Health-related Programs Research Articles

HANDS AND HEALTH AT HOME: THE IMPACT OF INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE-LEARNING ON STUDENTS’ PREHEALTH COMPETENCIES

Abstract There is a critical need for developing the geriatric healthcare workforce, yet pre-health students are rarely given the opportunity to engage with older adults during their coursework. In addition, many health-related professional programs require students to demonstrate proficiency with a number of professional and analytical competencies. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of Hands and Health at Home, an intergenerational hand-training program, as a gerontology-focused educational experience. In this program, upper level and graduate pre-health students were trained to deliver hand-based exercises to homebound older adults twice a week for 8 weeks. Students completed the Geriatric Attitudes Scale (GAS), Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES), and a program evaluation survey. Forty students completed Hands and Hand at Home across three semesters. After the program, scores on the GAS (p< 0.05) and CSES (p< 0.05) significantly improved. Feedback about the program was overwhelmingly positive, where students indicated high satisfaction, said they would recommend the program to a friend, and felt prepared for their home training sessions. When asked to express any skills learned during the program, students often reported communication, teamwork, compassion, confidence, and creativity. The results from Hands and Health at Home demonstrate that this intergenerational service-learning program was a mutually beneficial way to deliver hand training to homebound older adults while also providing valuable hands-on experience for pre-health students. The program also resulted in reductions in ageist attitudes, improved self-efficacy, and the development of several important pre-health competencies, underscoring the need to offer more intergenerational and gerontology-based educational opportunities.

Knowledge, attitude and perception towards Human Papillomavirus and its vaccination: A cross-sectional survey of female university students enrolled in health and non-health related programs

Understanding the human papillomavirus (HPV) and its vaccination is critical due to the global HPV- related disease burden and related costs. This study was based on a cross-sectional design to survey female students enrolled at the Universiti Teknologi MARA Puncak Alam Campus, Selangor, Malaysia. Our study aimed to examine the knowledge, attitude, and perception towards HPV and its vaccine among groups of university students from health and non-health-related programs. Link to validated questionnaires in the form of Google Forms were distributed through course heads. Intentionally, an equal number of sample sizes were obtained from the two groups. Two hundred out of 240 questionnaires targeted were collected (response rate equal 83%). Healthcare providers were the most common source of information. Age, education level, faculty and year of study were significant contributing factors to knowledge. 29% had already completed their immunisation schedule of 3 shots, while 40% had not received the vaccine and had not scheduled an appointment either. A Mann-Whitney test was done on the level of knowledge, which was low and moderate, regarding health issues, mode of transmission, prevention of HPV, vaccine benefits and side effects, which favoured the health-related students (median = 6.50) over the non-health-related students (median = 1.50), (p-value = 0.0001). Significant differences were observed regarding answers on attitudes toward vaccine benefits, perception of vaccination behaviour and external influences. Public health initiatives in developing education policies to equip university students, particularly those in non-health- related programs, with the knowledge, right attitude and perception are imperative to increase their vaccination uptake.

Attitudes toward aging and negative stereotypes about old age in Chilean university students according to previous experiences with older people: An cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Introduction Research in Ibero America on ageism in university students has focused on associating it with sociodemographic variables, with a more dispersed and limited focus on previous experiences with older people. Objective Determine the association between attitudes toward aging and negative stereotypes about old age with previous experiences with older people of university students of various health-related programs. Methods Observational, cross-sectional study. The probabilistic sample consisted of university students enrolled in one of 12 health-related programs at a Chilean university, who answered an online survey that included sociodemographic data, previous experiences with older people (Yes/No), Attitudes toward aging (KAOP) and Negative Stereotypes about old age (CENVE). Results In total, 2,104 students participated. The association between previous experiences (changeable and unchangeable) and total scores demonstrated a positive significant association between 6 questions (having done volunteer work, having completed a course not offered by the university, having dealt with content related to older people in their program curriculum, having interest in knowing older people, or having interest in professionally working with older people, as well as having a religious belief, all of changeable nature) and the KAOP score; furthermore, a negative significant association between two questions (one of them of changeable nature: having interest in knowing older people) and the CENVE score. Conclusions Previous experiences with older people, related to closeness and interest, particularly the latter whose nature is changeable, represent an opportunity to conduct interventions during the university.

