Lower Health Quality Research Articles

Development of the “Digihet” Multimedia Education Program to Improve Health Quality in the Setara Community Group

The digital divide and low health quality are challenges faced by the Setara South Sempaja community group. The impact of flooding is a health problem frequently experienced by this community group. The Technology and Health Education Program (Digihet) is designed to address this issue by providing education on the use of digital technology and clean and healthy living patterns to vulnerable groups affected by health problems. This study aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of the Digihet program in improving digital literacy, specifically in clean and healthy living patterns, and the quality of life of the community. The Digihet program is developed using multimedia development techniques, starting from the concept design stage to distribution. The Digihet program teaches about 10 clean and healthy living skills for households, including childbirth assisted by healthcare professionals, exclusive breastfeeding for babies, weighing babies and toddlers, using clean water, washing hands with clean water and soap, using healthy latrines, eradicating mosquito larvae at home, eating fruits and vegetables every day, engaging in physical activity every day, and not smoking indoors. Data were collected through beta testing, and the research results showed that the Digihet program is effective in increasing digital literacy in forming clean and healthy living patterns. The results of this study are expected to serve as a basis for developing multimedia health education programs and contribute to enhancing the understanding of the relationship between digital literacy, public health, and information technology in the context of household health quality.

THE EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) AMONG SENIOR CITIZENS LIVING AT AN OLD AGE HOME ON THE MALAYSIAN EAST COAST

This study explores the quality of life (QoL) among elderly individuals residing in Malaysian old age homes, focusing on their physical, psychological, and social well-being. It utilizes a quantitative cross-sectional design, employing the Older People's Quality of Life Questionnaire (OPQOL-35) to assess QoL across multiple domains. The sample comprises 20 participants from Pusat Jagaan Pesakit Dan Warga Emas Seri Damai, aged between 50 and 79, with various age-related health issues. The study's results indicate no significant gender-based differences in overall well-being. However, females reported lower health scores compared to males. Longer durations of care were associated with lower health quality. Positive correlations were found between overall life satisfaction and factors such as neighbourhood quality, psychological well-being, independence, and engagement in activities. Additionally, health status correlated positively with independence and financial status but negatively with the duration of care. A surprising negative correlation emerged between educational status and social relationships, suggesting that higher education does not necessarily enhance social skills and connections. The discussion highlights the importance of a conducive living environment, the role of psychological well-being in life satisfaction, and the gender disparity in health perception. It also examines the paradox of education and social relationships, the significance of independence in well-being, and the impact of home and neighbourhood on psychological health. The study underscores the benefits of an active lifestyle and leisure activities for emotional well-being and challenges the assumption that extended residency in care centres leads to financial strain. In conclusion, the research emphasizes the need for comprehensive care strategies that consider the diverse needs of the elderly, recognizing the multifaceted nature of their well-being. While limited by its small sample size and cross-sectional design, the study offers valuable insights for improving eldercare practices and informs policymakers and caregivers about the factors influencing elderly well-being. Further research with larger samples is recommended for a deeper understanding of these dynamics.

The Impact of Workplace Bullying on Health Care Quality, Safety and Work Productivity in Jordan: A Systematic Review

Bullying among nurses and other health care professionals with low health quality has become a major global concern. Nurses were also recognised as people who are close to patients and can play an important role to manage work bullying through providing effective training and education programs.This systematic review was developed and aimed to identify and clarify concepts and provide an overview of the available evidence on workplace bullying (WPB) among nurses as part of health care delivery system. Systematic review of all types of studies involving nurses published between 2009 and 2020 and approached health-related databases Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Psychology and Behavioural Sciences (PsychINFO), MEDLINE, and Education Resource Information Centre (ERIC). The review used focused keywords: WPB, health care quality, safety, interpersonal conflict, work productivity and nursing. Forty-three studies met the review criteria and five main themes were discovered including the prevalence of WPB among nurses worldwide, prevalence of WPB among nurses in the Arab region, perpetrators of WPB, influence of bullying on productivity, and individual–organisational characteristics and bullying. Growing evidence provided a negative relationship between WPB, safety and productivity suggesting further research on how bullying is prevalent and what solutions would manage this problem, particularly in Jordan.

