Description Of Practices Research Articles

Appropriateness of urine culture requests in primary care in Spain: A cross-sectional descriptive study.

Studies evaluating urine culture requests in our country have highlighted a high rate of requests that fall outside the indications specified in clinical guidelines. We evaluated the current degree of inadequacy in the request of urine cultures and how this influences the therapeutic decisions of general practitioners. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Three primary care centres in Tarragona area. Urine culture requests from the adult population≥18 years old, received at the Microbiology Service of the reference hospital in 2022. All requests were made in primary care settings. The collected variables included sociodemographic data, urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms at the time of the urine culture request, comorbidities, reason for the request (including diagnosis), type of urine culture, therapeutic approach before and after receiving the result, and the urine culture result. A total of 461 urine cultures were reviewed: 152 men (mean age 64.1 years) and 309 women (mean age 57 years). Of the urine cultures analyzed, 17.4% were for cystitis (22% in women), 2.4% for pyelonephritis, 1.3% for complicated UTIs, and 1.5% for asymptomatic bacteriuria. In 10.6%, they were for recurrent UTIs; in 9.6%, post-treatment. In 55.5% of cases, general practitioners continued without antibiotic treatment, regardless of urine culture results. The reason to request was unknown in 18.9%. Antibiotic changes occurred in 5.6%. There is still a high rate of urine culture over-requesting in primary care, with 20% of cultures being ordered for otherwise uncomplicated UTIs. While the methodology of the project does not allow for causal analysis, it provides a detailed description of clinical practices in primary care.

Enhancing Public Administration

Public Administration in India has undergone significant transformations in recent years, driven by technological advancements, policy reforms and citizen-centric governance models. The methods used are literature review, text synthesis, and description of current best practices. This short review highlights e.g., key best practices that are shaping the landscape of public administration in current India. Notable initiatives include the integration of digital platforms and enhancing transparency and accessibility for citizens. Additional programs have streamlined welfare distribution and financial inclusion in this South Asian Country. The focus on data-driven decision-making, capacity-building programs for civil servants, and public-private partnerships have further optimized public service delivery. By doing so, India is setting benchmarks for innovation and efficiency in public administration in South Asia Region.

A new conceptualization of the professional practice of environmental health: an Australian qualitative study

ABSTRACT Environmental health professionals play a significant role in preventing and addressing public health problems. Improving this area of practice continues to be a key strategy of the Australian Government; however, achieving this outcome presents several challenges. These challenges relate to the changing context of the practice and the complexities inherent in the practice itself. To address this problem, we investigated the qualitatively different ways environmental health professionals experienced their practice in Australia to establish a new conceptualization of practice. Phenomenographic qualitative methods underpinned this study, involving open-ended, semi-structured interviews with 19 environmental health professionals from diverse backgrounds and practice settings. The study revealed four qualitatively different ways of experiencing the professional practice of environmental health: ‘protecting’, ‘helping’, ‘collaborating’, and ‘leading and innovating’. These different ways were logically linked by five themes of expanding awareness to form a Holistic Experiential Description of Practice (HEDP), representing a new and novel conceptualization of the professional practice of environmental health. We propose that these findings provide a more useful way to conceptualize this area of practice than the current descriptions allow.

Contemporary Adaptive Language Models and the Challenges of Literary Translation (in F. Dostoyevsky’s Novel “The Brothers Karamazov”)

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 2006, has highlighted the need to find ways of ensuring access to information and full communication for people who have difficulty reading and understanding “standard” literary texts. The authors of the convention highlight the use of specific languages and the development of new methods of presenting text and its formatting. Particular emphasis is placed on the availability of cultural information in appropriate formats. Indeed, this paves the way for a novel approach to language communication. The Convention has provided a catalyst for a new direction in linguistics, namely the comprehension and practical description of the communicative variant of a national language intended for certain groups of its speakers. Practical work has a long history and has undergone significant developments, whereas academic research is still in its infancy. Another parallel process is the general trend towards the need for simplified forms of language, caused by digitalization and the accelerated pace of life, which does not allow for extensive reading and in-depth understanding of texts. As a matter of fact, a revision of the criteria for linguistic norms in "standard" texts is currently being considered. However, it should be noted that the process does not only affect standard texts; the practice of translating complex cultural texts into more comprehensible forms is also on the rise. This encompasses both intralanguage transformations and interlingual translations. The objective of this paper is to elucidate the concepts of "plain" and "easy-to-read" languages, to examine the distinctive characteristics of their operational nuances, and to address the challenges associated with the translation of fictional texts into "easy-to-read language," with a particular focus on F.M. Dostoevsky's novel "The Brothers Karamazov", translated into Japanese.

