Conectar
by Muhammad Syafiq Kunyahamu, Aziah Daud, Ijlal Syamim Mohd Basri, Tengku Alina Tengku Ismail, Mohd Faiz Md Tahir
IntroductionMental health problems among health workers are a growing concern globally, including in Malaysia. Despite the availability of mental health services, some health workers do not seek professional help. This study aims to determine the level of health workers’ intention to seek professional help, examine the barriers they perceive, and identify predictors of mental health help-seeking intention.
MethodsThis cross-sectional study involved 470 health workers in the East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Linear regression analysis was employed to identify the predictors of professional help-seeking intention.
ResultsThe mean score for mental health help-seeking intention was 4.90 (SD = 1.03). Perceived need for help positively predicted help-seeking intention (B = 0.532, p Conclusions
This study highlights the roles of the perceived need for help and perceived stigma barriers in predicting health workers’ help-seeking intentions, offering a basis for targeted interventions and policies to enhance mental health support within Malaysian healthcare settings.
by Riham M. Hamadouk, Esra D. Albashair, Einass M. Alshareif, Ali Awadallah Saeed, Bashir A. Yousef
BackgroundToday, community pharmacists’ responsibilities have expanded beyond the traditional role to include the management of minor ailments. Acute uncomplicated cystitis is one of the most prevalent medical conditions seen in primary healthcare and can be managed by community pharmacists (CPs).
ObjectivesTo evaluate community pharmacists’ history-taking practice when responding to patients with acute uncomplicated cystitis.
MethodsA cross-sectional simulated patient study was conducted from November 2022 to January 2023 in Khartoum locality targeting only pharmacists. Six trained female students played the simulation in which they pretended to have the clinical symptoms of acute uncomplicated cystitis and requested treatment for their condition. The Interactions during the simulation were documented immediately in a data collection form after each visit. Descriptive statistics were used to report the study outcomes.
ResultsA total of 238 community pharmacies were visited. The majority of the pharmacists were female. The mean of the number of questions that were asked by the pharmacists was 1 (SD = 1.6) questions. Among the studied pharmacists, 45.4% asked at least one question during patient assessment. The most asked question was if the patient has a fever, representing 61 (25.6%) CPs, followed by if there is vaginal discharge, representing 38 (16%) CPs. In response to scenario 47 (19.7%) CPs decided to refer the patient to a physician, and 45 (18.9%) of the CPs advised the patient to increase water intake.
ConclusionsThe study has revealed a poor history-taking practice towards acute uncomplicated cystitis during patient assessment. Further studies exploring pharmacists’ involvement in patient assessment are required. Strategies to improve community pharmacists’ practice, like continuing pharmacy education and providing a national guideline regarding patient assessment should be considered seriously.
by Ahmed Usama Fahim, Atika Aboni, Shirajoom Munira, Nishat Tasnim Toosty
IntroductionChild discipline, while intended to instill appropriate behavior, often manifests as violent practices in low- and middle-income countries, including Bangladesh. Maternal exposure to violence, attitude towards intimate partner violence (IPV), and disciplinary beliefs serve as key determinants of physical disciplinary practices. These dynamics illustrate how exposure to violence in adulthood can shape parenting behaviors, highlighting the urgency of addressing cultural attitudes that sustain harsh physical discipline.
Materials and methodsThis study analyzed nationally representative cross-sectional data from the 2019 Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) which included 30044 mother-child (children aged between 2 and 14 years) pairs. Physical disciplinary practice is analyzed as an ordered outcome, considering maternal experience of physical violence as the primary exposure along with their attitudes toward IPV and disciplinary beliefs as mediators. This study used ordinal logistic regression within a structural equation modeling framework and bootstrapping technique to analyze indirect associations, providing robust inference that accounts for sampling variability and accommodates binary mediators.
