scholarly journals Feasibility of Virtual Reality based Training for Optimising COVID-19 Case Handling in Uganda

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Buyego ◽  
Elizabeth Katwesigye ◽  
Grace Kebirungi ◽  
Mike Nsubuga ◽  
Shirley Nakyejwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Graphics Processing Units ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
P Value ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Information Retention ◽  
Frontline Health Workers

Abstract BackgroundEpidemics and pandemics are causing high morbidity and mortality on a still-evolving scale exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Infection prevention and control (IPC) training for frontline health workers is thus essential. However, classroom or hospital ward based training portends an infection risk due to the in-person interaction of participants. We explored the use of Virtual Reality (VR) simulations for frontline health worker training since it trains participants without exposing them to infections that would arise from in-person training. It does away with the requirement for expensive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that has been in acute shortage and improves learning, retention and recall. This represents the first attempt in deploying VR-based pedagogy in a Ugandan medical education context.MethodsWe used animated VR-based simulations of bedside and ward-based training scenarios for frontline health workers. The training covered the wearing and stripping of PPE, case management of COVID-19 infected individuals and hand hygiene. It used VR headsets and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to actualize an immersive experience, via a hybrid of VR renditions and 360degrees videos. We then compared the level of knowledge acquisition between individuals trained using this method to comparable cohorts previously trained in a classroom setting. That evaluation was supplemented by a qualitative assessment based on feedback from participants about their experience.ResultsThe effort resulted into a well-designed COVID-19 IPC VR curriculum, equivalent VR content and a pioneer cohort of trained frontline health workers. The formalized comparison with classroom-trained cohorts showed relatively better outcomes by way of skills acquired, speed of learning and rates of information retention (P-value =4.0e-09) - suggesting the effectiveness and feasibility of VR as a medium of medical training. Additionally, in the qualitative assessment 90% of the participants rated the method as very good, 58.1% strongly agreed that the activities met the course objectives, and 97.7 % strongly indicated willingness to refer the course to colleagues. ConclusionVR-based COVID-19 IPC training is feasible, effective and achieves enhanced learning while protecting participants from infections within a pandemic context in Uganda. It is a delivery medium transferable to the contexts of other highly infectious diseases.

Title: End user experience of Hayat app and dashboard: qualitative assessment of usability, community engagement and validity of data for antenatal care provision and routine immunization in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan Nawaz Tahir ◽  
Shehla Zaidi ◽  
Atif Riaz ◽  
Afreen Sadia ◽  
Rabia Najmi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health System ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Community Response ◽  
World Health ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Child Health Services ◽  
End User ◽  
Frontline Health Workers

BACKGROUND An mHealth app was developed for front line health workers, to strengthen maternal, neonatal and child health services through increased transparency, accountability, and improved governance by collecting and disseminating real-time data. Key features included tracking frontline health workers through Global Positioning System during outreach visits, registration of clients; and recording data. OBJECTIVE In this paper we report the end user experiences of the captured during the qualitative end line study of the Hayat app. This includes perceptions and experience of the using the digital app with a focus on usability, validity of data, and community response. This paper aims to identify barriers and enablers to integration of mhealth and inform how digital technology can be utilized for strengthening the district health systems in LMICs. METHODS Qualitative assessment was carried out in select rural districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan and select catchments of Bamyan and in Badakshan Province in Afghanistan. Methods used for assessment included 17 focus group discussions with LHWs and 28 key informant interviews with health workers and key stakeholders. Thematic content analysis was undertaken based on an adapted framework derived from the World Health Organization guide for “Monitoring and Evaluating Digital Health Interventions” and technology acceptance model. RESULTS The study revealed high usability of the app both by the stakeholders. Overall, the app improved quality and timeliness of data, improved immunization coverage and maternal care through supportive supervision and monitoring of frontline health workers. Data validity improved and health managers were confident of the reliability of data collected through the app. However, connectivity issues, difficulty in access to remote sites, security issues, lack of incentives and increased workload were some of the perceived barriers identified by the end users. CONCLUSIONS The use of smart phone-based application has high acceptability among the HCPs, and has benefitted the existing health system functioning but providing reliable data, and better monitoring. However, successful integration of app in the health system will require inter sectorial collaboration to address the challenges identified in implementation. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

scholarly journals Qualitative Assessment of the Feasibility, Usability, and Acceptability of a Mobile Client Data App for Community-Based Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Care in Rural Ghana

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica D. Rothstein ◽  
Larissa Jennings ◽  
Anitha Moorthy ◽  
Fan Yang ◽  
Lisa Gee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
District Health ◽  
Mobile Client ◽  
Rural Ghana ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Client Data

