Professional Contacts Research Articles

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical office assistants (MOAs) Working in Primary Care: A Qualitative Study.

Medical Office Assistants (MOAs), also known as receptionists and clerks, are front line workers and the most accessible member of the primary care team. Historically, their contributions to primary care have been unrecognised and undervalued. The COVID-19 pandemic put pressure on existing roles and systems in primary care: how MOAs adapted is unknown. To explore the experiences of MOAs working in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspectives of MOAs and family physicians (FPs) who worked with MOAs during this period. A qualitative study using Constructivist Grounded Theory, conducted in Ontario, Canada METHOD: Seventeen participants were recruited through professional contacts of the research team. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with MOAs and FPs across the province. MOAs' many responsibilities in primary care intensified during the pandemic. MOAs leveraged their healthcare system knowledge and therapeutic relationships with patients to reduce patient distress. Unfortunately, MOAs experienced more frustration, and in some cases, abuse from patients. MOAs' ability to adapt to new systems and respond to high patient needs seemed to be positively influenced by their relationships with patients and FPs. FPs expressed concern for MOA welfare and recognised their critical role on primary care teams. MOAs made significant contributions to primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study suggests MOAs have greater capacity than previously recognised which has important implications for planning in an era of under-resourced healthcare.

SOME GENRES AND FORMS OF EARLY MUSIC IN MODERN DOMESTIC PRACTICE

The presented scientific research analyzes the performance activities of contemporary artists specializing in harpsichord art at relevant festivals, among which the powerful annual Bach-fest (Sumy) and the Festival of Early Music in Lviv stand out. Throughout its history, the Bach-fest (Sumy) has brought together Ukrainian performers and leading artists from various countries in Europe, America, and Asia. This festival is practically a peer of the Ukrainian harpsichord school, with many musicians from Kyiv and Lviv honing their skills by performing on its stages and participating in its masterclasses. In turn, the Festival of Early Music in Lviv almost immediately became a creative platform for the establishment and development of historically informed performance in Ukraine. These musical meetings of like-minded individuals have become a point of intersection between the European and Ukrainian harpsichord schools, promoting active professional contacts among early music performers. It should be noted that the scholarly comprehension and artistic exploration of the genre panorama of Baroque keyboard music opens new creative perspectives for Ukrainian musicians.

Pioniers of Microsurgery: the Touch of History

Every hand and microsurgeon worldwide is more or less familiar with the names of those who are mentioned in this article: Harry Buncke, Harold E. Kleinert, Robert Acland, Hanno Millesi and Algimantas Otonas Narakas. Who ever new or were familliar with them experienced feeling as it was “the royal touch” for those who had a scropulosis in the middle ages: the touch was healing and left the unforgettable memories – they were toutched by a queen or a king. Every contact with the giants of microsurgery left noteworthy memories of their lavish lessons and cordial advises. The author had a very close professional contacts with all of them and is eager to share some of the highlights spent with them in operating rooms, writing articles and discussing subjects during the scietific meatings.

Development and Validation of Electronic Health Record Measures of Safety Planning Practices as Part of Zero Suicide Implementation.

Safety planning for suicide prevention is an important quality metric for Zero Suicide implementation. We describe the development, validation, and application of electronic health record (EHR) programs to measure uptake of safety planning practices across six integrated healthcare systems as part of a Zero Suicide evaluation study. Safety planning was documented in narrative notes and structured EHR templates using the Stanley Brown Safety Planning Intervention (SBSPI) in response to a high-risk cutoff score on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS). Natural Language Processing (NLP) metrics were developed and validated using chart review to characterize practices documented in narrative notes. We applied NLP to measure frequency of documentation in the narrative text and standard programming methods to examine structured SBSPI templates from 2010-2022. Chart reviews found three safety planning practices documented in narrative notes that were delivered to at least half of patients at risk: professional contacts, lethal means counseling for firearms, and lethal means counseling for medication access/storage. NLP methods were developed to identify these practices in clinical text with high levels of accuracy (Sensitivity, Specificity, & PPV ≥ 82%). Among visits with a high-risk CSSRS, 40% (Range 2-73% by health system) had an SBSPI template within 1 year of implementation. This is one of the first reports describing development of measures that leverage electronic health records to track use of suicide prevention safety plans. There are opportunities to use the methods developed here in future evaluations of safety planning.