Assessing the Quality of Life of the Ilocano Older Adults During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Association Between Health-Promoting Behaviors and Quality of Life, and the Moderating Effect of Socio-Demographic Profile.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of people across ages, with older adults identified as a vulnerable group. This vulnerability has been magnified by circumstantial indications of ageism emerging at different levels. Crucial at this point is the practice of healthy lifestyle behaviors to maintain functional independence and to improve the quality of life of these susceptible individuals. This study generally aims to comprehensively evaluate the quality of life among Ilocano older adults amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring the relationship between their health-promoting behaviors and quality of life, while considering the moderating influence of socio-demographic factors. A total of 383 community-dwelling older adults from Ilocos Norte aged 60-93 y/o (M 69.68, SD = 7.13) without cognitive impairment, and who can verbally communicate were recruited through stratified random sampling from February to March 2022. Data measures used were the Ilocano translated socio-demographic questionnaire, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle II(HPLP) for HPB, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life -BREF for QOL. The translation process followed the WHO protocol. Reliability and validity testing were done and established. A Mini-Cog test was administered to validate subject inclusion. Data were obtained face-to-face with full observance of health and safety protocol. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) v.28.0 was used for the descriptive and inferential analysis of study data. Diagnostic testing like outlier screening and distribution checking were conducted prior to data analysis. Tests of normality were conducted prior to the regression analysis. Ilocano older adults (IOA) generally have a high level of HPBs (M = 2.91, SD 0.49) and average perception of QOL (M = 3.37, SD = 0.46) regardless of their demographic profile. However, the physical activity subscale was reported to be low. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the Scheffe post hoc test revealed statistically significant differences in the HPB scores of the IOA according to age, civil status, and educational attainment and a significant difference in the perceived QOL of the IOA when classified according to their health status. The Pearson R correlation test revealed a positive (r = .467, p < .01 level of significance) and a moderate magnitude of correlation (.4 < between HPBs and QOL. Multiple linear regression tests with a stepwise method revealed physical activity ( = .205, p = .001), nutrition ( = -.242, p = .001), and spiritual growth ( = .205, p = .008) influence the quality of life of Ilocano older adults. They explained 25% of the variance of QOL while other subscales of HPB explained 26% of it (adjusted R2=.251, R2 change = .263), significant at p < 0.05. Moderation analysis showed age and health status to have an effect on the relationship between HPB and QOL with a p-value of .000 and .001 respectively. This study showed that HPBs are positively associated with the QOL of IOA. Physical activity, nutrition, and spiritual growth affect the QOL perception while age and health status were found to influence the association. The practice of HPB must be encouraged with a focus on increased physical activity engagement, proper nutrition, and religious practices that foster spiritual growth for this identified vulnerable group. The findings of this study have offered a lucid description of the current HPB practice and QOL perceptions of the IOA and have posed the fundamental basis for possibly proposing health policy reforms and implementing health-promoting interventions that will lead to the lifelong well-being of the IOA during the pandemic and are sustained after the health crisis.

Clinical Imaging and Innovations in Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection

AbstractImaging plays a central role in the management of patients with aortic disease. Such imaging can be made particularly complex by changing terminology and definitions, overlapping pathologies, and unfamiliarity with evolving endovascular treatment approaches. This article will review basic principles of aortic imaging that can be applied across a variety of settings and pathologies, with a description of key best practices and potential pitfalls for image acquisition, diagnostic assessment, and reporting. Additionally, the topic of imaging in the setting of endovascular aortic repair will be addressed, as well as a variety of imaging-related diagnostic challenges in the setting of chronic aortic dissection, including surgically repaired type A and uncomplicated type B dissections. Finally, recent developments in advanced aortic imaging will be highlighted with descriptions of several areas of promising research that may yield significant advances in imaging of aortic disease.