ResultsMothers exposed to violence had significantly higher odds of physically disciplining their children (odds ratio, OR=1.77 and 95% confidence interval, CI=[1.60, 1.95]). Three mediators significantly increased the odds of adopting harsh physical disciplinary practice by 2% through maternal positive attitudes toward IPV, by 51% through their disciplinary beliefs, and by 6% through their overall life satisfaction. The total association indicated that maternal exposure to violence nearly tripled the odds (OR = 2.89 and 95% CI= [2.52, 3.31]) of physical disciplinary practices.
ConclusionThis study suggested that supportive environment for children can be fostered by reducing violence against women, promoting mothers’ life satisfaction, and reshaping women’s perceptions of spousal abuse and disciplinary beliefs.
India targets to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) in alignment with the global goals. By 2024, 106 out of a total of 345 endemic districts have passed all three serial transmission assessment surveys (TAS) and are under post-mass drug administration (MDA) surveillance for a variable period. However, the current epidemiological situation of LF is not known in these districts. With increased mobility of population from the endemic districts currently under MDA to these post-MDA areas, resurgence of LF in these areas cannot be ruled out. Therefore, a study is planned to understand the current LF status in areas under post-MDA surveillance with the following objectives: (1) To assess the epidemiological situation of LF in terms of human and vector infection prevalence in selected evaluation units (EUs) under different durations of post-MDA phase and (2) to estimate the filarial infection (in terms of filarial antigen and microfilaria) among migrants (from endemic districts) in these EUs.
This cross-sectional study will measure the filarial infection in (1) adult population aged ≥20 years (following the WHO 2025 protocol for monitoring and evaluation of MDA) among general population (n=3150 per EU), (2) migrant population (aged 2 years and above) in the post-MDA area originating from endemic areas (n=1000 per EU) and (3) vectors (n=7500 per EU) using molecular xenomonitoring (MX) to confirm sustenance of transmission interruption or identify any potential risk of resurgence in three EUs under post-MDA phase. In one MDA-naive EU that shares borders with endemic districts, filarial infection status will be assessed in (1) school children aged 9–14 years (as per WHO mini-TAS protocol, n=480), (2) migrants (aged 2 years and above) from endemic areas (n=1000) and (3) vectors (n=7500). EU-wide prevalence of microfilaria, circulating filarial antigen and vector infection rates with 95% CIs will be estimated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis will be carried out to find factors associated with LF positivity. In addition, knowledge, attitude and practice surveys will also be conducted among the adult migrants (n=1000 per EU). Thirty in-depth interviews will be conducted among the migrants, local community and health workers (in each EU) and the results will be suitably analysed and triangulated. The study results will enable the national programme to confirm sustenance of transmission interruption or assist in taking a decision to reinitiate MDA in these areas under post-MDA surveillance. It will also enable devising specific strategies to treat migrants.
This study has been approved by the institutional ethics committee (IHEC 03-0824/N/F). A workshop will be held with all stakeholders to disseminate the study findings.
by Afsana Anwar, Mahmood Parvez, Farhan Azim, Uday Narayan Yadav, Saruna Ghimire, Ateeb Ahmad Parray, Shovon Bhattacharjee, ARM Mehrab Ali, Rashidul Alam Mahumud, Md Irteja Islam, Md Nazmul Huda, Mohammad Enamul Hoque, Probal Kumar Mondal, Abu Ansar Md Rizwan, Suvasish Das Shuvo, Sabuj Kanti Mistry
BackgroundFrailty and disability often emerge with ageing and affect quality of life. Older adults residing in Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh are particularly susceptible to frailty and disability due to adverse physical and social environment along with limited health and social care services available in the camp. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with frailty and disability among Rohingya older adults living in Bangladesh.
MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults aged ≥60 years residing in the Rohingya refugee settlement in Bangladesh. The primary outcomes were frailty and disability, explored using the ‘Frail Non-Disabled (FiND) questionnaire. Data were collected face-to-face during November-December 2021, using a semi-structured questionnaire. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with frailty and disability.