Mobile phone applications may enhance the delivery of critical health services and the accuracy of health service data. Yet, the opinions and experiences of frontline health workers on using mobile apps to track pregnant and recently delivered women are underreported. This evaluation qualitatively assessed the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of a mobile Client Data App for maternal, neonatal, and child client data management by community health nurses (CHNs) in rural Ghana. The mobile app enabled CHNs to enter, summarize, and query client data. It also sent visit reminders for clients and provided a mechanism to report level of care to district officers. Fourteen interviews and two focus groups with CHNs, midwives, and district health officers were conducted, coded, and thematically analyzed. Results indicated that the app was easily integrated into care, improved CHN productivity, and was acceptable due to its capacity to facilitate client follow-up, data reporting, and decision-making. However, the feasibility and usability of the app were hindered by high client volumes, staff shortages, and software and device challenges. Successful integration of mobile client data apps for frontline health workers in rural and resource-poor settings requires real-time monitoring, program investments, and targeted changes in human resources.

scholarly journals Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on frontline health care workers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S232-S233
Author(s):  
Suman Ahmed ◽  
Mohammad Shamsul Ahsan ◽  
Rubaiya Khan ◽  
Mahbubul Hasan ◽  
Fahmida Ferdous ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
P Value ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Care Workers

AimsFrontline health care workers exposed to COVID-19 patients could be at increased risk of developing psychological issues. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of mental health-related problems, specifically depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia among health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and to compare these between medical and allied health care professionals.MethodThis cross-sectional survey was conducted using Google Form then subsequent telephone interview between June and August 2020. Using random sampling, a total of 479 health care professionals participated in the study. We collected data on demographics. Anxiety and depression were measured using 4 items Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), PTSD was measured using 4 items Primary Care (PC)-PTSD-Screen, and insomnia was measured by using a 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors associated with mental health symptoms.ResultOverall, 17.6% of frontline health workers had symptoms of anxiety, 15.5% had depression symptoms, 7.6% had PTSD symptoms and 5.9% had symptoms of insomnia. Compared to allied health professionals (n = 113, 24%), doctors (n = 366, 76%) had significantly higher prevalence of anxiety: 21.1% vs 06%, (OR = 4.19; 95% CI = 1.88–9.35; p-value <0.001); depression: 18% vs 6.8%, (OR = 2.99; 95% CI = 1.40–6.42; p-value 0.005); PTSD: 9.4% vs 1.7%, (OR = 5.96; 95% CI = 1.41–25.11; p-value 0.015) and insomnia: 7.4% vs 0.9%, (OR = 9.22; 95% CI = 1.24–68.4; p-value 0.03). Logistic regression analysis showed that pre-existing medical illness has significantly more risks of developing symptoms of anxiety (adjusted OR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.71–4.76; p-value <0.001) and depression (OR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.39–3.77; p-value 0.001). Having a postgraduate degree (adjusted OR = 6.13; 95% CI = 1.28–29.28; p-value 0.023) and working in secondary care setting (adjusted OR = 3.08; 95% CI = 1.18–8.02; p value 0.021) have significant predictors of developing anxiety symptoms among health workers. Those who had worked more than 6 weeks in COVID-19 dedicated hospitals had risk of developing symptoms of PSTD (OR = 2.83; 95% CI = 1.35–5.93; p value 0.006) and insomnia (OR = 2.63; 95% CI = 1.15–6.02; p value 0.022).ConclusionOur study demonstrated a high prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia among Bangladeshi frontline health workers (particularly among doctors) during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to address the mental health needs of frontline health workers.Funding: Medical Research Council, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

scholarly journals Healthcare providers’ practice and attitude towards abortion service provision in Gulu city, Northern Uganda

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Pebolo Pebalo ◽  
Auma Anna Grace ◽  
Obol James Henry
Keyword(s):  
Medical Training ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Least Square ◽  
World Health ◽  
P Value ◽  
Northern Uganda ◽  
Unsafe Abortion ◽  
Abortion Complications

Abstract Background: Unsafe abortion is a growing public health problem concern globally despite being preventable. The World Health Organization estimates that about 20 million pregnancies results into unsafe abortion globally. The proportion of unsafe abortion has been increasing with developing countries contributing about 97% of unsafe abortions cases including Uganda. Unsafe abortion is among the four leading causes of pregnancy related mortality, injuries, and disability globally. The restrictive abortion laws and religious situation make abortion a highly controversial social issue in Uganda leading to high stigma in the society, and a majority of the healthcare providers are reluctant to perform an abortion even if indicated for fear of possible legal consequences.Methods: We conducted survey among health worker about knowledge of complications, practice, and attitudes of induced abortion between September and November 2019 among 252 healthcare providers in Gulu Municipality, Northern Uganda. Multivariate analysis showed associations between healthcare providers' characteristics and adequate knowledge about abortion complications. Ordinary least square regression analysis found associations between providers' characteristics and their intention for general support, generally not in support, conditional support for abortion provision, as well as their personal attitudes and beliefs against or towards abortion provision.Results: The mean attitudinal score for generally in support, generally not in support, conditional in support, personal attitude, and beliefs against and toward abortion provision were 2.80, 2.71, 2.86, 3.239, and 3.35 respectively. Participants who were married and practice Anglican religion were more likely to have good knowledge of abortion complications, p-values 0.035, and 0.042 respectively, meanwhile participants who were employed in faith-based facilities were more likely to have poor knowledge of abortion complications p-value 0.002.Conclusion: Ministry of Health and stakeholders need to provide training of health workers to improve quality of abortion services. Medical training institutions should ensure that students understand the laws and responsibilities that govern their professional actions with respect to abortion care regardless of their personal views, beliefs, and attitudes.

