Shortage Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

GLOBAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS – AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

Healthcare systems worldwide vary widely in terms of their structure, nancing, and delivery of healthcare services. Some countries have universal healthcare systems, providing healthcare services to all citizens at no cost or minimal cost. In contrast, others rely on a mix of public and private healthcare providers. The quality of healthcare services also varies signicantly across different countries, with some countries having highly advanced healthcare systems and others facing signicant challenges in delivering even essential healthcare services. Access to healthcare services is a crucial determinant of health outcomes, and efforts are ongoing to improve healthcare systems worldwide. India's healthcare system is one of the largest and most complex in the world, serving over 1.3 billion people. The country's healthcare infrastructure comprises a mix of public and private healthcare providers, with the government playing a crucial role in delivering healthcare services. The healthcare system faces several challenges, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure, a shortage of healthcare professionals, and low insurance coverage. Despite these challenges, the country has made signicant strides in improving access to healthcare services in recent years, with the government launching several initiatives to strengthen the healthcare system. The government has established a nationwide network of primary healthcare centres (PHCs) to provide essential healthcare services to the population. The private sector plays a signicant role in the delivery of healthcare services in India, with many private hospitals and clinics catering to the population's needs. However, the high cost of healthcare services in the private sector makes them inaccessible to a large segment. Overall, while India's healthcare system has made signicant progress in recent years, there is still a long way to go in improving the accessibility and affordability of healthcare services, especially for the marginalised sections of the population

Factors Associated With Health Care Professionals’ Choice to Practice in Rural Minnesota

Rural health inequities are due in part to a shortage of health care professionals in these areas. To determine the factors associated with health care professionals' decisions about where to practice. This prospective, cross-sectional survey study of health care professionals in Minnesota was administered by the Minnesota Department of Health from October 18, 2021, to July 25, 2022. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), physicians, physician assistants (PAs), and registered nurses (RNs) renewing their professional licenses were eligible. Individuals' ratings on survey items related to their choice of practice location. Rural or urban practice location as defined by the US Department of Agriculture's Rural-Urban Commuting Area typology. A total of 32 086 respondents were included in the analysis (mean [SD] age, 44.4 [12.2] years; 22 728 identified as female [70.8%]). Response rates were 60.2% for APRNs (n = 2174), 97.7% for PAs (n = 2210), 95.1% for physicians (n = 11 019), and 61.6% for RNs (n = 16 663). The mean (SD) age of APRNs was 45.0 (10.3) years (1833 [84.3%] female); PAs, 39.0 (9.4) years (1648 [74.6%] female); physicians, 48.0 (11.9) years (4455 [40.4%] female); and RNs, 42.6 (12.3) years (14 792 [88.8%] female). Most respondents worked in urban (29 456 [91.8%]) vs rural (2630 [8.2%]) areas. Bivariate analysis suggested that family considerations are the most important determinant of practice location. Multivariate analysis revealed that having grown up in a rural area was the strongest factor associated with rural practice (odds ratio [OR] for APRNs, 3.44 [95% CI, 2.68-4.42]; OR for PAs, 3.75 [95% CI, 2.81-5.00]; OR for physicians, 2.44 [95% CI, 2.18-2.73]; OR for RNs, 3.77 [95% CI, 3.44-4.15]). When controlling for rural background, other associated factors included the availability of loan forgiveness (OR for APRNs, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.19-1.69]; OR for PAs, 1.60 [95% CI, 1.31-1.94]; OR for physicians, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.38-1.71]; OR for RNs, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.12-1.28]) and an educational program that prepared for rural practice (OR for APRNs, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.18-1.76]; OR for PAs. 1.70 [95% CI, 1.34-2.15]; OR for physicians, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.17-1.47]; OR for RNs, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.15-1.31]). Autonomy in one's work (OR for APRNs, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.08-1.86]; OR for PAs, 1.18 [95% CI, 0.89-1.58]; OR for physicians, 1.53 [95% CI, 1.31-1.78]; OR for RNs, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.07-1.25]) and a broad scope of practice (OR for APRNs, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.15-1.86]; OR for PAs, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.74-1.24]; OR for physicians, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.40-1.87]; OR for RNs, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.89-1.03]) were important factors associated with rural practice. Lifestyle and area considerations were not associated with rural practice; family considerations were associated with rural practice for RNs only (OR for APRNs, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.90-1.06]; OR for PAs, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.87-1.04]; OR for physicians, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.88-0.96]; OR for RNs, 1.05 [95% CI, 1.02-1.07]). Understanding the interconnected factors involved in rural practice requires modeling relevant factors. The findings of this survey study suggest that loan forgiveness, rural training, autonomy, and a broad scope of practice are factors associated with rural practice for most health care professionals. Other factors associated with rural practice vary by profession, suggesting that there may not be a one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment of rural health care professionals.

