Healthcare Awareness Research Articles

The separation distress hypothesis of depression – an update and systematic review

ABSTRACT The separation distress hypothesis of depression, formulated in 2009, offered an affective neuroscience perspective on our most common and costly mental health condition, as an alternative to molecular reductionism in psychiatry. Our hypothesis constituted a neurobiological extension of classic work on depression as intrinsically related to attachment and loss, integrating psychological and neurobiological findings from clinical and preclinical models. We posited three ideas: 1) depression is an evolutionarily conserved vulnerability within the social-affective endowment of mammalian brains, involving interactions between separation distress and other conserved CNS systems; 2) this mechanism adaptively shuts down protracted separation distress, potentially lethal to infant mammals, and thus protective in a circumscribed form, explaining its conservation; 3) this process has no single biological ‘lever’ and is instantiated through complex recursion. Like other conserved processes, it overlaps with kindred processes also serving behavioral shutdown, particularly hibernation and sickness behavior. Epicenters for depression include a large array of systems regulating the CNS and its behavioral/affective states: the stress axis, immune systems, monoamine and cholinergic systems, GABA and glutamate systems, and large molecule pro-social neuropeptide systems, all dynamically linked. This review tracks multiple developments in the last 10 years including growing public health and healthcare awareness about the biological and not just psychological impact of our primary relationships, and its corollary, the neurobiologically destructive effects of trauma, abuse, neglect, and social isolation. Secure attachment is both a psychological and biological necessity, and its loss or traumatic disruption may constitute a fertile ground for depression in all its forms.

Factors Affecting Awareness of Pregnancy Screening for Group B Streptococcus Infection Among Women of Reproductive Age in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) infection is one of the leading causes of neonatal sepsis and meningitis. GBS screening and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis can effectively prevent early-onset GBS disease. This study aimed to assess the awareness of the risks of GBS infection and screening in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a survey of 995 women aged 18-45 in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected between January to April 2023 and included information on sociodemographic characteristics, awareness of GBS infection, and perspectives on GBS screening. The response rate was 97.45%, and the mean age of the participants was 31.50 ± 9.80 years. Most were married (60.2%), had a university education (81.11%), and 59% were pregnant or had a pregnancy history. Only 23% had heard of GBS, associated with age, marital status, job, pregnancy status, awareness of GBS risk factors, and pregnancy follow-up (p < 0.05). Women most aware were students (55.9%), married (55.46%), pregnant or had a pregnancy history (51.09%), knew risk factors of GBS (38.86%), and were followed by a specialist (88.14%). Regarding GBS screening preferences, 40% preferred universal screening without consent, 31% with consent, 16% for high-risk pregnancies with consent, and 13% for high-risk pregnancies without consent. The study found low awareness of GBS among women residing in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Factors related to demographic details and obstetric follow-up were associated with better understanding. Most women preferred universal screening for GBS, with or without consent. Effective health education is needed to raise women's awareness of screening benefits and risks. This education can help women make informed decisions and improve prevention and care. Future studies may evaluate healthcare providers' awareness of GBS.

Prevalence of antibodies to Toxocara canis and its associated risk factors in socio-economically deprived nomadic communities of Pakistan.