Pengaruh Perawatan Metode Kanguru (PMK) terhadap Pencegahan Hipotermi pada Bayi Baru Lahir

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-71
Author(s):  
Parti ◽  
Sumiati Malik ◽  
Nurhayati
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Kangaroo Mother Care ◽  
Infant Mortality Rate ◽  
P Value ◽  
Low Birth Weight Infants ◽  
Low Birth Weight Babies ◽  
Before And After

Most causes of infant death are problems that occur in newborn/neonatal (0-28 days old), Low Birth Weight Babies (LBW) is one of the factors which has a contribution to infant mortality, especially in the neonatal period. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is a benchmark in determining the degree of public health, both at the National and Provincial levels. This study aimed to determine the effect of the Kangaroo Mother Care Method (KMC) on the prevention of hypothermia in low birth weight infants at Morowali District Hospital in 2019. The type of research used was a quasi-experiment. The population is all low birth weight babies born from May to July 2019. The sample in this study was all newborns with low birth weight born from May to July 2019, totaling 30 babies. There is a difference (influence) on the baby's body temperature before and after KMC with a p-value=0,000. The kangaroo mother care can continue to be affiliated considering its benefits for both infants and mothers, as well as increasing the ability of health workers in conducting KMC so that they can provide in-house training for mothers to be carried out at home.

Penanganan Issu Terkait Keselamatan Pasien di Rumah Sakit

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Natal Riang Gea
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
P Value ◽  
Patient Identification ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Relationship

AbstrakKeselamatan pasien merupakan dasar dari pelayanan kesehatan yang baik. Pengetahuan tenaga kesehatan dalam sasaran keselamatan pasien terdiri dari ketepatan identifikasi pasien, peningkatan komunikasi yang efektif, peningkatan keamanan obat yang perlu diwaspadai, kepastian tepat lokasi, prosedur, dan tepat pasien operasi, pengurangan risiko infeksi, pengurangan risiko pasien jatuh. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui hubungan antara pengetahuan dengan penerapan keselamatan pasien pada petugas kesehatan di Puskesmas Kedaung Wetan Kota Tangerang. Metode Penelitian menggunakan deskriptif korelasi menggunakan pendekatan cross sectional. Populasi sebanyak 50 responden. Teknik pengambilan sampel menggunakan total sampling. Instrumen yang digunakan berupa lembar kuesioner. Teknik analisa diatas menggunakan analisa Univariat dan Bivariat. Hasil Penelitian ada Hubungan Pengetahuan dengan Penerapan Keselamatan Pasien pada Petugas Kesehatan, dengan hasil, p value sebesar 0,013 &lt; 0,05 maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa ada Hubungan Pengetahuan dengan Penerapa Keselamatan Pasien pada Petugas Kesehatan. Kesimpulan penelitian ada Hubungan Pengetahuan dengan Penerapan Keselamatan Pasien.. AbstrackPatient safety is the basis of good health services. Knowledge of health personnel in patient safety targets consists of accurate patient identification, increased effective communication, increased safety of the drug that needs to be watched, certainty in the right location, procedure, and precise patient surgery, reduction in risk of infection, reduction in risk of falling patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between knowledge and the application of patient safety to health workers in the Kedaung Wetan Health Center, Tangerang City. The research method uses descriptive correlation using cross sectional approach. The population is 50 respondents. The sampling technique uses total sampling. The instrument used was a questionnaire sheet. The analysis technique above uses Univariate and Bivariate analysis. The results of the study there is a Relationship of Knowledge with the Implementation of Patient Safety in Health Officers, with the result, p value of 0.013 &lt;0.05, it can be concluded that there is a Relationship between Knowledge and Patient Safety Implementation in Health Officers. The conclusion of the study is the Relationship between Knowledge and the Implementation of Patient Safety.Keywords Knowledge, Patient safety, Health workers

Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Environments: Demonstrations of Current Technologies and Future Directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 2119-2123
Author(s):  
Sarah Beadle ◽  
Randall Spain ◽  
Benjamin Goldberg ◽  
Mahdi Ebnali ◽  
Shannon Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Human Factors ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Risk Environment ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Simulated Environments ◽  
Interactive Session ◽  
Immersive Technologies

