Awareness Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

Implementing palliative and end of life care for people with dementia.

Dementia is characterised by memory loss, behavioural changes and decline of cognitive, social and physical functions and is a life-limiting condition. At the point of diagnosis it is classed as a palliative condition, yet there is limited public and healthcare professional awareness that, once diagnosed, a person will either die of dementia or die with dementia. This article discusses how the recognition and timing of the need for palliative dementia care is pivotal in providing person-centred care. The authors explore factors such as optimal prognostication, advance care planning, staff education and accessing support from palliative and end of life care teams and Admiral Nurses. The authors also use a fictional case study to demonstrate best practice in palliative dementia care.

National survey on Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness and Screening Practices among Healthcare Professionals

ObjectivesCongenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, resulting from maternal-fetal transmission of CMV, poses a substantial risk to maternal and child health. It is the most prevalent congenital viral infection, and the prevention and management of this condition rely heavily on the knowledge and awareness of healthcare professionals. MethodsThis cross-sectional survey was conducted between March 1, 2023, and August 31, 2023, across multiple tertiary centers in various Saudi Arabian cities. It assessed the understanding and awareness of congenital CMV infection among 400 healthcare professionals from diverse specialties. The study utilized a structured questionnaire to evaluate knowledge levels, obtain demographic data, and identify factors influencing awareness. ResultsThe study revealed significant disparities in knowledge levels, with around 84 % of participants categorized as having “low" knowledge. Obstetricians and gynecologists exhibited better knowledge. Factors like specialization, age, and professional experience significantly affected knowledge levels. Additionally, many healthcare professionals perceived a lack of information and awareness regarding CMV among their peers. ConclusionCongenital CMV infection is a major public health concern with potential severe consequences. The study identified knowledge disparities, particularly among non-specialist healthcare practitioners, emphasizing the need for targeted educational programs and focused awareness initiatives. Key factors, such as expertise, age, and experience, underscore the importance of addressing ongoing knowledge gaps, highlighting the need for continuous efforts to mitigate challenges associated with CMV infection.

Correlation Between Diverse Smoking Habits and the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes: A Comparative Analysis.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prevalent metabolic illness that arises as a result of a complex interplay between genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and lifestyle choices. The precise mechanisms elucidating the association between smoking and the onset of DMremain incompletely understood, despite the proposal of several ideas. The objective of this study ‎was to conduct a comparative analysis of blood glucose levels, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, insulin hormone levels, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) ‎levels in diabetic patients who smoked and those who did not. The study included a total of 320 volunteers divided into four groups, with each group consisting of 80 volunteers. The first group served as the control group and consisted of ‎healthy individuals. The remaining three groups consisted of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients, categorized based on their smoking habits. The second ‎group comprised T2DM patients who did not smoke, the third group consisted of T2‎DM patients who smoked cigarettes, and the fourth group included T2DM patients ‎who smoked e-cigarettes.‎At recruitment, data on age, fat %, waist circumference (cm), and body mass index (kg/m2) was collected. Biochemical markers measured were fasting blood glucose (FBG), HbA1c, insulin, and HOMA-IR‎ levels. The findings demonstrated a statistically significant increase (P<0.001) in the levels of each parameter, particularly among patients with T2DM who engaged in e-cigarette smoking, compared to the control group.‎ It was found that engaging in dual smoking, which involves the use of both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, was associated with a higher likelihood of elevated HbA1c levels and other negative health effects. When it comes to the management of diabetic patients, abstaining from smoking and participating in smoking cessation programs, for patients who smoke, should be the essential approaches. It was found that dual smokingled to a higher likelihood of elevated HbA1c levels and this association was most pronounced among male individuals, those who were physically inactive, and thoseclassified as obese. Further studies should be conducted on the detrimental health consequences associated with e-cigarettes, with a particular focus on enhancing the awareness of healthcare professionals and their patients of the potential risks. This is particularly significant due to the prevailing perceptionthat e-cigarettes are inherently "safe".