Occupational therapy in pain management: An exploration and description of current UK practice

Introduction: There is a growing body of evidence regarding the contribution to the management of chronic pain by occupational therapists. However, there is limited research available regarding contemporary practice in the United Kingdom (UK). Method: An on-line questionnaire was circulated via social media, profession specific publications and specialist interest groups. Responses were requested from UK-based Health and Care Professions Council registered occupational therapists who identified working with those living with chronic pain and their friends, family and supporters. Findings: A total of 26 occupational therapists responded. Occupational therapists are working in diverse service settings, offering a range of interventions and recognised the unique contribution by occupational therapists to this area of practice. Perceived barriers to delivering intervention included staffing levels, understanding of the occupational therapists’ role and suggestions for additional interventions were stated. Conclusion: This research increases understanding of UK-based occupational therapist’s current practice in pain management and views of their role. It provides considerations for further research including how to increase awareness of occupational therapy’s contribution to this area of practice, exploring the occupational needs of individuals and those of friends, family and supporters to ensure intervention is designed to best meet the needs of this population.

Harm reduction for perinatal cannabis use: protocol for a scoping review of clinical practices

IntroductionThe American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends against cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation (‘perinatal cannabis use’) given its association with negative parent–child health outcomes. However, cannabis is becoming...

Bread dough as material metaphor for the maternal experience

This article traces my artistic practice with bread dough. The writing intertwines descriptions of practice and theory, exposing the ambiguities of maternal experience through the dough. Beginning with research on suspended temporalities, the dough reveals multi-layered insights into physical and economic maternal experience. Materialities of bread dough work together with embodied practices which explore them: slow, spreading growth, stickiness, weight and awkwardness, kneading as rhythmic, repetitive labour, invisibility. The writing connects the research to the performance project BRED, a participatory installation depicting a fictional start-up company, in which the dough stars as the object of ‘work,’ here no longer invisible, a vehicle for the voice of the maternal within a performative corporate setting.

"The children of the Sun and Moon are the gardens"-How people, plants, and a living Sun shape life on Tanna, Vanuatu.

Based on original ethnographic and ethnobotanical research, we share how in the cosmology of Tanna, an island in Vanuatu's southernmost province of Tafea, the Sun is viewed as a living, interactive being. Our initial interviews explored knowledge and beliefs concerning individual plant species, then subsequent follow-up interviews further explored topics that emerged therefrom. The results of these interviews are a series of oral narratives of the mytho-historical past involving the Sun, and the description of contemporary practices which are influenced by the Sun. In traditional narratives, the Sun is both a creative and destructive force which is sometimes viewed as an active, personified character, and in other circumstances appears as an instrument created and utilized by greater powers. People from Tanna recount-and we adopt as a hypothesis-that the Sun's physical manifestation and role in the world has changed since the earliest days of its mythological creation, and that it remains an active player in Tanna's biocultural landscape within practices including time-reckoning, agriculture, and architecture. Through its relationships with humans and non-humans alike, the Sun ultimately shapes the cultural practices and even the landscape of Tanna. The nature of these relationships is changing as linguistic and cultural practices shift alongside people's relationship with the land, but the Sun remains a critical factor in lives and livelihoods of Tanna today.

Gastrointestinal Helminth Infections in Dogs in Sheep and Goat Farms in Greece: Prevalence, Involvement of Wild Canid Predators and Use of Anthelmintics.

