Attitudes Of Health Care Providers Research Articles

System, institutional, and client-level factors associated with formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income under a social protection scheme in Ghana

BackgroundIn sub-Saharan African context, effect of system, institutional and client-level factors on formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income, especially those under a social protection scheme (called Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty [LEAP] programme) is least explored in the literature. However, an adequate understanding of how these factors contribute to formal healthcare utilisation among older adults who are classified as poor (in terms of low income) is important to inform health policy decisions. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the contributions of system, institutional and client-level factors in formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income under the LEAP programme in Ghana.MethodsData associated with this study were obtained from an Ageing, Health, Lifestyle and Health Services survey conducted between 1 and 20 June 2018 (N = 200) in the Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal and Atwima Nwabiagya North District of Ghana. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to determine system, institutional and client-level factors associated with formal healthcare utilisation among older adults with low income under the LEAP programme in Ghana. The significance of the test was set at a probability value of 0.05 or below.ResultsThe study revealed that participants who relied on the LEAP programme and/or health insurance subscription to cater for their healthcare expenses (AOR: 11.934, CI: 1.151-123.777), those whose family/caregivers decided on when and where to use formal healthcare (AOR:12.409; CI: 2.198–70.076) and those who did not encounter communication problem with healthcare providers (AOR: 1.358; CI: 1.074–3.737) were significantly more likely to utilise formal healthcare services compared with their counterparts. The study further found that participants who perceived the attitude of healthcare providers as poor (AOR: 0.889; CI: 0.24–0.931) and those who spent 20–40 minutes at the healthcare facility were significantly less likely to utilise formal healthcare services compared with their counterparts (AOR: 0.070; CI: 0.006–0.195).ConclusionOur findings suggest that reducing waiting time at healthcare facilities, improving social protection and/or health insurance schemes, improving patient-doctor communication and promoting attitudinal change programmes (such as orientations and supportive supervision) for healthcare providers may help to facilitate the use of needed formal healthcare services by older adults with low income in Ghana.

Attitudes of mothers and health care providers towards behavioural interventions promoting breastfeeding uptake: A systematic review of qualitative and mixed-method studies.

Recommendations for exclusive breastfeeding are not often adhered to despite the robust evidence of its benefits. This systematic review aims to collate evidence on the attitudes mothers and health care providers have towards breastfeeding interventions to understand what aspects best contribute to acceptability and feasibility. This review further investigates the value of identifiable behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to uncover which components of an intervention are perceived to be most useful and acceptable. The main biomedical databases were searched, and 17 (n = 17) studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of nine BCTs were identified within the interventions. The thematic analysis produced four main domains: usefulness, accessibility, value and sustainability. Women discussed the importance of the support they received in these interventions and demonstrated a positive view towards three BCTs: 'social support (unspecified)', 'instruction on how to perform behaviour' and 'demonstration of behaviour'. Additionally, women highlighted the benefit of personal, non-clinical and flexible emotional and practical support from peers, lactation consultants and support groups. Health care providers echoed these opinions and specifically highlighted the usefulness of interventions that allowed for continuity of care and more personal breastfeeding support. These findings suggest that ongoing practical as well as emotional support is crucial for standard in-hospital support to succeed at increasing breastfeeding rates. Future research would need to better understand the nuances of the interventions among women and providers to enhance their implementation.

Frequency of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination among female health care providers and reasons for non-immunization at a public sector hospital.

To assess the knowledge and attitude of female healthcare providers about human papilloma virus and its vaccination, to determine the frequency of respondents vaccinated against the virus, and to evaluate the reasons for non-immunisation. The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, from January 7 to February 20, 2022, and comprised female health care providers aged 20-60 years. Data was collected using a self-assessing questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Of the 250 individuals approached, 210(84%) took part in the study. The mean age was 28.9+/-7.99 years. Most of the subjects were house officers, medical officers or senior registrars 138(65.7%), and 126(60%) were unmarried. Overall, 170(81%) respondents knew about human papilloma virus and 174(82.9%) were aware of its link with cervical cancer. Even though 128(61%) respondents knew that the virus can be prevented by vaccine, 14(6.7%) were actually vaccinated. The vaccinated individuals had better knowledge about HPV, its spread, complications, its association with cervical cancer, prevention by vaccination and availability of vaccine compared to the non-vaccinated (p =0.05). The trend of human papilloma virus vaccination among female health professionals was found to be low, and lack of awareness and counselling was the leading cause.