Building a Community-Academic Partnership to Expand Workforce Development in Underserved, High-Need/High-Demand Areas.

This case study highlights the partnership development between a large, urban, public, community-based behavioral health system and an academic program. Using principles of partnership building and facilitators that enhance partnership building, we describe the process of initiating, building, and sustaining the partnership. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) workforce development initiative was the primary catalyst for the partnership development. The public, community-based behavioral health system is located in an urban, medically underserved area and health care professional shortage area. The academic partner is a master in social work (MSW) program in Michigan. We assessed partnership development by using process and outcome measures that captured changes in the partnerships and in implementation of the HRSA workforce development grant. The goals of this partnership were to develop the infrastructure to support the training of MSW students, expand workforce skills in integrated behavioral health, and increase the number of MSW graduates who work with medically underserved populations. During 2018-2020, the partnership trained 70 field instructors, engaged 114 MSW students in HRSA field placements, and developed 35 community-based field sites (including 4 federally qualified health centers). The partnership provided training for field supervisors and for HRSA MSW students and developed new courses/trainings focusing on integrated behavioral health assessment/intervention practices, trauma-informed care, cultural awareness, and telebehavioral health practices. Of 57 HRSA MSW graduates who responded to a postgraduation survey, 38 (66.7%) were employed in medically underserved, high-need/high-demand urban areas. Partnership sustainability was helped by formal agreements, regular communication, and a collaborative decision-making approach.

Strategies to Operationalize Health Equity in Island Area Health Departments.

Strategies to Operationalize Health Equity in Island Area Health Departments.

Historical Redlining, Social Determinants of Health, and Stroke Prevalence in Communities in New York City

Historical redlining was a discriminatory housing policy that placed financial services beyond the reach of residents in inner-city communities. The extent of the impact of this discriminatory policy on contemporary health outcomes remains to be elucidated. To evaluate the associations among historical redlining, social determinants of health (SDOH), and contemporary community-level stroke prevalence in New York City. An ecological, retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using New York City data from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018. Data from the population-based sample were aggregated on the census tract level. Quantile regression analysis and a quantile regression forests machine learning model were used to determine the significance and overall weight of redlining in relation to other SDOH on stroke prevalence. Data were analyzed from November 5, 2021, to January 31, 2022. Social determinants of health included race and ethnicity, median household income, poverty, low educational attainment, language barrier, uninsurance rate, social cohesion, and residence in an area with a shortage of health care professionals. Other covariates included median age and prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and hyperlipidemia. Weighted scores for historical redlining (ie, the discriminatory housing policy in effect from 1934 to 1968) were computed using the mean proportion of original redlined territories overlapped on 2010 census tract boundaries in New York City. Stroke prevalence was collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 500 Cities Project for adults 18 years and older from 2014 to 2018. A total of 2117 census tracts were included in the analysis. After adjusting for SDOH and other relevant covariates, the historical redlining score was independently associated with a higher community-level stroke prevalence (odds ratio [OR], 1.02 [95% CI, 1.02-1.05]; P < .001). Social determinants of health that were positively associated with stroke prevalence included educational attainment (OR, 1.01 [95% CI, 1.01-1.01]; P < .001), poverty (OR, 1.01 [95% CI, 1.01-1.01]; P < .001), language barrier (OR, 1.00 [95% CI, 1.00-1.00]; P < .001), and health care professionals shortage (OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.00-1.04]; P = .03). This cross-sectional study found that historical redlining was associated with modern-day stroke prevalence in New York City independently of contemporary SDOH and community prevalence of some relevant cardiovascular risk factors.

