Professional Attitudes Research Articles

Predictors Affecting the Attitude Towards Homosexuality Among Health Sciences University Students in East Coast Malaysia

Introduction As a minority group homosexuality poses the risk of various mental illnesses and medical comorbidities. In Malaysia, homosexuality is prohibited according to culture, law, and religion. Thus, this group is reluctant to seek help due to the negative attitude of certain healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals’ negative attitudes towards this group may negatively impact patient care quality. This study aimed to identify predictors of health sciences students’ attitudes toward homosexuality. Materials and methods An online cross-sectional study was conducted among 307 undergraduate clinical students at a university on the east coast of Malaysia from December 2020 to February 2021. The instruments consisted of the Homosexual Attitude Scale Malay Version (HASMV), Self-Reflection and Insight Scale (SRIS), and Duke University Religion Index (DUREL). Results The mean (SD) age of participants was 22.91 (0.78) years old. The majority are female, Malay, and Muslim. Mean (SD) scores of attitudes towards homosexuality among health sciences students were 61.53 (17.06). Non-Muslims, final-year students, and those with higher self-reflection scores in central and southern Peninsular Malaysia displayed a more positive attitude towards homosexuality, as did students with a history of contact with homosexuals. Students with higher intrinsic religiosity scores were shown to be more negative towards homosexuality. Conclusion The attitude towards homosexuality of Malaysian future health practitioners leaned mostly towards the positive attitude towards homosexuality. These findings shall aid the relevant authorities in revising the curriculum to raise awareness about homosexual health, as well as arranging training programs. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 23 No. 04 October’24 Page : 1120-1128

Exploring teachers teaching reading comprehension: knowledge, behaviours and attitudes

ABSTRACT There are few measures of teacher professional knowledge of reading comprehension, therefore little is known about the levels of teacher professional knowledge, their motivation and attitudes to teaching reading comprehension. The Knowledge, Behaviour and Attitudes Test for Reading Comprehension (KBAT-RC) was developed from a systematic literature review, in collaboration with researchers and practitioners. Findings from the first sample suggest that teachers prefer more tangible practices when teaching reading comprehension (teaching vocabulary, prediction and asking questions), in contrast to developing the inference skills and self-monitoring for meaning strategies of the children they teach. Implications for the development of teacher professional knowledge in reading comprehension are discussed.

Humanistic care ability and its influencing factors among Chinese surgical nurses.

This paper aims to investigate the humanistic care ability among surgical nurses in China and identify its statistically significant influencing factors. A cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational design was used. A total of 210 surgical nurses were recruited from a tertiary public hospital in Wuhu, Anhui Province. Four with incomplete responses were excluded, leaving 206 participants for data analysis. Variables were measured using the general questionnaire, caring ability inventory (CAI), and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to identify the statistically significant influencing factors of participants' humanistic caring ability. The overall average score of the CAI was 190.14 (SD = 19.24), and the average scores for the three dimensions of cognitive, courage, and patience were 70.46 (SD = 7.77), 62.12 (SD = 8.47) and 57.56 (SD = 6.02), respectively. The overall average score of the GSES was 26.05 (SD = 5.77). Professional attitude, perceived care from the department head nurse, perceived care from colleagues and self-efficacy were the statistically significant factors influencing the humanistic care ability of surgical nurses (R2 = 0.45, adjusted R2 = 0.44, F = 40.64, p < 0.001).

Awareness Regarding Medical Device Safety among Physicians: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Survey

Abstract Background: With the huge inflow of medical devices into the healthcare market, it is imperative to monitor the device safety throughout its period of usage, with the help of a systematic continual surveillance mechanism. Although the Materiovigilance Program of India has been formally introduced since 2015, there exists a dearth of awareness regarding its existence and functioning among the major stakeholders of patient safety. Addressing this gap, the study probes the awareness regarding materiovigilance among the doctors in eastern India. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out using a 20-item structured survey tool to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of medical professionals regarding safety surveillance of medical devices. Responses obtained were statistically analyzed and interpreted. Results: Principal elements of medical device adverse event (MDAE) reporting were known to around 40% of respondents. However, the time frame for reporting an event/incident was found to be grossly unclear. Over 30% of respondents were aware of the effect of MDAEs and that its reporting could enhance patient safety. Items related to practice domains revealed that although around 50% of respondents of either category encountered MDAEs in their practice setup, only 10.95% of faculty and 6.41% of residents have reported it. Less than 5% of the respondents were ever trained on how to report MDAEs. The mean domain score for knowledge was on higher mark for the faculty, while that for attitude and practice domains were higher for the residents. Conclusion: There was a gross dearth of awareness regarding materiovigilance among the doctors. Enhanced sensitization regarding medical device safety surveillance in all healthcare levels can definitely help the situation ensuring patient safety.

Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence and Levels of Hope in University Students in Health-Related Departments.

Intimate partner violence, is a major public and clinical health issue. Health institutions are one of the institutions to which a violence victim applies first. That is why the attitude of future health professionals is important. Hope is a concept that supports well-being and mental health. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between attitudes towards intimate partner violence and hope levels of university students studying in the field of health. The research was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The research was carried out in December 2021 with 934 students. Data were collected using the sociodemographic data form, the acceptance of couple violence scale, and the trait hope scale. %65have a date or an ex-date, and %3.1 of them have experienced dating violence. 2.1% of the female students and 6.9% of the male students reported having experienced dating violence, and this was significantly higher in male students. Acceptance of couple violence among students are low in all dimensions. Acceptance of violence by men was significantly higher in all dimensions. Acceptance of male violence was significantly higher in those who use cigarettes and alcohol, and those who have experienced domestic or dating violence. The hope scale scores were close to high in all dimensions. The findings of the study showed the attitudes of students studying in health fields against violence. Students have dating relationships, are exposed to any violence in dating relationships, had low levels of acceptance of couple violence and high levels of hope. Students will start working with hope.

Christian Ethical Response to The Challenges of Digital Financial Borrowing in Nigeria

Digital financial borrowing is the money borrowed online through digital mobile applications, platforms or phones that are offered by financial lenders using the Internet. Due to the advancement in financial technology, banking and financial services and operations have been digitalized. The emergence of digital finance has rebranded banking and financial borrowing access and opportunities. People can now borrow money online, digitally and seamlessly. This development is applaudable because it eases traditional banking operations burdens and removes bottlenecks in borrowing and lending to finance business and personal needs. However, the attendant experiences from digital financial borrowing are worrisome and pose challenges to human well-being in developing economies, especially among Christians in Nigeria. Some of the experiences of digital financial borrowers are poor loan repayment, which may be due to high interest, breach of personal data policy and social shaming of defaulted borrowers by lending companies’ employees. The unvirtuous motives and characters of some borrowers, professionally unethical attitudes and loan recovery strategies are responsible for these challenges. This paper gives an overview of digital financial borrowing in Nigeria and discusses digital financial borrowing, which is characterized with features such as instant, automation, remote, consumer loans and short maturity. The paper argues that digital financial borrowing has assisted financial inclusion and contributed to Nigeria’s digital economy, it has however negatively impacted on borrowers’ personal, emotional, mental, marital, business, spiritual and moral well-being due to poor repayment or inability to repay, high interest, and social shaming of customers by digital loan officers. The paper concludes that Christians should act virtuously and ethically according to biblical instructions when dealing in financial borrowing, wisdom, honesty, godliness, discretion, patience and mutual respect are among Christian virtues to display in financial borrowing decisions, actions and relationships. It recommends that churches and church leaders should encourage financial education and literacy that enhance credit understanding and boost Christians’ financial wellness. It also recommends that Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, with other financial regulatory bodies in Nigeria should regulate the operations of lending companies and enforce acceptable professional work ethics and attitudes of digital lending companies’ employees to enhance friendly relationships with customers.

Relationship between workplace violence and attitudes towards the nursing profession in nursing students: A cross-sectional study in Iran

BACKGROUND: Nursing students are at risk of violence. When nursing students encounter violence in clinical environments, their functional abilities and their desire to stay in this profession are impressed. This research determines the relationship between violence in the workplace and the attitude towards the nursing profession (NP) among Iranian nursing students in 2021. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional research was conducted as an online survey in 2021, and 512 nursing students were selected using the convenience method. Data collection tools included a demographic information form, a professional attitude questionnaire, and a workplace violence questionnaire. Chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), sample t-test, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The average age was 23.19 ± 4.58 years. Students with high violence experiences had a more negative attitude towards the profession (P = 0.000). The perpetrators of violence were mainly hospital employees (52.42). It was followed by patients and companions (45.86) and instructors (43.95). A significant relationship was found between gender (P = 0.03), age (P = 0.00), academic year (P = 0.005), and marital status (P = 0.008) with attitude towards profession. The findings of this research showed that the variables of gender (boy) and age have an inverse effect on the attitude with a predictive power of 37%; however, the attitude towards the profession becomes positive by increasing the academic year. CONCLUSION: This research provides data to nursing schools to develop intervention and prevention strategies to support students in dealing with the experience of violence. Holding related training courses in violence prevention techniques reduces the other party’s anger and can help improve the situation.