The objectives of the present work were the investigation of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in dogs in small ruminant farms in Greece, the elucidation of potential predictors for these infections and the description of practices related to administration of anthelmintics to dogs. This study was carried out in 444 small ruminant farms in Greece. Faecal samples were collected directly from the rectum of the dogs in the farms. The samples were processed by means of conventional parasitological techniques, specifically, a combined sedimentation flotation technique. There were dogs in 92.8% of the farms, with a median number of four dogs per farm. The following variables were associated with the presence of dogs in the farms: the presence of wild mammal predators near the farms, the increased daily period of farmers' presence at the farm, goats as the livestock species at the farm and the management system applied in the farm. Helminth eggs were detected in samples from 72.6% of the farms. The main helminth eggs detected were those of hookworms (Uncinaria/Ancylostoma) and Toxocara canis, in 68.6% and 51.3% of the farms, respectively. In our multivariable analyses, an association emerged between the presence of canid predators near a farm and the detection of these helminths in faecal samples: in 76% and 60% of the samples, respectively, versus in 58% and 39% of the samples from farms with no canid presence. Of farmers with dogs, 16.0% reported that they omitted the administration of anthelmintics to the animals. In multivariable analysis, the semi-extensive or extensive management system applied in the farm, the lower annual milk production per animal and the lack of collaboration with a veterinary practice were the significant predictors for the omission of anthelmintic administration to the farm dogs. There was also a clear association in the omission of anthelmintic administration to the dogs and to the livestock on the farm. The most frequently administered anthelmintic was praziquantel, which was used in 93.6% of the farms.

Универсальные компетенции выпускника вуза в отечественной и зарубежной педагогике: традиции и современность

The article analyzes the research experience of Russian and foreign scientists in the field of studying universal (“soft”) competences. It compares the perspectives of domestic and foreign scientists regarding the content of these competencies and ways of their formation. A historical review of approaches to understanding the ways of forming and content of this group of competencies is provided. The article describes the history of the emergence of the concept of “competence” and updates the list of competencies that are not subject-specific. The author primarily focuses on substantiating the issues surrounding the formation of universal competencies. The content of universal competences is analyzed: including their internal descriptors. This issue is considered in the historical context in the works of both Russian and foreign scientists. The result of the analysis clarifies that the descriptors included in universal competencies have been previously studied and considered as qualities of an individual’s personality or value-semantic qualities. The description of practices of formation of “soft” competences by foreign scientists and universal competences by Russian scientists is given. In addition, the history of development and testing of proprietary tools and practices is presented.

Description of Complementary Feeding Practice to Underweight Children Under Two Years Old in The Working Area of Puskesmas Kanor, Bojonegoro District

Children under two years of age, are in a very important developmental period often referred to as the Golden Age. Child classified as Underweight based on anthropometry, measurements if their body weight for Age (BB/U) is between -3 SD &lt;-2 SD. According to data from the Bojonegoro District Health Service. This study aims to describe complementary feeding practice to underweight children aged 6-24 months with in the working area of the kanor community health center. Research used an interview method with a questionnare for data collectin, A total of 41 children were selected through random sampling. The result showed that the age at first complementary feeding was correct in 68.4% of cases however, frequency 75.6%, amount 63.4%, texture 75.6%, variation 53, 6%, responsiveness 58.5% and hygiene 58.5%. While most children had a story of exclusive breastfeeding, aspect such as children had a history of exclusive breasfeeding aspect such as frequency, quantity, texture, variety, and responsivenness of complementary feeding were incorrect even though cleanliness was satisfactory. Educational interventions are needed to improve knowledge and practices related to proper complementary feeding for children.

Open versus mini-invasive partial and radical nephrectomy complications: results from the French national health database