Identifying Healthcare Stereotype Threat in Older Gay Men Living with HIV.

Healthcare stereotype threat (HCST) is defined as "being reduced to group stereotypes within an individual's healthcare encounter," leading to experiences of stigma and discrimination. This current study explores how older gay men living with HIV attribute their healthcare experiences to their social identities. Using HCST as a guiding framework, a content and structural coding analysis was conducted on transcripts from 11 interviews of older gay men living with HIV. The majority of HCST experiences were connected to the social identities of sexual orientation, HIV status, and age. Many of the healthcare experiences that participants discussed were related to interactions with healthcare providers and the attitudes of healthcare providers. This study illustrates how participants attributed social identities to healthcare experiences that showed qualities of HCST. These outcomes highlight how marginalized social identities impacted the lifetime healthcare experiences of this group of older gay men living with HIV.

"Sex Should Not Be Part of the Lives of Persons with Disabilities, but They Are Human Beings Too": Perceptions of Healthcare Providers and Factors Affecting Service Delivery in Ghana.

Persons with disabilities (PwDs) constitute about 16% of the global population and face many challenges in every society, including access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. The attitudes of healthcare providers (HPs) exert a major influence on PwDs accessing sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH). A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of HPs towards PwDs and SRH delivery in Ghana's Ashanti region. Quantitative data analysis indicated that overall, 82% of HPs had received information on disability-related issues and had relatively positive attitude towards PwDs, which varied across sub-scales of the Attitude Towards Disability score and associated with their sociodemographic characteristics. HPs faced several challenges in SRH services delivery to PwDs, which included a lack of funding and training, and inadequate staff. Inductive thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed eight overarching themes. The findings revealed that HPs had prejudice about the mental and sexual health abilities of PwDs. Inadequate skill set, inadequate resources, and limited funding were major challenges identified. Nonetheless, compassion and benevolence towards PwDs, improvision, economic and educational support, awareness creation, and referrals were strategies adopted to overcome these challenges. Mandatory training of HPs is recommended to ensure improved SRH service delivery to PwDs. Future research could explore the perceptions and coping strategies of PwDs.

Abstract P6-08-13: Home-based treatment with subcutaneous (SC) trastuzumab - only a pandemic solution? Real world evidence (RWE) analysis

Abstract Background The pandemic has accelerated the introduction of more flexible and cost-effective treatment forms. The efficacy of trastuzumab in the intravenous (IV) and SC forms is similar both in early and advanced HER2-positive breast cancer (BC) patients. Compared to IV administration, SC enables reduction of treatment costs and time, and saves equipment and human resources. SC formulation is more convenient for both patients and healthcare providers and may be implemented as a home-based therapy. Recently, systemic anticancer treatment (including chemotherapy) has been increasingly performed at home, improving patient comfort and reducing the burden on the healthcare system. Poland has already implemented home-based treatment with some biologic compounds; however, they have not included trastuzumab in BC patients. Objectives This RWE analysis aims to evaluate the organizational and therapeutic procedures related to the home-based treatment with SC trastuzumab and the attitudes of patients and healthcare providers to this approach. Material and methods The study enrolled early HER2(+) BC patients treated with trastuzumab during the COVID-19 pandemic. Monitoring and treatment duration were consistent with SmPC and reimbursement regulations in Poland. The first 3-6 doses of SC trastuzumab (alone or in combination with CHT) were administered at a cancer center in outpatient and inpatient settings. Subsequent doses were administered at home by 3 qualified breast nurses. Post-injection follow-up was used for educational purposes. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. The study was reviewed and approved by the local Bioethics Committee. Results The analysis included 20 patients treated in two comprehensive cancer centers in Poland with a median age of 59 years (range, 36-72 years). Seven patients (35%) were professionally active. The average distance from the place of residence to the cancer center was 24 km (range, 2-65 km). A total of 232 doses were administered (mean 11.6 doses per patient; range 6-14), 133 doses at home and 99 at the cancer center. The overall tolerance of trastuzumab was good and consistent with the known safety profile described in Summary of Product Characteristics. Only 1 patient (5%) discontinued treatment prematurely due to decreased LVEF; another 19 patients completed treatment as planned. For 19 patients (95%), the benefits of SC treatment included time savings, the ability to continue working, and avoiding crowded places and infection risk. 2 patients (10%) considered the nurse’s visit privacy disturbing, while 18 (90%) would recommend home-based drug administration. The average duration of a nurse’s stay at home was 60 minutes (range 30 to 130 minutes). No logistical or technical problems were reported, except for occasional patient lateness. Nurses positively assessed the treatment provided in the nursing office, which was a source of additional knowledge, and experience. The overall impression of home-based therapy was positive for both patients and nurses. The limitation of the study is the declarative nature of the data. Conclusions Home-based treatment with SC trastuzumab should be pursued due to its safety, ease of organization, positive perception by patients and nurses, and reducing healthcare system resources. It can be particularly valuable for disabled patients who have difficulty reaching the hospital and professionally active patients. Specialized, trained nurses can self-sufficiently carry out part of the prolonged trastuzumab treatment, reducing physician involvement. Citation Format: Barbara Radecka, Hudała-Klecha Joanna, Dariusz Sawka, Jolanta Sarga, Bożena Noworolska, Jolanta Sawicka, Elżbieta Duda, Natalia Obruśnik, Patryk Zając. Home-based treatment with subcutaneous (SC) trastuzumab - only a pandemic solution? Real world evidence (RWE) analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-08-13.