Radiation information, protection and awareness of healthcare professionals in terms of occupational health and safety: a two–center survey study

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, protection and awareness of radiation among healthcare professionals. A total of 413 healthcare professionals from two major training and research hospitals in Istanbul took part in the study. The sample consisted of 26.6% physicians and 73.4% other healthcare professionals. There was considerable variation in the knowledge of radiation content in imaging techniques, with correct response rates of 89.3% for Computed Tomography, 80.1% for digital x-ray, and 52.8% for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. While 69.5% of respondents provided correct answers to questions regarding radiation protection principles, 64.4% demonstrated a lack of sufficient knowledge in this area. It is noteworthy that 48.4% of respondents incorrectly identified the medical imaging technique to which the public is most exposed. It was concluded that further training on radiation-related issues should be provided at the university level and through in-service training for healthcare professionals.

Perception and awareness of healthcare professionals’ on malnutrition: Results from a national survey

Perception and awareness of healthcare professionals’ on malnutrition: Results from a national survey

Analysis of Adverse Event Notifications Within the Scope of Patient and Employee Safety: An Example of a Public Hospital

This study aimed to analyze the adverse events reported in a public hospital within the scope of patient and employee safety, to develop studies aimed at learning from errors and to increase the awareness of healthcare professionals and to increase the quality of healthcare service provision. The research was designed as a descriptive, cross-sectional, and retrospective quantitative research design. Data were obtained from the Hospital Information Management System and written records with the data collection form created by the researcher. Data were obtained from the adverse events reported between 01.01.2022 and 30.12.2023. According to the findings of the research; A total of 3447 patient safety adverse event reports were made in 2022, and it was determined that 19 of them were falls, 8 were medication safety, 5 were transfusion safety, and 3415 were laboratory safety. A total of 4788 patient safety adverse event reports were made in 2023, and it was determined that 37 of them were falls, 20 were medication safety, 2 were transfusion safety, and 4729 were laboratory safety. In 2022, a total of 111 employee safety undesirable incidents were reported, of which 59 were sharp-edged injuries, 9 were blood and body fluid splashes, and 45 were legal incidents. In 2023, a total of 120 employee safety undesirable incidents were reported, of which 63 were sharp-edged injuries, 6 were blood and body fluid splashes, and 51 were legal incidents. When the 2022-2023 undesirable incident reports are compared, it is seen that the number of reports has increased over the years, which indicates that a reporting culture has been formed in the institution. As a result of the research; It was determined that the most reported undesirable incidents were laboratory safety and sharp-edged injuries.

Driving improvement of diagnosis and awareness of heavy menstrual bleeding in women among physicians.

A number of barriers in care exist for women/girls with bleeding disorders. Little progress has been made to overcome them, particularly regarding levels of awareness of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and women/girls. To evaluate awareness and perception of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and bleeding disorders among HCPs and women/girls. A three-part qualitative study was conducted, including HCPs and women/girls from over seven countries. Part 1 included eleven 60-min interviews with experts discussing HMB diagnostic barriers, which were further assessed in surveys among 6099 women/girls, 353 general practitioners (GPs), and 426 obstetricians and gynaecologists (OB/GYNs) during Part 2. Part 3 included three 1.5-2-h workshops with 20 clinicians and patient representatives covering HMB knowledge, criteria defining HMB and HCP resourcing for diagnosis. Many HCPs do not conduct certain investigations for women/girls presenting with HMB, and 22% of GPs lack confidence in the management of HMB. Only 8% of GPs use screening tools to evaluate menstrual blood loss, and 13% of GPs and 15% of OB/GYNs assess underlying bleeding disorders. Seventy-six percent of menstruating women/girls believed they could recognise HMB symptoms 'well'. However, 23% of these women/girls would not seek medical advice for abnormal/prolonged menstruation disrupting their lives. Disruptions were reported in 34% of women/girls from the general population and 61% of women with at-risk symptoms of HMB. Many women/girls and HCPs have limited awareness of important HMB indicators. There is a need for standardized clinical criteria to promote efficient diagnoses and management.