Toxocariasis is an important zoonotic disease caused by Toxocara (T.) canis with considerably higher prevalence in developing countries. The data on its epidemiology, especially in socioeconomically deprived nomadic communities, are scarce in Pakistan. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the prevalence of anti-T. canis antibodies and its associated risk factors in nomadic communities located in and around Multan, Pakistan. A total of 184 sera samples were collected from nomadic communities by simple random sampling technique. The descriptive epidemiological data of participants were collected on well-designed questionnaires. Prior consent was also obtained from the participants to use the data generated from their samples without showing their identity. All the samples were analysed for the detection of anti-T. canis antibodies using commercially available Enzyme-Linked-Immunosorbent-Assay (ELISA) kits having 91% sensitivity and 96% specificity (Bordier Affinity Products, Switzerland). The overall seroprevalence of toxocariasis among nomadic communities was 27.7% (51/184). Various factors, including age, known disease history, nutritional status, contact with dogs, practice of hand washing after contact with dogs, use of unwashed vegetables, body mass index, and drug abuse, showed significant correlation (p < 0.05) with toxocariasis in nomadic communities. Conversely, other factors, including gender, marital status, educational status, awareness about zoonotic diseases, source of drinking water, occupation, location, hand washing before taking food, exposure to soil, and hygienic eating behaviour, showed non-significant correlation (p > 0.05) with seroprevalence of toxocariasis. Results also showed that >50% of seropositive cases were asymptomatic, whereas cough and abdominal pain were recorded in 19.6% and 11.76% of seropositive cases, respectively. Keeping in view, it is suggested to conduct surveys at mass level to rule out the exact disease status at national level and to include nomadic communities in local, national, and regional disease control programs through provision of better healthcare facilities and awareness about the disease.

Collaboration of the public health service with primary health care at the territorial level

Introduction. Intrasectoral collaboration in public health represents a huge potential for optimizing the three fundamental public health actions: disease prevention, health protection and healthcare awareness. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the engagement of the parties particularly interested in disease prevention and control.&#x0D; Material and methods. A mixed qualitative and quantitative research (in-depth interviews/questionnaire survey) was carried out within this paper.&#x0D; Results. Most of the respondents assessed the intrasectoral cooperation as unsatisfactory and consider that the latest reform of the Public Health Service had a negative impact on it. The pandemic alert caused by the COVID-19 infection served as a catalyst to improve cooperation. The main barriers to collaboration are considered the lack of staff and insufficient communication, various viewpoints and lack of public health knowledge, an overlying complex legal framework and lack of motivation, which often requires central authority involvement. &#x0D; Conclusions. Some barriers to cooperation can be overcome without any systemic changes and centralized involvement, while more easily achievable measures such as joint training are sufficient. Thus, understanding these aspects can greatly improve the interaction between services.

Trends of colorectal cancer and associated factors in the United States: A SEER registry analysis.

e15553 Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common type of cancer diagnosed in the US, accounting for 8% of new cancers diagnosis in 2022. Despite advancements in the screening and diagnostic methods, CRC still contributes significantly to cancer-related healthcare burden ($24.3 billion/year). Several factors including wider demographic reach, socioeconomic equity, age at screening, CRC awareness, and social media platforms have contributed to this changing landscape. We conducted a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) based analysis to determine the trends of CRC diagnosis and potential risk factors. Methods: Individual data was acquired from SEER 9 registry from 1975-2018. R was used for the statistical analyses. Univariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate the relation between year of diagnosis and each variable (year of diagnosis, household income, household location, sex, and race) at the time of diagnosis. Multivariate regression was performed for individuals in all age group and less than 45 years of age. P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: In total 550,221 CRC patients were retrieved. 91.7% (504,709) were ≥50 years and 4.5% (24,674) were &lt; 45. Over the years, there was a notable increase in percentage of patients with age &lt; 45 years amongst all CRC patients (3.3% in 1975-1979 vs. 7.4% in 2015-2018) with females increasing faster than males. A remarkable drop in percentage of CRC case in individuals ≥50 years amongst all gastrointestinal cancers (63.0% in 1975-1979 vs. 44.8% in 2015-2018) with females decreasing faster than males. There were no interactions between the year of diagnosis and above variables. Multivariate logistic regression exhibited lower odds of CRC diagnosis in all non-white races and males, but higher odds in lower household income and non-metropolitan areas (Table 1). Subgroup analysis of age group &lt; 45 years pertained similar odds. Conclusions: The striking drop in number of CRC cases above 50 years of age can be attributed to earlier detection with screening methods, and other socioeconomic factors like healthcare literacy and awareness. Increased representation of younger population over the years reaffirms the recent change in guidelines for screening. Further studies focusing on determining the impact in outcomes of screening methods in younger population and equality of implementation in disadvantaged population are highly warranted. [Table: see text]

Oral Healthcare Practices and Awareness among the Parents of Autism Spectrum Disorder Children: A Multi-Center Study.

