Sample Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

Exploring PrEP awareness among addiction service professionals: an Italian cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention strategy. Since 2023, in Italy, PrEP has been subject to reimbursement, making it freely available to individuals who meet specific criteria, including those who engage in substance use during sexual activity (chemsex). In this context, all healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Addiction Departments and Services (ADS) play a crucial role from the intake interview in identifying potential PrEP candidates, providing an essential gateway to services. Thus, this study primarily aimed to explore the knowledge of ADS professionals regarding PrEP. Methods In 2024, an ongoing nationwide cross-sectional study has been conducted in Italy, enrolling a convenience sample of HCPs employed in ADS. The online questionnaire comprised items assessing knowledge regarding PrEP, training on PrEP, and experiences related to daily practice. The primary outcome was the awareness of PrEP existence, while secondary outcomes included knowledge regarding reimbursement. Results Preliminary analyses were conducted based on 269 questionnaires. Participants had a median age of 52 years (IQR=45-59). Physicians represented 26.0% of the sample, followed by nurses (23.0%). Awareness of PrEP stood at 43.5%, while knowledge of the existence of reimbursement conditions was at 29.9%. A vast majority (93.7%) felt inadequately informed, while 97.0% believed HCPs in ADS should receive training. Physicians demonstrated significantly higher awareness of PrEP existence, whereas there were no significant differences in reimbursement knowledge compared with other HCPs. Conclusions Intermediate findings revealed substantial gaps in PrEP awareness and reimbursement knowledge. These results emphasize the critical importance of tailored education and training programs to bridge these gaps and facilitate effective PrEP implementation in diverse healthcare settings, ultimately advancing HIV prevention efforts and promoting equitable access to care. Key messages • Substantial knowledge gaps about PrEP among healthcare professionals working in Addiction Departments and Services in Italy were highlighted. • Effective PrEP implementation hinges on empowering professionals with the necessary expertise to identify and support PrEP candidates, underscoring the critical role of tailored education initiatives.

Italian Version of the Hospital Aggressive Behaviour Scale-Users: Initial Psychometric Evaluation among Hospital Healthcare Professionals.

Healthcare professionals frequently encounter various forms of aggression, ranging from verbal abuse to physical assaults, which can compromise both their occupational well-being and patient-care quality. Despite its prevalence and serious consequences, workplace aggression is often underreported due to a lack of standardized assessment tools. This study aims to develop a valid Italian version of the Hospital Aggressive Behaviour Scale-Users. The scale's structure was evaluated using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses on two samples of healthcare professionals during and after the pandemic. Reliability, measurement invariance, and nomological validity were examined. EFA revealed a two-factor structure comprising eight items (χ2 = 59.651, df = 13, p = 0.00; CFI = 0.98; TLI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.07; SRMR = 0.02), distinguishing non-physical and physical aggression, and meeting all recommended criteria. CFA confirmed this structure, demonstrating good reliability and outperforming alternative models. The same factor structure was confirmed in standard (χ2 = 35.01, df = 19, p = 0.00; CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99; RMSEA = 0.03; SRMR = 0.02) and emergency (χ2 = 30.65, df = 19, p = 0.04; CFI = 0.98; TLI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.06; SRMR = 0.04) contexts. Full residual invariance was found across job tenure groups. Aggression was positively associated with emotional exhaustion, psychological distance, psychosomatic symptoms, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and turnover intentions while negatively related to job satisfaction. Nurses and healthcare assistants reported higher levels of aggression than doctors. This study provides a reliable, context-specific instrument for documenting and analysing outsider aggression. The insights can inform targeted interventions, contributing to a healthier hospital environment.

Achieving consensus on the key elements of a nurse-led multidisciplinary chronic heart failure service in Thailand: An e-Delphi study.

