scholarly journals Childhood Cancer Early Detection Training Program for Primary Healthcare Providers

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 135s-135s ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Ntacyabukura

Background and context: Over 250,000 new pediatric cancer cases are diagnosed yearly worldwide. Health care providers (mainly nurses) at health centers (HC) level are the children´s first opportunity for correctly recognizing and responding to early signs and symptoms of childhood cancers by appropriately referring them to district hospitals but studies show that 83% of nurses did not receive training on pediatric cancers. Insufficient knowledge about the warning signs and symptoms of pediatric cancer usually leads to improper diagnosis or delay to diagnosis and hence loss of many lives of these children. After realizing that majority in our community lack information on childhood cancers, our efforts since 2017 has been concentrated on training primary healthcare providers to recognize early signs and symptoms of childhood cancers. Aim: Improve survival of children with cancer by early detection of symptoms and signs and prompt referral by nurses at health centers. Strategy/Tactics: The program is consisted of trainings in selected regions of Rwanda. The first step is a “train the trainer workshop” where volunteering medical students and doctors are trained to train the nurses and community health workers. A two days workshop is organized subsequently in each province bringing together at least with one nurse from each selected health center. These trained nurses go back with materials to train their colleagues. They are followed up every three months with a survey to assess how much they retain the learned knowledge and the impact made. Prior to trainings, RCCR and pediatric oncologists develop training materials that include training curriculum for both the trainers and for the trainees (nurses), educational and awareness material (posters, fliers, brochures). Trained nurses are kept in RCCR database for their follow-up and track any case of a childhood cancer at their health facilities. Program/Policy process: The program is run in 4 phases, Phase 1: Develop training materials materials Phase 2: Recruitment and train the trainer phase Phase 3: Selection of health center and recruitment of healthcare providers Phase 4: The execution phase. Trainings are carried out in selected health centers. Phase 5: Post training follow-up. Outcomes: In 2017, the program was conducted in 4 health centers and around 90 health care providers were trained with more than 800 posters, 950 brochures and 300 flyers distributed. According to reports, after the training, the number of referrals from health centers increased and the posttraining showed how accurate nurses were in stating their differential diagnoses. What was learned: Childhood cancers are curable when detected and treated early, there is a need to build strong partnerships with private and public sectors to address the challenge of early detection and late presentation at the hospital because the program of training primary healthcare providers showed a good impact.

Author(s):  
Sanjhavi Agarwal ◽  
Jordan Burr ◽  
Charis Darnell ◽  
Brett Ellison ◽  
Amir El-Khalili ◽  
...  

Despite the existence of medical waste disposal sites, many patients do not know how to discard their unused and expired medications. The goal of this project is to assess health care providers’ knowledge regarding proper medication disposal (PMD) and to measure the effectiveness of a brief provider informational intervention regarding PMD. Changes in knowledge were evaluated using paper pre and post surveys. The surveys were administered anonymously before and after the presentation. Principal findings: A total of 55 healthcare providers (Clinic A n = 25, Clinic B n = 28) received the PMD presentation. 52 (95%) completed the pre and post surveys. Pre-intervention knowledge of PMD was higher in Clinic B where there was an existing medication disposal box (92% accuracy) compared to Clinic B which did not have a medical disposal bin (52% accuracy). Surveys results showed improvement in 36% of Clinic A participants and 14.3% of Clinic B participants (p value = 0.0086). Based on these findings, we can conclude that the presence of a medication disposal bin is positively correlated with provider knowledge regarding PMD. This may be used to encourage the institution of medication disposal bins in more health centers and an increase in medical staff knowledge of the practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 239920262092250
Author(s):  
Natalie Kennie-Kaulbach ◽  
Rachel Cormier ◽  
Olga Kits ◽  
Emily Reeve ◽  
Anne Marie Whelan ◽  
...  