Advantages and Challenges of Using Telehealth for Home-Based Palliative Care: Systematic Mixed Studies Review

Owing to the increasing number of people with palliative care needs and the current shortage of health care professionals (HCPs), providing quality palliative care has become challenging. Telehealth could enable patients to spend as much time as possible at home. However, no previous systematic mixed studies reviews have synthesized evidence on patients' experiences of the advantages and challenges of telehealth in home-based palliative care. In this systematic mixed studies review, we aimed to critically appraise and synthesize the findings from studies that investigated patients' use of telehealth in home-based palliative care, focusing on the advantages and challenges experienced by patients. This is a systematic mixed studies review with a convergent design. The review is reported according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. A systematic search was performed in the following databases: Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria were as follows: studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods; studies that investigated the experience of using telehealth with follow-up from HCPs of home-based patients aged ≥18; studies published between January 2010 and June 2022; and studies published in Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, English, Portuguese, or Spanish in peer-reviewed journals. Five pairs of authors independently assessed eligibility of the studies, appraised methodological quality, and extracted data. The data were synthesized using thematic synthesis. This systematic mixed studies review included 41 reports from 40 studies. The following 4 analytical themes were synthesized: potential for a support system and self-governance at home; visibility supports interpersonal relationships and a joint understanding of care needs; optimized information flow facilitates tailoring of remote caring practices; and technology, relationships, and complexity as perpetual obstacles in telehealth. The advantages of telehealth were that patients experience a potential support system that could enable them to remain at home, and the visual features of telehealth enable them to build interpersonal relationships with HCPs over time. Self-reporting provides HCPs with information about symptoms and circumstances that facilitates tailoring care to specific patients. Challenges with the use of telehealth were related to barriers to technology use and inflexible reporting of complex and fluctuating symptoms and circumstances using electronic questionnaires. Few studies have included the self-reporting of existential or spiritual concerns, emotions, and well-being. Some patients perceived telehealth as intrusive and a threat to their privacy at home. To optimize the advantages and minimize the challenges with the use of telehealth in home-based palliative care, future research should include users in the design and development process.

Global trends in the epidemiology of bladder cancer: challenges for public health and clinical practice.

Bladder cancer is among the ten most common cancers globally, causes considerable morbidity and mortality and is, therefore, a substantial burden for health-care systems. The incidence of bladder cancer is affected by demographic trends, most notably population growth and ageing, as well as exposure to risk factors, especially tobacco smoking. Consequently, the incidence has not been stable throughout the world over time, nor will it be in the near future. Further primary prevention efforts are of the utmost importance to reduce the medical and financial burden of bladder cancer on populations and health-care systems. Simultaneously, less-invasive and lower-cost approaches for the diagnosis of both primary and recurrent bladder cancers are required to address challenges posed by the increasing shortage of health-care professionals and limited financial resources worldwide. In this regard, urinary biomarkers have demonstrated promising diagnostic accuracy and efficiency. Awareness of the risk factors and symptoms of bladder cancer should also be increased in society, particularly among health-care professionals and high-risk groups. Studies investigating the associations between lifestyle factors and bladder cancer outcomes are scarce and should be a research priority. In this Review, we outline global trends in bladder cancer incidence and mortality, and discuss the main risk factors influencing bladder cancer occurrence and outcomes. We then discuss the implications, challenges and opportunities of these epidemiological trends for public health and clinical practice.

African care for congenital central nervous system disorders: Falling far short of global management standards?

African care for congenital central nervous system disorders: Falling far short of global management standards?