To describe the outcomes of an e(electronic)-Delphi survey used to achieve consensus on the essential elements that should be included in a multidisciplinary, nurse-led service for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The study design was based on a three-round e-Delphi survey. A series of three survey rounds were used to gather expert opinions and achieve consensus on the key elements that should be included in a CHF disease management program from a sample of healthcare professionals and organizational leaders with expertise in existing CHF services. Consensus for each item was defined as at least 90% agreement. There were 20 participants (18 healthcare professionals and 2 organizational leaders) in round-1, 22 (20 healthcare professionals and 2 organizational leaders) in round-2, and 17 (15 healthcare professionals and 2 organizational leaders) in round-3. Fifteen participants attended a final online meeting (13 healthcare professionals and 2 organizational leaders). Consensus was obtained on five essential components: (i) consumer education, (ii) treatment optimization using a multidisciplinary approach, (iii) discharge planning, (iv) provision of supportive community care and (v) mechanisms to respond to early symptoms of decompensated CHF. Participants focused on mechanisms to improve treatment effectiveness, patient and family knowledge, communication between healthcare providers and supportive care in the community. The proposed model of care may be useful to other health service providers who are designing or adapting CHF models of care for the South-East Asian environment. This research provides a solid basis for using a Delphi method to resolve the challenges and issues of transferring global model-based recommendations in CHF knowledge. The Delphi method proved successful as an important step in developing a culturally acceptable model of chronic care that meets the goals of local healthcare providers.

Sampling of healthcare professionals' perspective on point-of-care technologies from 2019-2021: A survey of benefits, concerns, and development.

Point-of-care technology (POCT) plays a vital role in modern healthcare by providing a fast diagnosis, improving patient management, and extending healthcare access to remote and resource-limited areas. The objective of this study was to understand how healthcare professionals in the United States perceived POCTs during 2019-2021 to assess the decision-making process of implementing these newer technologies into everyday practice. A 5-point Likert scale survey was sent to respondents to evaluate their perceptions of benefits, concerns, characteristics, and development of point-of-care technologies. The 2021 survey was distributed November 1st, 2021- February 15th, 2022, with a total of 168 independent survey responses received. Of the respondents, 59% identified as male, 73% were white, and 48% have been in practice for over 20 years. The results showed that most agreed that POCTs improve patient management (94%) and improve clinician confidence in decision making (92%). Healthcare professionals were most concerned with potentially not being reimbursed for the cost of the POCT (37%). When asked to rank the top 3 important characteristics of POCT, respondents chose accuracy, ease of use, and availability. It is important to note this survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve an even greater representation of healthcare professionals' point of view on POCTs, further work to obtain responses from a larger, more diverse population of providers is needed.

Curricular and pedagogical approaches for physical activity prescription training: a mixed-methods study of the “Exercise is Medicine” workshops in Colombia

BackgroundThe physical activity (PA) prescription workshop for physicians, through the global health initiative “Exercise is Medicine” (EIM), has trained more than 4000 health care professionals (HCPs) in Latin America. It has shown to be effective in increasing PA prescription knowledge and awareness among HCPs. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the curricular and pedagogical approach used by EIM Colombia at the PA prescription workshops implemented between 2014 and 2015.MethodsA mixed methods study, with a sequential explanatory design was implemented among a convenience sample of HCPs attending twenty-six PA prescription workshops. HCPs health status, PA personal habits, and medical practices were collected using a questionnaire at baseline among 795 participants (pre-test measurement), and subsequently quantitatively analyzed. A workshop satisfaction survey was administered after the completion of the workshop among 602 HCPs. The curricular and pedagogical approach of the workshop, the designers’ and students’ contextual factors, and perceptions about the workshop were measured using qualitative methods (analysis of the procedures manual, two workshop observations, three semi-structured interviews, and one focus group including 8 HCPs).ResultsThe workshop is student-centered and guided by an expert with an academic and clinical background. Learning was achieved with theoretical and practical components using authentic performance and collaborative learning. An active teaching and learning approach was used with strategies such as interactive lectures, hands-on elements, and role-playing (patient-counselor). The workshop emphasized an individual approach when prescribing PA integrating in clinical practice not only health benefits but also patient´s beliefs, motivations, needs, and barriers.ConclusionsEvidence-based practices and authentic performance were the most salient pedagogical elements used by EIM Colombia at the PA prescription workshop. A knowledge assessment that includes the practical aspect is suggested for future workshops. The curricular and pedagogical approach of the PA prescription workshop implemented in Colombia is well received by the medical community and a useful continuing medical education intervention with a potential contribution to current, and future health promotion needs.

Experiences and impact of psychiatric inpatient admissions far away from home: a qualitative study with young people, parents/carers and healthcare professionals

BackgroundThere are significant clinical, policy and societal concerns about the impact on young people (YP), from admission to psychiatric wards far from home. However, research evidence is scarce.AimsTo investigate the...

