scholarly journals Physicians’ attitude towards webinars and online education amid COVID-19 pandemic: When less is more

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0250241
Author(s):  
Ismail Ibrahim Ismail ◽  
Ahmed Abdelkarim ◽  
Jasem Y. Al-Hashel
Keyword(s):  
Online Education ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Less Is More ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Online Format

Background Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic, all scientific medical activities were shifted to an online format, in the form of webinars, to maintain continuing medical education (CME). We aimed to assess physicians’ attitude among different medical specialties towards this sudden and unexpected shift of traditional face-to-face meetings into webinars, and to suggest future recommendations. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, internet-based survey study using a 25-item questionnaire, from November 1 and November 15, 2020. The survey was created and distributed to physicians from different medical and surgical specialties and from different countries via several social media platforms, using a snowball technique. Results A total of 326 physicians responded; 165 (50.6%) were females, mean age of responders was 38.7 ± 7.5 years. The majority of responses (93.2%) came from Arab countries. Of them, 195 (59.8%) reported attending more webinars compared to the same period last year, with average of 3 per month. As regard to the general impression; 244 (74.8%) were “strongly satisfied” or “satisfied”, with the most satisfaction for “training courses: by 268 (82.2%), and “International conferences” by 218 (66.9%). However, 246 respondents (75.5%) felt overwhelmed with the number and frequency of webinars during the pandemic, 171 (52.5%) reported attending less than 25% of webinars they are invited to, 205 (62.8%) disagreed that webinars can replace in-person meetings after the pandemic, and 239 (73.3%) agreed that online meetings need proper regulations. Conclusions Webinars comprised a major avenue for education during COVID-19 pandemic, with initial general satisfaction among physicians. However, this paradigm shift was sudden and lacked proper regulations. Despite initial satisfaction, the majority of physicians felt overwhelmed with the number and frequency of webinars. Physicians’ satisfaction is crucial in planning future educational activities, and considering that this current crisis will most likely have long lasting effects, webinars should be viewed as complementing traditional in-person methods, rather than replacement. In this study, we are suggesting recommendations to help future regulation of this change.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Psychological Distress of Medical Students in Japan: Cross-sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoshito Nishimura ◽  
Kanako Ochi ◽  
Kazuki Tokumasu ◽  
Mikako Obika ◽  
Hideharu Hagiya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Subjective Mental Health

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected medical education. However, little data are available about medical students’ distress during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to provide details on how medical students have been affected by the pandemic. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 717 medical students participated in the web-based survey. The survey included questions about how the participants’ mental status had changed from before to after the Japanese nationwide state of emergency (SOE). RESULTS Out of 717 medical students, 473 (66.0%) participated in the study. In total, 29.8% (141/473) of the students reported concerns about the shift toward online education, mostly because they thought online education would be ineffective compared with in-person learning. The participants’ subjective mental health status significantly worsened after the SOE was lifted (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Those who had concerns about a shift toward online education had higher odds of having generalized anxiety and being depressed (odds ratio [OR] 1.97, 95% CI 1.19-3.28) as did those who said they would request food aid (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.16-3.44) and mental health care resources (OR 3.56, 95% CI 2.07-6.15). CONCLUSIONS Given our findings, the sudden shift to online education might have overwhelmed medical students. Thus, we recommend that educators inform learners that online learning is not inferior to in-person learning, which could attenuate potential depression and anxiety.

Benefits and Challenges of Using Virtual Primary Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An International Cross-sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmond Li ◽  
Rosy Tsopra ◽  
Geronimo Jimenez ◽  
Alice Serafini ◽  
Gustavo Gusso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Remote Care

BACKGROUND With the onset of COVID-19, general practitioners (GPs) and patients worldwide swiftly transitioned from face-to-face to digital remote consultations. There is a need to evaluate how this global shift has impacted patient care, healthcare providers, patient and carer experience, and health systems. OBJECTIVE We explored GPs’ perspectives on the main benefits and challenges of using digital remote care. METHODS GPs across 20 countries completed an online questionnaire between June – September 2020. GPs’ perceptions on main barriers and challenges were explored using free-text questions. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. RESULTS A total of 1,605 respondents participated in our survey. The benefits identified included reducing COVID-19 transmission risks, guaranteeing access and continuity of care, improved efficiency, faster access to care, improved convenience and communication with patients, greater work flexibility for providers, and hastening the digital transformation of primary care and accompanying legal frameworks. Main challenges included patient’s preference for face-to-face consultations, digital exclusion, lack of physical examinations, clinical uncertainty, delays in diagnosis and treatment, overuse and misuse of digital remote care, and unsuitability for certain types of consultations. Other challenges include the lack of formal guidance, higher workloads, remuneration issues, organisational culture, technical difficulties, implementation and financial issues, and regulatory weaknesses. CONCLUSIONS At the frontline of care delivery, GPs can provide important insights on what worked well, why, and how during the pandemic. Lessons learned can be used to inform the adoption of improved virtual care solutions, and support the long-term development of platforms that are more technologically robust, secure. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/30099