ResultsThe majority of participants (n = 864) were aged 60–69 years (72.34%), male (56.25%), married (79.05%), and without formal education (89.0%). The study revealed a high prevalence of frailty (36.92%) and disability (55.21%) among the participants. The multinomial regression analysis showed that the likelihood of experiencing disability was significantly higher among participants who were aged 70–79 years (RRR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.25, 5.66) and ≥80 years (RRR = 8.06, 95% CI: 1.05, 61.80), were female (RRR = 3.93, 95% CI: 1.88, 8.1.9), had no formal education (RRR = 4.34, 95% CI: 2.19, 8.63), were living in a large family (RRR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.05, 3.18) and were suffering from non-communicable diseases (RRR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.32, 4.22) compared to their respective counterparts. The regression analysis also revealed that frailty was significantly higher among participants who were female (RRR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.34, 5.94), were suffering from non-communicable diseases (RRR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.27, 4.09), and had feeling of loneliness (RRR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.11, 4.22).
ConclusionsThe findings underscore the need for long-term care and health promotion activities to alleviate the burden of frailty and disability among older adults in humanitarian settings. Efforts should particularly target the most vulnerable groups- older individuals (≥80 years), women, those without formal education, those living in large families, and those with non-communicable diseases.
To examine practical, ethical, and organisational implications of the use of a key technology deployed in the care of hospitalised people with dementia—visual identifiers—through a comparative analysis with parallel interventions in other spheres of healthcare and social activity.
Discursive paper.
We contrast visual identification systems used for hospitalised patients with dementia with other, ostensibly similar, systems to understand how they differ in key characteristics: what they disclose, to whom and with what intended consequence.
Certain distinctive features of the ways identifier systems are used to improve dementia care appear particularly consequential for their impact. Given how much is expected of such identifiers, they are likely to fail at least a proportion of patients.
We argue that it is important to critically evaluate the interests served by visual identifiers, identifying the dimensions of quality they can enhance and those that may be negatively impacted.
Visual identifiers for people with dementia can contribute to the ‘taskification’ of nursing care, implying that achieving person-centred care is a matter of following defined protocols rather than an emergent, relational, time-consuming process. Staff may end up prioritising risk avoidance and hospital routines (tasks that are measurable and auditable) rather than embracing the unpredictability of developing relationships with patients.
Visual identifiers are a part of well-established strategies to improve hospital care for those with cognitive impairment. While these identifiers aim to prompt healthcare professionals to deliver individually tailored care, research suggests that they are unable to consistently ensure the desirable quality of care. Understanding influences on how they are deployed can help reshape the expectations placed on such low-tech interventions and inform more reflective use.
Patients and public were not directly involved in the development of this discursive paper.
Prehospital care, though critical to injury survival, is largely unavailable in many low and middle-income countries, including Cameroon. Lay first responder (LFR) programmes train persons with high injury exposure in first-aid and emergency transport, but stakeholder buy-in from trainees and healthcare workers (HCWs) is essential. To design a context-appropriate prehospital care system, we evaluated barriers and facilitators of implementing a driver-based LFR programme in Cameroon.
In April 2023, we performed a mixed-methods evaluation targeting commercial mototaxi drivers and HCW in Limbe, Cameroon. Drivers were recruited for focus groups through union leaders. Trauma HCW at Limbe Regional Hospital completed Likert surveys and a subgroup completed semistructured interviews. Data collection focused on perceptions, barriers and facilitators of LFR programme implementation. Survey data were summarised using median and IQR. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, translated and analysed with open and axial coding using reflexive thematic analysis.
Overall, 92 mototaxi drivers and 34 HCWs participated in the LFR programme assessment. Among the HCW surveyed, 93% felt mototaxi drivers were capable of training as LFR but only 44% felt that drivers would be able to provide care safely. Interviews identified negative HCW perceptions of drivers, including drivers being uneducated and financially motivated, as key barriers, whereas driver exposure to injury was identified as a facilitator to LFR programme implementation. Driver groups demonstrated a positive perception of LFR training but identified unpaid time spent transporting injured persons as a significant barrier. Both groups described a need for hospital involvement in trainings and bidirectional standardised communication with HCW.