Evaluation of the DigiBete App, a Self-Management App for Type 1 Diabetes: Experiences of Young People, Families, and Healthcare Professionals.

Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) is a public health issue for children, young people, and families (CYPF) and requires innovative interventions. The DigiBete app is a self-management and educational app to help CYPF and healthcare professionals (HCPs) manage T1DM, featuring educational advice and resources such as guidance, quizzes, and educational and instructional videos on how to manage T1DM. To assess the impact and implementation of the app, the service-level evaluation deployed a mixed-methods design. App data were captured via the DigiBete platform and an online survey with a non-probability sample of HCPs (N = 178) and CYPF (N = 1165) = 1343. Overall, 55.7% (n = 512/919) of app users were female, and 4855 videos were viewed across the participating areas, with an average of 1213 videos per site (range 776-1679) and 4.4 videos per app user. The most popular videos were how to give a glucagon injection and "My Sick Day Rules", which showed what to do when CYPF were unwell due to T1DM. Interviews (n = 63) were undertaken with 38 CYPF and 25 HCPs. The findings indicate that CYPF and HCPs found the app an essential tool in the management of T1DM. CYPF and HCPs felt the app provided a valuable educational resource in a central location that was invaluable in an emergency or unknown situation. The app was a trusted and bona-fide source of information that could be accessed at any time. HCPs validated DigiBete in helping CYPF to manage their T1DM. At the same time, the app saved HCPs' service time and money and helped CYPF take back some of the control in managing their diabetes.

Beliefs, attitudes and feelings about work among healthcare workers and teachers during the fifth wave of COVID-19.

To compare the beliefs, attitudes and feelings about work of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and teachers living in the Canary Islands (Spain) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study had two parts. In Part 1, the Delphi technique was used to adapt a questionnaire. Part 2 was a cross-sectional, comparative study, performed from August 31st to October 25th, 2021 using the questionnaire online distributed to samples of HCPs and teachers. The questionnaire had three dimensions each separated into three sections (i.e., beliefs [coping ability, prevention and organisation]; attitudes [risks, commitments, and obligations]; feelings about work [burnout, support and work satisfaction]). In total 1423 questionnaires were available for analysis, 640 from teaching staff and 783 from HCPs. Significant differences were found in eight of the nine sections. HCPs had a more positive attitude towards work compared with teachers, but had more negative beliefs and feelings about work. In addition, by comparison with teachers, HCPs were more committed to their work, more predisposed to take risks and fulfill their obligations, even though our sample of teachers felt more supported and satisfied at work. Our results show that the pandemic caused a greater negative impact on job satisfaction of HCPs compared with teachers because they felt less supported by their superiors, which had a greater impact on their psychological health.

Distress among healthcare professionals during the first two years of COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic increased existing psychosocial risk factors among healthcare professionals (HCPs). Integrated into a wider project, the main objective of this study was to characterize Portuguese HCPs mental health (MH), estimate the percentage of symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and burnout, and identify risk and protective factors. Methods A cross-sectional online survey and a longitudinal assessment were conducted in 2020 (T0) and 2021 (T1). Sociodemographic and occupational variables, as well as protection behaviors and pandemic-context data were collected from a large non-probabilistic sample of HCPs in Portugal. MH outcomes were assessed using instruments with sound psychometric properties. Risk and protective factors were evaluated through simple and multiple logistic regression models. Results A total of 2027 HCPs participated in the survey in T0; 1843 in T1. Despite the percentage of moderate to severe symptoms had decreased from T0 to T1: 26.1% and 23.3% for anxiety (T0 and T1, respectively; p = 0.028), 25.3% and 23.7% for depression, 22.7% and 19.1% for PTSD (p = 0.003), and 29.8% to 29.5% for burnout, a considerable proportion of HCPs reported symptoms of distress in both years. Being a woman, working in a COVID-19-treatment frontline position and the perception of work-life imbalance increased the odds of distress (in both T0 and T1), whilst high resilience, good social/family support, and hobbies/lifestyle maintenance were found to be MH protective factors. Conclusions The longitudinal approach of our study allowed following-up changes in HCPs mental health and show that performing as an HCP during the pandemic may result in long-term effects on MH. Our results also provide evidence to support interventions targeting gender and professional sub-groups. Further studies are needed to understand the potential long-lasting psychological burden related to COVID-19 among HCPs. Key messages • Our findings are crucial to understand the psychological burden of Portuguese HCPs during the pandemic and to advocate the need of tailored interventions targeting gender and professional sub-groups. • Protecting HCPs mental health by mitigating risks factors and reducing the possibility of long-lasting psychiatric morbidity is paramount to ensure the provision of sustainable healthcare services.