The characteristics of Queensland private physiotherapy practitioners’ interprofessional interactions: a cross-sectional survey study

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 500
Author(s):  
Jack A. Seaton ◽  
Anne L. Jones ◽  
Catherine L. Johnston ◽  
Karen L. Francis
Keyword(s):  
Private Practice ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Interprofessional Collaboration ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
High Level

Effective interprofessional collaboration (IPC) contributes to superior patient outcomes, facilitates cost-efficient health care, and increases patient and practitioner satisfaction. However, there is concern that IPC may be difficult to implement in clinical settings that do not conform to formal team-based processes, such as mono-professional physiotherapy private practice facilities. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of private physiotherapy practitioners’ interprofessional interactions, including their experiences and perceptions regarding IPC. A custom developed cross-sectional online survey instrument was used to collect data from physiotherapists employed in private practice facilities in Queensland, Australia. In all, 49 (20% response rate) physiotherapists completed the survey. Only a small proportion (14%) indicated that their interprofessional interactions were a daily occurrence, and less than one-third of all respondents (31%) participated in formal, multi-professional face-to-face planned meetings. Most participants (76%) reported a moderate-to-high level of satisfaction regarding their interprofessional interactions. Despite low self-reported levels of interprofessional activity and other data indicating that IPC is necessary for holistic patient care, this study shows that physiotherapists were predominately satisfied when interacting with health practitioners from various professional backgrounds. Further research is required to inform the implementation of robust strategies that will support sustainable models of IPC in physiotherapy private practice.

scholarly journals Instructor Social Presence and Connectedness in a Quick Shift from Face-to-Face to Online Instruction

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheri Conklin ◽  
Amy Garrett Dikkers
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Format

During the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, instructors at a southeastern university had one week to convert their current face-to-face courses to an online format, under a time frame that did not allow for a “well-designed” online course. The current study investigates how some instructors were able to maintain social presence in the transition to the online environment, and the instructional practices they used to support those continued connections. In a cross-sectional survey of undergraduate and graduate students (N = 432 ) conducted during the last week of the Spring 2020 semester, we asked students to focus on a class that was successful in keeping them in touch with their instructor, content, and peers. Analyses of the data revealed four major themes: connectedness, instructor responsiveness and coaching, online learning best practices such as chunking materials, and empathic facilitation. 

scholarly journals The Virtual Mock Oral Examination: A Multi-institutional Study of Resident and Faculty Receptiveness

OTO Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 2473974X2199739
Author(s):  
Joseph F. Goodman ◽  
Prashant Saini ◽  
Alexander J. Straughan ◽  
Christopher D. Badger ◽  
Punam Thakkar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Likert Scale ◽  
Oral Examination ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Online Format

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, several American Board of Medical Specialties members have implemented board exams in an online format. In response, we decided to evaluate the efficacy and receptiveness of otolaryngology faculty and residents to a web-based virtual mock oral examination (MOE). Faculty and residents from DC-metropolitan institutions were recruited for decentralized virtual MOE in early 2020. A total of 28 faculty and 20 residents signed up. Follow-up included a survey study consisting of Likert scale and free-text questions to evaluate receptiveness. Helpfulness of the exercise was rated as an average of 8.8 and 9.06, respectively, by faculty and residents on a 10-point Likert scale. Likelihood to recommend a similar exercise to others was 9.2 and 9.3, respectively, for faculty and residents. All survey respondents said they would participate again if given the opportunity. We conclude that existing videoconferencing technologies can be effective tools for conducting virtual MOE by otolaryngology residency programs.

scholarly journals Participation in Virtual Urology Conferences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Survey Study

10.2196/24369 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. e24369
Author(s):  
Menghua Wang ◽  
Banghua Liao ◽  
Zhongyu Jian ◽  
Xi Jin ◽  
Liyuan Xiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Item Questionnaire ◽  
Video And Audio ◽  
Academic Conferences ◽  
At Home

