Physicians’ Attitudes to Clinical Pain Management and Education: Survey from a Middle Eastern Country

Despite promising initiatives to advance the practice of pain management in Middle Eastern countries, their pain care lags behind developed countries. The objectives of this study are to evaluate physicians’ assessment of their own competency in pain management, to assess physicians’ practice related to pain management, and to identify physician-related barriers to effective pain control. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 3 teaching medical centers in Lebanon targeting the above-mentioned outcomes and assessing the impact of physicians’ years in practice on the studied end-points. A total of 69 physicians were surveyed. Fifty-seven percent reported “very good to excellent” pain management skills; only 25% of them described the need for continuing professional development. When treating patients with pain, 52% of physicians refer to updated international guidelines, whereas 43% rely on their own judgment. Physicians were more likely to consult with another physician (65%) rather than a pharmacist (12%) when treating patients with pain. Fear of adverse effects of analgesics was the most commonly reported barrier (45%) to pain control among physicians from different career stages. Based on these survey findings, national pain management and practice policies are needed to optimize this area of deficiency in patient care.

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Task-shifting in Mental Health Services: Extent, Impact and Challenges in Ghana

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.988 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. S618-S618

Author(s):

V. Agyapong

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Policy ◽

Health Workers ◽

Continuing Professional Development ◽

Task Shifting ◽

Mental Health Workers ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

AimTo examine the role and scope of practice of community mental health workers (CMHWs) as well as the impact and challenges associated with of work of CMHWs within Ghana's mental health delivery system.MethodsA cross sectional survey of 11 psychiatrists, 29 health policy directors and 164 CMHWs as well as key informant interviews with 3 CMHWs, 5 psychiatrists and 2 health policy directors and three focus group discussions with 21 CMHWs. Results of quantitative data were analysed with SPSS version 20 whilst the results from qualitative data were analysed manually through thematic analysis.ResultsIn addition to duties prescribed in their job descriptions, all the CMHWs identified several jobs that they routinely perform including jobs reserved for higher level cadres such as medication prescribing for which most of the CMHWs have no training. Some CMHWs reported they had considered leaving the mental health profession because of the stigma, risk, lack of opportunities for continuing professional development and career progression as well as poor remuneration. Almost all the stakeholders believed CMHWs in Ghana receive adequate training for the role they are expected to play although many identify some gaps in the training of these mental health workers for the expanded roles they actually play. All the stakeholders expressed concerns about the quality of the care provided by CMHWs.ConclusionThe study highlights several important issues, which facilitate or hinder effective task-shifting arrangements from psychiatrists to CMHWs and impact on the quality of care provided by the latter.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his/her declaration of competing interest.

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Doctor’s presenteeism and its relationship with anxiety and depression: a cross-sectional survey study in China

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028844 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. e028844 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Xiaoyu Xi ◽

Qianni Lu ◽

Tian Wo ◽

Pei Pei ◽

Guohua Lin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depression Scale ◽

Survey Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Management Skills ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Work Related ◽

The Impact

ObjectivesThe impact of presenteeism on doctors’ health, quality of patient care and overall performance of health institutions has been reported. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of presenteeism among doctors, the association between presenteeism and anxiety/depression, and aspects that can help alleviate presenteeism.DesignA cross-sectional anonymous survey study was conducted between 2017 and 2018.Setting30 hospitals in Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province, China including 10 category 1 hospitals (20–99 beds), 10 category 2 hospitals (100–499 beds) and 10 category 3 hospitals (> 500 beds) which had the highest population coverage.ParticipantsAt least 3 doctors from each department in the studied hospitals participated. Each participant received a gift worth around US$5 at completion of the survey.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe prevalence of presenteeism and its relationship with anxiety or depression were evaluated as the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included the prevalence of abnormal cases of anxiety and depression.ResultsThe survey was completed by 1153/1309 hospital doctors (response rate 88.1%). Presenteeism was reported by 66.4% of participants. Using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, 68.8% and 72.3% of participants had abnormal cases of anxiety and depression, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that participants with abnormal cases of anxiety, borderline cases of depression or abnormal cases of depression were more likely to practice presenteeism (all p<0.05). Other significant work-related contributing factors included: time working at the current hospital, management duty, monthly salary and ease of replacement (all p<0.05).ConclusionPresenteeism was prevalent among doctors in China and the association of presenteeism with abnormal cases of anxiety or depression was significant. Considering the modifiable work-related contributing factors, appropriate measures at the healthcare institutions to support doctors’ mental health, help them develop and reinforce management skills, and ensure appropriate manpower are important to alleviate presenteeism behaviour.