Virtual environments and immersive technologies are growing in popularity for human factors purposes. Whether it is training in a low-risk environment or using simulated environments for testing future automated vehicles, virtual environments show promise for the future of our field. The purpose of this session is to have current human factors practitioners and researchers demonstrate their immersive technologies. This is the eighth iteration of the “Me and My VE” interactive session. Presenters in this session will provide a brief introduction of their virtual reality, augmented reality, or virtual environment work before engaging with attendees in an interactive demonstration period. During this period, the presenters will each have a multimedia display of their immersive technology as well as discuss their work and development efforts. The selected demonstrations cover issues of designing immersive interfaces, military and medical training, and using simulation to better understand complex tasks. This includes a mix of government, industry, and academic-based work. Attendees will be virtually immersed in the technologies and research presented allowing for interaction with the work being done in this field.

scholarly journals Smart Health System to Detect Dementia Disorders Using Virtual Reality

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 810
Author(s):  
Areej Y. Bayahya ◽  
Wadee Alhalabi ◽  
Sultan H. AlAmri
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Clinical Diagnosis ◽  
Kappa Statistic ◽  
Weighted Kappa ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
P Value ◽  
Functional Evaluation ◽  
Medical Specialties ◽  
Weighted Kappa Statistic ◽  
Smart Health

Smart health technology includes physical sensors, intelligent sensors, and output advice to help monitor patients’ health and adjust their behavior. Virtual reality (VR) plays an increasingly larger role to improve health outcomes, being used in a variety of medical specialties including robotic surgery, diagnosis of some difficult diseases, and virtual reality pain distraction for severe burn patients. Smart VR health technology acts as a decision support system in the diseases diagnostic test of patients as they perform real world tasks in virtual reality (e.g., navigation). In this study, a non-invasive, cognitive computerized test based on 3D virtual environments for detecting the main symptoms of dementia (memory loss, visuospatial defects, and spatial navigation) is proposed. In a recent study, the system was tested on 115 real patients of which thirty had a dementia, sixty-five were cognitively healthy, and twenty had a mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The performance of the VR system was compared with Mini-Cog test, where the latter is used to measure cognitive impaired patients in the traditional diagnosis system at the clinic. It was observed that visuospatial and memory recall scores in both clinical diagnosis and VR system of dementia patients were less than those of MCI patients, and the scores of MCI patients were less than those of the control group. Furthermore, there is a perfect agreement between the standard methods in functional evaluation and navigational ability in our system where P-value in weighted Kappa statistic= 100% and between Mini-Cog-clinical diagnosis vs. VR scores where P-value in weighted Kappa statistic= 93%.

scholarly journals A health worker knowledge, attitudes and practices survey of SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention and control in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saiendhra Vasudevan Moodley ◽  
Muzimkhulu Zungu ◽  
Molebogeng Malotle ◽  
Kuku Voyi ◽  
Nico Claassen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Worker ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Infection Prevention ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
World Health ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Health workers are crucial to the successful implementation of infection prevention and control strategies to limit the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at healthcare facilities. The aim of our study was to determine SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention and control knowledge and attitudes of frontline health workers in four provinces of South Africa as well as explore some elements of health worker and health facility infection prevention and control practices. Methods A cross-sectional study design was utilised. The study population comprised both clinical and non-clinical staff working in casualty departments, outpatient departments, and entrance points of health facilities. A structured self-administered questionnaire was developed using the World Health Organization guidance as the basis for the knowledge questions. COVID-19 protocols were observed during data collection. Results A total of 286 health workers from 47 health facilities at different levels of care participated in the survey. The mean score on the 10 knowledge items was 6.3 (SD = 1.6). Approximately two-thirds of participants (67.4%) answered six or more questions correctly while less than a quarter of all participants (24.1%) managed to score eight or more. A knowledge score of 8 or more was significantly associated with occupational category (being either a medical doctor or nurse), age (< 40 years) and level of hospital (tertiary level). Only half of participants (50.7%) felt adequately prepared to deal with patients with COVD-19 at the time of the survey. The health workers displaying attitudes that would put themselves or others at risk were in the minority. Only 55.6% of participants had received infection prevention and control training. Some participants indicated they did not have access to medical masks (11.8%) and gloves (9.9%) in their departments. Conclusions The attitudes of participants reflected a willingness to engage in appropriate SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention and control practices as well as a commitment to be involved in COVID-19 patient care. Ensuring adequate infection prevention and control training for all staff and universal access to appropriate PPE were identified as key areas that needed to be addressed. Interim and final reports which identified key shortcomings that needed to be addressed were provided to the relevant provincial departments of health.

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