Health Professionals Research Articles

"Does My Kid Have an Ear Infection?" An Analysis of Pediatric Acute Otitis Media Videos on TikTok.

With the rise of social media, online platforms have become a common way to access healthcare information. This study examines the quality of pediatric acute otitis media (AOM) videos on TikTok, a popular short-form video social media platform. A TikTok search was conducted between 8/18 and 8/19/2023 using pediatric AOM hashtags: #pediatric acute otitis media management, #kid ear infections remedy, #child ear infections treatment, and #kid ear infection. Data collected include number of views/shares per day, uploader type (nonmedical influencer, lay individual, and medical professional), and content categories. The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Material (PEMAT-AV) and DISCERN questionnaire measured understandability, actionability, and quality of videos. Multivariable linear regression models were used (significance set at ≤0.05). Of 166 videos, 38.6% (64) of uploaders were medical professionals, and 32.5% (54) were nonmedical influencers. Nonmedical influencer videos were viewed and shared significantly more than those by medical professionals (p < 0.05). Controlling for covariates, physicians were more likely to produce more beneficial and higher quality videos as compared with nonmedical influencers (β = 2.4 and 1.3, p < 0.01, respectively). However, physicians did not have significantly different ratings for understandability compared with nonmedical influencers (β = 0.45, p > 0.05). AOM content on TikTok is often geared toward caretakers of symptomatic children. Although physician-created AOM content was significantly higher quality, these videos reached a statistically smaller audience than those from nonmedical influencers. Addressing misinformation on social media platforms requires physicians to reach larger audiences by producing more actionable and understandable content. NA Laryngoscope, 134:5184-5192, 2024.

Patient safety culture as a mediator between healthcare personnel's psychological empowerment and patient outcome

Preventing healthcare errors and reducing damage are becoming the basic concepts of patient safety development. Healthcare personnel need to be more careful and minimize complications that can occur during patient care. Psychological empowerment is important to support a safety culture and patient outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between psychological empowerment (PE) and patient outcome (PO) mediated by patient safety culture (PSC). A cross-sectional survey study was conducted in private hospitals accredited by Joint Commission International. A total of 150 healthcare personnel as participants who met the requirements were obtained by distributing the questionnaires in March 2023. Significant results in mediating patient safety culture have been analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling (SEM). The dimensionality of PE and PSC was assessed by a new method that is a disjoint two-stage approach. The role of PSC was found to fully mediate the positive relationship between psychological empowerment and patient outcome (=0.436, p-value 0.05). This study contributes to growing the value of developing a safety culture and the function of psychological empowerment in healthcare staff to enhance patient outcomes.

Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Health Practitioners' Performance

Impact of Sleep Deprivation on Health Practitioners' Performance

Standardization And Evaluation Of An In-House ELISA For The Detection Of Rabies Antibody In A Tertiary Care Centre In South India

BackgroundRapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT), a neutralization-based assay for detecting rabies antibodies, is the gold standard. The National Action Plan for Dog Mediated Rabies Elimination (NAPRE) is a national program that strategizes the establishment of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to detect rabies antibodies. ObjectiveWe developed an in-house ELISA to screen for rabies antibodies using rabies vaccine antigen to study vaccine response among health care workers (HCWs) who received pre-exposure prophylaxis and a few animal bite victims who received post-exposure prophylaxis with rabies vaccine. Study designA prospective study was carried out from April to September 2023 at the Department of Clinical Virology of a tertiary care center in South India. A total of 161 serum specimens, which included 155 serum samples from study participants and 6 samples from a reference laboratory (as controls), were obtained during the study period. Rabies antibody was determined by the in-house standardized ELISA developed using the rabies vaccine and compared with the reference assay, RFFIT. The accuracy indices of the in-house ELISA were estimated by MedCalc software (version 22.023). ResultsA panel of 86 positive and 75 negative serum samples was used for evaluating the in-house standardized ELISA. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the in-house ELISA were 98.8%, 100%, 100%, and 98.7% respectively. The accuracy of the in-house ELISA is 99.4%. ConclusionELISA can be a practically feasible and less expensive assay compared to RFFIT which is a cumbersome procedure with a long turn-around time of 3-4 days.