The Effect of Prolonged Fasting Before Surgery on Pain and Anxiety

PurposeTo investigate the effect of prolonged fasting before surgery on pain and anxiety. DesignThis was a descriptive study. MethodsThis study was conducted in a plastic, reconstructive, and esthetic surgery clinic at a university hospital in Bursa, Turkey. A data collection tool was designed to collect data on the sociodemographic characteristics. The Beck Anxiety Scale was used to assess patients' anxiety in the preoperative period and the Visual Analog Scale was used to measure pain levels in the postoperative period. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences was used for data analysis. FindingsA total of 363 patients took part in the study. A majority (91.2%) of the patients who participated in the study were aware of why they were fasting before surgery, and 41.6% of them had been informed about preoperative fasting by the nurse. In addition, 60.9% of patients had thirst, 17.6% had headache, 40.5% were hungry, 62% had dry mouth, 79.6% were restless, and 83.7% were anxious. Most (82.6%) of the patients who participated in the study had a preoperative fasting period of more than 6 hours, 58.4% had a postoperative fasting period of 5 hours or less, and the mean fasting period was 6.82 ± 1.76. The mean score of the Visual Comparison Scale was 5.09 ± 0.31 and the mean score of the Beck Anxiety Scale was 21.86 ± 0.054, and patients with a fasting period of 6 hours or more experienced more pain and anxiety. ConclusionsThis study shows that patients with longer fasting duration experience more pain and anxiety, and patients with more anxiety experience more pain. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that studies should be done to emphasize the issue and to increase the awareness of health care professionals about pre- and postoperative fasting.

Experiences of antenatal care practices to reduce stillbirth: surveys of women and healthcare professionals pre-post implementation of the Safer Baby Bundle

BackgroundThe Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) aimed to reduce stillbirth rates in Australia through improving pregnancy care across five elements; smoking cessation, fetal growth restriction (FGR), decreased fetal movements (DFM), side sleeping in late pregnancy and decision making around timing of birth. We assessed experiences of women and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with antenatal care practices around the five elements.MethodsA pre-post study design using online surveys was employed to assess change in HCPs awareness, knowledge, and frequency of performing recommended practices (22 in total) and women’s experiences of care received related to reducing their chance of stillbirth. Women who had received antenatal care and HCPs (midwives and doctors) at services participating in the SBB implementation program in two Australian states were invited to participate. Surveys were distributed over January to July 2020 (pre) and August to December 2022 (post). Comparison of pre-post responses was undertaken using Fisher’s exact, Pearson’s chi-squared or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.Results1,225 women (pre-1096/post-129) and 1,415 HCPs (pre-1148/post-267, ≥ 83% midwives) completed the surveys. The frequency of HCPs performing best practice ‘all the time’ significantly improved post-SBB implementation across all elements including providing advice to women on side sleeping (20.4–79.4%, p < 0.001) and benefits of smoking cessation (54.5–74.5%, p < 0.001), provision of DFM brochure (43.2–85.1%, p < 0.001), risk assessments for FGR (59.2–84.1%, p < 0.001) and stillbirth (44.5–73.2%, p < 0.001). Practices around smoking cessation in general showed less improvement e.g. using the ‘Ask, Advise and Help’ brief advice model at each visit (15.6–20.3%, p = 0.088). Post-implementation more women recalled conversations about stillbirth and risk reduction (32.2–50.4%, p < 0.001) and most HCPs reported including these conversations in their routine care (35.1–83.0%, p < 0.001). Most HCPs agreed that the SBB had become part of their routine practice (85.0%).ConclusionsImplementation of the SBB was associated with improvements in practice across all targeted elements of care in stillbirth prevention including conversations with women around stillbirth risk reduction. Further consideration is needed around strategies to increase uptake of practices that were more resistant to change such as smoking cessation support.Trial registrationThe Safer Baby Bundle Study was retrospectively registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry database, ACTRN12619001777189, date assigned 16/12/2019.

