Menu Engineering in Jordanian Health-Care Centers: A Modified Balanced Scorecard Approach

Author(s):  
Madher E. Hamdallah ◽  
Anan F. Srouji
Author(s):  
Hanan Khudadad ◽  
Lukman Thalib

Background: Antibiotics are antimicrobial drugs used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. They played a pivotal role in achieving major advances in medicine and surgery (1). Yet, due to increased and inappropriate use of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance (AR) has become a growing public health problem. Information on antibiotic prescription patterns are vital in developing a constructive approach to deal with growing antibiotic resistance (2). The study aims to describe the population based antibiotic prescriptions among patients attending primary care centers in Qatar. Methodology: A population based observational study of all medications prescribed in the all Primary Health Care Centers during the period of 2017-2018 in Qatar. Records with all medication prescriptions were extracted and linked to medical diagnosis. Antibiotics prescriptions records were compared to non- antibiotics records using logistic regression model in identifying the potential predictors for antibiotic prescriptions. Results: A total of 11,069,439 medication prescriptions given over a period of two-years, we found about 12.1% (n= 726,667) antibiotics prescriptions were antibiotics, and 65% of antibiotics are prescribed and received by the patients at the first visits. Paracetamol (22.3%) was the first highest medication prescribed followed by antibiotics (12.1 %) and vitamin D2 (10.2 %). More than half of all antibiotics prescribed during the period of January 2017 to December 2018 were Penicillin (56.9%). We found that half of the antibiotics (49.3 %) have been prescribed for the respiratory system comparing to the other body system. We found that males were 29% more likely be given an antibiotic compared to females (OR=1.29, 95% CI= 1.24- 1.33). Implications: The study provides a baseline data to enable PHCC management to design effective intervention program to address the problem of antibiotics resistance. Furthermore, it will help the policymakers to comprehend the size of the issue and develop a system to manage the antibiotics therapy. Conclusion: Antibiotics was the second highest medication prescribed in the Primary Health Care Centers in Qatar after paracetamol and most of the patients received it at the first visit. Most of the prescriptions in Primary Health Care Centers in Qatar were for the respiratory system, and Penicillin was the highest class prescribed. Male visitors were prescribed antibiotics more than female visitors.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noureddine Sakhri ◽  
Fatima Zahra Meski ◽  
SOUMIA TRIKI

BACKGROUND Morbidity and mortality in HIV disease is due to immune-suppression leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections (OIs) during the natural course of the disease. In 2015, the HIV prevalence is low in general population and concentrated among key populations. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the prevalence and CD4 correlates of OIs among adult HIV-infected patients attending antiretroviral health care in Morocco, during 2015. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey among all adult PLHIV for admitted in the health care centers during 2015, who had acquired infection disease. Patients’ opportunistic infection status was determined through clinical diagnosis and laboratory investigations. CD4 count was determined using flow cytometry technique. The clinical stage of HIV was identified by the classification of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We collected Socio-demographic and clinical data from patients’ medical records. We performed statistical analysis by using Epi-Info 7.2.0.1 software. The appropriate test was applied, bivariate analysis was made and the differences were significant when p<.05. RESULTS 299 HIV-infected cases were included; 53% were males. The most represented age group was 25-34 years (36.1%). The mean age of the cases was 38.7 ± 16.8. The prevalence of OIs was 47.8%. Tuberculosis (65/299, 21.7%), Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (40/299, 13.4%) and Oral candidiasis (22/299, 7.4%) were the most frequently observed OIs. CONCLUSIONS Tuberculosis, pneumocystis and oral candidacies were the leading OIs, encountered by HIV-infected cases. Preventive measures and early diagnosis of HIV associated to OIs are crucial.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Limam ◽  
J Sahli ◽  
I Khalfallah ◽  
M Mellouli ◽  
M Ghardallou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Patients use medicinal plants as the first-line treatment for many chronic and acute medical conditions. The lack of access to conventional health care, historical, cultural and economic considerations contributes to the important use of these plants. The purpose was to identify medicinal plants used by primary Health Care Centers' visitors in the region of Sousse (Tunisia) and to assess its associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among Primary health care centers' visitors of the region of Sousse (Tunisia) in 2018. We randomly selected 18 primary health centers and 50 participants were chosen from each center. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire, filled through a direct interview with participants which explores: socio-demographic variables and medicinal plants' use (name of plants, symptoms, methods of preparation, routes of administration, plant source, tolerance and side effects). Results 900 persons were included with a female predominance (72.4%). The median age of participants was 48 years ranging from 18 to 93. 65.2% (n = 587) of them report using medicinal plants to heal. The most common sources of information were family (90.5%), beliefs and traditions (56.4%). Fifty-three (53) plants were used to treat different disorders. The most used plants are: verbena (81.6%), rosemary (53.3%), mint (52%) and thyme (45.1%). The most reported treated symptoms were: flu and gastro-intestinal disorders. Plants utilization was associated to: lower age, female gender, marital status, high level of education and social existence of protection coverage. Conclusions Plants use should be based on well-conducted scientific results specifying the mechanism of action of plants, the therapeutic and toxic dose through researches on local plants samples and extracts. Key messages It seems essential to train health professionals on herbal therapy during their studies and practice. The further step after this picture of the herbal medicine use in the Region of Sousse, is to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of their use.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Shafieyan ◽  
Mostafa Qorbani ◽  
Babak Rastegari Mehr ◽  
Mohammad Mahboubi ◽  
Aziz Rezapour ◽  
...  