A Model for Emotional Intelligence in Biology Education Research.

Informed by social science fields including psychology and public health, we propose a Model for Emotional Intelligence to advance biology education research in affective learning. The model offers a shared discourse for biology education researchers to develop and assess evidence-based strategies to perceive, use, understand, and manage emotions for students and instructors in life sciences classrooms. We begin by reviewing the connection between stress, emotional invalidation, Sense of Belonging, and Science Identity as it relates to emotions in undergraduate life sciences classrooms. Next, we highlight the impact that emotionally invalidating classroom environments have on science students' development of psychological distress, maladaptive coping, and high-risk behaviors. Assuming Emotional Intelligence can be taught and learned (i.e., the ability model of Emotional Intelligence), we develop a Model for Emotional Intelligence to advance biology education research in this arena. This essay aims to inform assessments of current and future interventions designed to counteract emotional invalidation and encourage the development of emotional management among students and instructors. In alignment with our collective effort to support student well-being in the life sciences, the study of Emotional Intelligence in undergraduate biology education has the potential to support student mental health as future scientists and health care practitioners.

Repairing with a warm heart: How medical practitioners cultivate affective relationships with clients.

Healthcare providers are often advised to manage emotions to adhere to professional feeling rules and avoid deep affection for clients, but there are situations where this would not apply. We offer an atypical case of a cleft lip and palate (CLP) treatment program where affectionate medical provider-patient relationships are encouraged. Participant observation in a CLP department, in-depth interviews with the medical team, and public online content from the official WeChat account of the department showed that a meaningful bond was formed through a contextual concordance of moral consideration and professionalism across the organization. Medical practitioners have developed and justified such emotional work at the individual, professional, and organizational levels through three concordant micro-processes: developing the moral deservingness of the patient, instilling moral fulfillment into professionalism, and establishing moral consensus among medical professionals. This study enhances our current understanding of emotional work in healthcare by recognizing the moral consideration of patients and its influence on medical practices and by highlighting the complexities and dynamics of different feeling rules.

Use of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Among Healthcare Workers in Teaching Hospitals of Khorramabad, Iran

Background and Objective: In light of the pivotal role played by personal protective equipment (PPE) in mitigating the transmission of the novel coronavirus, this study aimed to investigate the utilization of personal protective equipment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic among medical personnel and students affiliated with Lorestan University of Medical Sciences in the year 2019. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive research study collected essential data, encompassing personal characteristics and inquiries concerning the use of personal protective equipment, the extent of their utilization, training regarding proper equipment use, and adherence to health guidelines, including hand hygiene and disinfectant usage. Data were gathered through a questionnaire developed in accordance with international standards, specifically the PPE Safe Survey. The questionnaire was administered to medical staff, including physicians, nurses, and medical students, working in healthcare facilities that admitted COVID-19 patients within the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, situated in Khorramabad. Results: Our investigation involved a total of 201 participants, comprising 82 (40.8%) males and 119 (59.2%) females. The average age of the participants was 32 years, with an average daily duration of personal protective equipment utilization amounting to 8.9 hours. Notably, 44 (21.9%) participants worked in emergency wards, 63 (31.3%) in general medical wards, 12 (6.0%) in administrative departments, 14 (7.0%) in surgical units, 11 (5.5%) in anesthesiology, 17 (8.5%) in intensive care units, and 40 (19.9%) in miscellaneous contexts. Conclusion: The study findings underscore the imperative need for healthcare professionals to consistently employ suitable personal protective equipment, encompassing face masks, eye protection, gowns, and eye shields. Furthermore, our study highlights the significance of appropriate training and rigorous adherence to equipment utilization protocols during healthcare tasks, coupled with consistent hand hygiene practices in healthcare facilities.