Adaptation, Validity and Reliability of the Climate Anxiety Scale to Turkish: A Sample of Healthcare Professionals

Adaptation, Validity and Reliability of the Climate Anxiety Scale to Turkish: A Sample of Healthcare Professionals

The Internal Reliability and Construct Validity of the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ): Evidence from Healthcare Professionals in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Fostering a culture of clinical effectiveness among healthcare professionals (HCPs) is crucial to achieving optimal patient health outcomes. To our knowledge, there is a lack of robust evidence-based practice (EBP) tools to assess the competence of HCPs in EBP in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). This study aims to comprehensively investigate the construct validity and internal reliability of the evidence-based practice questionnaire (EBPQ) among HCPs in the EMR. This multinational and multi-disciplinary cross-sectional study was conducted between 27 April and 11 May 2023. Convenience and snowball sampling methods were used to recruit a sample of HCPs (physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, and pharmacists) using an electronic survey questionnaire for data capture. To assess the reliability of the instrument, Cronbach's alpha, inter-item reliability, and split-half reliability analyses were conducted. Furthermore, the convergent and discriminant validity of the questionnaire was ensured by calculating the average variance extracted (AVE) and the correlation coefficient between the different constructs, respectively. Factor loadings and cross-loadings of different indicators within each construct were calculated by performing both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. A total of 1536 HCPs from 18 countries in the EMR (response rate = 96.786%) with a median age of 28 years participated; 47% were female, and 55% had Arabic as their first language. English was the most common language for a bachelor's degree in science (54%). The construct validity of the EBPQ was investigated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which yielded four loaded factors. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the four loaded factors. The CFA model showed that the root mean square error of approximation = 0.066, comparative fit index = 0.95, Tucker-Lewis's index = 0.94, standardized root mean square residual = 0.033, normal fit index = 0.94, goodness of fit = 0.91, and χ2 test statistic= 22,553, with p < 0.001. The AVE values of the four factors were close to 1 (knowledge = 0.6, practice = 0.6, attitude = 0.5, and sharing = 0.7), thus supporting the convergent validity of the EBPQ. The four domains had Cronbach's alpha coefficients and Omega ≥ 0.7 (knowledge = 0.9, practice = 0.9, attitude = 0.7, and sharing = 0.8), suggesting that the items within each domain had good internal consistency. These results support the discriminant validity of the EBPQ. The EBPQ is a robust questionnaire that can be completed in less than 10 min by EMR HCPs and can be used as a gold-standard questionnaire to collect valid data on the attitudes, knowledge, and proficiency of HCPs in making clinical decisions based on evidence. Future studies are recommended to investigate the retest reliability.

The experience of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) Interviews in Phase 1 of Developing &amp; feasibility testing a complex intervention: supportive self-management in PoTS study (SSPoTS)

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): British Heart Foundation. Background Crucial for future healthcare delivery is supporting people in self-management. POTS is underdiagnosed with impact on quality of life comparable to other long-term conditions. Aim An insight into the diverse experience of people with PoTS and health care practitioners with experience of PoTS. Methods University of Warwick sponsorship and NHS Health Research Authority ethical approval gained. Sample Purposive sampling of people with PoTS from 3 NHS clinics. Snowball sampling of health care professionals from PoTS UK charity network. Inclusion Criteria Able to provide informed consent, speak English, aged &amp;gt;18. People with PoTS require a recorded PoTS diagnosis. Health care practitioners require minimally six months PoTS experience Thematic analysis was utilised and NVivo was used to manage the data. Results In depth semi structured iterative interviews: average length 65 minutes (range 40-93) exploring the experience of PoTS and supportive self-management. Transcribed Verbatim and pseudo-anonymised. 44 interviews were conducted representing a diverse range of 25 Health Care Practitioners (HCPs) and 19 people with PoTS. Interviewing stopped when theoretical and meaning saturation was achieved. HCP interviews are analysed first. A HCP framework was developed. Interview data from with people with PoTS data was then merged into the framework, whilst also identifying new emergent codes. A conceptual framework was developed. Findings Four core themes and subthemes (see figure one) Key Concepts PoTS is a challenging condition with often multifactorial impacts. People frequently experienced their symptoms being dismissed. Healthcare professionals and people with PoTS often took individual responsibility for PoTS management “That sense of belonging and feeling accepted and understood is so fundamental …. we need to….dig deep to keep that compassion and to understand some of what might be playing out here and to be able to not take it personally… that can lead to that really rewarding engagement where ….improvement is significant, improvement happens, which is hugely rewarding for both parties” (HCP4) Conclusion There was a key need for support and understanding to be able to manage PoTS. A workshop will prioritise components for a supportive self-management programme for future feasibility testing. Limitations: The sample of people with PoTS had no person from an African-Caribbean or Southeast Asian background.