The Russian Language Textbook as a Multimodal Object

The school textbook has always been the most important tool for organizing the educational process. Many studies by Kazakhstani scholars have been devoted to the issue of the quality of Kazakhstani textbooks. However, most of the research primarily focuses on the verbal component of textbooks, while their visual design is often underestimated. This suggests that the school textbook is not considered a holistic multimodal object, each element of which (both verbal and non-verbal) is intended to contribute to developing students' multimodal literacy. Since the development of educational literature today is carried out not only by scholars but also by practicing educators, there is a need to study teachers' professional attitudes toward the multimodality of textbooks. The article employs a survey method to investigate teachers' evaluative perception of the visual design of Russian language textbooks for the 5th grade from the publishers “Mektep” and “AEO NIS”. The authors found out that teachers transfer their negative attitude towards the verbal component of the textbook to its non-verbal aspect, poorly understanding the didactic potential of the multimodality of the textbook, which hinders their successful work in shaping and developing students' multimodal literacy. In light of the insufficiently high ranking of Kazakhstani students in international studies such as PIRLS and PISA, the results obtained in the article acquire special relevance. Based on the conducted analysis, the authors propose recommendations for solving the identified problem.

Research on the Integration of Craftsman Spirit into Higher Vocational Ideological and Political Education

At present, it is a new attempt and experience to integrate the craftsman spirit into the ideological and political education in higher vocational colleges. As a professional attitude and spiritual pursuit, the craftsman spirit is very much in line with the goal of ideological and political education in higher vocational colleges. Therefore, it has become an important trend of higher vocational education to integrate the content of craftsman spirit into the ideological and political teaching.

Reliability and Validity of the Persian Version of the Professional Self Identity Questionnaire (PSIQ) in Iranian Students in Shiraz

Background: Professional identity is a vital component of medical education that influences the future practice of medical students. Currently, there is a lack of a reliable and valid Persian scale for measuring students' readiness for professional identity. Objectives: This study aims to determine whether the Professional Self-identity Questionnaire (PSIQ) can be adapted for Persian healthcare professions. Methods: A descriptive-correlation study was conducted among medical students (years 4 - 7) at Shiraz Medical School. A total of 175 students completed the Persian version of the PSIQ using stratified sampling. The PSIQ consists of nine items. Categorical Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CCFA) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to assess the questionnaire's validity and reliability. The questionnaire was translated into Persian by two independent translators whose first language was Persian, and an agreement was reached. Data analysis and the path diagram were conducted using R.3.6.2 software with the lavaan and semPlot packages. Results: An eight-person expert panel approved the face, content, and structural validity of the questionnaire. The items' Content Validity Index (CVI) exceeded 0.79, and the questionnaire's overall Content Validity Ratio (CVR) exceeded 0.75, according to the Lawshe table. The goodness-of-fit indices for the professional self-identity model included the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), and Comparative Fit Index (CFI) (RMSEA = 0.055, CFI = 0.996, and TLI = 0.994). The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the three subscales—"profession-specific tasks," "generic attributes," and "inter-personal tasks"—were 0.762, 0.622, and 0.747, respectively (P-value &lt; 0.05). The internal consistency of the entire questionnaire, measured by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.873. These statistical results indicate that the hypothesized three-factor model fit the sample data well. Consequently, all nine items were significantly loaded on the three domains. Conclusions: The Persian-translated version of the PSIQ appears to be an appropriate, valid, and reliable tool for assessing the professional self-identity attitudes of medical students in Iran.

Perspectives and attitudes of South African medical professionals towards active euthanasia.

Active euthanasia is a controversial subject both globally and in South Africa. Recent legal cases have kept this topic in the public discourse. Yet, there remains a dearth of quality local research on this issue. This study aimed to explore the views of medical professionals towards active euthanasia to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon in South Africa. A descriptive-interpretive qualitative research design, using semi-structured in-depth interviews of purposively sampled South African medical professionals, was used to collect the data. The data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis framework, which included familiarisation, coding, summarising, theme development and thematic review, revision and interpretation. Four general themes, with sub-themes, were identified and inductively analysed: modern medical practice and euthanasia; the problem of suffering in end-of-life care; euthanasia is complex; palliative care in South Africa is poor. Some themes and sub-themes were common to all participants while other themes underscored more diverse views - often because of religious factors. Active euthanasia is a complex and nuanced issue. An understanding of the perceptions and attitudes of medical professionals will contribute to the overall discussion of this phenomenon in ethical, legal, social and political spheres in South Africa. This is of utmost importance given the relevance of this topic in South Africa in the 21st century.Contribution:This study highlights the complex nature of active euthanasia in South Africa among medical professionals while providing a greater understanding of its nuances and the strengths and weaknesses of arguments for or against it.