Effectiveness of a facilitation programme using a mobile application for initiating advance care planning discussions between patients with advanced cancer and healthcare providers: protocol for a randomised controlled trial (J-SUPPORT 2104)

IntroductionTimely implementation of the discussion process of advance care planning (ACP) is recommended. The communication attitude of healthcare providers is critical in ACP facilitation; thus, improving their communication attitudes may...

A Cross-Sectional Study of Professional Nurses’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Organ Donation in Critical Care Units of Public and Private Hospitals in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Globally, there is an overwhelming increase in the number of patients waiting for donated organs for transplantation, with a gross shortage of available organs. Lack of clear practice guidelines and the knowledge and attitudes of health care providers were hypothesized as possible reasons. We aimed to determine the attitudes, level of knowledge, and practices of professional nurses working in critical care units in public and private hospitals in Eastern Cape Province regarding organ donation. The study used a quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive design to investigate the current knowledge, attitude, and practice of organ donation in critical care among 108 professional nurses working in public and private critical care units in Eastern cape. Data were collected between 26 February 2017 until 27 June 2017 using anonymous, self-administered, pretested questionnaires. The means of knowledge, and practice scores were estimated among participants, and their associated categorical explanatory variables were ascertained. A total of 108 nurses participated in the study. Of these, 94 (87.0%) were female, 78 (72.2%) were black, 104 (96.3%) were Christians, 79 (73.2%) worked in an ICU, 79 (73.2%) had a diploma qualification, and 67 (62.0%) worked in a tertiary hospital. About 67% of the respondents had good knowledge, 53% had a positive attitude, and 50.4% had poor practice readiness toward organ donation. Working in renal units (p < 0.001) and practicing in tertiary hospitals (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a high organ donation knowledge score while being a female nurse (p = 0.036), working in renal units (p < 0.001), and practicing in tertiary hospitals (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a high organ donation practice score. Differences in organ donation knowledge and practices were noted between the different levels of health care services as the tertiary level outperformed the secondary level institutions. Nurses play a major role in critical and end-of-life care and are closer to patients and relatives. Hence, pre- and in-service education and promotional campaigns among nurses at all levels of care would be a strategic step to scale availability of donated organs and would meet the needs of thousands of individuals who need them to survive.

COVID-19 knowledge, attitude, and practice of United Arab Emirates heath providers at the start of the pandemic 2020

BackgroundEarly in 2020, healthcare providers faced the novel virus COVID-19 that had unprecedented risk to them and the community they serve. With COVID-19 high infectivity rate and considerable morbidity and mortality, healthcare providers ' precautionary practices to protect themselves, colleagues, and patients were determinantal to provide safe health services. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of healthcare providers in the United Arab Emirates toward COVID-19 and to examine its determinants.MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted to assess COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) of healthcare providers in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, from April to July 2020, using an online anonymous self-administered questionnaire. A convenient sampling method was used to distribute the online survey link through the organization's email network admin list and smartphone messaging. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multivariant linear regression were used.ResultsA total of 2371 healthcare providers responded to the survey. A total of 1091 worked in inpatient hospitals, 494 in primary health care, and 388 in emergency and ICU care. The overall performance score for all healthcare providers was as follows: 49.1%, poor score; 41.8%, intermediate score; and 9.2%, good score with a mean result of 17.14. Factors leading to better overall performance scores were years of experience, pediatricians’ specialty, and specialist occupation. A total of 55.7% received good direct knowledge from all healthcare providers. In practice, 48% had good practices toward COVID-19. The overall attitude mean was 2.8, with a maximum score of 7, indicating a positive attitude toward COVID-19.ConclusionsAlthough this study describes a dynamic learning status and could reflect the early pandemic situation in Abu Dhabi health care, it does provide a method to assess the precursor of the critical outcome. It is recommended to follow this study with an assessment of the training program targeting all healthcare providers to ensure a better response to emerging infections.