Factors Affecting the Subjective Health Status of Middle-Aged Retirees in Korea

Background: Countries that are becoming aging societies are struggling to establish financial support policies due to their increasing numbers of retired people. In particular, the increase in middle-aged retirees has been reported as unusual and influenced by various factors. This study aimed to identify the subjective health conditions of middle-aged retirees and explore the factors that help provide basic data for developing health-related programs for them. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 7,893 people who participated in the 6th Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging in 2016. Among them, the data of 315 participants were analyzed. A theoretical framework guided the use of multiple regression analysis to examine the factors related to the subjective health status of middle-aged retirees. Results: The significant factors influencing the subjective health status were socioeconomic status (middle/high: β=.14, P=.005), number of chronic diseases (β=-.11, P=.035; above 2: β=-.38, P<.001), depression (β = -.17, P<.001), and retirement satisfaction (β=.32, P<.001). Conclusion: This study can help policymakers create effective retirement programs for middle-aged individuals and re-socialize them by enhancing physical and psychological support.

Under-5 Malaria and Fever Morbidities as Correlates of Anaemia in Niger: A Heteroscedasticity-Consistent Ordered Probit Approach.

Background: The relationship between malaria/other febrile infections and anaemia among under-5 children is a subject of significant policy relevance among African health policy makers. The international significance of addressing anaemia is prominently underscored in the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). This paper therefore analysed the effect of malaria/other febrile infections and other maternal and child's demographic variables on the prevalence of anaemia in Niger. Methods: We utilized the under-5 children's module of the Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) for 2021, which was collected from women of reproductive age (15-49) in selected households. The data were analysed with heteroscedasticity-consistent ordered probit regression model. Results: The results showed that 73.73% of the children was anaemic, while malaria and other febrile infections were present in 14.00% and 33.87%, respectively. Anaemia was highest in the Tillaberi and Dosso regions, where 84.12% and 79.12% of the children were anaemic. The ordered probit regression revealed that anaemia was promoted by malaria, other febrile infections, being a male child, second of multiple birth, and birth order, while wealth index, age, urban residence, and access to newspaper and television reduced it. Conclusions: Anaemia remains a major public health problem among under-5 children in Niger. A comprehensive healthcare intervention to address the problem should consider regional, sectoral, and gender differences in the incidences, with drastic efforts towards prevention of malaria and other fever-inducing illnesses. In addition, interventions to promote households' economic status, reduce maternal fertility, and facilitate preventive practices through nutrition enhancement and health-related media programs hold some promise.

Improving medical certification of cause of death in Assiut University Children Hospital: an intervention study

IntroductionDeath certification is a health indicator and a public health surveillance tool. High-quality death certificate ensures reliability of mortality statistics used to direct the arranging of health-related programs and leading assessments of research and proper healthcare outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) puts Egypt in the group of ‘low quality’ death registration data. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of composite training and audit intervention on accurate completion of death notification forms (DNFs) in Assiut University Children Hospital (AUCH) that has an average monthly mortality of 120 children’s deaths.MethodsA Quasi-experimental study design was conducted among residents of AUCH. The intervention consisted of 1- Preparing training material with basic information on how to report causes of death according to WHO criteria and case scenarios extracted from the medical records of children who died at AUCH, 2- One hundred residents of the AUCH were trained in one day workshops in 4 groups, with a pre-post knowledge assessment questionnaire. 3- A weekly audit of a sample of 10–15 DNFs was done for six months with reporting of findings to quality assurance director of the hospital.ResultsEighty- nine physicians completed the pre-post knowledge assessment with significant increase in knowledge score after the intervention (15.7 ± 3.2 vs. 11.9 ± 2.8). There was a significant decrease in the errors of reporting on the DNFs. The main improvement was in decrease from 90 to 18% in reporting the mechanism of death, and significant decline in writing cause of death in Arabic language only.ConclusionAccurate reporting of the medical cause of death can be achieved by educational intervention targeting physicians with institutionalizing of audit system for continuous quality improvement.

#FamilyisLove: understanding extreme life experiences and psychological profile of pre-service teachers in the Philippines.