This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of the parents of autistic children toward oral health and the practice of oral hygiene habits. A questionnaire was constructed, validated, and distributed to the parents of autistic children at different autistic centers. The questionnaire was divided into three parts: demographic information on the parents of autistic children, the knowledge and attitudes of parents toward oral health, and the practice of oral hygiene habits in the current population. A total of 206 responses were collected. Irrespective of the parents' educational and employment statuses, most second children were diagnosed with autism, and most of the parents have four or more children. In terms of knowledge and attitudes toward oral health, a total of 90.30% of the patients were aware of the oral healthcare of their child, and 55.80% of parents take them to the dentist for checkups. Moreover, the response to the practice of oral hygiene habits from the parents was positive, and most of the parents assist in the oral hygiene practices of their autistic children. This study showed that most of the parents appeared to have satisfactory knowledge about oral health practices for autistic children. However, additional studies should also be conducted.

Evaluation of the impact of guideline communication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services among US healthcare providers: COVID-19 prevention counselling guidance.

To evaluate healthcare provider awareness and uptake of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) billing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention counselling and the delivery of prevention counselling to patients awaiting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test results. Cross sectional survey of US-based healthcare providers in February 2021. Analysis of associations with healthcare provider-reported awareness of CMS prevention counselling guidance and billing with provider type, specialty, and work setting. A total of 1919 healthcare providers responded to the survey. Overall, 38% (726/1919) of providers reported awareness of available CMS reimbursement for COVID-19 patient counselling and 29% (465/1614) of CMS billing-eligible providers reported billing for this counselling. Among physicians, those aware of CMS guidance were significantly more likely to bill (58%) versus those unaware (10%). Among RNSights respondents eligible for CMS billing (n = 114), 31% of those aware of the guidance reported billingas compared to 0% of those not aware.

The collagen market and knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Brazilian consumers regarding collagen ingestion

Collagen is considered a nutraceutical, and its consumption has been expanding due to the increased life expectancy, rising per capita income, and increased consumer awareness of health care. This study aimed to evaluate consumers’ perceptions, knowledge, attitudes, and practices about the consumption of collagen-based products by using an online questionnaire and to correlate them with socio-economic data. A market survey (pharmacy stores and online) was also conducted to evaluate the available products. In total, 275 participants answered the survey, 73.3% from the Southeast region, mostly female (84.0%). Most participants reported three months as the period of collagen intake (31.6%), and the consumption period was associated with the perception of the health benefits (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the participants’ knowledge and perceptions regarding collagen intake are frequently associated with dermatological and orthopedic changes. Collagen-based products supplementation is a growing market with a broad target audience (genders, age groups, and socio-economic levels). The commercial presentation of collagen has been diversified over the years, and powder collagen is the most consumed (52.7%) and cheapest compared with capsules, pills, or gummies. The results of the present study demonstrate that most consumers of this type of supplement associate its benefits with aesthetic care such as skin, hair, and nails, although the scientific literature has shown its effects in treating osteoarticular diseases, for example. Undoubtedly, the correct dose prescription, treatment time, and choice of product presentation must be analyzed carefully, as they significantly impact treatment results.

The Digital Impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month: Retrospective Infodemiology Study

