Research Neuroscience

Health Technology Assessment in Primary Care and Mental Health (PRISMA)

Research Program

Neuroscience

Leaders

Where we are

Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu

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We conduct research into the design and evaluation of new technologies and health services, with a special focus on primary and community care and mental health. As a research group, we focus on health economics including exploring preventive strategies and pharmacological/non-pharmacological treatments for mental health disorders and other chronic diseases that are either extremely prevalent or have a major social impact, such as stroke and cardiovascular disease.

We also evaluate the health impact of population interventions, policies or access to resources, and the use of health and social services. The results of these studies can be used in health service planning, economic management and to establish health policies.

We were part of the Cooperative Research Network for Research on Health Outcomes and Health Services (IRYSS, G03/202) between 2003 and 2005, and have been part of the Research in Preventive Activities and Health Promotion network (redIAPP, RD12 / 0005/008) since 2007. Some members of our group joined the Centre for Biomedical Research Network for Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP) (CB16 / 02/00322) in 2017. Our group has been recognised as a consolidated research group by AGAUR (SGR 1515).

Research lines

  1. Research in Primary and Community Care (Principal investigator: Maria Rubio): we carry out and evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of health interventions in primary and community care involving professionals and patients through qualitative and quantitative studies (epidemiological, Real World Data and clinical trials). 
  2. Evaluation of health services (Principal investigator: Antoni Serrano): we explore the availability and efficiency of health services, with special emphasis on the economic assessment of diseases, by carrying out cost/burden of disease studies and interventions, through cost-effectiveness studies based on clinical trials and economic models.

Scientific objectives

  1. To develop and evaluate interventions to improve initiation of pharmacological treatments in primary care.
  2. To study the impact of social events on the behaviour of patients and professionals and their health impact through natural experiments.
  3. To evaluate the efficiency (effectiveness and cost-effectiveness) of preventive and therapeutic interventions in primary care and other settings.
  4. To assess the stigma associated with mental health and the effectiveness of population-based interventions aimed at curbing this.

Area/Field of expertise

The group includes psychiatrists, GPs, pharmacists, psychologists and economists who provide a global perspective on the studies being carried out. We have methodological experts with extensive experience in health economics and quantitative and qualitative research.

Our primary objective is to guide health decision-making by researching the efficiency of health technologies in primary care, with a special focus on health prevention and promotion, mental health therapies and medication adherence. We also seek to detect needs and generate interventions based on expertise taking into account the context in which they are to be implemented. We, therefore, also conduct studies on the prevalence of mental illness, the coordination between different levels of care, the cost and burden of the disease and the classification and mapping of services.

To answer these highly complex questions, we employ mixed research methods and have expertise in qualitative research, clinical trials, Real World Data, cost-effectiveness studies based on clinical trials and mathematical models as well as other methodologies. Finally, the group includes professionals with a strong statistical background who apply cutting-edge statistical techniques to the analysis of our study results.

Group members

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Projects

Project name:
EquityCancer-LA_Improving equity in access to early diagnosis of cancer: implementation research in different healthcare systems of Latin America.
Leader
Maria Rubio Valera
Funding entities:
European Commission
Code
965226
Starting - finishing date:
2021 - 2025
Project name:
IMA-cRCT_Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Initial Medication Adherence intervention: cluster randomized controlled trial and economic model
Leader
Maria Rubio Valera
Funding entities:
European Commission
Code
948973
Starting - finishing date:
2021 - 2025
Project name:
Contratos predoctorales de formación en investigación en salud (PFIS). Beneficiari: Cristina Carbonell
Leader
Maria Rubio Valera
Funding entities:
Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Code
FI20/00007
Starting - finishing date:
2021 - 2024
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Theses

  • Problemas de Adherencia al Inicio de Tratamientos para la Enfermedad Cardiovascular y Diabetes
    Author
    Vilaplana Carnerero, Carles
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    17/09/2020
  • El problema de la no iniciación del tratamiento farmacológico: evaluación con métodos cualitativos
    Author
    Gil Girbau, Maria Montserrat
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    14/01/2020
  • Effectiveness and feasibility of watchful waiting for the management of major depression in primary care
    Author
    Iglesias Gonzalez, Maria
    Institution
    UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
    04/06/2019
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