Background: Deprescribing is a complex process requiring consideration of behavior change theory to improve implementation and uptake. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that influence deprescribing for primary healthcare providers (family physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and pharmacists) within Nova Scotia using the Theoretical Domains Framework version 2 (TDF(v2)) and the Behavior Change Wheel. Methods: Interviews and focus groups were completed with primary care providers (physicians, NPs, and pharmacists) in Nova Scotia, Canada. Coding was completed using the TDF(v2) to identify the key influencers. Subdomain themes were also identified for the main TDF(v2) domains and results were then linked to the Behavior Change Wheel—Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation components. Results: Participants identified key influencers for deprescribing including areas related to Opportunity, within TDF(v2) domain Social Influences, such as patients and other healthcare providers, as well as Physical barriers (TDF(v2) domain Environmental Context and Resources), such as lack of time and reimbursement. Conclusion: Our results suggest that a systematic approach to deprescribing in primary care should be supported by opportunities for patient and healthcare provider collaborations, as well as practice and system level enhancements to support sustainability of deprescribing practices.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e001415
Author(s):  
Dorit T Stein ◽  
Nikkil Sudharsanan ◽  
Shita Dewi ◽  
Jennifer Manne-Goehler ◽  
Firman Witoelar ◽  
...  

IntroductionIndonesia is experiencing a rapid rise in the number of people with diabetes. There is limited evidence on how well primary care providers are equipped to deal with this growing epidemic. This study aimed to determine the level of primary healthcare providers’ knowledge of diabetes, change in knowledge from 2007 to 2014/2015 and the extent to which changes in the diabetes workforce composition, geographical distribution of providers, and provider characteristics explained the change in diabetes knowledge.Research design and methodsIn 2007 and 2014/2015, a random sample of public and private primary healthcare providers who reported providing diabetes care across 13 provinces in Indonesia completed a diabetes clinical case vignette. A provider’s diabetes vignette score represents the percentage of all correct clinical actions for a hypothetical diabetes patient that were spontaneously mentioned by the provider. We used standardization and fixed-effects linear regression models to determine the extent to which changes in diabetes workforce composition, geographical distribution of providers, and provider characteristics explained any change in diabetes knowledge between survey rounds, and how knowledge varied among provinces.ResultsThe mean unadjusted vignette score decreased from 37.1% (95% CI 36.4% to 37.9%) in 2007 to 29.1% (95% CI 28.4% to 29.8%, p<0.001) in 2014/2015. Vignette scores were, on average, 6.9 (95% CI −8.2 to 5.6, p<0.001) percentage points lower in 2014/2015 than in 2007 after adjusting for provider cadre, geographical distribution, and provider experience and training. Physicians and providers with postgraduate diabetes training had the highest vignette scores.ConclusionsDiabetes knowledge among primary healthcare providers in Indonesia decreased, from an already low level, between 2007 and 2014/2015. Policies that improve preservice training, particularly at newer schools, and investment in on-the-job training in diabetes might halt and reverse the decline in diabetes knowledge among Indonesia’s primary healthcare workforce.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Zhang ◽  
Hanxin Zhang ◽  
Atif Khan ◽  
Ted Kim ◽  
Olasubomi Omoleye ◽  
...  

Importance: Lower-resource areas in Africa and Asia face a unique set of healthcare challenges: the dual high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases; a paucity of highly trained primary healthcare providers in both rural and densely populated urban areas; and a lack of reliable, inexpensive internet connections. Objective: To address these challenges, we designed an artificial intelligence assistant to help primary healthcare providers in lower-resource areas document demographic and medical sign/symptom data and to record and share diagnostic data in real-time with a centralized database. Design: We trained our system using multiple data sets, including US-based electronic medical records (EMRs) and open-source medical literature and developed an adaptive, general medical assistant system based on machine learning algorithms. Main outcomes and Measure: The application collects basic information from patients and provides primary care providers with diagnoses and prescriptions suggestions. The application is unique from existing systems in that it covers a wide range of common diseases, signs, and medication typical in lower-resource countries; the application works with or without an active internet connection. Results: We have built and implemented an adaptive learning system that assists trained primary care professionals by means of an Android smartphone application, which interacts with a central database and collects real-time data. The application has been tested by dozens of primary care providers. Conclusions and Relevance: Our application would provide primary healthcare providers in lower-resource areas with a tool that enables faster and more accurate documentation of medical encounters. This application could be leveraged to automatically populate local or national EMR systems.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e045424
Author(s):  
Ranjan Kumar Prusty ◽  
Shahina Begum ◽  
Anushree Patil ◽  
D D Naik ◽  
Sharmila Pimple ◽  
...  