In Cameroon, driver-based LFR may facilitate increased prehospital care but further exploration of possible systems of collaboration that promote long-term success of the programme is required. Specifically, sustainable implementation will need to include clear bidirectional communication guidelines and provide driver incentive commensurate to effort.
by Nguyen Hong Tan, Tran Manh Tuan, Pham Minh Chuan, Nguyen Duc Hoang, Le Quang Thanh, Le Hoang Son
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been dramatically applied to healthcare in various tasks to support clinicians in disease diagnosis and prognosis. It has been known that accurate diagnosis must be drawn from multiple evidence, namely clinical records, X-Ray images, IoT data, etc called the multi-modal data. Despite the existence of various approaches for multi-modal medical data fusion, the development of comprehensive systems capable of integrating data from multiple sources and modalities remains a considerable challenge. Besides, many machine learning models face difficulties in representation and computation due to the uncertainty and diversity of medical data. This study proposes a novel multi-modal fuzzy knowledge graph framework, called FKG-MM, which integrates multi-modal medical data from multiple sources, offering enhanced computational performance compared to unimodal data. In addition, the FKG-MM framework is based on the fuzzy knowledge graph model, one of the models that represent and compute effectively with medical data in tabular form. Through some experiment scenarios utilizing the well-known BRSET dataset on multi-modal diabetic retinopathy, it has been experimentally validated that the feature selection method, when combining image features with tabular medical data features, gives the highest reliability results among 5 methods including Feature Selection Method, Tensor Product, Hadamard Product, Filter Selection, and Wrapper Selection. In addition, the experiment also confirms that the accuracy of FKG-MM increases by 12–14% when combining image data with tabular medical data than the related methods diagnosing only on tabular data.
Although some research supports the maintenance of positive outcomes from cardiac rehabilitation Phase II (CR II) up to 12 months, the barriers to maintaining physical activity and risk factor management during CR maintenance (CR III) are well known.
To investigate participants' ability to sustain clinical, quality-of-life (QOL), and behavioral outcomes and share their experiences 6 months after CR II completion.
Longitudinal explanatory sequential pre-CR/post-CR study in a community hospital within a large health system. A convenience sample of 155 participants completed a reassessment of health outcomes. Participants also completed an online survey about barriers and facilitators during and after CR II. Analysis methods included MANOVA and summative content analysis.
The sample was mostly male, white, non-Hispanic, and college educated, with a mean age of 67.9 years. CR II participants sustained most behavioral outcomes, but not all clinical outcomes. Outcomes that improved/maintained were physical activity, tobacco status, diet, and QOL. Outcomes that worsened/returned to pre-CR II were weight, blood pressure, and depression. Participants described their motivation for staying healthy, top concerns, goals, barriers, and strengths/resources. Common responses included exercise, weight, diet, quality of life, family, and friends.
Our findings suggest the need for the implementation of innovative strategies during CR II that may extend past discharge into CR III. These include the introduction of digital technology and eHealth to provide value-added service to patients and a solid foundation for future maintenance and a structured, behavioral weight loss intervention. Establishing these tools, in addition to developing a support system will help patients to initiate maintenance care before program completion.
Healthcare workers (HCWs) report overwhelming demands and experience crisis levels of burnout and unique challenges that further impair their mental health. Promotion of mental health among HCWs using information and communication technology (ICT) has received little empirical research attention and interventions for improving mental health resilience in HCWs are not well established.
Scoping review to map existing evidence and identify gaps for future research regarding the main barriers and facilitators of the acceptance of ICT-based interventions for improving resilience and mental health among HCWs working in all healthcare settings.