Experimental study of ventilation performance of three ventilation strategies using aerosols and tracer gas

Effective ventilation plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of infection by airborne contaminants. This study was conducted in a hospital ward of specific dimensions (41.58 m3) equipped with two respiratory thermal manikins: a healthcare worker and an infected patient. Three ventilation strategies were employed in the ventilation system: supply and exhaust air through upper grilles, upper and lower grilles, and swirl diffusers with lower grilles. The air flow rate of the ventilation system was maintained constant at 200 m3/h. The airflow was distributed 50-50% by a combination of a personalised ventilation system and personalised exhaust system. The effectiveness of a ventilation system and its combination with a personalised exhaust system was investigated using aerosol and tracer gas techniques. The efficacy of contaminant removal was evaluated in both the patient and healthcare inhaled volume. Determination of the clean air flow rate of the three ventilation system strategies at inhaled volume was carried out. Also, the exposure of healthcare worker to the contaminants exhaled by infected patient in the microenvironment formed by both was analysed. Experimental findings revealed that CO2 showed a higher ventilation efficiency compared to particles, independently of the ventilation strategy used. The highest clean air flow rate values were detected in the inhaled volume of patient infected. On the other hand, the highest particle removal efficiency was observed in swirl diffusers with lower grilles, which combined the ventilation system with the PES. This strategy also showed the lowest exposure values in the microenvironment.

Daily functioning and (health-related) quality of life of young adult survivors of childhood bacterial meningitis.

Young adult survivors of childhood BM reported similar and even better levels of daily functioning, HRQoL, and overall QoL than age-matched Dutch reference scores. However, clinicians and healthcare workers should be mindful of poor mental and physical health of some survivors of childhood BM because these survivors also face problems with functioning in daily life. • Acute bacterial meningitis is a life-threatening infection which may lead to devastating lifelong disabilities. • Health-related quality of life is decreased in school-age survivors of bacterial meningitis. • The present study shows that HRQoL in survivors of childhood BM improves over time • However, especially poor mental health in adolescent and young adult survivors is associated with impaired functioning in daily life.

Analysis of food supplements and sports foods consumption patterns among a sample of gym-goers in Portugal.

Gym-goers usually seek methods to improve performance, muscle gain, and overall health. One of the main strategies is including food supplements (FS) into their routine as aids to enhance their athletic capabilities and satisfy their nutritional needs. Thus, this study aimed to investigate and characterize the main FS and Sports Foods (SF) currently consumed, as well as the main reasons for their use and the source of advice in a group of gym-goers in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (Portugal). A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 303 gym-goers from Lisbon, Portugal, who were 133 women and 170 males (30.8 ± 12.9 years old). Face-to-face interviews were used by qualified researchers to gather data. Most of the interviewed athletes (71.95 %) took FS/SF, being men the main consumers. On average, 1.59 supplements were consumed per athlete. Logistic regression models indicated significant associations between age, gender, and motivations for gym attendance. While men and younger groups attended mainly for hypertrophy, women and older groups were focused on well-being. Protein (59.17 %) was the most used FS/SF, followed by creatine (41.28 %) and multivitamins (27.06 %). Men and younger individuals preferred protein and creatine, while older individuals focused more on specific vitamins and minerals. Women seemed to prefer L-carnitine and protein yogurts. Main sources of information included the internet, friends, and dietitians with notable gender and age-based preferences. Online stores were the main place of purchase. Monthly expenditures on FS/SF were not significantly affected by age or gender, but motivations for use had an influence. Most of the athletes interviewed took FS/SF, being men the major consumers. Protein was the principal FS/SF used, with online stores being the main place of purchase and the internet the primary source of information. Age and gender were key factors in adopted training, in the FS/SF chosen, and in the source of information selected. It is crucial that health professionals take primary responsibility for providing this guidance.

Normative Data for the D-KEFS Color-Word Interference and Trail Making Tests Adapted in Greek Adult Population 20-49 Years Old.