ObjectivesThe present study aimed to improve breast cancer (BC) awareness and practices using Information, Education and Communication (IEC) modules and health educational sessions for women and primary healthcare providers in low socioeconomic community of Mumbai.DesignPre-post quasi-experimental design.SettingThe study was conducted in a lower socioeconomic area of G-South ward of Mumbai, Maharashtra. The baseline and endline survey was conducted using structured interview schedules.Participants410 women were selected, aged between 18 and 55 years who were not pregnant, lactating or diagnosed with BC.InterventionA health education-based intervention module was developed to educate women through group and individual sessions.OutcomesSummative indices were constructed to understand the net mean difference in knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-test were used to check the significant improvement of intervention.ResultsOur results showed statistical significance in difference in mean knowledge scores for both signs and symptoms (mean difference (MD) 4.09, SD 4.05, p<0.00)) and risk factors of BC knowledge (MD 5.64, SD 4.00, p<0.00) among women after intervention. There was a marked improvement in the knowledge of BC among women with low education category. A significant improvement in knowledge of symptoms and risk factors among health workers was also observed. Our interventions resulted in positive change in breast examination practices. The breast self-examination (BSE) practices improved from around 3% to 65% and around 41% additional women went for clinical breast examination after intervention.ConclusionsThis study found a significant improvement in knowledge of BC signs and symptoms, risk factors and BSE practices among study participants following our health education interventions among these subpopulations. This evidence calls for inclusion of similar interventions through health education and capacity building of primary healthcare providers in national programmes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Habtamu Beyene ◽  
Dejene Hailu ◽  
Henok Tadele ◽  
Lars Åke Persson ◽  
Della Berhanu

Abstract Background We have shown that Ethiopian primary healthcare providers refer only half of the severely sick children who, according to guidelines, should get an urgent referral. Frequently parents of referred ill children don’t bring their children to the next level. We aimed to describe the referral of severely ill Ethiopian children based on primary healthcare register reviews and explore health care providers’ and parents’ perceptions regarding factors that hinder or enhance referral. Methods A mixed-methods study was conducted in 11 districts and a town administration of the Hadiya zone in Ethiopia’s Southern region from May to June 2019. Data collection included interviews and focus group discussions with healthcare providers, key informant interviews with parents of sick children who had been referred, and reviewing registers of sick children treated during the last 12 months at health posts and health centres. We analysed the association between healthcare providers’ and sick children’s characteristics and providers’ compliance with referral guidelines for sick children 0–59 months old. Content analysis was undertaken to explore the perceived factors that influenced referral and adherence to referral from providers’ and parents’ perspectives. Results Healthcare providers did not refer nearly half of the severely ill children that should have been referred, according to guidelines. Providers who had received in-service training on child healthcare were more likely to adhere to referral guidelines. The severity of the child’s illness and mobile phone communication and transport availability were perceived to be positively associated with adherence to referral guidelines. Lack of knowledge of treatment guidelines and skills, and high health worker workload, were among the factors perceived to be linked to lower adherence to guidelines. The healthcare providers considered parents of referred sick children as having low compliance with the referral advice. In contrast, parents had the opinion that compliance with a referral for sick children was high. Perceived awareness of severity of the child’s illness, ability to afford referral costs, and availability of transport or ambulance services were perceived to motivate parents to take their children to the referral facility. Traditional illness perceptions, lack of confidence in the referral site’s medical care, and a long distance were perceived to hurdle caregivers’ referral compliance. Conclusions We found that the healthcare providers’ adherence to referral guidelines was not optimal. Care providers and parents had divergent opinions on parents’ compliance with referral advice. Factors related to the health system, family economy, and available ambulance services influence whether care providers and parents pursued severely ill children’s referral. Adequate referral of sick children is an aspect of primary healthcare quality that is essential to avoid unnecessary under-five deaths.


2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 131

In Myanmar, the main challenge to provide quality healthcare by Universal Health Care approach is documented as low health services coverage with substantial wealth-based inequality. To achieve the effective health care system, strong medical care system is essential. Understanding on challenges and needs in provision of medical services among patients and health care providers is critical to provide quality care with desirable outcomes. The aim of the study was to explore the patients’ and health care providers’ perceptions on the challenges in provision of medical services at the Mandalay General Hospital. This was a qualitative study conducted at the tertiary level hospital (Mandalay General Hospital). The data was collected by using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with hospitalized patients or attendants, healthcare providers such as medical doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists and hospital administrators in March 2017. The qualitative data was analyzed using themes by themes matrix analysis. Most patients were satisfied with the care provided by the doctors because they believed that they received quality care. However, some patients complained about long waiting time for elective operation, congested conditions in the ward, burden for investigations outside the hospital for urgent needs and impolite manners of general workers. Healthcare providers reported that they had heavy workload due to limited human and financial resources in the hospital, poor compliances with hospital rules and regulation among patients and attendants, and inefficient referral practices from other health facilities. Other challenges experienced by healthcare providers were lack of ongoing training to improve knowledge and skills, limited health infrastructure and inadequate medicinal supplies. The findings highlighted the areas needed to be improved to provide quality health care at the tertiary level hospital. The challenges and problems encountered in this hospital can be improved by allocating adequate financial and human resources. The systematic referral system and hospital management guidelines are needed to reduce workload of health staff.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emad Aborajooh ◽  
Mohammed Qussay Al-Sabbagh ◽  
Baraa Mafrachi ◽  
Muhammad Yassin ◽  
Rami Dwairi ◽  
...  