This protocol was developed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A comprehensive bibliographic search will be conducted between October 2024 and October 2025 in Pubmed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane Library and CINAHL Ultimate (MedicLatina, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection), with the assistance of a qualified research librarian, to retrieve studies describing data on the main barriers and facilitators to the acceptance of ICT-based interventions for improving resilience and mental health among HCWs working in healthcare settings. There will be no restrictions based on date of publication or language. Inclusion and exclusion criteria will be defined for each element of the PICO(D) framework, and both quantitative and qualitative data will be extracted. Quality will be assessed using the mixed methods assessment tool. Two independent investigators will perform the eligibility assessment and data extraction, and any disagreements will be resolved by a third reviewer. The main results will be narratively synthesised and analysed.
Since secondary data will be analysed, no ethical approval is required. The results will be disseminated through publications subject to peer review.
by Mesay Milkias, Semagn Mekonnen, Hailemariam Getachew, Hailemariam Mulugeta, Siraj Ahmed, Melkamu Kebede, Belete Destaw, Medhanit Melese, Zemedu Aweke
BackgroundPost-operative pain is among the major post-cesarean problems, with an incidence ranging from 25.5% to 80%. Despite its simplicity, the effectiveness of wound infiltration with a mixture of bupivacaine and tramadol is still unknown. Therefore, this study aims to compare the analgesic effectiveness of wound infiltration with bupivacaine versus a combination of bupivacaine and tramadol for postoperative pain management among parturients undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia.
MethodologyA double-blind, parallel, randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 parturients. Parturients were randomized to take either bupivacaine (B = 30) or a combination of bupivacaine and tramadol (BT = 30). The homogeneity of variance was assessed using Levene’s test, and normality was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. A numeric rating scale was used to measure pain severity. The independent t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used, respectively, for parametric and non-parametric data. A generalized estimating equation was used to assess repeated measurements.
ResultIn total, 60 parturients were analyzed with no dropouts. The severity of pain at the 6th hour was six times greater in the B group compared to the BT group (OR = 6.289, CI, 2.097–18.858, P = 0.001). The mean tramadol consumption was lower in the BT group (140.00 ± 48.066 mg) than in the B group (175.00 ± 34.114 mg), with a statistically significant mean difference of 10.761 (95% CI, 13.459 to 56.541), t (58) = 3.252, P = 0.002, (d = 0.839). The mean first analgesia request time was higher in the mixture of the BT group (367.33 ± 50.099 min) than in the B group (216.33 ± 68.744 min), with a statistically significant difference of 15.530 (95% CI, −182.087 to −119.913), t (58) = 5.6553, P = 0.001.
ConclusionWound infiltration with a combination of bupivacaine and tramadol is more effective than bupivacaine alone for postoperative analgesia in pregnant patients who underwent cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. This clinical trial study was registered at the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry with a unique trial registration number of PACTR202310525672884 (13/10/2023).
To evaluate clinical nurses' perceptions and acceptability of procedure videos developed to support them during rare clinical procedures. In addition, a secondary aim was to investigate whether these videos reduce anxiety and enhance clinical reasoning.
A descriptive multi-methods study within a pre-post-implementation evaluation design.
Seven locally developed procedure videos (non-invasive ventilation (n = 2), temporary cardiac pacing (n = 3) and pericardiocentesis (n = 2)) were evaluated using questionnaires before and after a 6-month implementation period at a local health district in Australia. Participants self-rated their clinical reasoning skills in response to video procedures, mapped against the Clinical Reasoning cycle stages. The Spielberger State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) assessed anxiety towards rare procedures. Data from open-ended questions were analysed using inductive content analysis.
A total of 247 participants completed the pre-implementation questionnaire, and 133 completed the post-implementation questionnaire. Before implementation, many reported feeling heightened anxiety when faced with rare or infrequent procedures, reporting levels that exceeded commonly accepted clinical thresholds for concern. Content analysis revealed persistent concerns among participants, including the need for support during new procedures and a fear of making errors. Before implementation, participants reported searching online for videos to support undertaking new procedures. Following implementation, most participants reported that viewing the videos enhanced their learning experience and improved their clinical reasoning. Perceived anxiety towards undertaking rare procedures was not significantly different from post-implementation.