Involvement of community pharmacy professionals in maternal health service provision in Ethiopia: a multi-centre cross-sectional survey

Abstract Objectives In countries with high maternal mortality and a shortage of healthcare professionals, community pharmacy professionals can provide important maternal healthcare services within their scope of practice. Evidence of community pharmacy professionals’ level of involvement in maternal health service provision in Ethiopia is limited. This study aimed to assess the level of involvement of community pharmacy professionals in providing maternal health services in Ethiopia. Methods A multi-centre cross-sectional survey of 238 community pharmacy professionals was conducted from March to July 2020 in 6 cities of Amhara regional state in Ethiopia. Independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to test the mean difference. Key findings Most community pharmacy professionals were either ‘involved’ in advising about vitamins (53.4%), provision of contraceptives (52.9%), advising about lifestyle changes (46.2%), responding to minor symptoms (47.5%), nutritional advice during pregnancy (45.0%) and breastfeeding guidance or ‘very involved’ in advising about screening for chronic disease (41.6%). However, the level of involvement of community pharmacy professionals differed according to study participants’ educational qualification/s, years of experience, licensure level, setting type, responsibility in the facility and previous training exposure about maternal health services. Conclusions Community pharmacy professionals in Ethiopia are involved in providing various maternal health services highlighting the importance that pharmacists can play in improving access and care within this context. However, government attention is needed to enhance their role through policy support and capacity building to improve the quality of service provided which could contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality.

Interprofessional collaboration in a community virtual ward: A focus group study.

The problem of a lack of nurses is expected to worsen in the future. With an ever-increasing number of elderly patients with multimorbidity and a shortage of healthcare professionals, primary care must innovatively organise their services to offer more sustainable healthcare services. Organising healthcare services in a community virtual ward has been found to improve the quality of life for vulnerable elderly populations. The aim of the study was to explore healthcare professionals' experiences of interprofessional collaboration in care for patients with multimorbidity in a community virtual ward in the Norwegian context. Focus group interviews were conducted in this qualitative exploratory study. A purposive sample of 17 healthcare professionals working in a community virtual ward in Norway was interviewed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study results show that healthcare professionals recognise a need for patient involvement in the community virtual ward to offer more sustainable healthcare services at home. Furthermore, the results show how healthcare professionals experience the use of assessment tools and whiteboard meetings as useful tools for facilitating interprofessional collaboration. The study results also describe how interprofessional and holistic follow-up with patients with multimorbidity contributes to increased focus on health promotion in the community virtual ward. We found that interprofessional collaboration in community virtual wards may be a sustainable way of organising healthcare services for patients with multimorbidity living at home. Interprofessional collaboration with a patient-centred and health promotion approach, seems to increase the quality of the follow-up for patients with multimorbidity living at home. Additionally, mutual interprofessional trust and respect seems to be essential for making use of the unique expertise of different professions in the follow-up for patients with multimorbidity. In the future, both the patient's voice and opinion of their next of kin should be considered in the development of more sustainable homecare services.

Perception of dental students regarding possible career challenges and associated factors towards working in rural areas: A questionnaire based survey.

The shortage of health care professionals in rural areas contributes toward discriminatory health care delivery. The present study was planned with a similar intent and aimed to evaluate the perception of dental students regarding their future in rural areas. The present study was designed as a cross-sectional study comprising of a 30-item questionnaire survey instrument distributed among a total of 550 dental students while the results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 12.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Independent student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used for comparison among the variables while the Chi-square test was used to determine the association between the variables. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. No significant difference was observed in the attitude based on gender (P = 0.43), although, a statistically significant difference was observed in the attitude of students based on the year of their education with a positive attitude toward rural dental practice generally noted in the first year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students which significantly declined with the increasing level of education (P = 0.01). Dental students were more influenced by the negative aspects of rural dental practice though they had, in their mind, a positive approach for the same at the beginning of their education, but this significantly declined with the increasing level of their education.