UNSTRUCTURED We aimed to measure levels of knowledge, awareness, and stress about COVID-19 among health care providers (HCP) in Jordan. This was a cross-sectional study on 397 HCPs that utilized an internet-based questionnaire to evaluate knowledge about COVID-19, availability of personal protective equipment (PEE), future perception, and psychological distress. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate factors associated with knowledge and psychological stress. Overall, 24.4% and 21.2% of the participants showed excellent knowledge and poor knowledge, respectively. Social media (61.7%) was the most commonly used source of information. Being female (β= 0.521, 95% CI 0.049 to 0.992), physician (β=1.421, 95% CI 0.849 to 1.992), or using literature to gain knowledge (β= 1.161, 95% CI 0.657 to 1.664) were positive predictors of higher knowledge. While having higher stress (β= -0.854, 95% CI -1.488 to -0.221) and using social media (β= -0.434, 95% CI -0.865 to -0.003) or conventional media (β= -0.884, 95% CI -1.358 to -0.409) for information were negative predictors of knowledge levels. HCPs are advised to use the literature as a source of information about the virus, its transmission, and the best practice. PPEs should be secured for HCPs to the psychological stress associated with treating COVID-19 patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (S1) ◽  
pp. 123-123
Author(s):  
Ken Schwartz ◽  
Robert Madan ◽  
Anna Berall ◽  
Marsha Natadira ◽  
Anna Santiago

Background:Responsive behaviours in dementia are associated with poor outcomes for the person with dementia (PWD) and caregiver burnout. Family caregivers need a variety of tools to manage responsive behaviours. The Baycrest Quick-Response Caregiver Tool was developed to provide caregivers with a tool that can be used in real time. In this study, the feasibility, impact, and effectiveness of this new tool were studied in family caregivers and health care providers (HCP) using quantitative and qualitative measures.Methods:Family caregivers were recruited and were asked to complete a pre-survey before being sent the link to the educational tool. One month after the telephone survey, caregivers were sent an online post-survey to gather their feedback on the tool and the impact of the tool on caregiver well -being. Healthcare providers were also recruited and reviewed the tool through an online feedback survey. The feasibility, impact, and effectiveness of the tool were assessed using quantitative and qualitative measures.Results:Caregivers had a moderate degree of and reported a high level of competence - these scores were maintained throughout the study. Caregivers reported that tool positively impacted their compassion towards the person with dementia (PWD), and that their interactions with improved. 100% of HCP who completed the feedback survey would recommend the tool to other HCP and to caregivers of PWD. The caregivers and HCP provided specific suggestions for improvement.Conclusions:The Baycrest Quick-Response Caregiver Tool was found to be feasible and helpful. It provides caregivers and HCP with an additional approach for responsive behaviours.


Author(s):  
Ariana Kong ◽  
Michelle Dickson ◽  
Lucie Ramjan ◽  
Mariana S. Sousa ◽  
Joanne Goulding ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to explore whether oral health was an important consideration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women during pregnancy, whether oral health could be promoted by Aboriginal health staff, and strategies that would be appropriate to use in a new model of care. A qualitative descriptive methodology underpinned the study. All participants in this study identified as Aboriginal, with no Torres Strait Islander participants, and were from New South Wales, Australia. The interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. From the data, two themes were constructed. The first theme identified that oral health was not always the first priority for participants as poor accessibility alongside other competing commitments were challenges to accessing oral health services. The second theme highlighted how relationships with personal networks and healthcare providers were essential and could be used to support maternal oral health during pregnancy. Effective strategies to promote oral health during pregnancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women should involve key stakeholders and health care providers, like Aboriginal Health Workers, to facilitate culturally safe support and tailored oral health advice.


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