Conectar
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.
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of anaemia and its association with the academic performance of schoolchildren in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
This was a cross-sectional analytical study.
This was a school-based study conducted among 1866 schoolchildren aged 6–14 years in Kandahar city from September to December 2023. Haemoglobin concentration was measured using a portable HemoCue Hb 301 analyser, while the WHO age-adjusted cut-off for haemoglobin was used to classify anaemia. Data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, the ² test and multivariate logistic regression.
In this study, the mean age of the children was 9.1 years, 61.1% (1138/1866) were boys, 83.6% (1560/1866) had illiterate mothers, and 81.3% (1517/1866) belonged to poor families. Prevalence of anaemia among schoolchildren was 64.1% (1196/1866), while 20.8% (388/1866), 41.7% (778/1866), and 1.6% (30/1866) were suffering from mild, moderate and severe anaemia, respectively. Main associated factors of anaemia were being male (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.4, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.7, p=0.003), unemployed father (AOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.2, p=0.020), poor family (AOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.8 to 2.9, p
Prevalence of anaemia was very high and is a severe public health problem in schoolchildren of Kandahar. Based on the known consequences of anaemia on academic performance, the education and health authorities of Afghanistan should take serious steps to alleviate this problem. Periodic iron supplementation and deworming, as well as daily iron-rich mid-day meal programmes, should be started for both boys and girls in schools.
by Yeahyea Ahmed, Md Abdullah Saeed Khan, Laila Afroz, Mohammad Nurunnabi, Md Golam Abbas
BackgroundStreet adolescents often engage in early sexual activity, have multiple partners, and are at high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation. Despite the significance of this issue, there is a critical gap in understanding the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) needs, practices, and challenges of this marginalized population in Bangladesh, which this study aimed to explore.
MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from August to December 2023, involving 311 street adolescents aged 16–19 years in Sylhet City Corporation, Bangladesh. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic characteristics, pubertal changes, SRH status, and SRH-seeking behaviors.
ResultsOf all participants, 62.8% were males and 37.2% were females, with a mean age of approximately 17.3 years for both sexes. Sexual intercourse was reported by 32.56% of participants, with a significant gender disparity (76.79% females vs. 6.35% males, p Conclusion
Street adolescents in Sylhet City face severe SRH challenges, including high rates of sexual abuse, low contraceptive use, and limited STD knowledge, with significant gender disparities, which should be addressed through appropriate and urgent interventions.
To explore the challenges and opportunities in clinical skills teaching and learning among faculty, final-year medical students and patients at a private medical university in Pakistan, within the context of a low- and middle-income country (LMIC) medical education system.
An exploratory descriptive qualitative design using inductive thematic analysis utilising in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, framed within a metaphorical lens.
A single private-sector tertiary care teaching hospital and affiliated undergraduate medical college in an urban setting in Pakistan.
A total of 48 participants were included in the study: 12 clinical faculty members representing various disciplines and levels of experience, 16 final-year medical students and 10 house officers and 10 patients from adult inpatient wards. Participants were purposively selected to ensure maximum variation in perspectives.
Six key metaphorical themes emerged, each reflecting both the challenges and opportunities within the clinical learning journey: (1) The Safety Harness—simulation as an opportunity for structured, risk-free skill development, yet limited by authenticity; (2) The Underwater Life—the irreplaceable but unpredictable nature of bedside learning in fostering empathy and communication; (3) The Stormy Seas—systemic and cultural barriers such as patient availability, gender constraints and limited faculty resources; (4) The Ship—students navigating self-development amid evolving expectations, digital distractions and shifting motivations; (5) The Engine Room Tools—balancing diverse teaching modalities while seeking optimal time distribution between simulation and bedside learning; and (6) The Guiding Compass—the pivotal role of clinical teachers as mentors and professional exemplars. Triangulated perspectives revealed that while structured simulation and bedside experiences complement one another, significant institutional, ethical and pedagogical challenges persist, many amplified by the realities of resource-limited LMIC settings.
This study underscores the complexities of clinical teaching and learning in an LMIC context, highlighting the need for a balanced, context-sensitive model that integrates simulation with authentic bedside exposure, supported by mentorship and reflective practice. Addressing structural and faculty-related barriers is essential to advancing equitable, patient-centred clinical education in resource-constrained environments.
To investigate whether internal and external violence are associated with turnover intentions among nurses during demanding periods of work.
Workplace violence can negatively impact upon mental and physical health and turnover intentions. Research focusing on how dimensions of workplace violence, internal versus external, influence turnover intentions and the factors that mitigate these effect is lacking.