Despite the focus of studies in other countries that emphasize the significant impact of household and school experiences on child development, in the Philippines, the few studies available tend to focus on the prevalence of suicide cases, bullying, and other school experiences that impact mental health. No explicit studies relate demographic information, relationships and past experiences, personality variables, and household treatment among Filipino students with regard to their own mental wellbeing. Thus, with the primary aim of describing the psychological profile of second-year pre-service teachers taking Bachelor of Technical Vocational Teacher Education for the academic year 2019-20 and to identify possible interventions and propose policy recommendations to promote mental healthcare, wellbeing, and resilience, the Basic Personality Inventory (BPI) results and focus group discussion interview texts were utilized for this investigation. The explanatory sequential mixed methods research was employed to undertake a study of student participants (n = 91) aged 18-35 years (X¯ = 19.9 years, SD = 2.00) using descriptive statistical tools for quantitative data derived from BPI results and textual/thematic analysis (visual and content) for qualitative data. The dominant personality variables reported as areas of weakness were thinking disorder, persecutory ideas, deviation, and self-depreciation. On the other hand, the identified areas of strength were cooperativeness, capacity for self-criticism, cheerfulness, and socially responsible attitudes. Finally, familial relationships/household treatment and previous experiences at home and in school contributed to the respondents' strengths and weaknesses. For this reason, various mental health-related intervention activities, policies, and programs are recommended.

Oral Health Data Gaps and Needs in North Carolina.

Effective oral health-related policymaking and program implementation rely on comprehensive, accurate, and timely data. This commentary will address the lack of data available and the need for a robust data dashboard, in addition to the importance of community water fluoridation.

How factchecking organizations can partner within public health for a healthier internet

Abstract Background Health concerns, narratives and misinformation are growing in digital spaces, which makes them also a vulnerability to being hijacked by disinformation. A workshop was held at GlobalFact11, the global factchecking summit, to take a pulse among the participants on their exposure and work with health misinformation, provide a public health perspective on the role of factchecking, and equip participants with building a business case for developing health-related factchecking programmes. Methods A pre-summit survey of IFCN members and summit participants was conducted to better tune the design of the discussion in the workshop. The workshop included interactive polling and a discussion of case-based scenarios and real-world examples. Results A business case for investing into health-claim fact-checking can consider needs of public health organizations from a variety of perspectives. (1) The global health security agenda, and the politicization of health and hijacking in disinformation influence campaigns; (2) Contributing data for public health infodemic insights reports in formats that provide value to fact-checking in public health context; (3) Developing community resilience programmes by combining fact-checking with community-based interventions; (4) Building partnerships with public health organizations (for fact-checking, capacity building, community media and information literacy, research). Conclusions Many fact-checking organizations got involved in public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they want to access more public health expertise, tools, and partnership modalities that would enable them a more sustainable effort in covering health topics, especially beyond infectious disease.

Learning by Doing: The Potential for Experiential Education in Health Promotion

Background: Rural populations face significant health disparities (e.g., high rates of chronic diseases) and unique accessibility barriers (e.g., limited healthcare facilities). Training higher education students to serve as facilitators for chronic disease prevention programs may address rural health promotion needs. Purpose: The purpose of this pilot, exploratory study was to create an experiential learning opportunity for students and examine their experiences. Methodology/Approach: Project leaders completed a Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coach training and, based on their experiences, created training program goals, content, and schedule. Undergraduate students in health-related programs or courses were recruited to participate. Four students completed a 4-week experiential training program and, at the end of the program, participated in an individual qualitative interview for researchers to understand their experiences. Findings/Conclusions: Data were analyzed through a qualitative-descriptive approach. The main theme, experiential learning, branched into two subthemes: (a) professional development and (b) program implementation and future program directions. Students’ experiential learning influenced their personal and programmatic views of prevention training. Implications: The benefits of experiential learning in prevention will enhance students’ education and future employment experiences. Future studies should improve upon training delivery and examine the acceptability of this method of delivery in the rural population.

Text "HEALER": Using Text Mentorship to Engage American Indians and Alaska Natives Interested in the Health Professions.