End-of-life experiences in the dying process: scoping and mixed-methods systematic review

ObjectivesTo identify the current state of understanding about end-of-life experiences (ELEs) and examine evidence concerning prevalence, the impact on the process of dying and the perceptions/explanations of patients, relatives and...

The influences of daily experiences of awe on stress, somatic health, and well-being: a longitudinal study during COVID-19

In the present work, we used daily diary methodology to investigate the influence of awe on stress, somatic health (e.g., pain symptoms), and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. We recruited a sample of community adults (N = 269) and a sample of healthcare professionals (N = 145) in the United States. Across both samples, we found that awe and well-being increased, and stress and somatic health symptoms decreased over the 22-day diary period. In daily level analyses, we found that the more daily awe people experienced, the less stress, less somatic health symptoms, and greater well-being they felt. Daily experiences of awe can benefit individuals during times of acute and chronic stress—such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Working Together": Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals in Providing Virtual Care to Youth with Chronic Pain during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The onset of the coronavirus disease in 2019 necessitated a rapid transition to virtual care for chronic pain treatment. A mixed methods design was implemented using qualitative interviews and quantitative satisfaction surveys. Interviews were conducted in February 2021 with a sample of healthcare professionals (HCPs; n = 6) who had provided multidisciplinary treatment (MDT) through an outpatient hospital pediatric chronic pain program. Satisfaction surveys were distributed to all MDT professionals employed by the clinic in April 2021 (n = 13 of 20 eligible; 65% response rate). Participants represented medicine, rehabilitation, and mental health professionals. Analysis of interviews generated five themes: (1) adaptation to virtual care, (2) benefits of virtual care, (3) limitations of virtual care, (4) shifting stance on virtual care over time, and (5) considerations for implementing virtual care. The satisfaction survey data revealed that respondents were able to effectively provide appropriate diagnoses, recommendations, and/or care plans for pediatric chronic pain via virtual care (n = 12, 92.3%). Detailed survey responses are presented by discipline. This study provides a rich exploration of HCPs' experiences in providing MDT for pediatric chronic pain within a virtual care model. The current results may contribute to the future development of guidelines for virtual care delivery with pediatric chronic pain populations.

Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals: Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased psychosocial risk factors among healthcare professionals (HCPs). Objective: To characterize Portuguese HCPs mental health (MH), estimate anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and burnout symptoms, and identify risk/protective factors. A cross-sectional online survey and a longitudinal assessment were conducted in 2020 (T0) and 2021 (T1). Sociodemographic and occupational variables, COVID-19-related experiences and protective behavior data were collected from a non-probabilistic sample of HCPs in Portugal. Symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, burnout and resilience were assessed using the Portuguese versions of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (MBSM) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), respectively. Risk and protective factors were identified through simple and multiple logistic regression models. Overall, 2027 participants answered the survey in T0 and 1843 in T1. The percentage of moderate-to-severe symptoms decreased from T0 to T1; however, a considerable proportion of HCPs reported symptoms of distress in both years. Being a woman, working in a COVID-19-treatment frontline position and work-life balance increased the odds of distress. High resilience, good social/family support, and hobbies/lifestyle maintenance were found to be protective factors. Globally, our results show that performing as a HCP during the pandemic may result in long-term effects on MH.