Utilizing a webinar to introduce an evidence-based trauma treatment in Chile: Results from a pilot study investigating clinician attitudes and needs

Objective: Scalable clinician training in evidence-based trauma treatments is important to increase the use and impact of these treatments in different countries. The aim of the current pilot investigation was to understand the attitudes of mental health care providers in Chile toward narrative exposure therapy (NET), an evidence-based treatment (EBT) for traumatic distress. Method: This study used a mixed-methods design and gathered demographic and questionnaire data as well as data from semi-structured qualitative interviews. A total of 31 clinicians completed the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS) following a webinar on NET, and among those participants 10 completed semi-structured interviews. Results: Findings from this study suggest mental healthcare workers reported overall satisfaction from the NET training and knowledge gained from the training. Both qualitative and quantitative findings indicated broadening understanding of trauma treatments as well as additional training and supervision are necessary in the process of learning to implement an EBT such as NET. Conclusions: A web-based training in NET may be a feasible method for introducing a trauma-focused EBT; however, additional training and supervision are necessary in follow-up trainings.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of healthcare providers towards chest physiotherapy for COVID-19 patients at Al Baha, Saudi Arabia

Background: The knowledge, attitude, and practice of health professionals in Covid-19 medical centers are considered as the cornerstone for improvement of Covid-19 patients. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the healthcare professionals in chest physiotherapy for COVID-19 patients. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study; it was conducted among healthcare professionals working at ICUs at King Fahad Hospital and Prince Meshari Hospital, in Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia. A convenient sampling technique was used to collect data using a questionnaire about knowledge attitude and practice toward chest physiotherapy for COVID-19 patients which was adopted from a previously validated questionnaire. A specific coding for knowledge, attitude and practice was used to calculate the overall scores. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Among 34 of healthcare providers working at King Fahad Hospital (44.1%) and Prince Meshari Hospital (55.9%), it was shown that 82.4% of healthcare providers have adequate knowledge, 91.2% have positive attitude and 70.6% have appropriate practice towards COVID-19 physiotherapy in ICUs. A significant relationship was reported between marital status of healthcare providers and adequate knowledge (p=0.39), where singles and divorced participants have 100% adequate knowledge compared to married workers. It was also reported that knowledge significantly enhances levels of attitude and practice of healthcare providers by 0.609 and 0.61 respectively. Furthermore, their attitude affects positively the level of practice by 0.572. Conclusions: This study highlighted that majority of healthcare providers (physiotherapists, nurses or medical) are knowledgeable; they also have positive attitude and appropriate practices about COVID-19 physiotherapy management in ICUs at Al-Baha governmental hospitals. Keywords: knowledge, attitude, practice, healthcare professionals, COVID-19, physiotherapy.