An online cross-sectional survey of multi-item measures was used to collect data from 462 Iranian nurses. We employed path modelling and analysed the data using SPSS and PROCESS macro. A STROBE checklist was used to report findings.
Both dimensions, internal and external, of violence were positively associated with turnover intentions. Moreover, perceived invulnerability and organisational support moderates this association. When individuals perceived invulnerability and perceived organisational support are high, internal violence is no longer indirectly related to turnover intentions via job satisfaction. In a similar vein, when perceived invulnerability and perceived organisational support are low, external violence is not related to intentions to quit. When perceived invulnerability and perceived organisational support are high, however, external violence is indirectly and negatively related to intentions to quit.
Nurses who regard themselves as invulnerable might be motivated to quit when they experience workplace violence. However, they are motivated to stay on the job when they both perceive themselves as invulnerable and the organisation as supporting.
Organisations should reconsider their policies and approach towards workplace violence especially during periods of intensive work.
To investigate the professional quality of life and caring behaviours among clinical nurses in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined the influence of the nurses’ socio-demographic and professional characteristics on the professional quality of life. Moreover, the study examined the influence of professional quality of life on caring behaviour among the nurses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Caring is the core of the nursing profession and considered the heart of the humanistic clinical nursing practice. However, the work nature of the clinical nurses, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to challenge their professional quality of life and caring behaviours. The factors influencing the professional quality of life and caring behaviours of clinical nurses have not been extensively explored.
Cross-sectional, descriptive study.
A purposive sample of 375 clinical nurses in three academic medical centres in Saudi Arabia were surveyed using the professional quality of life version 5 and the short-form 24-item Caring Behavior Inventory from May–August 2020. A standard multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the predictors of the professional quality of life and caring behaviour. This study adhered to the recommendations of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines.
The majority of the respondents reported average level of compassion satisfaction (57.9%), burnout (54.4%) and secondary traumatic stress (66.9%) in the professional quality of life domains. The result also showed highest degree of caring in terms of ‘assurance of human presence’ while lowest in the ‘knowledge and skills’ in four subscales of caring behaviour. The following variables significantly predicted compassion satisfaction: education, area of assignment and position. Age, education and religion were identified as significant predictors of burnout while religion, nationality and position were significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress. Positive and negative domains of professional quality of life influenced the caring behaviours among clinical nurses.
Based on the results of the study, clinical nurses exhibited moderate level of professional quality of life and correlates to their caring behaviours. Moreover, clinical nurses’ demographic characteristics predicted their professional quality of life and caring behaviours.
The importance of ensuring good professional quality of life and caring behaviour among clinical nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic is underscored. Nursing leaders can utilise this baseline evidence and apply programmes for clinical nurses to tackle professional quality of life issues and enhance caring behaviours.
To assess the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a tailored exercise intervention compared with usual care for people aged 80 years and older with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis (OA) and comorbidities.
Two-arm, parallel-design, multicentre, pragmatic, feasibility RCT.
Four National Health Service outpatient physiotherapy services across England.
Adults aged 80 years and over with clinical hip and/or knee OA and ≥1 comorbidity.
Participants were randomised 1:1 via a central web-based system to be offered: (1) a 12-week tailored exercise programme or (2) usual care. Participants and outcome assessors were not blinded to treatment allocation.
(1) Ability to screen and recruit participants; (2) retention of participants at 14-week follow-up; (3) intervention fidelity (proportion of participants who received ≥4 intervention sessions as per protocol) and (4) participant engagement (assessed by home exercise adherence).
Between 12 May 2022 and 26 January 2023, 133 potential participants were screened, of whom 94 were eligible. The main reasons for ineligibility were symptoms not consistent with hip or knee OA (10/39, 25.6%) or already having had a physiotherapy appointment (8/39, 20.5%). 51 of 94 (54%) eligible participants were recruited. Participants had a mean age of 84 years (SD 3.5), 31 (60.8%) were female and 96.1% reported their ethnicity as White British (n=49/51). 45 of 51 participants (88%) provided outcome data at the 14-week follow-up time point. Four or more intervention sessions were attended by 13/25 (52%) participants. Home exercise log completion declined over time: 6/23 participants (26.1%) returned completed exercise logs for all 12 weeks. The median number of days home exercises were recorded each week was 5 (range 0–7).
This study demonstrated that a definitive trial would be feasible. Before proceeding, modifications to ensure recruitment of a diverse population and intervention fidelity should be addressed.
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