ProblemThe persistent underrepresentation of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) in the health professions and the decline of AIAN matriculants into health-related programs suggest interventions are needed. The authors developed Healers, a text message mentoring service, to engage and support AIANs interested in the health professions.ApproachHealers, launched in 2018, seeks to reach urban and rural high school/college-aged AIANs and other AIANs. Individuals subscribe by texting "HEALER" to a numeric code using their mobile device. Two concurrent intervention strategies include: (1) a 17-week schedule of scripted texts and (2) live weekly office hours with 2 health pathway coaches. During the pilot year (June 2018-June 2019), participants were recruited via national conferences, health fairs, social media, and word of mouth. Intake and exit surveys were conducted. Content analysis of text messages received during office hours was conducted.OutcomesDuring the pilot, 304 subscribers opted into Healers and generated 2,933 text messages. Intake survey respondents included high school students (n = 18/77, 23.4%), college students (n = 29/77, 37.7%), and others (n = 29/77, 37.7%). They represented 60 Tribes from 28 U.S. states. Among exit survey respondents, 26/28 (92.9%) reported Healers was useful, 25/27 (92.6%) reported it exposed them to new health professions, 26/27 (96.3%) expressed stories from AIAN health professionals were valuable, and 25/26 (96.2%) reported pursuing a health professions career seemed possible. Five themes emerged from the analysis of the 346 participant texts received during office hours: cultural support, mentorship, opportunities, wellness, and community building.

Food Insecurity Knowledge and Training Among College Students in Health Majors

ObjectiveTo describe current food insecurity (FI)-related training among nutrition/dietetics, public health, and social work students. MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was used among students (n = 306) enrolled in health-related programs at 12 US universities. Participants reported FI-related course-based and extracurricular experiences and rated confidence to address FI on a scale of 1–3. Open-ended questions investigated perceived definitions of FI and impactful course activities. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used for data analysis. ResultsParticipants’ FI definitions were multifaceted. Most (80.6%) reported FI being covered in at least 1 course. The overall mean confidence to address FI was 2.2 ± 0.48. Participants suggested increasing application-based opportunities and skills training. Conclusions and ImplicationsMost students have a basic understanding of FI and report high confidence to address it in the future. Impactful FI-related experiences and participants’ suggestions guide developing an FI training resource to enhance student FI competency and sensitivity.

Public Libraries Encouraged to Meet the Health Information Needs of Tribal Women in Bangladesh

A Review of: Yesmin, S., Abdul Karim, M., & Atikuzzaman, M. (2023). Community engagement of public libraries for ensuring tribal women’s health literacy in Bangladesh. IFLA Journal, 49(4), 678–693. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352231198260 Objective – To investigate public libraries’ existing community engagement practices, explore their willingness to provide health information services to tribal communities in Bangladesh, and examine tribal women’s health information-seeking behavior and interest in obtaining health information from public libraries. Design – A cross-sectional study using online interviews and structured questionnaires. Setting – Public libraries and tribal communities in tribal regions of Bangladesh. Subjects – Public librarians (n=11) and tribal women (n=276) from three tribal districts in Bangladesh (Bandarban, Khagrachari, and Mymensingh). Methods – Interviews were conducted with librarians via Zoom in January 2023. Survey questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 300 tribal women from February to March 2023. Data was analyzed in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), using univariate and bi-variate measures. Main Results – All of the libraries provided print materials (books, newspapers, and periodicals) for reading and lending and offered photocopying and Internet browsing services. Other forms of resources such as microfiches and digital materials, inter-library loan services, and facilities for people with disabilities were not widely available. Most libraries (72.8%) did not provide any specific program (e.g., health-related outreach program) for tribal community engagement, although they all recognized the urgency and value of such programs. Lack of funding and bureaucratic complexities were identified as the top two barriers. Out of the 276 tribal women responding to the survey, close to two-thirds of the respondents indicated they were either moderately or very interested in receiving health information. The top three health topics the respondents sought information on were vaccinations, symptoms of disease, and nutrition. The primary health information sources for the respondents were doctors at nearby community clinics or government hospitals, and none of the respondents sought health information from public libraries. Most respondents acknowledged the importance of being informed about health issues and found it difficult to locate health information on the Internet. High costs and lack of awareness regarding health issues represented the main challenges the respondents encountered when seeking health information. Among the demographic variables, respondents’ religion and age were negatively correlated with their interest in health information, while their education status was positively correlated with it. Conclusion – Public libraries in tribal areas in Bangladesh lacked health information services but recognized the importance of providing them. Tribal women expressed interest in receiving health information, encouraging public libraries to develop and implement related services and programs. Public libraries may consider adding new job titles such as consumer health librarians and partner with other stakeholders for better community engagement. The government of Bangladesh should substantially invest in public libraries as community hubs and minimize bureaucratic hurdles that prevent public libraries from initiating new services. Professional library organizations in Bangladesh may also draw ideas from the study in establishing professional guidelines for health information services and community outreach programs.

