Perceptions of Primary Care Providers on Public Health Services in Primary Care in Oman: A Qualitative Study

Background The integration of public health functions in primary care is not well-defined in the literature. This paper examines the perceptions of healthcare workers on public health services in primary care, as well as the challenges and views on strengthening the integration of public health functions in a primary care setting in Oman. Methodology This qualitative study (employing a face-to-face interview) was conducted in a primary healthcare setting in Muscat from January 1, 2022, to May 31, 2022. This study is based on interpretative phenomenological analysis using purposeful sampling. Participants were interviewed to answer the study questions. The targeted participants included directors and other official personnel, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionists, health educators, and lab technicians. Verbal consent was obtained from the participants before the interview, and all responses were anonymously audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results A total of 10 primary care providers were interviewed once for 30 minutes over a two-week period. All participants were females apart from one male participant. The study included three physicians, five nurses, one pharmacist, and one nutritionist. All participants had over 10 years of experience as primary care providers at the time of the interview. The main themes were a lack of awareness of public health services in a primary care setting, challenges to practicing public health in a primary care setting, and recommendations to strengthen the integration of public health services in primary care. In general, there were inconsistent views on public health services in a primary care setting, and the interactions between the functions were not clear. Participants reported an absence of clear guidelines, training, and competencies for public health in a primary care setting. Building public health capacities and reforming the health system were highly recommended to integrate public health into primary health care. Conclusions Understanding how public health and primary care interact is crucial to improve population health. Building competencies and supportive health systems are required for the effective integration of public health in primary care settings.