BackgroundLaparoscopic surgery is associated with a lower morbidity than open surgery. No recent data compared kidney cancer surgery in the French population using the National Health Insurance database (PMSI-MCO).AimsWe explore and compare the surgical morbidity rates between laparoscopic and open laparotomy for kidney cancer.MethodsThe initial length of stay and complications parameters during the three postoperative months were described for renal cancer in every French center in 2018. We compared Relative Risks (RR [95% CI]) between laparoscopic and open surgery for both radical and partial nephrectomy.ResultsAmong 8,162 patients, 3,525 had a radical nephrectomy, 978 open, 2,547 laparoscopic surgeries; 4,637 patients had partial nephrectomies, 1,778 open 2,859 laparoscopic surgeries. For radical surgery, the most common complications were urinary infections (7.8%), acute renal failure (8.9%), sepsis (8.4%), bleeding (9.3%), and postoperative anemia (5.9%); the RR for laparoscopic versus open surgery were respectively 0.68 [0.54;0.86], 0.71 [0.57;0.88], 0.69 [0.55;0.86], 0.83 [0.66;1.03], 0.56 [0.43;0.73]. For partial nephrectomies, the most common complications were urinary infections (7.7%), bleeding (11.6%), and postoperative anemia (5.8%), with RR of 0.71 [0.58;0.87], 0.61 [0.52;0.71], and 0.64 [0.51;0.81]. The mean length of stay was 7.7 for open radical nephrectomy, 6.3 for laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, 7.5 for open partial nephrectomy, and 5 for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.ConclusionsThe laparoscopic approach had fewer postoperative complications and a shorter length of stay than open surgery for partial and radical nephrectomy. The PMSI analysis provided an exhaustive description of surgical practice for kidney cancer and surgical complications in France.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.

The supervision of experienced secondary school‐based counsellors: A situational analysis constructivist grounded theory exploration of best practice

AbstractIntroduction and AimsSecondary school‐based counselling (SSBC) is used widely throughout the United Kingdom (UK) as an early mental health intervention, and clinical supervision is necessary for its safe and effective practice. Currently, there does not exist a body of research to inform best practice in this area of supervision. The purpose of this study was to explore the supervisory requirements of the experienced secondary school‐based counsellor and what best practice looks like.MethodThis study used situational analysis constructivist grounded theory methodology to explore and develop a grounded theory of best practice in supervising the experienced secondary school counsellor in the UK. The descriptions of best practice were examined from the interviews of 17 experienced secondary school counsellors and/or supervisors.FindingsFrom the data emerged one core category (‘a good fit’) which encapsulated four theoretical categories (‘the supervisory relationship’, ‘understanding the working context’, ‘safeguarding’ and ‘the shared supervisory journey’). The study indicates that the supervisor needs an understanding of the unique context of the secondary school as a therapist's working environment in order to support the supervisee with often complex work. There needs to be an awareness of how elements from within the school and/or counselling agency can impact on the supervision regarding boundaries, trust and containment so they do not impact the supervision in a detrimental way.ConclusionsSupervisor and supervisee need a shared understanding of the nature of supervision within this context for it to be a ‘good fit’ for both. This has implications for supervision training and the externality of supervision within this context.

The Days After the Funeral: An Ethnolinguistic Analysis of Christian Post-Funeral Death Practices in Jish (Northern Israel).

This study is in ethnolinguistics, the interface between culture and linguistics. It provides an ethnography (detailed description) of post-funeral death practices among Maronite Christians in Jish, a small village in northern Israel. It also linguistically analyzes some concepts and cultural norms related to these practices and explicates (i.e., defines in simple, universal terms) them using the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) approach. At the micro-level, this study provides a precise description and analysis of post-funeral death practices in one community sharing the same linguaculture (i.e., the same ways of speaking and living). This precise description and analysis can, in turn, provide an opportunity for a precise comparison between these Jish death practices and their counterparts in other micro-communities. Additionally, this study provides cultural outsiders (those who are outside the culture) with insights into some aspects of the Jish linguaculture; thus it may be of interest to linguists and anthropologists.

Practice variation in induction of labor: A critical document analysis on the contribution of regional protocols.