Youth With Specific Learning Disorders: Attitudes and Clinical Decision-Making Among Mental Health Trainees

Individuals with disabilities often face discrimination due to negative attitudes from others around them. This is true for youth with specific learning disorders (SLD), whose experiences of discrimination can increase the risk for developing mental health concerns. The current study explored whether the presence of an SLD comorbid with mental health concerns and attitudes toward SLD may have an association with clinical decision-making in counselor trainees. The study additionally investigated the role of contact and experience in attitudes and decision-making patterns. Seventy graduate students enrolled in mental health-related programs at a public university in the southern United States participated in the survey study. Findings showed that SLD had an association with clinical decision-making, with counselor trainees rating a vignette depicting a youth with SLD as having more severe mental health concerns than a vignette without an SLD.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude toward Antibiotic Misuse and Resistant among Selected Group of Sudanese University Students, 2022

Background: Globally, antimicrobial resistance is a serious public health concern. The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted improper antibiotic usage as a key risk factor for antimicrobial resistance. Aims: Assessing the knowledge and attitudes of students regarding antibiotic misuse and resistance could lead to better management and eventually a good quality of life. Methodology: This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted on 150 students in a selected group of Sudanese university students, randomly selected from students by self-administering that was conducted using a structured questionnaire. These variables were assessed using a ten-point scale, whose responses ranged from ``YES`` to ``NO``. Results: The current study demonstrates that the highest percentage (47.3%) was in the age group (21-23), and more than half of participants had good knowledge and attitudes regarding antibiotic misuse and resistance. This study reflects that most of the participants were male, with a total of 108 (72.0%), and several females, with a total of 42 (28.0%). The study shows that most of the students at the second level are 55 (36.7%), single (144 (96.0%), and married (4.0%). Conclusion: The research conclusion is that students have good knowledge of antibiotics and good knowledge of antibiotic resistance. The majority of these students have a mediocre attitude toward the use of antibiotics, which is insufficient for a group of students enrolled in health-related programs.

The Effect of City-Level Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes on Longitudinal HbA1c and Incident Diabetes in Adults With Prediabetes.

Prediabetes, which is a condition characterized by higher-than-normal blood glucose levels that are under the threshold for diabetes, impacts over one-third of U.S. adults. Excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a proposed policy intervention to lower population consumption of SSBs and generate revenue to support health-related programs, thus potentially delaying or preventing the development of diabetes in individuals with prediabetes. We leveraged data from Kaiser Permanente in California to examine the impact of SSB taxes in California on individual-level mean HbA1c levels and rates of incident diabetes. We compared two outcomes, mean HbA1c levels and rates of incident diabetes, among a matched cohort of adults with prediabetes who lived and did not live in SSB excise tax cities, using outcomes collected in the 6 years prior and 4 years following SSB tax implementation. We used multivariable linear mixed effects models to analyze longitudinal mean HbA1c and discrete-time survival models for incident diabetes. We included 68,658 adults in the analysis. In adjusted models, longitudinal mean HbA1c was 0.007% (95% CI 0.002, 0.011) higher in the tax cities compared with control individuals; while the estimated difference was statistically significant, it was not clinically significant (HbA1c <0.5%). There was no significant difference in the risk of incident diabetes between individuals living in tax and control cities. We found no clinically significant association between SSB taxes and either longitudinal mean HbA1c or incident diabetes among adults with prediabetes in the 4 years following SSB tax implementation.

The distributional implications of health taxes: A case study on the Italian sugar tax

As over-consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is considered a major contributor to the rising prevalence of obesity and associated diseases, public authorities from different countries are considering the introduction of SSBs taxation. In this study, we evaluate the potential impact of the upcoming Italian sugar tax on SSBs and sugar consumption, also accounting for differences across socio-economic groups. We also analyze alternative SSBs tax designs (i.e., excise tax on sugar and two-tier tax based on sugar content) to compare their effectiveness and provide a more general analysis about the outcomes of SSBs taxation. In our empirical analysis, we first estimate consumers’ demand for SSBs using the random coefficient logit demand model (Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes, 1995) and Nielsen Household Panel data of SSBs purchases for the period 2019–2020. Then, the estimated demand parameters and marginal costs for SSBs are employed to conduct counterfactual simulations to derive the new market equilibria under the simulated SSBs tax scheme scenarios. Our results show that the Italian sugar tax is the most effective in reducing SSBs and sugar consumption (on average, by 18% and 24% respectively) among all the simulated tax scenarios. This is also due to the strategic reactions of SSBs manufacturers who over-shift the change in marginal cost (i.e., tax rate) to final prices. Moreover, despite being financially regressive, taxes on SSBs may be progressive from a health perspective, as low-income groups experience the greatest fall in SSBs and sugar consumption. Reinvesting tax revenues in health-related programs targeting the most vulnerable socio-economic groups (i.e., low-income households with children) may minimize the regressivity of SSBs taxes.