This study was designed to adapt the Delis-Kaplan Executive System (D-KEFS) version of the Color-Word Interference (CWIT) and Trail Making Tests (TMTs) for the Greek adult population from 20 to 49 years old, since it is of research as well as clinical importance to detect executive functions' impairment in young adults with neurological or/and psychiatric conditions. Norms for the Greek adult population have been calculated to be available for neuropsychologists and health professionals who work in relevant settings. The study sample consisted of 101 healthy adults (41% male and 60% female) aged 20 to 49 years (M = 32.16, SD = 11.57) with education from 12 to 19 years of schooling (M = 14.51, SD = 0.89). A Pearson correlation test as well as a chi square test were conducted to examine potential associations between gender, age, education, and participants' performance. Afterwards, we calculated normative data using raw scores and transformed them into percentile scores. Finally, Greek norms were compared to the original raw scores, which were transformed into scaled scores by Delis et al. (2001). The findings showed that age was the only variable which affected CWIT, whereas level of education as well as age were predictive factors for most TMT conditions, except for the visual scanning test (Condition 1). Gender did not affect both tests. Finally, D-KEFS norms for CWIT and TMT are available for the Greek adult population to help clinicians detect executive functions' deficits and therefore adjust tailored therapeutic strategies. Additionally, it is of great importance to use these tests for research purposes. Given that executive functions are assumed as high-level skills, which are highly related to everyday functionality, adapted tests contribute not only to assess the progression of any existing neurological as well as psychiatric disorders, but they can also be used to evaluate patients' ability to live independently, as well as their access to work.

Barriers perceived by university faculty in implementing interprofessional education: a scoping review protocol

Interprofessional Education (IPE) enhances collaboration among health professionals and improves patient care. Despite its benefits, university implementation of IPE is limited due to various barriers perceived by faculty members. Identifying these barriers is crucial for developing strategies to integrate IPE into higher education curricula. This scoping review protocol outlines a study to map and synthesize literature on barriers perceived by university faculty in implementing IPE, aiming to inform future interventions and research. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a comprehensive search will be conducted across databases including PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar without time restrictions. All types of publications focusing on faculty-perceived barriers to IPE will be included. Data extraction and analysis will involve thematic synthesis and advanced topic modeling using the OCTIS framework to identify key themes and patterns. The review will provide an overview of the types of barriers faced by faculty, their causes, and proposed strategies to overcome them, offering valuable insights for enhancing IPE integration in university settings.•The scoping review will map existing literature on faculty-perceived barriers to implementing Interprofessional Education.•Advanced topic modeling with the OCTIS framework will be utilized to analyze and synthesize findings.•The outcomes aim to inform strategies for effective IPE integration in higher education curricula.

Recent Advances in Orally Disintegrating Tablet: Properties, Formulation and Production

: Healthcare practitioners, patients, and consumers widely recognize the convenience as-sociated with administering oral tablets. The emergence of orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) represents a significant advancement in solid dosage forms, facilitating more convenient oral de-livery while maintaining medication safety, effectiveness, and quality. The ODTs market is ex-pected to experience continuous growth in the coming years despite the internal challenges faced by commercial manufacturers. This paper initiates a comprehensive discussion of the properties of ODTs, including palatability and taste, drug content, disintegration, mechanical strength, mois-ture content, safety, and efficacy. The formulation factors that affect each of these qualities are also discussed. Additionally, this review delves into the processes of the production of ODTs, en-compassing the approaches and technologies from the mixing of active ingredients and recipients to the formation and packaging of ODTs. This review provides valuable insights into the ad-vancement in ODTs technology, aiming to equip researchers with the knowledge necessary to improve quality and optimize efficiency, ultimately receiving high acceptance from patients or consumers.

Traditional beliefs and practices of postpartum care in rural East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Maternal mortality remains a pressing public health issue in Indonesia, particularly for mothers residing in rural regions who often forego postnatal health services due to traditional beliefs and practices. This qualitative research delved into the cultural perspectives of the local community to gain insight into the care practices of postpartum mothers in rural areas of NTT Province, Indonesia. The study involved in-depth interviews with nine participants, including four postpartum mothers, four family members, and one village midwife, with the interview data analyzed thematically. The research revealed that cultural beliefs and practices revolving around the postpartum period in NTT align with shared beliefs and traditional practices found in various Asian societies. This includes behavioral taboos and food restrictions. The study also identified two primary postpartum traditions aimed at restoring the postpartum mother's body heat and strength. All postpartum mothers adhere to traditional care practices because they believe in their benefits, pressure from family members, and fear of non-compliance consequences. However, postnatal mothers and their families have low postnatal care visits and do not receive adequate information about postpartum care. Health literacy for postpartum women and their families in rural areas needs to be improved and health workers should provide culturally sensitive maternal health services.