The Shortage of Healthcare Professionals in Outlying Regions of Brazil and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections on Immigrant Integration and the Realization of the Right to Health

The Shortage of Healthcare Professionals in Outlying Regions of Brazil and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reflections on Immigrant Integration and the Realization of the Right to Health

Artificial Intelligence in Addressing Cost, Efficiency, and Access Challenges in Healthcare

Objective: The healthcare industry is undergoing a transformative phase marked by rising costs and a shortage of healthcare professionals, necessitating the adoption of information technology-based solutions (Shaheen, 2021). Methods: This study explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in addressing these challenges and enhancing healthcare systems. Using a systematic literature review, we examined the role of AI in overcoming issues such as limited access, high costs, inefficiencies, and an aging population (Greenberg et al., 2020; Maphumulo &amp; Bhengu, 2019). Our analysis focused on applications of AI in drug discovery, clinical trials, and patient care, including intelligent care systems and healthcare robotics (Chan et al., 2019; Vaishya et al., 2020). Results: The findings suggest that AI significantly accelerates drug discovery, streamlines clinical trials, and improves patient outcomes through advanced diagnostics and treatment support (Díaz et al., 2019; Woo, 2019). AI has proven particularly effective during the COVID-19 pandemic, where it aided in diagnosis, contact tracing, and treatment decision-making, highlighting its potential to address existing vulnerabilities in healthcare systems (Pavli et al., 2021). Conclusion: AI offers a paradigm shift in healthcare by providing clinicians with real-time access to robust clinical evidence and best practices, reducing reliance on anecdotal experience and cognitive biases (McNeill &amp; Walton, 2002; Shaheen, 2021a). By harnessing the power of AI, healthcare systems can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance patient outcomes, marking a significant step towards a more efficient, effective, and equitable healthcare system (Mayorga-Ruiz et al., 2019; Luengo-Oroz et al., 2020).

Prevalence of Upper Quadrant Musculoskeletal Disorders among Healthcare Professionals in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Background: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are vulnerable to acquire musculoskeletal disorders during theirwork routine. Shortage of HCPs, long working hours and mandatory overtime results in overburden on thoseavailable, especially during pandemic such as in COVID -19. Objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalenceof upper quadrant musculoskeletal disorders (UQMSDs) among HCPs.Methodology: A total of 370 HCPs including doctors, dentists, physiotherapists and nurses were evaluated forthe presence of trigger points (TrPs) in upper trapezius, levator scapula, infraspinatus and sternocleidomastoidmuscles, severity of pain (NPRS), neck disability (NDI) and cervical and shoulder ROM (goniometer).Results: The prevalence rate of UQMSDs was found to be high among HCPs. TrPs were more prevalent in uppertrapezius muscle (46.21%) followed by levator scapulae, infraspinatus and sternocleidomastoid muscles. 4.1% ofHCPs reported severe pain, 16.7% reported moderate pain and 48.36% reported mild pain in upper quadrant.0.8% of HCPs had complete, 1.2% had severe, 5.3% had moderate and 37.6% had mild neck disability. The cervicalrotation and shoulder horizontal adduction ROM were found to be more restricted among HCPs.

Abstract C072: Statewide variability in predictors of survival among geographically and racially diverse breast cancer cohorts

Abstract Introduction The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) provides free breast cancer screening, case management, patient navigation, and connection to treatment for medically underserved and economically-disadvantaged women aged 40–64 years. The aim of this study was to identify differences in predictors of survival between all women diagnosed with breast cancer in South Carolina versus those enrolled in the SC NBCCEDP Methods We established a retrospective cohort of breast cancer patients diagnosed from 2004 to 2015 using the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry. Sociodemographic (e.g., race, age) and clinical variables were abstracted from the registry. We linked registry data to county-level variables to determine levels of social deprivation and residence in a health care professional shortage area using the Robert Graham Center’s Social Deprivation Index (SDI) and the Health Provider Shortage Area (HPSA) designation. Potential exposure variables (e.g., SDI, hormone receptor status, age, HER2 receptor status, time to first treatment, region, insurance status, cancer stage, year of diagnosis, rurality, NBCCEDP enrollment, race, marital status, cancer grade, HPSA designation) were entered into a Cox proportional hazard model to identify significant predictors of survival. The multivariable model utilized a backward elimination process to obtain the best fitting model at a p-value &amp;lt;0.05 for each cohort of survivors (NBCCDP participants and all other breast cancer survivors).Results A total of 34,518 breast cancer patients were diagnosed during this time out of which 873 (2.5 %) were NBCCEDP participants. Overall, there were nine significant predictors namely race, cancer stage, age, hormone receptor status, HER receptor, cancer grade, marital status, insurance status, and diagnosis year. Among NBCCEDP participants, there were four significant predictors namely cancer stage, age, hormone status, and region. Region was the only significant predictor variable unique to NBCCEDP participants with those living in the Midlands region having an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1-2.8 compared with participants who lived in Lowcountry region. Overall, in both cohorts, race was one of the significant independent predictor variables with Black women having an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.2; 95% CI: 1.1-1.3 compared with white women. Conclusions Survival was significantly poorer among NBCCEDP participants living in the Midlands region, and Black women overall. To reduce survival disparities and enhance efficiency of NBCCEDP, efforts directed at enhancing support and eliminating barriers to timely detection and treatment should be focused on NBCCEDP participants living in the Midlands region of the state and Black women generally. Citation Format: Oluwole A. Babatunde, Whitney E. Zahnd, Eric Adjei Boakye, Melanie S. Jefferson, Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters, Chanita Hughes Halbert, Swann A. Adams. Statewide variability in predictors of survival among geographically and racially diverse breast cancer cohorts [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr C072.