Management and outcome of cutaneous diphtheria in adolescent refugees in Germany, June 2022 - October 2023.

From September 2022 an increase in Corynebacterium diphtheriae (C. diphtheriae)infections was reported in Europe. Our study focuses on 31 adolescent and young adult refugees with cutaneous C. diphtheriae infections detected in Germany. We examined treatment regimens and outcomes to provide targeted insights into the management of this infection. We distributed a standardized survey, focused on children and adolescents presenting to paediatric clinics through the German Paediatric Infectious Diseases Society (DGPI) and additional professional contacts in Germany. Data were extracted from routine medical documentation and reported anonymously. A total of 31 individuals with cutaneous C. diphtheriae infection were reported by 9 centres. Two of these showed diphtheria toxin (DT) related systemic symptoms and four exhibited systemic inflammation requiring complex management. The remaining 25 cases, with exclusively cutaneous manifestations, were afebrile. Treatment with topical antiseptics and systemic antibiotics, mainly aminopenicillin/beta-lactamase inhibitors (BLI) (35%) or clindamycin (25%), achieved eradication in all but two cases treated with aminopenicillin/BLI. Treatment duration varied between 5 and 17 days. In refugees presenting with chronic skin wounds, C. diphtheriae should be included into the differential diagnosis. Fever seems to be a valuable marker to differentiate severe cases with potentially DT-mediated sequelae from exclusively cutaneous diphtheria (CD). For afebrile CD, topical antiseptics and oral antibiotic therapy with clindamycin for 7 days, followed by clinical surveillance appears to be a safe treatment regimen. Patients with CD who present with fever or pharyngitis should be thoroughly investigated including blood and pharyngeal swab cultures.

Promoting the social in psychosocial recovery: Interviews with Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme participants

AbstractSocial connection is a central element in mental health recovery and has been found to have a significant impact on the health and well‐being of individuals. This study examines the experiences of social connectedness for people accessing NDIS support for psychosocial disability. Interviews were conducted with eight NDIS participants. The study's findings suggest that people with psychosocial disabilities experience limited social connections and small social worlds. While NDIS support relationships were seen as important facilitators in increasing social engagement, these relationships may also limit opportunities for participants to extend their social connections beyond these professional support contacts. The impacts of participants' illnesses were identified as major barriers to establishing social connections and further research is needed to identify effective interventions that reduce social isolation in this population. This study highlights the role the NDIS can play in supporting social connection and inclusion for participants. Further consideration regarding the role of NDIS support relationships and NDIS‐funded interventions in supporting the social connectedness of participants is needed.

Sociodemographic influences on private and professional contact behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: cross-sectional analysis based on a Regional Blood Donor Cohort

ObjectiveThe COVID-19 pandemic has had significant health and socioeconomic impacts worldwide. Extensive measures, including contact restrictions, were implemented to control the spread of the virus. This study aims to examine the factors that influenced private and professional contact behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsWe used baseline data (January–April 2021) from the SeMaCo study (Serologische Untersuchungen bei Blutspendern des Großraums Magdeburg auf Antikörper gegen SARS-CoV-2), a longitudinal, regional cohort study assessing COVID-19 seroprevalence in blood donors from Magdeburg and surrounding areas in Germany. In the blood donor cohort (n = 2,195), there was a general reduction in private contacts (by 78.9%) and professional contacts (by 54.4%) after March 18, 2020. Individuals with higher education reduced both private (by 84.1%) and professional (by 70.1%) contacts more than those with lower education levels (private contacts 59.5%; professional contacts 37%). Younger age groups (18–30 years) reduced private contacts more frequently (by 85.4%) than older individuals (61–83 years, by 68.6%) and demonstrated a higher likelihood of private contact reduction compared to older age groups (51–60 years: odds ratio (OR) 0.45 [95% [CI] 0.32–0.65]; 61–83 years: OR 0.33 [95% [CI] 0.22–0.48]).