Burnout, Resilience, Supervisory Support, and Quitting Intention among Healthcare Professionals in Saudi Arabia: A National Cross-Sectional Survey.

A cross-sectional survey was distributed to a convenience sample of HCPs between April and November 2022. Participants responded to socio-demographic questions, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS (MP)), the Connor-Davidson resilience scale 10 (CD-RISC 10), and the Perceived of Supervisor Support Scale (PSS). Descriptive, inferential, correlation, and logistic regression tests were performed for data analyses. Of the 1174 HCPs included in the analysis, 77% were presented with high burnout levels: 58% with emotional exhaustion (EE), 72% with depersonalization (DP), and 66% with low personal accomplishment (PA). Females were associated with increased odds of burnout (OR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.04-2.06) compared to males. Burnout and its subscales were associated with higher intention to leave practice, with 33% of HCPs considering quitting their jobs. Furthermore, HCPs reported a low resilience score overall, and negative correlations were found between EE (r = -0.21; p < 0.001) and DP (r = -0.12; p < 0.01), and positive correlation with low PA (r = 0.38; p < 0.001). In addition, most HCPs perceived supervisory support as low, and it is associated with increased burnout and quitting intention. Burnout is common among HCPs across all clinical settings and is associated with higher intention to quit and low resilience and supervisory support. Workplace management should provide a supportive workplace to reduce burnout symptoms and promote resiliency.

An investigation into the palatability of a new Plant Based Oral Nutritional Supplement among a sample of Healthcare Professionals

An investigation into the palatability of a new Plant Based Oral Nutritional Supplement among a sample of Healthcare Professionals

Understanding, readiness, and response of healthcare professionals in combating falsified medical products in Eritrea: a population-based survey.

The circulation of falsified medical products is a global threat and is expected to be higher in low- and middle-income countries. This study was conducted to assess the understanding, readiness, and response of Eritrea's healthcare professionals (HCPs), and identify potential areas of intervention to combat circulation of falsified medical products. This was a nationwide population-based cross-sectional survey, conducted in December 2021. This study enrolled representative samples of HCPs working in public and private health facilities. Two-stage stratified cluster sampling was used to select study participants and data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test along with their post hoc tests, Jonckheere-Terpstra, and logistic regression analyses were performed as appropriate. The study enrolled 707 HCPs, and 96.6% were successfully surveyed. The majority of the participants (62.5%) encountered products with suspected quality defects and 63.8% claimed that they had reported the incident(s) at least once. About 85% reported that complaints should be submitted to the Eritrean Pharmacovigilance Centre and 74.0% indicated that it should be reported at the earliest time possible even if the reporter lacks details. The standard reporting form for suspected product quality issues was correctly recognized by 13.8%. Overall, the median knowledge and attitude scores were found to be 9 out of 17 (interquartile range, IQR: 4.0) and 30 out of 35 (IQR: 4.0), respectively. Not knowing how to report (55.6%) and what to report (34.9%), no/delayed feedback from the regulatory authority (30.0%), and unavailability of reporting forms (29.0%) were the frequently reported barriers to reporting. In addition, profession (p = 0.027), no/delayed feedback (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 4.70; 95% CI: 2.17-10.18; p < 0.001), and not knowing how to report (AOR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.05-0.28; p < 0.001) were found to be determinants of reporting suspected product quality defects. The readiness and response of Eritrea's HCPs in detecting and reporting falsified medical products seems promising, although a significant knowledge gap was observed.

Validation of the humour styles questionnaire in healthcare professionals.

The aim of this study is to determine the reliability and validity of the Humour Styles Questionnaire (HSQ) in a sample of Spanish healthcare professionals. A cross-sectional study. The version of HSQ translated into Spanish by Cayssials and Pérez was used to validate on a sample of healthcare professionals (N=250). The reliability analysed the Crombach's α coefficient and Pearson's correlation coefficient between the factors and the total scale score. The Exploratory Factor Analysis was carried out with Kaiser's criteria for the extraction of factors with Varimax rotation. HSQ in this study sample reproduced the similar structure of the original version with four factors (affiliative, self-enhancing, aggressive and self-defeating humour). These factors explained 44.46% of the total variance and Cronbach's ranged from 0.64-0.79. Global HSQ scale reliability was 0.82. The HSQ is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing humour in healthcare professionals.