This study highlights the need for timely support during infrequent clinical procedures, as participants reported anxiety about them. It also demonstrates that procedure videos are valued tools for nurses before rare clinical procedures.
Rare procedures are linked to nurse anxiety and mixed emotions, some of which may be eustress. Organisations can enhance clinical resources for nursing staff by providing online videos tailored to local practices and context, which many nurses find helpful for improving clinical reasoning when undertaking rare procedures.
This study highlights the anxiety nurses experience before rare procedures and the significance of incorporating multimedia resources, especially online videos, in nursing professional development for rarely performed procedures. Additionally, it informs employers about nursing staff preferences.
SQUIRE 2.0 reporting was adhered to.
None.
Objetivo. Plantear el proceso de adaptación cultural de la intervención educativa en salud Un EVS utilizando la metodología ADAPT-ITT. Se consideran los determinantes sociales y culturales de la población adulta de la comunidad González Ortega en Mexicali, México para asistir a la población en la reducción de riesgo de Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2). Metodología. Se utiliza el marco ADAPT-ITT que consta de ocho fases divididas en dos etapas. La primera etapa comprende las fases de 1) evaluación, 2) decisión, 3) adaptación, 4) producción, 5) expertos temáticos e 6) integración de fases previas. La segunda etapa comprende la 7) capacitación y 8) ejecución de la intervención. Se plantea el uso de grupos focales y encuestas semiestructuradas con respuestas abiertas y cerradas para el análisis de los aportes de la población participante y expertos involucrados. La evaluación de la aceptabilidad y factibilidad de la intervención educativa se realiza utilizando encuestas adaptadas al contexto. Relevancia. México presenta un incremento en la incidencia y prevalencia de DMT2. Se estima que los casos asciendan un 46% para el 2045 (1). Intervenciones educativas en salud han demostrado que la mejora en la nutrición y actividad física (AF) pueden reducir la incidencia de DMT2 (2). No obstante, la implementación de una intervención puede ser truncada si no existe la aceptación social. Por lo tanto, realizar la adaptación cultural resulta crucial para abordar de manera más precisa los determinantes sociales y culturales de salud y así atender de manera más favorable a una población específica.
ABSTRACT
Objective. Present an approach to perform the cultural adaptation of the educational health intervention “Un EVS” using the ADAPT-ITT methodology. The social and cultural determinants from the adult population in the Gonzalez Ortega community in Mexicali, Mexico, are considered to assist in the risk reduction of DMT2. Methodology. The ADAPT-ITT framework that consists of eight stages is used and divided in two steps. The first step comprises the stages 1) assessment, 2) decision, 3) adaptation, 4) production, 5) subject matter experts, and 6) integration of the previous stages. The second stage covers 7) training and 8) implementation. The use of focus groups and semi-structured surveys with open and closed questions is considered to study the contributions of both experts and participants. Additionally, the feasibility and acceptance of the intervention are evaluated through surveys adapted to the specific context. Relevance. The incidence and prevalence of DMT2 is exacerbated within the Mexican population. It is estimated that DMT2 will grow to 46% by 2045 (1). Educational health interventions that improve nutrition and physical activity within the population have proved to reduce the incidence of DMT2 (2). However, poor social acceptance can prevent its positive impact. Therefore, implementing a cultural adaption is essential to deal with the social and cultural determinants and address more favorably the specific population.
El miedo, la angustia, el dolor y la pena son algunos sentimientos que pueden aparecer cuando se sufre un aborto. Se acrecientan y se suman el estrés, la ansiedad, el pánico, la indefensión y las dudas si los profesionales no empatizan con la situación. La informante de pseudónimo Blanca, nos contará sus vivencias en el hospital y con los profesionales que le atendieron durante el proceso de aborto de su primer embarazo. Un relato biográfico lleno de angustia realizado a través de una entrevista en profundidad, donde la falta total de control se hace la protagonista de la historia y cuyo objetivo es hacer mella en los profesionales sobre el trato que reciben estas mujeres.
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