Neurosurgery Awareness Month (August) was initiated by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons with the aim of bringing neurological conditions to the forefront and educating the public about these conditions. Digital media is an important tool for disseminating information and connecting with influencers, general public, and other stakeholders. Hence, it is crucial to understand the impact of awareness campaigns such as Neurosurgery Awareness Month to optimize resource allocation, quantify the efficiency and reach of these initiatives, and identify areas for improvement. The purpose of our study was to examine the digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month globally and identify areas for further improvement. We used 4 social media (Twitter) assessment tools (Sprout Social, SocioViz, Sentiment Viz, and Symplur) and Google Trends to extract data using various search queries. Using regression analysis, trends were studied in the total number of tweets posted in August between 2014 and 2022. Two search queries were used in this analysis: one specifically targeting tweets related to Neurosurgery Awareness Month and the other isolating all neurosurgery-related posts. Total impressions and top influencers for #neurosurgery were calculated using Symplur's machine learning algorithm. To study the context of the tweets, we used SocioViz to isolate the top 100 popular hashtags, keywords, and collaborations between influencers. Network analysis was performed to illustrate the interactions and connections within the digital media environment using ForceAtlas2 model. Sentiment analysis was done to study the underlying emotion of the tweets. Google Trends was used to study the global search interest by studying relative search volume data. A total of 10,007 users were identified as tweeting about neurosurgery during Neurosurgery Awareness Month using the "#neurosurgery" hashtag. These tweets generated over 29.14 million impressions globally. Of the top 10 most influential users, 5 were faculty neurosurgeons at US university hospitals. Other influential users included notable organizations and journals in the field of neurosurgery. The network analysis of the top 100 influencers showed a collaboration rate of 81%. However, only 1.6% of the total neurosurgery tweets were advocating about neurosurgery awareness during Neurosurgery Awareness Month, and only 13 tweets were posted by verified users using the #neurosurgeryawarenessmonth hashtag. The sentiment analysis revealed that the majority of the tweets about Neurosurgery Awareness Month were pleasant with subdued emotion. The global digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month is nascent, and support from other international organizations and neurosurgical influencers is needed to yield a significant digital reach. Increasing collaboration and involvement from underrepresented communities may help to increase the global reach. By better understanding the digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month, future health care awareness campaigns can be optimized to increase global awareness of neurosurgery and the challenges facing the field.

Constraints on medication-based inflammatory bowel disease therapy in Aotearoa New Zealand-why medication adherence is important.

The therapeutic landscape for treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in Aotearoa New Zealand had remained largely unchanged for about a decade; however, just this year, two further biologic medications became available. In an international context, these medications are not exactly new, and several other highly efficacious, modern medications and treatment paradigms are available overseas but not in New Zealand. Medication adherence (MA), alongside factors including (relaxation of) medicines funding criteria, specialist availability, IBD awareness in primary healthcare etc., contributes to good patient care. Hence, we contend that MA remains of particular importance for New Zealand patients with IBD to derive maximum benefits from the limited therapeutic options available. Moreover, increased research and interventions for promoting MA, in IBD especially, are crucial.

Health-Seeking Behavior of Rural Ethnic Women in Bangladesh: A critical analysis through intersectional lens

The paper aims to investigate the health seeking behavior of rural ethnic women in Bangladesh through the lens of intersectionality. The paper sheds light on the healthcare seeking behavior of rural ethnic women by exploring the barriers of their healthcare accessibility, role of community organizations and traditional healers in shaping health seeking behavior, analyzing the impact of education, health literacy and healthcare awareness, and evaluating the role of family and community level power imbalance over the health seeking behavior of rural ethnic women. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The findings of the paper highlight that various social and cultural factors, including gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, intersected to influence health seeking behavior among rural ethnic women in Bangladesh. Access to healthcare was found to be limited due to a lack of resources, transportation, and information. The paper argues that Community organizations and traditional healers played a minimal yet important role in shaping health seeking behavior, while the existing power imbalance in the family and community level has been found to be associated with health seeking behavior. The paper concludes the importance of addressing the multiple and intersecting factors that shape health seeking behavior among rural ethnic women in Bangladesh.