Analysis of determinant factors affecting treatment compliance of hypertensive patients

Introduction: Hypertension requires regular and controlled treatment to stabilize blood pressure and prevent complications. Many hypertensive patients do not comply with hypertension treatment procedures, including medication. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the determinant factors influencing medication compliance in hypertensive patients. Methods: The research method used was observational analytic with a cross-sectional design. Data collection using a questionnaire. The sample in this study was 67 hypertension patients. Data analysis used the chi-square test. Result: The results of this study indicate that there is an influence of the level of knowledge (p = 0.045), motivation to seek treatment (p = 0.000), and family support (p = 0.000) on medication compliance in hypertensive patients. Conclusion: Motivation to seek treatment is the most dominant variable on compliance with the treatment of hypertension patients. Health workers must develop an educational strategy focusing on increasing patient motivation.

The The relationship of accessibility, ownership of health security and family support with the behavior of III trimester pregnant women in choosing a delivery help

Introduction: One of the aspects that causes the high MMR in Indonesia and in several regions is that the coverage of assistance by health workers is still low. The reason why people decide to give birth to non-health workers (quacks) is because of the low level of education in society, culture, and the economy. Factors that influence the choice of birth attendants include areas where coverage is still not close to health facilities, ownership of health insurance, and family support, which is still the predominant reason mothers do not choose birth attendants by professionals in health facilities. Objective: The general aim of this research is to understand the relationship between accessibility and ownership. Health insurance and family support with the behavior of TMT III pregnant women in choosing birth attendants. Methods: This research method is quantitative research with a cross-sectional design.Result: The chi-square test results show a relationship between accessibility, ownership of health insurance, family support, and the behavior of TMT III pregnant women in choosing birth attendants. Result: The chi-square test results show a relationship between accessibility, ownership of health insurance, family support, and the behavior of TMT III pregnant women in choosing birth attendants. Conclusion: It is hoped that this can increase the role of the community in helping all mothers who are about to give birth to choose professional health workers to assist them in giving birth so that it is hoped that all mothers in labor can be assisted in giving birth through a safe delivery process so that the mother and baby are healthy and safe.

Navigating Parental Decision-Making: Intersex Surgeries in Italy

Decision-making dynamics in Italian paediatric care for Intersex and Variations of Sex Characteristics (VSC) involve a complex interplay between medical practices, parental perspectives, and socio-cultural factors. This article explores how medical professionals and parents make decisions amid cultural debates on gender, the body, and autonomy. It addresses aspects of why surgical intervention, with limited child involvement, is often seen as the ‘only option’ in the ‘conservative’ culture of Italy. The article continues to highlight the rise of parent-led human rights-based activism in Italy, challenging prevailing narratives in intersex/VSC paediatric care. Using qualitative data from two studies, including interviews with 15 Italian stakeholders and 38 Italian parents, as well as participant action research, the article provides insights into Italian medical and parental perspectives. The findings emphasize the need for nuanced support, education, and resources to empower parents in order to uphold the rights and well-being of intersex individuals.

KSDKG: construction and application of knowledge graph for kidney stone disease based on biomedical literature and public databases.