The Intrinsic Problem of Labeling in Healthcare

While everyday prejudice and stereotypes may seem harmless, they can cause problems for interpersonal interactions and have drastic consequences for professional caregivers. American sociologist Goffman (1963) defined "stigma" as an individual being disqualified from complete social acceptance. Stigmatization and social stigma convey long-discounted stereotypes and social discrimination in specific ways, resulting in an individual being psychologically categorized as unwelcome or an outcast and, in turn, notable differences between their virtual and actual social identity. Link and Phelan (2001) defined stigmatization as the simultaneous occurrence of four processes: (1) distinct labeling; (2) stereotyping labels with unwelcome attributes; (3) separating "us" from "them" by framing labeled individuals as different; and (4) discriminating against labeled individuals. Evidently, stigmatization is a complex and multifaceted social process that comprises labeling, stereotyping, separating, depriving (of status), and discriminating through the exercise of power (Link & Phelan, 2001). Stigmatized individuals often perceive themselves as different from and devalued by others (Jacoby et al., 2005). Stigmatizing others may provide individuals with a higher perceived locus of control, stronger self-esteem, and reduced anxiety (Heatherton et al., 2000). Stigmatization significantly impacts the physical and mental health of victims. For example, it can make patients stressed, prolong the length of their hospitalization, and increase their likelihood of receiving a depression diagnosis (Budhwani & De, 2019). The main causes of social stigmatization are ignorance, lack of understanding, misinformation, and misunderstanding (Kok et al., 2018). The research has demonstrated that healthcare professionals may stigmatize and discriminate against the patients for which they are caring, hurting the dignity of their patients (Alenezi, 2022) and leading to a lack of trust in patient-physician relationships, reducing patients' opportunities to receive adequate care (Tyerman et al., 2021), hindering their treatment and recovery, and resulting in lower-quality healthcare and prognoses (Copeland, 2021). Therefore, reducing stigmatization in healthcare institutions is necessary to improve healthcare services and boost trust between patients and healthcare teams. During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline healthcare workers stigmatized and discriminated against many patients during their process of care, harming the mental health of these patients (Tsukuda et al., 2022). These pandemic-era experiences highlight the need for healthcare workers to reflect empathetically on their behavior from various perspectives. Given that empathy and attitude are linked to each other, Economou et al. (2020) argued that anti-stigmatization efforts should prioritize and strengthen healthcare workers' perspective-taking abilities. The nursing-development process should focus on reestablishing behavioral and professional norms to eliminate labeling, instill empathy, emphasize relationships, and develop moral maturity to mitigate stigmatization among patients (Copeland, 2021). The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal, created The Lancet Commission to end stigma and discrimination in mental health with the assistance of over 50 renowned healthcare experts. Strategies for countering stigmatization include the incorporation of relevant training programs and educational interventions aimed at improving how students understand disease and reducing discriminatory behavior against patients. The healthcare sector must focus on the impacts of stigmatization on both healthcare providers' behaviors and treatment quality rather than merely assessing the knowledge and attitudes of healthcare providers (Thornicroft et al., 2022). This approach can help ensure patients receive high-quality healthcare that promotes their recovery, is tailored to their needs, and is free from discrimination and stigmatization.

Nudging Health Care Providers’ Adoption of Clinical Decision Support: Protocol for the User-Centered Development of a Behavioral Economics–Inspired Electronic Health Record Tool

The improvements in care resulting from clinical decision support (CDS) have been significantly limited by consistently low health care provider adoption. Health care provider attitudes toward CDS, specifically psychological and behavioral barriers, are not typically addressed during any stage of CDS development, although they represent an important barrier to adoption. Emerging evidence has shown the surprising power of using insights from the field of behavioral economics to address psychological and behavioral barriers. Nudges are formal applications of behavioral economics, defined as positive reinforcement and indirect suggestions that have a nonforced effect on decision-making. Our goal is to employ a user-centered design process to develop a CDS tool-the pulmonary embolism (PE) risk calculator-for PE risk stratification in the emergency department that incorporates a behavior theory-informed nudge to address identified behavioral barriers to use. All study activities took place at a large academic health system in the New York City metropolitan area. Our study used a user-centered and behavior theory-based approach to achieve the following two aims: (1) use mixed methods to identify health care provider barriers to the use of an active CDS tool for PE risk stratification and (2) develop a new CDS tool-the PE risk calculator-that addresses behavioral barriers to health care providers' adoption of CDS by incorporating nudges into the user interface. These aims were guided by the revised Observational Research Behavioral Information Technology model. A total of 50 clinicians who used the original version of the tool were surveyed with a quantitative instrument that we developed based on a behavior theory framework-the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behavior framework. A semistructured interview guide was developed based on the survey responses. Inductive methods were used to analyze interview session notes and audio recordings from 12 interviews. Revised versions of the tool were developed that incorporated nudges. Functional prototypes were developed by using Axure PRO (Axure Software Solutions) software and usability tested with end users in an iterative agile process (n=10). The tool was redesigned to address 4 identified major barriers to tool use; we included 2 nudges and a default. The 6-month pilot trial for the tool was launched on October 1, 2021. Clinicians highlighted several important psychological and behavioral barriers to CDS use. Addressing these barriers, along with conducting traditional usability testing, facilitated the development of a tool with greater potential to transform clinical care. The tool will be tested in a prospective pilot trial. DERR1-10.2196/42653.