Levels and trends of maternal death in Baoan district, Shenzhen, China, 1999–2022

China had achieved impressive success in improving maternal health, while the progress of reducing maternal mortality ratio (MMR) varied across regions. Some studies had reported maternal mortality from national or provincial perspective, but researches of the MMR on long-term period at the city or county level rare been reported. Shenzhen has experienced significant socioeconomic and health changes, reflecting the typical development of China's coastal city. This study mainly introduced the levels and trends of maternal death in Baoan district, Shenzhen from 1999 to 2022. Maternal mortality data were extracted from registration forms and the Shenzhen Maternal and Child Health Management System. Linear-by-Linear Association tests were used to evaluate the trends of MMR among different groups. The study periods were divided into three stages by 8-year interval and χ2 test or Fisher's test was used to test the difference in maternal deaths of different periods. During 1999-2022, a total of 137 maternal deaths occurred in Baoan, the overall MMR was 15.91 per 100,000 live births, declined by 89.31% with an annualized rate of 9.26%. The MMR declined by 68.15% in migrant population, with an annualized rate of 5.07%, faster than that in permanent population (48.73%, 2.86%). The MMR due to direct and indirect obstetric causes shown a downward trend (P<0.001) and the gap between them narrowed to 14.29% during 2015-2022. The major causes of maternal deaths were obstetric hemorrhage (4.41 per 100,000 live births), amniotic fluid embolism (3.37 per 100,000 live births), medical complications (2.44 per 100,000 live births) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (1.97 per 100,000 live births), the MMR due to the above causes all shown decreasing trends (P < 0.01), pregnancy-induced hypertension became the leading cause of deaths during 2015-2022. The constituent ratio of maternal deaths with advanced age significantly increased by 57.78% in 2015-2022 compared with in 1999-2006. Baoan district had made encouraging progress in improving maternal survival, especially in migrant population. To further reduce the MMR, strengthening professional training to improve the capacity of obstetricians and physicians, increasing the awareness and ability of self-help health care among elderly pregnant women were in urgent need.

Assessment of the Oral Health Care Practices and Basic Knowledge of Dental and Periodontal Diseases Among Dental Undergraduate Students: A Cross Sectional Study

Background: Oral health plays a vital role in overall health and quality of life. Hence, it is professional dutyof undergraduate dental students to possess good knowledge of a pristine oral health,all the pros of maintenance of it, cons pertaining to poor maintenance of it and thus be able to invoke awareness and impact the masses of a developing country like Pakistan, in a positive way. Aim: The aim of the study wasto assess thebehavior, attitude and knowledge of 2ndand 3rd year dental undergraduate students regarding practices and maintenance of good oral health. Methods:A Questionnaire was designed to assess the routine practices of the students, their habits and methods used for maintenance of good oral hygiene along with testing their basic knowledge regarding its influence over the oral and systemic health of the patient. Results: It was noted that the undergraduate students needed improvement in their practices of maintainingoral hygiene. Although in their clinical years, Third Year undergrads showed adequate knowledge but inferior oral hygiene maintenance practices as compared to their Second Year counterparts. Results obtained from the questionnaires distributed among the undergrads showed that 49.5% of 3DS, and 58.5% of 2DS used Modified Bass technique for brushing whereas usage of dental cleaning aids like wooden toothpicks, interdental brushes, dental floss and oral rinses was found to be 15.5%, 14.2%, 42.3% and 50.7% among 3DS whereas 20.5%, 25.4%, 50.8%, and 60.5% in 2 DS respectively. Variations in the basic knowledge of theundergrads regarding causative agents leading to tooth decay, diseases involving the periodontium and other diseases involving various systems of the human body, are shown in Table 3. Conclusion: The cross-sectional study we carried out among our dental students provided us with a new insight into knowledge, practices, condition and maintenance of oral health among dental students, the results of which, may help to reshape dental undergrad education and thus establish a model for dentists to improve oral health care awareness, practices and services. Keywords: Knowledge of good oral hygiene, Oral hygiene maintenance methods, Dental undergrad students, Pakistan.