Lessons from community engagement to improve COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment in Cochabamba, Bolivia

ABSTRACT Background Community engagement is recognized as a vital component of health-related research and programs, particularly during infectious disease outbreaks and epidemics. Despite the importance of engaging communities in the response to COVID-19, relatively little research has examined how this was (or was not) achieved, and even less in low- and middle-income countries. This article describes the community engagement that accompanied efforts to strengthen COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment as part of the ECO Project in Cochabamba, Bolivia and highlights lessons for future pandemic response. Methods Community engagement involved formative assessment, co-creation to develop a health information campaign, ongoing community listening and evaluation. Qualitative data were collected during workshops, project meetings and focus groups. Questionnaire-based surveys were conducted to assess COVID-19-related attitudes, knowledge and practices. Results The collected data highlighted the value of working closely with well-established community health committees and involving community members with social media skills in the design of COVID-19-related messages to address on- and offline misinformation. Co-creation sessions enabled the adjustment of the information campaign in terms of content and approach based on the needs and preferences of community members and health staff. The continuous listening with community and health personnel facilitated the ongoing adaptation of project activities. Conclusion Through a stepped and multi-pronged approach, incorporating co-creation and community listening, the engagement could respond to emerging local challenges during the pandemic. The project created spaces for dialogue and opportunities for collaboration that strengthened links between the community and the health services.

Knowledge and utilization of family planning services among tertiary students in Northern Ghana: The case of College of Nursing and Midwifery, Nalerigu.

Though tertiary students studying health-related programs are assumed knowledgeable about family planning, this does not always translate to increased use of family planning services. In a cross-sectional survey, this study assessed 411 nursing, midwifery and allied health students' knowledge of family planning, contraceptive use, perceptions, and factors affecting the utilisation of family planning services. Each student completed a 24-itemised questionnaire in a Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing Survey. The data was analysed with Stata /IC version 16. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Overall knowledge of family planning was 99.7%, commonly gained in school (51.8%), followed by clinics and hospitals (41.4%). Only 21.7% of the students used family planning services. Menstrual cramps (57.9%), infertility (33.1%), and weight gain (32.5%) were the commonly perceived side effects of contraceptive use. The high proximity of participants to family planning service providers and lack of community, family, and partner acceptance of modern contraceptives were associated with underutilisation. Despite the high level of knowledge of family planning, the student's utilisation of family planning services was poor. To boost family planning service uptake among tertiary health students, it is essential to tackle barriers related to community, family, and partner acceptance. This can be achieved through educational programs that involve men in family planning discussions and by enhancing service accessibility.

A systematic review of midwives' training needs in perinatal mental health and related interventions.

Midwives may be key stakeholders to improve perinatal mental healthcare (PMHC). Three systematic reviews considered midwives' educational needs in perinatal mental health (PMH) or related interventions with a focus on depression or anxiety. This systematic review aims to review: 1) midwives' educational/training needs in PMH; 2) the training programs in PMH and their effectiveness in improving PMHC. We searched six electronic databases using a search strategy designed by a biomedical information specialist. Inclusion criteria were: (1) focus on midwives; (2) reporting on training needs in PMH, perinatal mental health problems or related conditions or training programs; (3) using quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods design. We used the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool for study quality. Of 4969 articles screened, 66 papers met eligibility criteria (47 on knowledge, skills or attitudes and 19 on training programs). Study quality was low to moderate in most studies. We found that midwives' understanding of their role in PMHC (e.g. finding meaning in opening discussions about PMH; perception that screening, referral and support is part of their routine clinical duties) is determinant. Training programs had positive effects on proximal outcomes (e.g. knowledge) and contrasted effects on distal outcomes (e.g. number of referrals). This review generated novel insights to inform initial and continuous education curriculums on PMH (e.g. focus on midwives' understanding on their role in PMHC or content on person-centered care). The protocol is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021285926).