Recognize and Support Caregiving Youth in Your Care.

Recognize and Support Caregiving Youth in Your Care.

Knowledge and Attitude of Healthcare Providers on Managing Pre-Eclampsia and Eclampsia During Antenatal Care in Mwanza Region-Tanzania.

Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia are the second-leading causes of maternal death. Health care providers have a critical role in preventing and managing these conditions. Lack of knowledge among healthcare providers on managing pre-eclampsia and eclampsia has been reported in other parts of Tanzania, but more information is needed in other parts of the country so as to design appropriate targeted interventions. Hence, this study assessed the knowledge and attitude of healthcare providers on the management of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia in the Mwanza region of Tanzania. A facility-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2022 among 157 health care providers in the Mwanza region. A simple random sampling method was used to select districts and dispensaries, while a census method was used to recruit health care providers. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. A descriptive statistics analysis was used to determine the distribution of background information of healthcare providers. Inferential statistics were used to determine the association between variables by using a chi-square test and logistic regression. A statistically significant variable in the final model was declared with a 95% confidence interval and a p-value of 0.05. The study results showed that only 40 (25%) of healthcare providers had adequate knowledge and 56.69% had positive attitude towards the management of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. Knowledge was predicted by having more years of working experience (1-5 years) (AOR: 0.12, 95% CI 0.03-0.53, p-value 0.005) and working in a health center (AOR: 4.58, 95% CI 1.14-18.36, p-value 0.023). For attitude, no variable was significantly associated with it. The study showed that the majority of the participants had inadequate knowledge of the management of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia, despite the positive attitude they possessed. This implies that HCP may be struggling to identify the signs and symptoms of the condition in pregnant women, and this could lead to delays in diagnosis despite believing that it is important to early diagnose the condition. To address this issue, it's crucial to invest in continuing medical education and training programs for healthcare providers to update their knowledge.

Attitudes toward the Amish Held by Nursing and Social Work Students at a Midwestern University

As Amish populations increase and move across North America, the likelihood grows that healthcare professionals will come into contact with them. No studies have been conducted to examine contact frequency with or attitudes of healthcare providers toward the Amish. The aims of this study were to examine attitudes toward the Amish among nursing and social work students attending a Christian liberal arts university in a Midwestern state, and, to determine the relationship between students’ cultural awareness, their knowledge of the Amish, their contact with the Amish, and their attitudes toward the Amish. The participants were anonymously surveyed using the Revised Attitudes toward the Amish questionnaire (RATA), the Multicultural Awareness Survey (MAS), a Brief Knowledge of Amish Culture questionnaire, and a demographics form which included questions about contact frequency. One hundred and forty-four students completed the survey (n = 106 nursing students; n= 40 social work students). Contact frequency was significantly correlated with knowledge of Amish culture (p &lt;.001). Students who were more aware of other cultures had a significantly more tolerant attitude toward the Amish (p &lt;.001). These university students had more tolerant attitudes toward the Amish when they had a higher level of multicultural awareness and more knowledge of the Amish culture itself. Educators may help students become more tolerant toward patients of other cultures by identifying strategies to increase students’ awareness of and knowledge about those other cultures. [Abstract by authors.]

Knowledge, attitude, and practices of healthcare providers about perinatal depression in Himachal Pradesh-A cross-sectional study.

Perinatal depression is defined as depression occurring in a woman during pregnancy or within 12 months of delivery. It has been associated with many poor outcomes, including maternal, child, and family unit challenges. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of obstetricians and primary healthcare professionals so that the knowledge gap could be assessed and they could be educated regarding the screening and treatment/referral of patients with peripartum depression. The study used a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. The data were collected through an online survey among healthcare providers using the Google Forms application. Submission of filled questionnaire implied consent for participation. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the institutional ethics committee. The results were reported as mean and percentages. All data were analysed using Excel software 2019. A total of 53 doctors responded to participate in the study. More than 98% of them were aware of an entity called perinatal depression. Around 89% of the participants do not screen patients for the perinatal period routinely using a screening questionnaire. About 90% of participants agreed with the need for screening for perinatal depression. Less than 50% of participants had heard about the screening questionnaire for the same. Around 89% agreed that all health professionals should have skills in recognising and managing depression. There is a need to educate healthcare workers including obstetricians about screening for perinatal depression, thus improving the quality of life of perinatal women and preventing complications due to untreated depression.