Despite national guidelines with recommendations on induction of labor (IOL), large variation in the use of this intervention exists between regions in the Netherlands. Guidelines are translated into protocols, which give a contextual description of medical practice provided in a given region. Possibly, protocols developed by regional multidisciplinary maternity care networks (MCNs) contribute to the regional variation in IOL. The aim of this study was to assess the variation between regional protocols and national guidelines regarding recommendations on IOL and the extent to which this contributes to practice variation. We performed a systematic document analysis using the Ready materials, Extract data, Analyze, Distil (READ) approach. National guidelines (n = 4) and regional protocols (n = 18) from six MCNs on topics linked to IOL were assessed between October 2021 and April 2022. An analytical framework was used to extract data for the comparison of regional protocols. Some MCNs followed all the recommendations of national guidelines in their regional protocols, others developed their own recommendations, and for some this varied per topic. When developing their own recommendations, MCNs with a high percentage of IOL added additional risk factors and stricter cut-off values. In contrast, MCNs with a low percentage of IOL added more care options for continuing midwife-led care. No clear relationship was observed between the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE) scores of the national guidelines and the extent to which regional protocols complied with the recommendations. The translation of national guidelines to regional protocols seemed arbitrary and not very systematic. To reduce unwarranted practice variation in the use of IOL, guidance is needed to better align regional protocols with national guidelines, while including appropriate contextual factors and allowing women's preferences. Additionally, healthcare providers should be trained in practicing evidence-based medicine instead of using evidence.

К вопросу о теоретических основах государственного регулирования экономики

The article considers some theoretical aspects of the fundamentals of the development of approaches to the implementation of state regulation within the framework of various economic directions and concepts. The main features inherent in various approaches to the implementation of state regulation are highlighted. The author's vision of the economic and theoretical component of the term "State regulation" has been formed. Using the block model, the mechanism of interaction of the components of state regulation of the economy is presented. An economic and practical description of the functioning of the elements of such a mechanism and the consequences of its impact on the economy of the country and the market has been carried out. Based on the conducted research, a promising industry has been identified for practical testing of the research results.

Beginning teachers’ descriptions of ball games as pedagogic practice in Swedish physical education

Teaching approaches in ball games in school physical education (PE) have traditionally focused on technical proficiency. Technical approaches have been criticised for being teacher-centred, exclusive, and lacking meaning. Game-based approaches (GBAs) have been presented as an alternative way to teach ball games. Employing GBAs is, however, not without challenges. Scholars have pointed to teachers’ limited content knowledge of games, their poor understanding of GBAs, and cultural expectations of ball games as factors that constrain teachers’ work with GBAs. The aim of this article is to provide an understanding of how beginning teachers describe ball games as a pedagogic practice in Swedish PE. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 beginning teachers who had graduated from two physical education teacher education (PETE) institutions. Bernstein's concepts of classification and framing were used to analyse the teachers’ descriptions of pedagogic practice. The findings illustrate how the classification of ball games knowledge varies. Some of the beginning teachers aimed to develop pupils’ understanding of games while others instead used ball games as a means for developing general movement capability or cooperation. Ball games teaching was characterised by a combination of GBAs and technical approaches. The influence of competitive sport outside of school was seen as a challenge, and the beginning teachers used strong framing and different teaching strategies combined with assessment to manage this challenge. The findings raise questions about ball games education in PETE in relation to specific national contexts.

Description of Medical and Surgical Conditions Requiring Referral by Physical Therapy Providers in Primary Contact Musculoskeletal Practice

OBJECTIVE: The Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association’s clinical practice guideline recommendations provide a foundation for clinicians’ musculoskeletal care. Some patients’ presenting clinical findings suggest conditions that would benefit from medical or surgical evaluation and management. Guidelines are not available that direct this referral. DESIGN: This practice description directs the development of guidelines for clinicians working as first provider musculoskeletal practitioners on the diagnostic criteria for referring clients for medical or surgical management. METHODS: The foundational step in developing these guidelines is to identify the conditions that first provider musculoskeletal practitioners are likely to encounter during clinical practice. This study used standard practice analysis methodology to identify and describe these conditions. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: The ensuing clinical practice guideline, based on systematic methods to evaluate and classify evidence, will provide graded recommendations on the criteria to identify, level of confidence with identifying, and urgency for referring patients, with the conditions described in this practice analysis, for medical and surgical evaluation and management. JOSPT Open 2025;3(1):1-13. Epub 10 September 2024. doi:10.2519/josptopen.2024.0047