Kidney stone disease (KSD) is a common urological disorder with an increasing incidence worldwide. The extensive knowledge about KSD is dispersed across multiple databases, challenging the visualization and representation of its hierarchy and connections. This paper aims at constructing a disease-specific knowledge graph for KSD to enhance the effective utilization of knowledge by medical professionals and promote clinical research and discovery. Text parsing and semantic analysis were conducted on literature related to KSD from PubMed, with concept annotation based on biomedical ontology being utilized to generate semantic data in RDF format. Moreover, public databases were integrated to construct a large-scale knowledge graph for KSD. Additionally, case studies were carried out to demonstrate the practical utility of the developed knowledge graph. We proposed and implemented a Kidney Stone Disease Knowledge Graph (KSDKG), covering more than 90 million triples. This graph comprised semantic data extracted from 29,174 articles, integrating available data from UMLS, SNOMED CT, MeSH, DrugBank and Microbe-Disease Knowledge Graph. Through the application of three cases, we retrieved and discovered information on microbes, drugs and diseases associated with KSD. The results illustrated that the KSDKG can integrate diverse medical knowledge and provide new clinical insights for identifying the underlying mechanisms of KSD. The KSDKG efficiently utilizes knowledge graph to reveal hidden knowledge associations, facilitating semantic search and response. As a blueprint for developing disease-specific knowledge graphs, it offers valuable contributions to medical research.

Needs and expectations of healthcare professionals regarding the topic of alcohology: Results of a survey conducted in France in 2022

ContextAlcohol-related health problems represent a significant public health concern, and it is imperative for the healthcare team to accurately perceive and detect these issues to provide appropriate care. The objective of this survey was to evaluate the knowledge, practices, and educational background of healthcare professionals in the field of alcohol-related health concerns, aiming to identify their information requirements. MethodsThis study employs a cross-sectional descriptive survey methodology, in which data were gathered through a digital questionnaire designed for healthcare professionals (including those in medical, paramedical, and medico-social professions) working in addictology services as well as other relevant services across France and its overseas departments. ResultsA total of 611 questionnaires were deemed usable for analysis. A considerable percentage of participants reported their knowledge and skills to be insufficient or very insufficient, with rates of 33 % and 36 %, respectively. Moreover, a significant proportion of respondents (≈ 28 %) stated that they had received no education in addictology. Our results highlight differences in levels of knowledge and competence among the various healthcare settings, notably with lower reported levels of satisfaction in hospital settings (public and private), private practice, and in Harm Reduction Centers. Furthermore, certain professions reported unsatisfactory levels of skills and knowledge in alcohol-related issues, particularly support staff, pharmacists, expert patients, administrative staff, and social workers. These findings suggest the need to enhance knowledge and skills by tailoring interventions according to the specific healthcare settings and professions. Additionally, the priority themes and channels for disseminating information varied depending on age, region, and professional category. ConclusionThis survey reveals a low level of knowledge, practice, and education in addictology, emphasizing the critical need for training. The importance of training extends not only to the priority topics addressed but also to the channels used for dissemination, all while customizing them to suit the age, professional category, structure, and region of healthcare professionals.

Perspectives of medical imaging professionals about the impact of AI on Swiss radiographers

IntroductionArtificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly implemented in medical imaging practice, however, its impact on radiographers practice is not well studied. The aim of this study was to explore the perceived impact of AI on radiographers’ activities and profession in Switzerland. MethodsA survey conducted in the UK, translated into French and German, was disseminated through professional bodies and social media. The participants were Swiss radiographers (clinical/educators/ researchers/students) and physicians working within the medical imaging profession (radiology/nuclear medicine/radiation-oncology). The survey covered five sections: demographics, AI-knowledge, skills, confidence, perceptions about the AI impact. Descriptive, association statistics and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted. ResultsA total of 242 responses were collected (89% radiographers; 11% physicians). AI is being used by 43% of participants in clinical practice, but 64% of them did not feel confident with AI-terminology. Participants viewed AI as an opportunity (57%), while 19% considered it as a threat. The opportunities were associated with streamlining repetitive tasks, minimizing errors, increasing time towards patient-centered care, research, and patient safety. The significant threats identified were reduction on work positions (23%), decrease of the radiographers’ expertise level due to automation bias (16%). Participants (68%) did not feel well trained/prepared to implement AI in their practice, highlighting the non-availability of specific training (88%). 93% of the participants mentioned that AI education should be included at undergraduate education program. ConclusionAlthough most participants perceive AI as an opportunity, this study identified areas for improvement including lack of knowledge, educational supports/training, and confidence in radiographers. Customised training needs to be implemented to improve clinical practice and understanding of how AI can benefit radiographers.