«I Know You as a Venerable Scholar and a Great Connoisseur of Oriental Nationalities, a Defender of Their Interests in the Academic Field...». Scholars and Educators G. Rakhim and G. Saadi (Unpublished Letters to Academician V.V. Bartold (1927–1929))

The period from the late 19th to the first third of the 20th century witnessed a revival and advance of national science, culture, and art. It was also marked by a growing sense of national identity and a historical and cultural pursuit by the Tatar intelligentsia. In the 1920s, the formation and development of national humanities research in Kazan were driven by the efforts of dedicated Tatar scholars and educators. Among the most prominent figures were Gali Rakhim (Mukhametgali Mukhametshakirovich Gabdrakhimov) (1892–1943)–a writer, poet, literary historian, and folklorist, Gabdrakhman Saadi (Saadi Gabdrakhman Gainanovich (1889–1956)–a literary critic and orientalist. They were the pioneers of the Tatar Renaissance and contributed substantially to the development of scholarly studies in history, literature, linguistics, and archeography of the Turkic peoples, with a particular focus on the Tatar people. Engaged in solving a variety of problems, they were the encyclopedists who determined modern academic and pedagogical trends in many university and educational centers of Kazan during the 1920s. This article considers their previously unknown epistolary heritage: one letter of G. Rakhim (1927) and two letters of G. Saadi (1928 and 1929) to V.V. Bartold, an outstanding orientalist and academician, from his personal collection stored in the Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg Branch. These letters provide clear and strong evidence of the enduring professional and personal contacts between the Tatar scholars and leading Russian orientalists in the late 1920s.

Revolving door governance: bank supervisors in the United States, 1863–1933

ABSTRACT From the founding of the National Banking System in 1863 until the New Deal in the early 1930s, ‘revolving door governance’ was foundational to financial oversight in the United States. The institutional design of bank supervision encouraged officials to hire early-career bankers who would bring professional knowledge and social capital into government service; who would develop further knowledge, skills, and professional contacts in government service; and who would continue their careers in private employment. In this way, federal officials sought to improve bank performance through public oversight and through the private careers of former supervisors. Revolving door governance, as a means of harnessing professional expertise for public purposes, emerged in the nineteenth century in the absence of organized professions and endured through banking professionalization and the institutionalization of bureaucratic careers in the Progressive Era. Although embraced by government officials as a solution fitted to the American political economy, revolving door governance had deep and enduring flaws. Favoritism and corruption undermined the effectiveness and legitimacy of the public-private career carousel. This article provides historical context for contemporary debates about regulatory capture and regulatory schooling while uncovering revolving door governance as an important mode of nineteenth-century U.S. state building in policy areas – such as bank supervision – that required specialized professional or technical knowledge.

Social Media as an Effective Channel of Professional Communication Among Public Library Specialists

The purpose of the article is to study the role of social media in the process of professional communication among public library specialists. Research methods. The methods of analysis and synthesis were used, which contributed to a comprehensive understanding of the processes of using social media in public libraries in Ukraine. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the introduction of data on the peculiarities of using social media in public libraries of Ukraine as platforms for presenting their professional activities and improving their reputation, establishing and deepening professional contacts and creating professional collaborations, exchanging professional information and experience, and improving their skills. The article summarises the data on the activities of leading public libraries in Ukraine in using social media to promote their goals, attract readers and communicate professionally. The main trends in the use of social media for professional communication by public library professionals are identified. Conclusions. It has been concluded that the professional communication of public library specialists is a special kind of semantic communication that serves to transfer professional knowledge and is implemented in a specific library environment or library space. As a channel of professional communication, social media is a new promising type of organisational and production structure and at the same time an electronic resource. In the process of professional communication, public libraries of Ukraine use social media, which are not only platforms, access points to resources or the main interface of public libraries, but also a platform for presenting information and interacting among the professional library community.

Alaskan Russian: Cultural and Historical Trace of the Russian Expansion in North America

The article analyzes approaches to creating a chronology of Russia’s exploration of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, highlights historical periods relevant for the main purpose of our research. The goal is to describe the Russian language as a dynamic and integral part of a unique culture formed in the Creole communities, uniting the paternal culture of Russian colonists and the maternal cultures of the indigenous population. This culture lies in the center of social interactions and makes its core. The issue is topical for the present study, since it contributes to our understanding of the phenomena of the interaction of cultures. The Russian period of Alaska is recognized by researchers, both domestic and international, as an important and special epoch in the life of the American state, an epoch which to a great extent determined its history. Alaskan Russian was an intermediary language for the people from the continent and the native speakers of indigenous languages. It was used in communication until the middle of the 20th century. At the moment, the Alaskan Russian language exists as a cultural artifact: to a certain extent, it is known by a few descendants of Creoles of very advanced age. The purpose of this study is to create a historical context of the formation of the Alaskan Russian language and to describe conditions for its uprise and preservation on the territory of Russian America. We show that the existence of permanent functional settlements in which Russian language was spoken – in the family, in the community, and for trade and professional contacts – determined consolidation of the Russian language, in a number of places in Alaska up to the middle of the XX century. The data presented in the article confirm that the Orthodox tradition and the Russian language that have survived to this day are the main features of Russia’s long-term cultural influence in Alaska. The study used both universal scientific methods and special methods of historical research determined by the specifics of the problem, namely: the problem-chronological method, the method of comparative analysis, the systematic method. Exploring the influence of language on social life, the author adheres to the methods of linguistic anthropology and historical anthropology