Integrating Persons With Lived Experience in Opioid Use Disorder Education: A Small Group Exercise and Patient Panel.

Based on increasing drug overdose deaths and a shortage of healthcare professionals trained in the management of opioid use disorder (OUD), it is imperative to improve health professional education in addiction medicine. This small group learning exercise and patient panel was designed to provide first year medical students with insights into the lives of people with OUD-through a lens of harm reduction-and to connect biomedical knowledge to the core values and professional themes of their doctoring courses. Facilitators were assigned to each small group of 8 students for the harm reduction-centered Long and Winding Road small group case exercise. This was followed by a patient panel of 2 to 3 persons with OUD. The small group was conducted with first-year medical students as a virtual training session due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students completed pre- and post-session surveys about agreement with statements pertaining to the learning objectives. The small group and patient panel were delivered over 8 sessions and attended by all first-year medical students (N = 201). Survey response rate was 67%. Post-session, there was significantly greater agreement with knowledge on all learning objectives compared to pre-session. Two relevant multiple-choice questions on the medical student final exam were answered correctly by 79% and 98% of students. Centering on people with lived experience, we completed small groups and patient panels to introduce concepts of OUD and harm reduction to first year medical students. Pre- and post-session surveys showed short-term achievement of the learning objectives.

Medical Brain Drain in Nigeria: A Health System Leadership Crisis

The problem of shortage of healthcare professionals in sub-Saharan Africa including Nigeria which has about 25% of the global disease burden but less than 2% of the healthcare workforce has been further compounded by the medical brain drain. The medical brain drain in Nigeria could be attributed to the failure of health system leadership in the country that stems from poor insight and neglect of the problem. Nigeria’s healthcare professionals have been migrating in drones to the United Kingdoms, United States, Canada, Australia and other developed nations. To stem this tide, there is a need for the government at all levels to prioritize this menace on the political agenda and work in conjunction with healthcare institutions administrators, other leaders and stakeholders within the health sector to promote and improve welfare, working conditions, job security and satisfaction among healthcare workers as no other category of workers are so essential to the well-being of the people.

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON KING SAUD UNIVERSITY FOR HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS IN ALAHSA-SAUDI ARABIA