Assessment of the Quality of Obstetric Services From the Perspective of Maternity Patients and Service Providers in a Tertiary Care Obstetric Unit in Lithuania.

Although largely focused on the patient, the provision of healthcare services is a 2-way process and its success hinges on the interactions between patients and physicians. Given the growing role of subjective, patient-dependent assessment of the quality of care received, which is increasingly influenced by the individual aspects of the interaction between patients and care providers, in addition to the explicitly measurable, objective assessment of the quality of care received based on clinical indicators, quality assessment of services should especially consider and explore the attitudes, needs and dynamics of all the parties involved in the healthcare process. This study was designed to assess the attitudes of maternity patients and healthcare providers towards the quality of obstetric care. A quantitative questionnaire survey was conducted in a tertiary level healthcare facility providing obstetric services in Lithuania. Research findings suggested that maternity patients rate both the technical and functional quality of obstetric services higher than the staff providing it. Midwives and obstetricians-gynaecologists view quality assurance as a complex process, rather than focus solely on quantitative indicators. Since midwives were rated slightly higher than physicians in terms of services they provide, it may be appropriate to ensure and encourage a wider use of midwife-only deliveries in low-risk births. A comprehensive assessment of the quality assurance aspects as viewed by the patients and the staff should be included in the regular quality assessments of healthcare facilities as one of the most informative assessment tools on the service quality.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of healthcare providers regarding the Hepatitis B infection and vaccine at Al-Salama Hospital-Ameria, Baghdad City, October-November 2022, cross-sectional study

Background: One of the deadliest forms of viral hepatitis, the hepatitis B virus, poses a severe threat to human health. Because they frequently come into contact with bodily secretions, especially blood, that are contaminated with the virus, health providers are frequently deals with that secretions. Precautions like personal safety measures and vaccinations can be avoided. Objective: To determine the health providers knowledge, attitude, and practice about avoiding hepatitis B infection and getting the immunization against infection in Al- Salama- Amriya hospital, Baghdad. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study including (154) health providers how work in different health institution in Amira Baghdad city included (Al Salama hospital (90 persons), primary care (44 persons) and specialist dental care centers (20 persons), During October and November 2022,. The information was collected by Using a questionnaire, included the information about the knowledge, attitude, and practice of health provider regarding the infection by Hepatitis B, immunization and demographic information. The study data were presented using a descriptive summary created in the excel software's 10 window utilizing frequencies, proportions, and percentages. Each subject gave their verbal consent, and the study kept the individuals' identities anonymous. Results: Our study including (154) health providers are medical staff (59) and (95) paramedical staff, the overall knowledge scoring of them is (68%), overall attitude scoring is (75%), and the overall practice is (58%), among the medical staffs only (15%) had undergone screening for HBV, and (67%) had completed the three doses in other side the paramedical without history of screening for HBV with (37%) had completed the three doses.Conclusion: Over all attitude of health providers is more than the knowledge and practice (75%), (68%) and (58%) respectively with low rate of vaccination specially paramedical staff.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Healthcare Provider’s Regarding Physical Activity during Pregnancy

Objective: To assess knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practices of healthcare providers (HCP) regarding physical activity (PA) during pregnancy. Methodology: A convenient sample of 132 HCP, including General Practitioners, Obstetricians/Gynaecologists and Registered Nurses participated in this cross sectional, descriptive study. Data pertaining to their knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding PA during pregnancy was collected using interviewer-administered 36 item questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and frequency tables were calculated and compared for the responses. Result: Overall 97% of participants believed that PA during pregnancy is beneficial but 58.3% agreed that advising patients regarding PA during pregnancy is not a major component of their antenatal care and 63.5% doesn’t include any individualized recommendation on exercise for pregnant women. Although HCPs beliefs and attitude responses were largely positive regarding exercise in pregnancy however there was misalignment between the published recommendations and clinical practice. Conclusion: HCPs can serve an important role in women's health behaviours through promotion of physical activity adherence during and after pregnancy by providing appropriate advice and counselling regarding PA during pregnancy. The current study found that HCPs lacked adequate knowledge and awareness of the optimal PA during pregnancy and were unable to provide proper counselling for the same despite of majority of them having positive belief and attitude towards PA during pregnancy. In order to effectively promote prenatal PA in clinical or community settings, more research is required to study the PA prescription and counselling practices of HCPs and knowledge of challenges impeding successful delivery of the aforementioned.