Gender Disparities in Adverse Events Resulting From Low-Value Practices in Family Practice in Spain: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate gender-based disparities in preventable adverse events due to low-value practices (LVPs) in primary care. Methods: A retrospective cohort study in Alicante, Spain. Results: A total of 1,516 patient records were examined, finding that older individuals and women experienced more LVP-related events. Female patients faced a higher volume of such events than males with the same health issue. Interaction analysis revealed patients treated by male physicians had more severe events, while those attended by females experienced milder ones. Adverse events were more frequent in LVPs associated with gender-based reasons. Conclusion: These results highlight the need for tailored healthcare professional awareness programs on overuse's impact on safety. Addressing outcome differences between male and female patients should inform awareness campaigns.

Clinical experiences, current approaches, opinions and awareness of healthcare professionals regarding the audio-vestibular consequences of individuals with traumatic brain injury: a cross-sectional online survey study

ObjectiveTo explore the experiences, current approaches, opinions and awareness of healthcare professionals (HCPs) caring for adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) regarding the audio-vestibular consequences.Design/settingCross-sectional online survey study.ParticipantsHCPs with experience...

Skin Tears Preventable With a Gentle Approach: A Case Series.

Skin tears are a major problem for patients and the health care professionals who treat them. Although opinions on their prevalence differ, it is estimated that they are encountered more frequently than pressure sores but are overlooked. Recommendations based on strong evidence were presented for the prevention and treatment of skin tears as classified by the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel. This case series includes the clinical status of 3 patients who developed skin tears while receiving care in the hospital, and the corrective and preventive practices related to skin tears. This article will contribute to raising the awareness of health care professionals in predicting, preventing, evaluating, and treating skin tears.

Evaluation of telemedicine and health tourism awareness of healthcare professionals

Although electronic infrastructures save time and service effort in delivering health services, we need more information about regional service providers' attitudes and deficiencies towards these technologies. Therefore, in our study, we wanted to evaluate the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards the use of electronic infrastructure in health tourism and their awareness of the use of telemedicine in general service delivery. For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 108 healthcare professionals, and the data obtained from the survey was analyzed. According to our results, the preference for post-examination checks and the use of electronic infrastructures in health tourism are affected by gender and education. As healthcare professionals age, their knowledge of telemedicine increases, but their preference for using technology-based infrastructure or technological devices decreases. Our implications include eliminating deficiencies in health policies by effectively matching local needs and global expectations, especially health tourism and electronic health service provision.

6301352 Thromboelastography (TEG) in Major Obstetric Haemorrhage: Assessment of Use during Major Haemorrhage and Healthcare Professional Awareness of TEG

6301352 Thromboelastography (TEG) in Major Obstetric Haemorrhage: Assessment of Use during Major Haemorrhage and Healthcare Professional Awareness of TEG

Gonorrhoea in Poland in 2021.