Introduction and Aim:The new coronavirus disease outbreak 2019 (COVID-19, originally referred to as 2019-nCoV and later referred to as SARS-CoV-2) started in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, after 8 years of the MERS-CoV epidemic outbreak and the root of COVID-19 infection was mostly thought to be the Chinese horseshoe bats]1[. As countries have reported a sharp rise in mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, stress, sleep disorder, and fear, among their people, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic creates a psycho emotional chaotic situation. Several countries have taken steps or already graduating healthcare professional students early to support professional resources due to the rapid increase in COVID-19 patients and the shortage of health care professionals]4[.The aim of the study was to determine the psychological impact of the COVID-19 on the King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences students in Al-ahsa. Method: Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic among KSAU-HS students in Alahsa-Saudi Arabia assessed by the questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire to measure the Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic among KSAU-HS students in Alahsa-Saudi Arabia.We share the link between the KSAU Al-ahsa and students through email. Allied health science students in KSAU-HS -Al-Ahsa. This study was conducted in KSAU-HS in Al-Ahsa students. The data collected from KSAU Al-ahsa. 30 questions used to assess different aspects of psychological impact on KSAU-HS students, using PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PSS-14 scale with five options (Strongly Disagree – Disagree – Normal – Agree Strongly Agree. In addition, it is cross-sectional because the study collected data at giving point across the study. Result:There are 102 students participate in this study. All of the participants were from KSAU students in Al-ahsa that met the inclusion criteria in this study. 40.2% of the participants have moderate depression, 48% of the participants have moderate anxiety and 82.4% of the participants have moderate stress. Conclusion: PHQ-9 results shows that 2% of the students are normal, 19.6% have mild depression, 40.2% have moderate depression, 34.3% have moderately severe depression and 3.9% have severe depression. GAD-7 results shows that 9.8% of the students are normal, 31.4% have mild anxiety, 48% have moderate anxiety and 10.8% have severe anxiety. PSS-14 result shows that 9.8% of the students have low stress, 82.4% have moderate stress and 7.8% have high-perceived stress.

Experiential learning in a virtual “Living Lab in Aging” course in a mental health setting: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT The rapidly aging population and the increasing number of chronic and degenerative diseases associated with aging have led to a rise in demand for aptly trained health-care professionals to address the changing needs of the aging population. However, there is a drastic shortage of health-care professionals in geriatric care as the challenge to attract younger generations into geriatrics and gerontology continues. To this end, experiential learning – an engaged learning process where students learn by doing and reflecting upon those experiences – may lead to better applied knowledge, skills, competence, and interest regarding care for older adults. This study examines experiential learning in the form of a “Living Lab” – a field-based practicum education model – and how it promotes student learning in terms of interaction with, and knowledge and attitudes about, geriatric inpatients living with mental health conditions in a specialty psychiatric hospital in Canada. Using qualitative narrative inquiry, we explored students’ (n = 14) experiences of participating in a Living Lab. Three interconnected themes were identified and collectively suggested that participation in the Living Lab improved student self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills to work with the geriatric population. It also helped reshape student attitudes toward this population.

Electronic logbooks (e-logbooks) for the continuous assessment of medical licentiates and their medical skill development in the low-resource context of Zambia: A mixed-methods study.

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa continue to face insufficient health education resources and facilities, as well as a severe shortage of health care professionals. In 2019, the Levy Mwanawasa Medical University (LMMU) in Lusaka was launched to address the shortage of healthcare professionals implementing a decentralized training model utilizing selected regional and district hospitals in Zambia as training sites for various cadres. Decentralization makes it more challenging to monitor the learning process as part of continuous assessment; consequently, adequate approaches are necessary to ensure the quality and quantity of medical skills training. Electronic logbooks (e-logbooks) provide a promising tool for monitoring and evaluation of the medical training process. We designed and implemented an e-logbook for Medical Licentiate students based on an existing software system. We evaluated the feasibility of this e-logbook, its acceptability among a cohort of Medical Licentiate students and their mentors, as well as its facilitators and barriers. During the course of a five-week-long clinical rotation in a training site in Kabwe, Zambia, two mentors and ten students participated in the pilot study and its evaluation. A mixed-methods approach utilized log-based usage data from the e-logbook web platform and conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews. Overall, both students and mentors accepted e-logbooks as a means to monitor skills development in this context, indicating that e-logbooks are a feasible tool in this decentralized setting. Feedback pointed out that the design and software-induced terminology of the e-logbook posed usability issues. The complexity and greater time commitment (mentors used a web-based platform instead of an app) limited the e-logbook's potential. We conclude that there is acceptability of monitoring medical skill development through a tablet-based e-logbook. However, the e-logbook in its current form (based on an existing software system, with limited adaptation possibilities to the local context) was insufficient for the LMMU environment. Given that this was attributable to design flaws rather than technology issues or rejection of the e-logbook as a quality assessment tool in and of itself, we propose that the e-logbook be implemented in a co-design approach to better reflect the needs of students and mentors.