Modifiable work stress factors and psychological health risk among nurses working within 13 countries.

Nurses are identified as having higher work stress and poor mental health risk among health care workforce globally. It remains unclear which modifiable stress factors pose the greatest risk for poor psychological health among nursing workforce and needed to inform targeted practice and policy change. To determine which occupation-related or personal stress factors precipitate higher risk for burnout, depression, anxiety, job satisfaction or intention to leave one's position among nurses globally. A cross-sectional anonymous survey was administered via email using a snowball recruitment strategy. Academic researchers and clinical industry leaders across 3 global regions collaborated to generate an email listserv of professional nursing contacts for survey distribution. The survey included valid and reliable measures to scale stress factors (Work Stress Questionnaire), and screen for burnout (single item), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2), resilience (Brief Resilience Scale) and intention to leave one's job (single item). We used logistic regression, first unadjusted and then adjusted for personal and professional characteristics, to determine associations between stress factors and psychological health risk. The final sample consisted of responses from 2864 nurses working across 13 countries. Most respondents reported working as a clinical nurse in the Philippines (n = 2275), United States (n = 424) and Saudi Arabia (n = 104). One third of nursing respondents endorsed high burnout and intention to leave their job. Those reporting work conflict had significantly higher odds of burnout (odds ratio 3.18; 95% CI 2.22-4.54) and three times more likely to screen positive for depression (odds ratio 3.02; 95% CI 1.36-6.72) and anxiety (odds ratio 2.92; 95% CI 1.57-5.43). Those endorsing difficulty sleeping were 15 times more likely to screen positive for depression (odds ratio 15.63; 95% CI 2.09-117.06). Lack of social support was significantly associated to higher risk for burnout, job dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, and intention to leave one's position. Nurses remain at risk for burnout and poor psychological health stemming from work stress. Factors such as clear workplace goals and assignments, increased engagement, good sleep health and social support may serve as protective factors against suboptimal psychological health, and in-turn poor workforce retention. Nurses reporting conflict in the workplace are three times more likely to screen positive for burnout, depression, and anxiety. Nurses reporting difficulty sleeping are 15 times more likely to screen positive for depression. Several modifiable factors can be targeted to reduce poor psychological health and high workforce turnover among nurses across countries.

Features of evaluating the effectiveness of a mentor's work by company employees

Introduction. In the era of information technology, when information becomes available and narrow specialization becomes the norm, mentoring remains an important mechanism for the transfer of unique skills and knowledge. In addition, through the mentoring institute, not only structured expert knowledge is relayed, but also a significant amount of professional practice is transferred, which forms the mentee's readiness for real challenges. In this regard, the analysis of the effectiveness of mentoring in modern Russia is becoming an extremely urgent task. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of mentoring (using the example of a Russian company). An additional task of the study was the primary adaptation of M. Yukawa's English-language questionnaire on evaluating the effectiveness of mentoring. Materials and methods. The online survey was conducted in the fall of 2023, 1,356 representatives of a Russian company took part in it, the average age of respondents was 17.67 years (SD = 2.02) (40.6% were men, 59.4% were women). The toolkit included a 13-point questionnaire to assess the effectiveness of mentoring by M. Yukawa, a personality questionnaire of the ‟Big Five”, as well as a questionnaire to measure the emotional empathy of M. Mehrabyan and N. Epstein. In addition, the questionnaire was supplemented with a question to assess the effectiveness of mentoring. Motivation was also assessed: both the mentor and the mentee (self-assessment of motivation). Results of the study. Mentees refer to the most developed qualities of a mentor as the ability to listen and have experience, and to the least – the ability to find a balance between work and personal life, as well as an interest in expanding the circle of professional contacts of the mentee and advice in building a career. Women were significantly more likely to agree that their mentor was available to solve all issues. Older mentees, as well as those with more experience or a higher level of education, were more likely to rate the mentor as more effective. Mentors with a high level of empathy and openness to experience become receptive to the demonstration of professional experience by a mentor, according to the data obtained. The mentoring process as a whole is not rated very highly by the mentee, and the mentor's motivation is rated higher than the mentee's self-assessment of motivation. This indicates the hidden reserves of the mentoring mechanism. The analysis of correlations demonstrated the expected positive relationship between the subjective assessment of the effectiveness of the mentoring process with all the statements of the mentoring effectiveness assessment questionnaire. In addition, the mentoring effectiveness assessment questionnaire showed high internal consistency. Conclusion. The conducted research on the effectiveness of mentoring and the results obtained pose new challenges to clarify many aspects of the mentoring phenomenon related to the motivation and empathy of the mentored, as well as the specifics of working with young personnel who do not have work experience.