The incidence of gonorrhoea at the European level increased over 2012-2019, decreased in 2020, and then reached higher values in 2021 than in 2019. Analysis in the descriptive epidemiology scheme of gonorrhoea notification in surveillance in Poland in 2021 (being the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic). Case-base data from surveillance of gonorrhoea were used: confirmed case (meeting laboratory criteria), probable (meeting clinical criteria and contact with confirmed case) and possible (only in Poland - physician diagnosed gonorrhoea, no information available for proper classification). Statistic Poland data was used to calculate the indicators. Data on patients treated in dermatology-venereology clinics between 2019-2021 were taken from the Bulletins of the Ministry of Health. The incidence of gonorrhoea in Poland in 2021 was only a fraction of recorded in the EU/EEA (0.74 vs. 13.7/100000)-similar to the first pandemic year and were about half of those notified in the 2019 (the peak year; 281 vs. 522 cases). There were 15.5 men per one female (incidence: 1.6/100000 men, 0.1/100000 women). Every second case was among aged 25-34 (49.62%), every fourth-aged 35-44 (23.11%). Under 15, no cases were reported. The predominant site was the genitourinary (excluding missing data: 85.3%). The cases with missing information on transmision increased (49.1%; aged 45+: 72.0%, women: 76.5%). Delays in reporting data were identified (greater than in 2019, however, less than in 2020), ~17% cases were from 2019-2020. Dermatology-venerology clinics treated 385 people - less than in 2020, however, more than reported in epidemiological surveillance (vs. 281). The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced on the surveillance system in Poland. There are difficulties in interpreting the epidemiological trend. It is necessary to: 1) intensify systemic solutions in the area of prevention, including sexual partners; 2) raise the awareness of healthcare professionals and sanitary inspection workers on the role of collecting epidemiological information.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Black Box Warnings: Trends and Implications for Drug Safety.

A black box warning, signaling potential life-threatening adverse effects of medications or medical devices, is crucial for public and healthcare professional awareness. Comprehending and adhering to these warnings can prevent serious harm. This review aims to elucidate their significance. Data on drugs with black box warnings were collected from the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) official website using the search term 'Boxed warnings' from January 1, 2015, to January 31, 2024. A MicrosoftExcel spreadsheet (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA) containing black box warnings for this period was downloaded from the FDA's website. Additional parameters, such as drug class and whether the warnings were new or existing, were added to the downloaded spreadsheet. The collected data were organized by year, categorizing new and existing warnings, along with details on the evidence source, system-wise classification, and black box warnings for commonly used drugs, including their clinical significance. Results show that in the past decade, 40% of black box warnings were issued in 2023, followed by 12% in 2022. Most warnings (67%) comprised existing ones with minor revisionswhile 29% were new. Nine existing warnings were removed during the period. Post-marketing studies predominantly provided evidence for these warnings. Neuropsychiatric concerns like addiction potential (31%), suicidal tendency (7%), and hypersensitivity reactions (12%) were the frequently encountered black box warnings. Black box warnings play a crucial role in highlighting the serious adverse effects of medications. Neuropsychiatric warnings have been frequent over the past decade. Awareness of these warnings is essential to prevent adverse effects and enhance patient care, especially concerning drugs like guaifenesin/hydrocodone bitartrate, zolpidem, and montelukast commonly encountered in clinical practice.

Facilitators and barriers of implementing end-of-life care volunteering in a hospital in five European countries: the iLIVE study

BackgroundEnd-of-life (EoL) care volunteers in hospitals are a novel approach to support patients and their close ones. The iLIVE Volunteer Study supported hospital volunteer coordinators from five European countries to design and implement an EoL care volunteer service on general wards in their hospitals. This study aimed to identify and explore barriers and facilitators to the implementation of EoL care volunteer services in the five hospitals.MethodsVolunteer coordinators (VCs) from the Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO), Slovenia (SI), Spain (ES) and United Kingdom (UK) participated in a focus group interview and subsequent in-depth one-to-one interviews. A theory-inspired framework based on the five domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used for data collection and analysis. Results from the focus group were depicted in radar charts per hospital.ResultsBarriers across all hospitals were the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the implementation process, and the lack of recognition of the added value of EoL care volunteers by hospital staff. Site-specific barriers were struggles with promoting the service in a highly structured setting with many stakeholders (NL), negative views among nurses on hospital volunteering (NL, NO), a lack of support from healthcare professionals and the management (SI, ES), and uncertainty about their role in implementation among VCs (ES). Site-specific facilitators were training of volunteers (NO, SI, NL), involving volunteers in promoting the service (NO), and education and awareness for healthcare professionals about the role and boundaries of volunteers (UK).ConclusionEstablishing a comprehensive EoL care volunteer service for patients in non-specialist palliative care wards involves multiple considerations including training, creating awareness and ensuring management support. Implementation requires involvement of stakeholders in a way that enables medical EoL care and volunteering to co-exist. Further research is needed to explore how trust and equal partnerships between volunteers and professional staff can be built and sustained.Trial registrationNCT04678310. Registered 21/12/2020.