Hearing Health Awareness and the Need for Educational Outreach Amongst Teachers in Malawi

A Pre-Survey, followed by an educational intervention, and a Post-Survey were completed by teacher participants. A similar World Health Organization-derived survey was also administered to compare to our locally adapted survey. Trends related to efficacy, performance, and survey improvement were evaluated. A total of 387 teachers participated. The average score on the Post-Survey was significantly improved compared to the Pre-Survey (71% to 97% correct responses) with the educational intervention. The only predictive variable related to performance was the location of the school within the capital of Lilongwe compared to rural sites outside of the capital. Our locally adapted survey compared favorably to the WHO survey. The results suggest that there is a statistically significant improvement in the implementation of an educational program to increase the knowledge and awareness of hearing health care among teachers. Some topics were more poorly understood than others, suggesting the need for targeted awareness interventions. Location within the capital city had some effect on performance but a high rate of correct responses was achievable across the participants independent of age, teaching experience, or gender. Our data support the idea that hearing health awareness interventions can be an effective and low-cost option to equip teachers to effectively serve as an advocate for improved identification, early diagnosis and appropriate referral of students with hearing loss.

A Study on Challenges of Data Security and Data Privacy in the Healthcare Sector: SWOT Analysis

Objective: The aim of this research paper is to analyse and provide suggestions to overcome challenges of data security and data privacy in the healthcare sector. The objective is to also conduct a SWOT analysis to understand the current scenario of the healthcare sector. It will provide detail on the concerns of the healthcare sector. Design and Setting: A quantitative data analysis was conducted. The online Google forms were used to gather primary data. Statistical analysis software was used for data analyses like independent sample t-tests and one-way anova. Results: The healthcare sector is concerned about data security and data privacy. The violation of privacy cases in India has increased over several years. The data security and data privacy in healthcare sector are very important. The female respondents felt that it is very important that their consent is taken before their personal information is sold or shared with others plus before tracking their movement on the internet than male respondents. Conclusion: Healthcare and information technology sectors are among the most important sectors in the current online world. The strengths are healthcare awareness and mobile applications while weakness are ineffectively protected systems and infrastructure problems. The opportunities are investments for different facilities in the sector plus increase in research and development. The threats are violation of data privacy, data thefts and cyber-attacks putting a question on data security. Proper effective procedures have to be implemented to improve data security.

Nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment as decision-making tool in kidney failure.

Dialysis might not benefit all older patients with kidney failure, particularly those with multimorbid conditions and frailty. Patients' and healthcare professionals' awareness of the presence of geriatric impairments could improve outcomes by tailoring treatment plans and decisions for individual patients. We aimed to explore the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals on nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment to fuel decision-making for treatment choices in older patients with kidney failure. In an exploratory qualitative study using focus groups, participants discussed perspectives on the use and value of nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment for the decision-making process to start or forego dialysis. Patients (n = 18) with kidney failure, caregivers (n = 4), and professionals (n = 25) were purposively sampled from 10 hospitals. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged that supported or impeded decision-making in kidney failure: (1) patient psycho-social situation; (2) patient-related factors on modality choice; (3) organisation of health care. Patients reported feeling vulnerable due to multiple chronic conditions, old age, experienced losses in life and their willingness to trade longevity for quality of life. Professionals recognised the added value of nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment in three major themes: (i) facilitating continual holistic assessment, (ii) filling the knowledge gap, and (iii) uncovering important patient characteristics. nephrology-tailored geriatric assessment was perceived as a valuable tool to identify geriatric impairments in older patients with kidney failure. Integration of its outcomes can facilitate a more holistic approach to inform choices and decisions about kidney replacement therapy.