Background Due to the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, conventional face-to-face academic conferences have been restricted, and many of these conferences have moved onto the internet. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the virtual conferences in the field of urology during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide suggestions for better organization of such conferences. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from May 30 to June 15, 2020, in China. Our team designed a 23-item questionnaire to investigate the conferences attended by urologists during the COVID-19 pandemic. SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corporation) was applied to analyze the data collected. Results A total of 330 Chinese urologists participated in our survey, and the response rate was 89.7% (330/368). Among the participants, 40.9% (135/330) were associate chief physicians. The proportion of participants who took part in conventional face-to-face academic conferences decreased from 92.7% (306/330) before the COVID-19 pandemic to 22.1% (73/330) during the pandemic (P<.001). In contrast, the proportion of urologists who took part in virtual conferences increased from 69.4% (229/330) to 90% (297/330) (P<.001). Most urologists (70.7%, 210/297) chose to participate in the virtual conferences at home and thought that a meeting length of 1-2 hours was most appropriate. Among the urologists, 73.7% (219/297) reported that their participation in the virtual conferences went smoothly, while the remaining respondents reported that they had experienced lags in video and audio streaming during the virtual conferences. When comparing conventional face-to-face conferences with virtual conferences, 70.7% (210/297) of the respondents thought that both conference formats were acceptable, while 17.9% (53/297) preferred virtual conferences and 11.5% (34/297) preferred conventional face-to-face meetings. Conclusions Virtual conferences are increasing in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, many aspects of these conferences could be improved for better organization.

scholarly journals Experiences of Psychotherapists With Remote Psychotherapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Web-Based Survey Study

10.2196/20246 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. e20246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elke Humer ◽  
Peter Stippl ◽  
Christoph Pieh ◽  
Rüdiger Pryss ◽  
Thomas Probst
Keyword(s):  
Survey Study ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Remote Therapy

Background The current situation around the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures necessary to fight it are creating challenges for psychotherapists, who usually treat patients face-to-face with personal contact. The pandemic is accelerating the use of remote psychotherapy (ie, psychotherapy provided via telephone or the internet). However, some psychotherapists have expressed reservations regarding remote psychotherapy. As psychotherapists are the individuals who determine the frequency of use of remote psychotherapy, the potential of enabling mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic in line with the protective measures to fight COVID-19 can be realized only if psychotherapists are willing to use remote psychotherapy. Objective This study aimed to investigate the experiences of psychotherapists with remote psychotherapy in the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in Austria (between March 24 and April 1, 2020). Methods Austrian psychotherapists were invited to take part in a web-based survey. The therapeutic orientations of the psychotherapists (behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, or systemic), their rating of the comparability of remote psychotherapy (web- or telephone-based) with face-to-face psychotherapy involving personal contact, and potential discrepancies between their actual experiences and previous expectations with remote psychotherapy were assessed. Data from 1162 psychotherapists practicing before and during the COVID-19 lockdown were analyzed. Results Psychotherapy conducted via telephone or the internet was reported to not be totally comparable to psychotherapy with personal contact (P<.001). Psychodynamic (P=.001) and humanistic (P=.005) therapists reported a higher comparability of telephone-based psychotherapy to in-person psychotherapy than behavioral therapists. Experiences with remote therapy (both web- and telephone-based) were more positive than previously expected (P<.001). Psychodynamic therapists reported more positive experiences with telephone-based psychotherapy than expected compared to behavioral (P=.03) and systemic (P=.002) therapists. In general, web-based psychotherapy was rated more positively (regarding comparability to psychotherapy with personal contact and experiences vs expectations) than telephone-based psychotherapy (P<.001); however, psychodynamic therapists reported their previous expectations to be equal to their actual experiences for both telephone- and web-based psychotherapy. Conclusions Psychotherapists found their experiences with remote psychotherapy (ie, web- or telephone-based psychotherapy) to be better than expected but found that this mode was not totally comparable to face-to-face psychotherapy with personal contact. Especially, behavioral therapists were found to rate telephone-based psychotherapy less favorably than therapists with other theoretical backgrounds.

scholarly journals Teaching during Covid-19: Teacher and Students’ Experience

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-35
Author(s):  
Irtifa Mukhter ◽  
Richa Chowdhary
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Universities And Colleges ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Open Discussion ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Impact