Evaluation of functional gastrointestinal disorders in children aged 4-10 years with autism spectrum disorder.

Gastrointestinal system disorders are known to be prevalent among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some ASD-associated comorbidities are abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, gastroesophageal reflux, sleep disturbances, epilepsy, and psychiatric problems. Nonetheless, there is still limited information about the presence of functional GI disorders (FGIDs) among children with ASD, especially in Türkiye. Using the Rome criteria, we aimed to investigate FGIDs in children with ASD. The sample of the study consisted of 68 children aged 4-10 years, diagnosed with ASD according to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and had scores greater than 30 on the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS-2) and an age-sex matched control group (n=78). The Rome III criteria were used to evaluate FGIDs. The frequency of FGIDs in the ASD group was higher (76.5%) compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Compared to the control group, abdominal migraine frequency increased 10 times (p=0.012), functional constipation 7 times (p < 0.001), and fecal incontinence 6 times (p < 0.001) in the ASD group. Stool retention was not present in most children in the ASD group who were found to have fecal incontinence. In this study, the most common FGIDs in the ASD group were abdominal migraine, functional constipation, and non-retentive fecal incontinence. The finding that most children with ASD who had fecal incontinence did not show stool retention implicated social, psychological, and behavioral factors as the causes of incontinence. Raising awareness of healthcare professionals about the frequency of FGIDs in children with ASD will improve many areas in the daily lives of these children.

Study to evaluate awareness about medication errors and impact of an educational intervention among healthcare personnel in a cancer hospital.

Medication errors (MEs) are preventable incidents that can result in harm to patients. Therefore, it is essential for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to be well-informed about MEs. This study aims to assess the awareness levels of HCPs and the impact of educational intervention on their understanding of MEs. Responses to a 17-question structured, self-administered questionnaire assessing the awareness of HCPs regarding fundamental aspects of MEs, ME reporting systems, and their ability to make recommendations for improving the system for handling the MEs were collected both before and after two weeks of educational intervention administration. Of a total of 114 HCPs who initially participated in the study, six dropped following the intervention. The awareness regarding the Class A questionnaire was good in most physicians (60%), nurses (60%), and pharmacists (57%) before the intervention, which improved postintervention, with physicians (80%), nurses (32%), and pharmacists (78%) demonstrating excellent awareness. The awareness level in the Class B questionnaire was also improved to excellent in most physicians (70%), pharmacists (85%), and nurses (85%) following the intervention, while it was excellent only in 50%, 35%, and 1% of physicians, pharmacists, and nurses, respectively, preintervention. In the Class C questionnaire, most physicians (40%) and nurses (60%) had good awareness, while pharmacists (35%) demonstrated excellent awareness preintervention. Postintervention, most physicians (70%), nurses (77%), and pharmacists (64%) exhibited excellent awareness. Most oncology practice HCPs demonstrate a good to average level of awareness regarding MEs. Clinical pharmacists' educational interventions can significantly enhance awareness among HCPs concerning MEs.

Isotretinoin and psychiatric adverse effects: A literature review

This literature review article discusses the use of isotretinoin and examines its association with psychiatric adverse effects, particularly depression and suicidal ideation. The article presents historical and molecular data on isotretinoin and delves into the literature regarding its psychiatric side effects in the treatment of acne vulgaris. It tries to answer in questions about whether the scientific community has overlooked the significance of the underlying disease and explores the awareness of healthcare professionals regarding these potential adverse effects. Additionally, it investigates the likelihood of these effects based on the available literature to date.