<p><strong>INTRODUCTION: </strong>Lifestyle is referred to an individual’s healthy and unhealthy behaviors that can affect their health statues. The present study aim was association between lifestyle and hypertension in patients referred to healthcare centers of Ilam city in 2014.</p><p><strong>MATERIALS &amp; METHODS:</strong> This research study was a case-control study. The data were collected through a standard questionnaire of health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLPII) as well as the researcher’s direct visit to the health care centers in the city of Ilam. After the questionnaires were collected and classified, the data were entered into SPSS software and analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, T-Tests and logistic regression.</p><p><strong>RESULTS: </strong>The mean and the standard deviation of the age of the main and the control groups were 57.1 (2.22) and 56.5 (2.99) years old, respectively. 10.9%of the control group and 25.5. % of the cases was smoking cigarettes or hookah. The results of the data analysis showed that the mean scores obtained by the main and the control groups on measures of physical activity, psychological growth, stress and total lifestyleare significantly different, so that the obtained score in the dimensions in patients with hypertension was significantly lower than the score obtained among the healthy individuals.</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS: </strong>According to the results it seems that educational interventions in the field of healthy lifestyle for individuals with hypertension risk can have an effect on controlling this disease and reducing its incidence.</p>


2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Graça Pereira ◽  
Alfonso Alonso Fachado ◽  
Thomas Edward Smith

Although, recently, the biopsychosocial approach has been emphasized in the practice of family medicine, how psychologists and physicians interact in collaborative family health care practice is still emerging in Portugal. This article describes a qualitative study that focused on the understanding of psychologists and family physicians' perceptions of their role and the collaborative approach in health care.A questionnaire gathered information regarding collaboration, referral, training and the practice of biopsychosocial medicine. A content analysis on respondents' discourse was performed. Results show that both physicians and psychologists agree on the importance of the biopsychosocial model and interdisciplinary collaboration. However, they also mentioned several difficulties that have to do with the lack of psychologists working full time in health care centers, lack of communication and different expectancies regarding each other roles in health care delivery.Both physicians and psychologists acknowledge the lack of academic training and consider the need for multidisciplinary teams in their training and practice to improve collaboration and integrative care. Implications for future research and for the practice of biopsychosocial medicine are addressed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 463-468
Author(s):  
Eleanor Yusupov ◽  
Bhuma Krishnamachari ◽  
Sarah Rand ◽  
Mirette Abdalla ◽  
Hallie Zwibel

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majed A. Aloufi ◽  
Marwan A. Bakarman

<p><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> To estimate the prevalence of emergency cases reporting to Primary Health Care centers (PHC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and to explore the barriers facing PHC physicians when dealing with such emergency cases.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>METHODS:</strong> A cross-sectional analytic study, where all physicians working in the PHC of the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Jeddah; were invited to participate (n=247). The study period was from July 2013 till December 2013. Data were collected through two sources. 1- A self-administered questionnaire used to determine the physicians’ perceived competence when dealing with emergency cases. 2- A structured observation sheet used to evaluate availability of equipment, drugs, ambulances and other supporting facilities required to deal with emergency cases.</p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> The response rate was 83.4%. The physicians’ age ranged between 25 and 60 years with a mean ±SD of 34.4±7.5 years. Majority of them (83.5%) did not attend ATLS courses at all whereas 60.7% never attended ACLS courses. The majority (97.1%) had however attended BLS courses. Physicians in the age group 36-45 years, non-Saudi, those who had SBFM, those who reported experience in working in emergency departments and physicians who reported more working years in PHCCs (&gt;5 years) had a significant higher score of perceived level of competence in performing emergency skill scale than others (P&lt;0.05). The prevalence of emergency cases attending PHC in Jeddah (2013) was 5.2%.</p><p><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Emergency services at PHC in Jeddah are functioning reasonably well, but require fine tuning of services and an upgrade in their quality.</p>


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