A UK-wide survey of healthcare professionals' awareness, knowledge and skills of the impact of food insecurity on eating disorder treatment

ObjectiveFood insecurity (FI) is associated with significant adverse effects on health and well-being and increasingly recognised as a global problem. The current study explored the impact of FI on eating disorder (ED) clinical practice in the UK, aiming to assess healthcare professionals' (HCPs) knowledge, skills and views on the topic of FI in their patients. DesignThis study was an exploratory, mixed-methods, descriptive analysis of online survey data collected from ED HCPs in the UK between September and October 2022. MeasuresA 15-item survey with rating and open-ended questions was circulated to ED professional organisations in the UK. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise quantitative data, including perceived prevalence of FI in ED clinical practice and confidence in knowledge on the topic. Descriptive content analyses provided insight into perspectives on FI screening and aspects to be included in guidance and resources. Results93 ED HCPs completed the survey (40.9 % psychologists). Findings demonstrated healthcare providers' limited knowledge on FI and its relation to EDs, while they increasingly perceive it in their patients, as well as a general lack of available resources on how to address FI in ED treatment. HCPs stressed the need for practical guidance and formal training for dealing with FI in their patients, as well as implementing routine screening. ConclusionThese findings provide both important directions for future research and clinical applications related to screening, assessment, treatment and support of food-insecure patients with EDs.

Abstracts 13th PCNE Working Conference “Pharmacies' new roles in pharmaceutical care: bridging research and practice”

Abstracts 13th PCNE Working Conference “Pharmacies' new roles in pharmaceutical care: bridging research and practice”

Clean Hands, Dirty Truths: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Professionals' Hand Hygiene in Public Hospitals of Lahore Before and During COVID-19

This qualitative research investigates the hand hygiene knowledge and practices of healthcare professionals in public hospitals, as well as how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their knowledge and practices in this area. The study conducted 20 in-depth interviews with medical staff working in public tertiary care facilities in Lahore, Pakistan. The results show that while healthcare workers possess a basic understanding of hand hygiene, they exhibit lower compliance with hand-washing practices, which is attributed to inadequate hand hygiene facilities and a heavy workload. Despite increased funding to hospitals during the pandemic, the findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic increased healthcare practitioners' awareness of hand hygiene and its importance, but it did not lead to a significant improvement in hygiene practices due to increased workload and inadequate facilities.

Willingness to Use and Pay for Digital Health Care Services According to 4 Scenarios: Results from a National Survey

Smartphones and their associated technology have evolved to an extent where these devices can be used to provide digital health interventions. However, few studies have been conducted on the willingness to use (WTU) and willingness to pay (WTP) for digital health interventions. The purpose of this study was to investigate how previous service experience, the content of the services, and individuals' health status affect WTU and WTP. We conducted a nationwide web-based survey in 3 groups: nonusers (n=506), public service users (n=368), and private service users (n=266). Participants read scenarios about an imagined health status (such as having a chronic illness) and the use of digital health intervention models (self-management, expert management, and medical management). They were then asked to respond to questions on WTU and WTP. Public service users had a greater intention to use digital health intervention services than nonusers and private service users: scenario A (health-risk situation and self-management), nonusers=odd ratio [OR] .239 (SE .076; P<.001) and private service users=OR .138 (SE .044; P<.001); scenario B (health-risk situation and expert management), nonusers=OR .175 (SE .040; P<.001) and private service users=OR .219 (SE .053; P<.001); scenario C (chronic disease situation and expert management), nonusers=OR .413 (SE .094; P<.001) and private service users=OR .401 (SE .098; P<.001); and scenario D (chronic disease situation and medical management), nonusers=OR .480 (SE .120; P=.003) and private service users=OR .345 (SE .089; P<.001). In terms of WTP, in scenarios A and B, those who used the public and private services had a higher WTP than those who did not (scenario A: β=-.397, SE .091; P<.001; scenario B: β=-.486, SE .098; P<.001). In scenario C, private service users had greater WTP than public service users (β=.264, SE .114; P=.02), whereas public service users had greater WTP than nonusers (β=-.336, SE .096; P<.001). In scenario D, private service users were more WTP for the service than nonusers (β=-.286, SE .092; P=.002). We confirmed that the WTU and WTP for digital health interventions differed based on individuals' prior experience with health care services, health status, and demographics. Recently, many discussions have been made to expand digital health care beyond the early adapters and fully into people's daily lives. Thus, more understanding of people's awareness and acceptance of digital health care is needed.