On March 2020 most of the educational institutes in India stopped face to face contact with students as a result of countrywide lockdown which was imposed due to COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the lockdown has affected the students and cast a shadow on the entire education system. Restrictions have led many universities and colleges to opt for online learning to curtail the spread of Coronavirus. To overcome lockdown, online education became the primary pathway amidst technological challenges. Teachers had possibly more to do than the students and those teachers who were technologically confronted had their limits tested. The students, on the other hand, had myriad challenges to face. The current study draws on the experiences of teachers and students to the introduction of the online learning method during the pandemic.   Qualitative research methods were utilised to answer the research questions.  The study recruited students in the age of 18-25 and teachers in the age of 35-60 years through social media platforms.  Informed consent was obtained, and thereafter the respondents were interviewed via telephone (NAPSWI, 2015). The study additionally utilised and analysed open discussion content of the National Association of Professional Social Workers in India (NAPSWI) webinars relevant to online teaching and their experiences.

scholarly journals SOCIAL MEDIA USE AMONG RESEARCHERS FROM EASTERN EUROPE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY STUDY

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olena Zimba ◽  
◽  
Yaroslav Pavlovskyy ◽  
Oleh Danylyak ◽  
Nataliia Humenetska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
Plum Analytics

Social media platforms are essential for online scholarly activities in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their use is critical in countries of non-mainstream science. This study aimed to evaluate the role of social media in scholarly activities in Eastern Europe. We collected responses from 127 scholars from Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and other Eastern European countries. They mainly reported spending 1-2 hours on social media activities. ResearchGate, Facebook, and LinkedIn were the most popular channels for post-publication article promotion. Only 17.3% of respondents were familiar with metrics generated by Altmetric.com and Plum Analytics. Increasing awareness of the role of social media platforms and metrics for scholarly purposes requires more attention in Eastern Europe

scholarly journals Experiences of Psychotherapists With Remote Psychotherapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-sectional Web-Based Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elke Humer ◽  
Peter Stippl ◽  
Christoph Pieh ◽  
Rüdiger Pryss ◽  
Thomas Probst
Keyword(s):  
Survey Study ◽  
Personal Contact ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Remote Therapy

BACKGROUND The current situation around the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures necessary to fight it are creating challenges for psychotherapists, who usually treat patients face-to-face with personal contact. The pandemic is accelerating the use of remote psychotherapy (ie, psychotherapy provided via telephone or the internet). However, some psychotherapists have expressed reservations regarding remote psychotherapy. As psychotherapists are the individuals who determine the frequency of use of remote psychotherapy, the potential of enabling mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic in line with the protective measures to fight COVID-19 can be realized only if psychotherapists are willing to use remote psychotherapy. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the experiences of psychotherapists with remote psychotherapy in the first weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in Austria (between March 24 and April 1, 2020). METHODS Austrian psychotherapists were invited to take part in a web-based survey. The therapeutic orientations of the psychotherapists (behavioral, humanistic, psychodynamic, or systemic), their rating of the comparability of remote psychotherapy (web- or telephone-based) with face-to-face psychotherapy involving personal contact, and potential discrepancies between their actual experiences and previous expectations with remote psychotherapy were assessed. Data from 1162 psychotherapists practicing before and during the COVID-19 lockdown were analyzed. RESULTS Psychotherapy conducted via telephone or the internet was reported to not be totally comparable to psychotherapy with personal contact (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Psychodynamic (<i>P</i>=.001) and humanistic (<i>P</i>=.005) therapists reported a higher comparability of telephone-based psychotherapy to in-person psychotherapy than behavioral therapists. Experiences with remote therapy (both web- and telephone-based) were more positive than previously expected (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Psychodynamic therapists reported more positive experiences with telephone-based psychotherapy than expected compared to behavioral (<i>P</i>=.03) and systemic (<i>P</i>=.002) therapists. In general, web-based psychotherapy was rated more positively (regarding comparability to psychotherapy with personal contact and experiences vs expectations) than telephone-based psychotherapy (<i>P</i>&lt;.001); however, psychodynamic therapists reported their previous expectations to be equal to their actual experiences for both telephone- and web-based psychotherapy. CONCLUSIONS Psychotherapists found their experiences with remote psychotherapy (ie, web- or telephone-based psychotherapy) to be better than expected but found that this mode was not totally comparable to face-to-face psychotherapy with personal contact. Especially, behavioral therapists were found to rate telephone-based psychotherapy less favorably than therapists with other theoretical backgrounds.

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