Relationship between hospital ethical climate, critical thinking disposition, and nursing task performance

BackgroundAs ethical conflicts increase in the ever-changing healthcare field, nursing task performance, which is the overall ability of a nurse’s professional knowledge, attitude, and skills, is important for patient health and safety, the provision of quality nursing care, and the appropriate resolution of nursing ethical problems. This study aimed to evaluate the mediating effect of critical thinking disposition on the relationship between hospital ethical climate and nursing task performance.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of a convenience sample of 200 clinical nurses from two Korean cities were recruited between November and December 2021. Direct questionnaires and online surveys were used to collect the data. The study variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and a model tested using the Hayes PROCESS macro (Model 4) mediation model.ResultsThe mean scores for hospital ethical climate, critical thinking disposition, and nursing task performance were 91.86 ± 11.29, 97.74 ± 10.70, and 138.58 ± 14.95, respectively. Hospital ethical climate and critical thinking disposition were positively correlated with nursing task performance. In the mediation test model, hospital ethical climate was found to be positively and significantly associated with nursing task performance (ß = 0.46, p < .001) with the mediation of critical thinking disposition (ß = 0.70, p < .001).ConclusionsHospital ethical climate and critical thinking disposition may be important determinants of task performance among clinical nurses. Hospital administrators should make efforts to create a more positive ethical climate in hospitals and conduct education and campaigns on a positive hospital ethical climate for hospital staff to improve nurses’ performance.

Assessing stigma: Health and social worker regard towards working with people using illicit drugs in Athens, Greece

BackgroundAfter the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and resulting economic austerity, the rise in illicit drug use engendered an increased need for people who use drugs (PWUD) to access medical care, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that perceptions of medical staff towards PWUD facilitate or act as a barrier to accessing health care. This study provides a better understanding of health and social work professionals’ perceptions by assessing stigma levels towards PWUD in Athens, Greece.MethodsThis is a mixed-method study. It calculates the stigma score for professionals (n = 60) and the stigma score associated with specific drugs based on the Medical Condition Regard Scale through a quantitative analysis of responses to a semi-structured online survey about attitudes of health and social work professionals towards PWUD. It draws on the qualitative analysis of 12 semi-structured interviews with 16 service managers, providers, and health services advocates working in the charity sector to determine whether perceptions of PWUD affect writing and implementing policy and protocols for services.ResultsStigma towards PWUD exists amongst health and social work professionals in Athens. Professionals who have worked with PWUD for longer periods of time, professionals who have had specific training on working with PWUD, and professionals who feel that they have the necessary training to work with PWUD all demonstrated a higher stigma score than those reporting the opposite. Cannabis and opioids were associated with lower stigma scores while shisha had the highest level of stigma associated with it. Finally, professional environments are not conducive to alleviating stigma as the lack of training specific to stigma, the lack of professional supervision, and worker burn-out are key barriers faced by professionals in their everyday practice.ConclusionsReducing and eliminating stigma towards PWUD among health and social workers requires immediate action. Measures to be taken include: introducing training programs focused on stigma towards PWUD to healthcare providers, social workers, lawyers, police, the media; increasing professional supervision on field work for health and social workers; introducing low barrier health care and specialist units. Peers and field-focused organisations should meaningfully participate in drug and alcohol policymaking, program development, and implementation.

Fathers’ Experiences Six Months After their Preterm Infant's Discharge from the NICU

ABSTRACT Although fathers experience emotional stress both during the care period and after discharge, there is limited research focusing exclusively on fathers’ experiences after their time in a neonatal intensive care unit. Their experiences are important for tailoring support to fathers based on their individual needs. This paper is part of a longitudinal study in which parents were followed by means of questionnaires and individual interviews during a two-year period after discharge from hospital-based neonatal home care. A qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach was used to elucidate the experiences of fathers six months after their preterm infant’s discharge. Twelve fathers participated in the study. The following categories emerged and constituted the result: “Vivid memories from the NICU,” “Struggling with new challenges in life” and “Transition to home still in their thoughts.” The approach and attitude of health-care professionals may contribute to fathers’ involvement during the care period, as fathers tend to set their own feelings aside.

