. In the qualitative phase, focus groups with PHC professionals and semi-structured interviews with community members informed item generation. The resulting questionnaire was administered to a sample of 817 participants recruited from community and primary care settings. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on a subsample (n = 520), followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on an independent subsample (n = 297). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Results: EFA identified a 10-factor structure explaining 55.05% of the variance. CFA supported a refined 9-factor model with good fit indices (χ²/df = 1.675, RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.90, SRMR = 0.06). The instrument demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.76). Findings also highlighted unmet needs related to mental health, access to specialized services, and structural barriers (e.g., geographic distance, financial cost, limited service availability, and organizational constraints in accessing care), underscoring the multidimensional nature of health needs. Conclusions: The PCNA is a valid and reliable instrument that captures the complex interplay of individual, social, and contextual factors shaping health needs in PHC. By integrating community perspectives with psychometric validation, it provides a practical tool for supporting evidence-informed planning and more responsive, person-centered PHC systems (i.e., systems that adapt service provision to community-identified priorities and evolving population needs).

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death overall, with 1.5 years life expectancy and minimal therapeutic progress in the last decades. Despite the burden it causes, there is little research on the needs of this specific population. This study aimed to explore healthcare professionals’ views on providing care and patients’ unsatisfied needs. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was carried out at a cancer hospital in Northern Greece. A total of 12 participants (6 physicians and 6 nurses), treating patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy, were recruited through purposive sampling and underwent face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed through the thematic analysis method in NVivo12 software. Results: The analysis highlighted two themes: “needs of patients with pancreatic cancer” consisted of 6 subthemes (“daily activities”, “symptoms management”, “psychological support”, “information needs”, “multidisciplinary care” and “end-of-life care”) and “needs of healthcare professionals” had 3 subthemes (“psychological support”, “education” and “organizational support”). Several symptoms are identified and affect the daily activities of these patients, and psychological support is important for the majority of them, even at the time of diagnosis. The participants express dissatisfaction with the absence of palliative care structures and services and stated that an interdisciplinary approach would improve the quality of care. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals report a wide range of unsatisfied needs of patients with pancreatic cancer, with the majority expressing their concerns about the complete lack of patient support in the last stages of their lives.

Mobile vaccination units administered COVID-19 vaccines to homebound populations in Greece. This study explores the perspectives of public healthcare providers involved in the COVID-19 home vaccination program, aiming to identify challenges and propose improvements in the delivery of healthcare services at home. This study employed a cross-sectional mixed-methods design and was conducted within public Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities. It utilized a questionnaire consisting of both closed- and open-ended questions. The study population included healthcare professionals and administrative staff involved in vaccination units. Data were collected from April to July 2022 and analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. The integration of both data types enhanced the depth and reliability of the findings. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Bioethics Committee of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Twelve hundred participants from 168 facilities across six Health Districts responded. The majority were nurses (34.1%) and general practitioners (24.7%). Participants overwhelmingly praised the concept of home-based care, aligning it with PHC, and expressed readiness for future involvement, despite time constraints. Four main themes emerged from the thematic analysis of 1,072 text responses. Challenges in providing such services included difficulties in balancing home care with existing workload, addressing understaffing, and achieving effective time management to prevent staff burnout and service disruptions. Participants’ experiences in the national COVID-19 home vaccination project highlight their positive attitudes toward home care while also underscoring several potential challenges in organizing similar home-based services.

Background/Objectives: Patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy experience multiple symptoms. Effective identification, assessment, and management of these symptoms improve treatment effectiveness and satisfaction, as well as their quality of life. The present study aimed to record the symptoms of cancer patients and assess their satisfaction with chemotherapy in a Day Care Unit. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 95 cancer patients under chemotherapy. Data were collected using the Greek M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Brief Fatigue Inventory, the Cancer Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using software SPSS 26.0. Results: Participants had a mean age of 63.8 ± 10.2 years, were mainly married (75.8%) and male (50.5%), and had a mean time since diagnosis of 1.9 years. Fatigue was the most common moderate symptom (81.1%, M = 4.26), whereas vomiting (18.9%, M = 1.03) and dyspnea (22.1%, M = 1.03) were infrequent and mild. Fatigue was significantly associated with Satisfaction with Therapy (SWT) and symptom severity. Overall satisfaction was moderate to high, with the Feelings About Side Effects (FSE) subscale scoring lowest (M = 54.0, SD = 24.7); females had lower odds of very high SWT than males (OR = 0.10, p = 0.003). Higher SWT was associated with being married (rho = −0.260, p < 0.05) and having higher education (rho = 0.276, p < 0.05). Higher levels of education were also associated with lower fatigue (rho = −0.233, p < 0.05), while positive FSE and higher Expectations of Therapy were linked to fewer severe symptoms and reduced fatigue, respectively. Conclusions: Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy reported low symptom severity and moderate to high SWT, although fatigue remained the most prominent and impactful symptom. These findings emphasize the importance of systematic symptom monitoring, particularly fatigue management, to enhance patient satisfaction and optimize the overall treatment experience.