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Fear of crime and its relationship to self-reported health and stress among men

Journal of Public Health Research ◽

10.4081/jphr.2017.1010 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Gloria Macassa ◽

Rocio Winersjö ◽

Katarina Wijk ◽

Cormac McGrath ◽

Nader Ahmadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fear Of Crime ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Poor Health ◽

Bivariate Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Reported Health ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Background: Fear of crime is a growing social and public health problem globally, including in developed countries such as Sweden. This study investigated the impact of fear of crime on self-reported health and stress among men living in Gävleborg County.Design and Methods: The study used data collected from 2993 men through a cross sectional survey in the 2014 Health in Equal Terms survey. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were carried out to study the relationship between fear of crime and self-reported health and stress. Results: There was a statistically significant association between fear of crime and self-reported poor health and stress among men residing in Gävleborg County. In the bivariate analysis, men who reported fear of crime had odds of 1.98 (CI 1.47- 2.66) and 2.23 (CI 1.45-3.41) respectively. Adjusting for demographic, social and economic variables in the multivariate analysis only reduced the odds ratio for self-reported poor health to 1.52 (CI 1.05-2.21) but not for self-reported stress with odds of 2.22 (1.27-3.86). Conclusions: Fear of crime among men was statistically significantly associated with self-reported poor health and stress in Gävleborg County. However, the statistically significant relationship remained even after accounting for demographic, social and economic factors, which warrants further research to better understand the role played by other variables.

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The COVID-19 Outbreak and Its Emotional Consequences: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey at the Peak of the Pandemic in Iran

Annals of Military and Health Sciences Research ◽

10.5812/amh.109630 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol In Press (In Press) ◽

Author(s):

Mohammad Ali Fardin ◽

Mahmoud Shirazi ◽

Sophia Khaneghahi

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Emotional State ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Middle Eastern ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Event Scale ◽

The Impact

Background: Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has exponentially spread across the world, the number of cases and deaths in Iran has been higher than in other Middle Eastern countries. This has brought about and will lead to unprecedented psychological and emotional consequences. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the psychological impacts of COVID-19 on the general public's emotional state in Iran. Methods: An online survey was conducted from March 24-26. Participants were selected using a snowball sampling technique. The online survey collected information on demographic data. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were used to collect data. Results: In total, 428 respondents from 62 cities participated in this study. The linear regression analysis showed a significant association between the COVID-19 outbreak and the negative general public's emotional state in Iran, indicating that the COVID-19 outbreak increased negative states (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The COVID-19 outbreak has caused a direct and effective impact on all aspects of life. Negative emotions are the main consequence of the outbreak. So mental health teams should be formed in the media to improve the emotions of the general public by providing online or in-person psychological services with complete and updated treatment information and programs.

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Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 During the First Nationwide Lockdown in Vietnam: Web-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.24776 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Khanh Ngoc Cong Duong ◽

Tien Nguyen Le Bao ◽

Phuong Thi Lan Nguyen ◽

Thanh Vo Van ◽

Toi Phung Lam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

General Population ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Survey Study ◽

Limited Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Event Scale ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged <18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL

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Perspectives of future pharmacists on the potential for development and implementation of pharmacist prescribing in Qatar

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy ◽

10.1007/s11096-019-00946-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 110-123

Author(s):

Mohammad Issam Diab ◽

Angham Ibrahim ◽

Oraib Abdallah ◽

Alla El-Awaisi ◽

Monica Zolezzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Treatment Options ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Pharmacist Prescribing ◽