K-Means Binary Search Centroid with Dynamic Cluster for Java Island Health Clustering

This study is focused on determining the health status of each district/city in Java using the K-means Binary Search Centroid and Dynamic Kmeans algorithms. The research data uses data on the health profile of Java Island in 2020. Comparative algorithms were tested using the Davies Bound Index and Calinski-Harabasz Index methods on the traditional k-means algorithm and dynamic binary search centroid k-means. Based on the test, 5 clusters were found in the distribution area, including 11 regions with very high health quality cluster 1, 24 regions with high health quality, 28 regions with moderate health quality, and 28 clusters 4 with low health quality, 45 regions, and cluster 5 with poor health quality is 11 regions, with the best validation value of DBI 1.8175 and CHI 67.7868. Overall optimization of the dynamic k-means algorithm based on binary search centroid results in a better average cluster quality and a smaller number of iterations than the traditional k-means algorithm. The test results can be used as one of the best methods in evaluating the level of health in the Java Island area and a reference for decision-making in determining policies for related agencies.

K-Means Binary Search Centroid With Dynamic Cluster for Java Island Health Clustering

This study is focused on determining the health status of each district/city in Java using the K-means Binary Search Centroid and Dynamic Kmeans algorithms. The research data uses data on the health profile of Java Island in 2020. Comparative algorithms were tested using the Davies Bound Index and Calinski-Harabasz Index methods on the traditional k-means algorithm and dynamic binary search centroid k-means. Based on the test, 5 clusters were found in the distribution area, including 11 regions with very high health quality cluster 1, 24 regions with high health quality, 28 regions with moderate health quality, and 28 clusters 4 with low health quality, 45 regions, and cluster 5 with deficient health quality is 11 regions, with the best validation value of DBI 1.8175 and CHI 67.7868. Overall optimization of the dynamic k-means algorithm based on binary search centroid results in a better average cluster quality and a smaller number of iterations than the traditional k-means algorithm. The test results can be used as one of the best methods in evaluating the level of health in the Java Island area and a reference for decision-making in determining policies for related agencies

Java Island Health Profile Clustering using K-Means Data Mining

Health is the best gift in life, because with health humans can carry out daily activities. Administratively, Java Island consists of 85 administrative regions and 34 cities. Therefore, it is very important to understand the health level of each area. The main objective of this research is to divide each region (district and city) into several groups and use the K-means method to determine health status based on 8 data parameters into certain groups. Algorithm in groups, will place the data based on the similarity of characteristics between groups. The results showed that there were 4 clusters of health profiles in Java, with 1 high health quality cluster in Central Jakarta, 55 regencies/municipalities with low health quality, 52 regencies/cities with low health quality. and the quality of health is quite low there are 13 districts/cities, it can be concluded that the health indicators in Java

Redefining and Validating Digital Biomarkers as Fluid, Dynamic Multi-Dimensional Digital Signal Patterns.

“Digital biomarker” is a term broadly and indiscriminately applied and often limited in its conceptualization to mimic well-established biomarkers as defined and approved by regulatory agencies such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is a practical urgency to revisit the definition of a digital biomarker and expand it beyond current methods of identification and validation. Restricting the promise of digital technologies within the realm of currently defined biomarkers creates a missed opportunity. A whole new field of prognostic and early diagnostic digital biomarkers driven by data science and artificial intelligence can break the current cycle of high healthcare costs and low health quality that is being driven by today's chronic disease detection and treatment approaches. This new class of digital biomarkers will be dynamic and require developing new FDA approval pathways and next-generation gold standards.