Exploring a role for community pharmacists in the identification of alcohol-related liver disease: a qualitative interview study with professionals, patients, and the public.

To explore the views and attitudes of professionals, patients and the public to a role for community pharmacists in the identification of alcohol-related liver disease (ArLD). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of patients with ArLD, members of the public, pharmacy staff, and clinicians managing patients with ArLD across the Wessex region of south England. The interviews explored experiences of alcohol, ArLD and health advice in pharmacies and elicited views of what a pharmacist role in identifying ArLD could entail and factors influencing this. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Twenty-six participants were interviewed and three themes were generated: (i) acknowledging, seeking help and engaging with a hidden problem; (ii) professional roles, boundaries and attributes; (iii) communication, relationships, collaboration and support. Participants reported key challenges to identifying people at-risk of ArLD. Offering testing for ArLD was perceived to motivate engagement but there were concerns about pharmacists performing this. A role was mostly seen to be finding people at-risk and engaging them with further care such as referral to liver services. This was perceived to require developing interprofessional collaborations, remuneration and training for pharmacy staff, and community-based liver testing. Professionals, patient and public participants recognized a role for pharmacists in the identification of ArLD. This was envisaged to incorporate educating pharmacy users about ArLD risk, and identifying and directly engaging those at-risk with liver and support services through development of interprofessional collaborations. The findings of this study support and can inform future work to develop this role.

Advances in Psychiatry Training and Faculty Development in India.

This review examines the historical developments, current state of training, existing challenges, and opportunities for undergraduate, postgraduate, and super specialty psychiatry education in India. For this narrative review, we examined information from the published literature, along with key documents from the Indian Psychiatric Society, the National Medical Commission, and other relevant sources. In India, psychiatry training has seen significant advancements since independence, particularly in the past decade, driven by the recommendations of the Indian Psychiatric Society and the introduction of competency-based medical education by the National Medical Commission. This transformation has redefined undergraduate and postgraduate training across all medical disciplines, including psychiatry. The shift has moved away from traditional, time-bound frameworks toward a focus on acquiring specific competencies essential for effective clinical practice. This approach ensures that trainees gain theoretical knowledge and develop practical skills and professional attitudes crucial for patient care. However, a major challenge highlighted in this review is the transition of senior residents to faculty roles without adequate training in teaching, research, academia, and leadership. Despite this, they are expected to excel in these areas upon assuming faculty positions. To address this gap, we emphasize the urgent need for a comprehensive faculty development program for early career faculty. Our proposed initiative aims to bridge these gaps and support the development of future leaders and educators in psychiatry. The recommendations outlined in this review seek to create a robust educational environment that will cultivate the next generation of psychiatrists in India.

Assessing mental health professionals’ attitudes toward routine outcome monitoring across Eastern and Western cultures: an examination of invariance and latent mean differences†

Objective To investigate the attitudes of mental health professionals towards Routine Outcome Monitoring (ROM) in Eastern and Western cultures. Method Two samples of American (N = 455) and Chinese (N = 505) mental health professionals completed the prevalent Monitoring and Feedback Attitudes Scale (MFA). We tested the measure’s psychometric characteristics, measurement invariance, and latent mean difference across cultures. Results Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) found a two-factor structure of the MFA within both cohorts. The MFA subscales showed excellent internal consistency in both the Chinese and American samples. The MFA demonstrated partial scalar invariance between the two cultural groups, supporting the comparison of latent means among Chinese and American professionals. Chinese professionals perceived greater harm from ROM than their American counterparts. Conclusions The findings show that the MFA is a valid tool to evaluate and compare the US and Chinese mental health professionals’ attitudes toward ROM, suggesting that the measure may be useful in both Eastern and Western cultures.