Gender-Specific Non-Disclosure of Mental Distress

Research suggests that non-disclosure of mental distress is associated with poorer mental health. While men are more reluctant to communicate about personal issues with informal and professional social contacts, little is known about the reasons for and factors associated with non-disclosure among men and women. Based on the Disclosure Decision-Making Model and the Communication Privacy Management Theory, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey with a quota sample of 2,471 participants in Germany. In the study, we (a) examined gender differences regarding non-disclosure of distress, (b) aimed to identify individual and relational factors associated with non-disclosure for both genders, and (c) studied men’s and women’s reasoning for non-disclosure of mental distress. Findings demonstrate that (a) non-disclosure was not higher in the male subsample but men had less trusted contacts; (b) individual level factors, particularly the conformity to traditional gender norms, were associated with non-disclosure among both genders; (c) men stipulated the superficiality of the relationship as more relevant reasons, while women indicated privacy and feelings of shame/self-blame as more important. The study findings might inform gender-sensitive mental health campaigns in the sense that questioning traditional gender norms could contribute to disclosure of mental distress among both men and women.

Improving Spoken Ability in ESL Students via Dynamic Evaluation: An Integrated Approach Investigation

In English language education, the transition from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered approach is a critical turning point that is necessary for students to succeed in the globalized world of today. This shift highlights how important having good speaking abilities is for social and professional contacts in addition to academic pursuits. This study uses a mixed-methodology approach to examine participants' speaking and listening skills in-depth, focusing on the effects of dynamic assessment on fluency and speaking accuracy among Indian ESL learners. The study investigates the relationship between linguistic knowledge, communicative abilities, and contextual understanding in the development of language competency through quantitative analysis and qualitative observations. The results show how important it is to combine learner-centered teaching strategies, dynamic assessment techniques, and focused language instruction to help ESL students develop their speaking proficiency and get ready for success in a variety of linguistic contexts in the social, professional, and academic spheres.

Przyczynek do rumuńsko – mołdawskich zainteresowań i kontaktów naukowych Józefa Andrzeja Gierowskiego

The article addresses the topic of the professional contacts between the renowned Polish histor-ian, Józef Andrzej Gierowski, and Romanian historians from academic institutions in Bucharest, Iasi and Chisinau. Following an analysis of the extant sources, it has been concluded that these contacts were the most intensive in the 1970s. They included participation in academic con-ferences, congresses and symposia, as well as private correspondence, e.g. with Veniamin Ciobanu from Iasi. In this particular case, the professional relationship evolved into a personal friendship. Józef Andrzej Gierowski’s recognisability among historians on a foreign academic forum attests to the fact that his achievements in research on the history of Central and Eastern Europe earned him considerable standing and respect among his peers.

Young people's pathways to a specialist suicide prevention service and the influence of caregiver prior suicidality and mental health treatment.

