The Value and Impact of a Health Café Organized by Primary Care Physician, On Visitors, Clinics, and the Community: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Reflecting the rapidly aging society, there has been a worldwide increase in the number of health cafés and dementia cafés which can provide a variety of support to people with illnesses and their families in the community. Nevertheless, health cafés organized by primary care physicians are rarely reported, and the social value of these activities has not yet been fully elucidated. Objectives: This study was aimed to investigate the value and impact that the health café organized by the primary care physician, brings to the visitors, the clinic, and the community. Methods: Conversations between the author (YO), who belongs to a medical clinic that has been operating for many years in Shizuoka City, and visitors of the health café were qualitatively analyzed using Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT), which is a sequential and thematic qualitative analysis technique consisting of 4 steps. Results: Sixteen people participated in the study. The values and impacts of holding a health café were social support, opportunities for cognitive and behavioral changes, complementary functions to outpatient care, advantages for medical care, the creation of encounters with diverse individuals, connections with local community organizations, and motivating visitors to become proactive actors. Conclusion: It was considered valuable for physicians in community-based medical clinics to have opportunities to interact with patients and local residents outside the clinical settings. Because they can potentially enhance their role as primary care physicians in the community. In addition, the impact on the community is that local residents can receive social support, increase community ties, and make people more proactive about their health.