Patient Perspectives on AI for Mental Health Care: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) to health and health care is rapidly increasing. Several studies have assessed the attitudes of health professionals, but far fewer studies have explored the perspectives of patients or the general public. Studies investigating patient perspectives have focused on somatic issues, including those related to radiology, perinatal health, and general applications. Patient feedback has been elicited in the development of specific mental health care solutions, but broader perspectives toward AI for mental health care have been underexplored. This study aims to understand public perceptions regarding potential benefits of AI, concerns about AI, comfort with AI accomplishing various tasks, and values related to AI, all pertaining to mental health care. We conducted a 1-time cross-sectional survey with a nationally representative sample of 500 US-based adults. Participants provided structured responses on their perceived benefits, concerns, comfort, and values regarding AI for mental health care. They could also add free-text responses to elaborate on their concerns and values. A plurality of participants (245/497, 49.3%) believed AI may be beneficial for mental health care, but this perspective differed based on sociodemographic variables (all P<.05). Specifically, Black participants (odds ratio [OR] 1.76, 95% CI 1.03-3.05) and those with lower health literacy (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.29-3.78) perceived AI to be more beneficial, and women (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.46-0.99) perceived AI to be less beneficial. Participants endorsed concerns about accuracy, possible unintended consequences such as misdiagnosis, the confidentiality of their information, and the loss of connection with their health professional when AI is used for mental health care. A majority of participants (80.4%, 402/500) valued being able to understand individual factors driving their risk, confidentiality, and autonomy as it pertained to the use of AI for their mental health. When asked who was responsible for the misdiagnosis of mental health conditions using AI, 81.6% (408/500) of participants found the health professional to be responsible. Qualitative results revealed similar concerns related to the accuracy of AI and how its use may impact the confidentiality of patients' information. Future work involving the use of AI for mental health care should investigate strategies for conveying the level of AI's accuracy, factors that drive patients' mental health risks, and how data are used confidentially so that patients can determine with their health professionals when AI may be beneficial. It will also be important in a mental health care context to ensure the patient-health professional relationship is preserved when AI is used.

Competency Model: Professional Development of Leisure Scuba Diving Instructors in China

Scuba diving specialization is a multidimensional index consisting of behavioral, cognitive, and affective domains. Based on the literature, the recreational scuba divers’ specialization was an interesting research topic to understand further the competency of leisure scuba diving instructors and prepare for their professional development. Leisure diving instructors need to carry out important duties such as teaching, underwater tour guides, safety protection, and equipment installation. The limitations of recreational scuba divers in China impact their specialization and competency as instructors. The study examined the qualities of an excellent leisure scuba diving instructor and the necessary professional enhancement they needed to become excellent leisure scuba diving instructors. Through qualitative methods, it revealed that leisure scuba diving instructors in China were 31 years old and older and possessed positive competencies in terms of their diving professional knowledge, skills, and attitude. However, they were average or unexceptional in their career opportunities, training, and mentorship and scored low in underwater photography, post-conference with students, and self-evaluations which were integrated into the professional development program as the output of the study.

Exploring the perspectives of health care professionals on digital health technologies in pediatric care and rehabilitation

BackgroundDigital health technologies are increasingly used by healthcare professionals working in pediatric hospital and rehabilitation settings. Multiple factors may affect the implementation and use of digital health technologies in these settings. However, such factors have not been identified in a multidisciplinary, pediatric context. The objective of this study was to describe actual use and to identify the factors that promote or hinder the intention to use digital health technologies (mobile learning applications, virtual/augmented reality, serious games, robotic devices, telehealth applications, computerized assessment tools, and wearables) among pediatric healthcare professionals.MethodsAn online survey evaluating opinions, current use, and future intentions to use digital health technologies was completed by 108 professionals at one of Canada’s largest pediatric institutes. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare the attitudes of healthcare professionals who intend to increase their use of digital health technologies and those who do not. Linear regression analyses were used to determine predictors of usage success.ResultsHealthcare professionals reported mostly using mobile and tablet learning applications (n = 43, 38.1%), telehealth applications (n = 49, 43.4%), and computerized assessment tools (n = 33, 29.2%). Attitudes promoting the intention to increase the use of digital health technologies varied according to technology type. Healthcare professionals who wished to increase their use of digital health technologies reported a more positive attitude regarding benefits in clinical practice and patient care, but were also more critical of potential negative impacts on patient-professional relationships. Ease of use (β = 0.374; p = 0.020) was a significant predictor of more favorable usage success. The range of obstacles encountered was also a significant predictor (β = 0.342; p = 0.032) of less favorable evaluation of usage success. Specific factors that hinder successful usage are lack of training (β = 0.303; p = 0.033) and inadequate infrastructure (β = 0.342; p = 0.032).ConclusionsWhen working with children, incorporating digital health technologies can be effective for motivation and adherence. However, it is crucial to ensure these tools are implemented properly. The findings of this study underscore the importance of addressing training and infrastructure needs when elaborating technology-specific strategies for multidisciplinary adoption of digital health technologies in pediatric settings.