Timely help-seeking and pathways to care (PtC) have been linked to positive outcomes in suicidal adolescents. While the importance of formal contacts is recognized, caregivers also play a significant role in these pathways. Caregiver's familiarity with mental health issues may influence an adolescent's PtC. This study explores the relationship between a caregiver's prior suicidality and mental health treatment on their children's pathways to entering a specialist suicide prevention treatment program. Caregivers (n = 118, 35 males and 83 females) of young individuals (12-25 years) who were admitted into an outpatient suicide prevention service, completed a self-report questionnaire describing their child's onset of symptoms, help-seeking, PtC and the caregiver's prior suicidality and mental health treatment. Parents were the source most likely to recognize the onset of suicidality, with general practitioners and psychologists the most common first contacts. Significant delays were identified for onset duration averaging 48.0 weeks, and it was observed that shorter delays in treatment were related to fewer number of contacts. Caregiver prior suicidality was associated with longer delays in treatment but had no relationship with onset duration. Caregivers and professional contacts are vital agents in improving the PtC of suicidal adolescents. Results highlight the significant delays in treatment and the added complexity of a caregiver's prior experience of suicidality to these pathways. These complexities warrant further exploration to minimize obstacles that hinder help-seeking and lengthen PtC, as this may improve interventions and outcomes for suicidal adolescents and their caregivers.

Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) Implementation and Barriers among Healthcare Providers in France: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a challenge for healthcare systems, especially in case of patients undergoing major surgery. Despite a proven significant reduction in postoperative complications and hospital lengths of stay, ERAS protocols are inconsistently used in real-world practice, and barriers have been poorly described in a cohort comprising medical and paramedical professionals. This study aims to assess the proportion of French healthcare providers who practiced ERAS and to identify barriers to its implementation amongst those surveyed. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study to survey healthcare providers about their practice of ERAS using an online questionnaire. Healthcare providers were contacted through hospital requests, private hospital group requests, professional corporation requests, social networks, and personal contacts. The questionnaire was also designed to explore barriers to ERAS implementation. Identified barriers were allocated by two independent assessors to one of the fourteen domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), which is an integrative framework based on behavior change theories that can be used to identify issues relating to evidence on the implementation of best practice in healthcare settings. One hundred and fifty-three French healthcare providers answered the online questionnaire (76% female, median age 35 years (IQR: 29 to 48)). Physiotherapists, nurses, and dieticians were the most represented professions (31.4%, 24.2%, and, 14.4%, respectively). Amongst those surveyed, thirty-one practiced ERAS (20.3%, 95%CI: 13.9 to 26.63). Major barriers to ERAS practice were related to the "Environmental context and resources" domain (57.6%, 95%CI: 49.5-65.4), e.g., lack of professionals, funding, and coordination, and the "Knowledge" domain (52.8%, 95%CI: 44.7-60.8), e.g., ERAS unawareness. ERAS in major surgery is seldom practiced in France due to the unfavorable environment (i.e., logistics issues, and lack of professionals and funding) and a low rate of procedure awareness. Future studies should focus on devising and assessing strategies (e.g., education and training, collaboration, institutional support, the development of healthcare networks, and leveraging telehealth and technology) to overcome these barriers, thereby promoting the wider implementation of ERAS.

Interventions to improve continence for children and young people with neurodisability: a national survey of practitioner and family perspectives and experiences

ObjectiveDescribe families’ experiences of interventions to improve continence in children and young people with neurodisability, and health professionals’ and school and social care staff’s perspectives regarding factors affecting intervention use.DesignFour...

Barriers and facilitators to using an objective risk communication tool during primary care dental consultations: A Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) informed qualitative study

ObjectivesObjective risk communication tools can supplement clinical judgement and support the understanding of potential health risks. This study used the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to identify barriers and facilitators to implementing a risk communication aid within primary care dental consultations. MethodsDentists (N = 13), recruited via a dental practice database and through professional contacts were interviewed using a TDF-informed semi-structured interview schedule. Data were analysed inductively and deductively coding the themes using the TDF. ResultsEight theoretical domains (environmental context and resources; beliefs about consequences; goals; memory, attention, and decision processes; optimism; reinforcement; social influences and behavioural regulation) and thirteen sub-themes were identified. Insufficient resources and patient factors were commonly encountered barriers and led to increasing pressure to prioritise other tasks. Whilst dentists had a favourable view towards a risk communication aid and acknowledged its benefits, some were sceptical about its ability to facilitate behaviour change. Self-monitoring strategies and colleague support facilitated tool usage. ConclusionsThis study identified six barriers and seven facilitators to implementing a risk communication tool within primary care dental settings. Dentists appreciated the value of using a risk communication tool during dental consultations, although some required further support to integrate the tool into practice. Clinical significanceOur findings provide a sound theoretical base for interventions aimed at facilitating patient behaviour change through the use of risk communication in dentistry. Further research should apply behavioural science to support the implementation of the tool in clinical practice.