Barriers To Implementation ◽

Special Training Program

AbstractBackground Pharmacists in many developed countries have been granted prescribing authorities under what is known as “non-medical prescribing” or “pharmacist prescribing”. However, such prescribing privileges are not available in many developing countries. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the perspectives of future pharmacists (recent pharmacy graduates and pharmacy students) on pharmacist prescribing and its potential implementation in Qatar. Methods A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used: (1) a cross-sectional survey using a pre-tested questionnaire and; (2) focus group discussions to allow for an in-depth understanding of the issue, with a focus on pharmacists prescribing competencies as well as barriers for its implementation. Main outcome measures Future pharmacists’ perspectives and attitudes towards pharmacist prescribing in Qatar. Results The majority of the respondents (94.4%) indicated awareness of the prescribing competency related to selecting treatment options. Furthermore, the majority (92.4%) believed that pharmacists should undergo prescribing training and accreditation before been legally allowed to prescribe, a point that was reiterated in the focus group discussions. Participants generally expressed support for collaborative and supplementary prescribing models when developing prescribing frameworks for Qatar. Four categories emerged under the theme barriers to implementation of pharmacist prescribing: lack of prescribing competency, pharmacist mindset, lack of accessibility to patient records and counseling rooms, and diversity of education and training background. Conclusion The majority of recent pharmacy graduates and students were in favor of pharmacist prescribing been implemented in Qatar. However, a special training program was deemed necessary to qualify pharmacists to prescribe safely and effectively.

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COVID-19 Psychological Impact on Health Care Workers in Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18116076 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 6076

Author(s):

Hasan S. Alamri ◽

Wesam F. Mousa ◽

Abdullah Algarni ◽

Shehata F. Megahid ◽

Ali Al Bshabshe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Psychological Outcomes ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Care Workers ◽

The Impact

Objective: Little is known about the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) among the health care workers in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 among the health care workers. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May till mid-July among 389 health care workers from government and private hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using a pre-structured online questionnaire that measured adverse psychological outcomes, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale. The Pearson chi-square test was used to assess the distribution of depression and anxiety among health care workers. Results: A high level of anxiety was recorded among the health care workers, and 69.3% of health care workers below the age of 40 were found to have depression. There was a significant increase in depression among staff with chronic health problems (72.1% vs. 61.9%; p = 0.048). High anxiety levels were detected among young staff compared to others (68.7% vs. 43.8%; p = 0.001). Moreover, 82.1% of the female staff were anxious, as compared to 55.6% of the males (p = 0.001). Conclusions: We found increased prevalence of adverse psychological outcomes among the health care workers in Saudi Arabia during the outbreak of COVID-19. Therefore, there is a need for proper screening and development of corresponding preventive measures to decrease the adverse psychological outcomes.

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Are e-learning Webinars the future of medical education? An exploratory study of a disruptive innovation in the COVID-19 era

Cardiology in the Young ◽

10.1017/s1047951120004503 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Colin J. McMahon ◽

Justin T. Tretter ◽

Theresa Faulkner ◽

R. Krishna Kumar ◽

Andrew N. Redington ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Deep Learning ◽

Carbon Footprint ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Survey Design ◽

Hybrid Approach ◽

Disruptive Innovation ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

E Learning ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objective: This study investigated the impact of the Webinar on deep human learning of CHD. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional survey design study used an open and closed-ended questionnaire to assess the impact of the Webinar on deep learning of topical areas within the management of the post-operative tetralogy of Fallot patients. This was a quantitative research methodology using descriptive statistical analyses with a sequential explanatory design. Results: One thousand-three-hundred and seventy-four participants from 100 countries on 6 continents joined the Webinar, 557 (40%) of whom completed the questionnaire. Over 70% of participants reported that they “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the Webinar format promoted deep learning for each of the topics compared to other standard learning methods (textbook and journal learning). Two-thirds expressed a preference for attending a Webinar rather than an international conference. Over 80% of participants highlighted significant barriers to attending conferences including cost (79%), distance to travel (49%), time commitment (51%), and family commitments (35%). Strengths of the Webinar included expertise, concise high-quality presentations often discussing contentious issues, and the platform quality. The main weakness was a limited time for questions. Just over 53% expressed a concern for the carbon footprint involved in attending conferences and preferred to attend a Webinar. Conclusion: E-learning Webinars represent a disruptive innovation, which promotes deep learning, greater multidisciplinary participation, and greater attendee satisfaction with fewer barriers to participation. Although Webinars will never fully replace conferences, a hybrid approach may reduce the need for conferencing, reduce carbon footprint. and promote a “sustainable academia”.

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