Sexual dysfunction in patients with systemic sclerosis

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of systemic sclerosis (SSc) on quality of life and sexual function in female patients. The study included 30 sexually active female patients with SSc and 30 healthy control subjects. For all participants in both the patient and control groups, the female sexual index and SF-36 forms were completed and a detailed medical and sexual history was taken. The mean age was 45.03 ± 9.22 years in the SSc group and 44.6 ± 11.52 years in the control group (P = 0.87). The SF-36 scores in the patient group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Sexual dysfunction was found in 26/30 (86.6%) of the SSc patients and in 6/30 (20%) of the control group (P = 0.0001). Significant differences were determined between the groups with respect to sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction, and pain. There was no significant relationship between the subgroups of SSc patients, duration of disease, lung involvement, and FSFI scores. Sexual dysfunction and lower health quality are common problems in female patients with systemic sclerosis.

Influence of Social, Economic, Familial, Marital Status, and Disease Adaptation on the Physical and Mental Health Dimensions of Patients Who Are Candidates for Renal Transplant.

End-stage renal disease is a disease with a long duration, requiring patients to live with the limitations imposed by their condition. Stressors associated with this disease are demanding, with patients dependent on support from their social environment. Here, we aimed to show the influences of familial, social, economic, and marital status on quality of life in patients with end-stage renal disease. Patients (190 women/188 men) who were under hemodialysis treatment and on transplant wait lists were included in the study. To evaluate the quality of life, patients completed the Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire voluntarily while undergoing hemodialysis treatment. All Short Form 36 questionnaire components were analyzed separately, and all social, economic, and business life dimensions were examined with another questionnaire. Significant differences were observed between single and married patients regarding physical and mental health dimensions (P < .001), with quality of life higher in single patients than in married. Patients who lived in villages had lower health quality than patients who resided in cities or towns (P < .01). Patients who were home owners and who had a job had higher degrees of health quality than those who did not (P < .01). The lowest Short Form 36 scores were in housewives and farmers (P < .001). Comparisons between patients who went home after hemodialysis versus those who went to work showed better Short Form 36 scores in working patients (P < .001). Patients with private insurance and family support had better Short Form 36 scores (P < .001). Patients who did not comply with their doctor and dietician showed the lowest health quality (P < .05). Regular or irregular drug use did not affect scores. Familial, social, economic, and marital statuses, in addition to the influence of disease adaptation, independently affected the well-being of patients with end-stage renal disease.

Factors Affecting the Outcome of Surgical Versus Nonsurgical Treatment of Cervical Radiculopathy: A Randomized, Controlled Study.

Prospective randomized controlled trial. To analyze factors that may influence the outcome of anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) followed by physiotherapy versus physiotherapy alone for treatment of patients with cervical radiculopathy. An understanding of patient-related factors affecting the outcome of ACDF is important for preoperative patient selection. No previous prospective, randomized study of treatment effect modifiers relating to outcome of ACDF compared with physiotherapy has been carried out. 60 patients with cervical radiculopathy were randomized to ACDF followed by physiotherapy or physiotherapy alone. Data for possible modifiers of treatment outcome at 1 year, such as sex, age, duration of pain, pain intensity, disability (Neck Disability Index, NDI), patient expectations of treatment, anxiety due to neck/arm pain, distress (Distress and Risk Assessment Method), self-efficacy (Self-Efficacy Scale) health status (EQ-5D), and magnetic resonance imaging findings were collected. A multivariate analysis was performed to find treatment effect modifiers affecting the outcome regarding arm/neck pain intensity and NDI. Factors that significantly altered the treatment effect between treatment groups in favor of surgery were: duration of neck pain less than 12 months (P = 0.007), duration of arm pain less than 12 months (P = 0.01) and female sex (P = 0.007) (outcome: arm pain), low EQ-5D index (outcome: neck pain, P = 0.02), high levels of anxiety due to neck/arm pain (outcome: neck pain, P = 0.02 and NDI, P = 0.02), low Self-Efficacy Scale score (P = 0.05), and high Distress and Risk Assessment Method score (P = 0.04) (outcome: NDI). No factors were found to be associated with better outcome with physiotherapy alone. In this prospective, randomized study of patients with cervical radiculopathy, short duration of pain, female sex, low health quality, high levels of anxiety due to neck/arm pain, low self-efficacy, and a high level of distress before treatment were associated with better outcome from surgery. No factors were found to be associated with better outcome from physiotherapy alone.