Medical Technologies; Could this be the “Glue” to Improve the Relationship between Health Professionals, Patients and Healthcare Systems? A Perspective

Background: The relationship between oral health and general health is gaining interest in geriatric research; however, a lack of studies dealing with this issue from a general perspective makes it somewhat inaccessible to non-clinical public health professionals. Purpose: The purpose of this review is to describe the relationship between oral health and general health of the elderly on the basis of literature review, and to give non-clinical medical professionals and public health professionals an overview of this discipline. Methods: This study was based on an in-depth review of the literature pertaining to the relationship between oral health and general health among the older people. The tools commonly used to evaluate dental health and the academic researches of male elderly people were also reviewed. And future research directions were summarized. Results: Dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism, and xerostomia are common oral diseases among the older people. Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the leading causes of missing teeth and edentulism. Xerostomia, similar to dry mouth, is another common oral health disease in the older people. No clear correlation exists between the subjective feeling of dryness and an objective decrease of saliva. Rather, both conditions can be explained by changes in saliva. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Oral Health Impact Proﬁle (OHIP) are the main assessment tools used to examine oral health and quality of life in the older people. The GOHAI tends to be more sensitive to objective values pertaining to oral function. In addition, oral health studies in male elderly people are population-based cohort or cross-sectional studies, involving masticatory function, oral prevention, frailty problems, cardiovascular disease risk, and cognitive status. Conclusion: It is possible to reduce the incidence of certain oral diseases, even among individuals who take oral health care seriously. Oral health care should be based on the viewpoint of comprehensive treatment, including adequate nutrition, good life and psychology, and correct oral health care methods. In the future, researchers could combine the results of meta-analysis with the clinical experience of doctors to provide a more in-depth and broader discussion on oral health research topics concerning the older people.

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How hospitalized patients evaluate and report their pain together with nurses: A scoping review

Nordic Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/20571585211013480 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 205715852110134

Author(s):

Bente Dale Malones ◽

Sindre Sylte Kallmyr ◽

Vera Hage ◽

Trude Fløystad Eines

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Pain Assessment ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Hospitalized Patients ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Post Surgery ◽

Reliable Assessment ◽

Scoping Reviews ◽

The Relationship

Pain assessment tools are often used by patients to report their pain and by health professionals to assess patients’ reported pain. Although valid and reliable assessment of pain is essential for high-quality clinical care, there are still many patients who experience inappropriate pain management. The aim of this scoping review is to examine an overview of how hospitalized patients evaluate and report their pain in collaboration with nurses. Systematic searches were conducted, and ten research articles were included using the PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews. Content analysis revealed four main themes: 1) the relationship between the patient and nurse is an important factor of how hospitalized patients evaluate and report their post-surgery pain, 2) the patient’s feelings of inconsistency in how pain assessments are administered by nurses, 3) the challenge of hospitalized patients reporting post-surgery pain numerically, and 4) previous experiences and attitudes affect how hospitalized patients report their pain. Pain assessment tools are suitable for nurses to observe and assess pain in patients. Nevertheless, just using pain assessment tools is not sufficient for nurses to obtain a comprehensive clinical picture of each individual patient with pain.

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Use of symptom checkers for COVID-19-related symptoms among university students: a qualitative study

BMJ Innovations ◽

10.1136/bmjinnov-2020-000498 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. bmjinnov-2020-000498

Author(s):

Stephanie Aboueid ◽

Samantha B Meyer ◽

James R Wallace ◽

Shreya Mahajan ◽

Teeyaa Nur ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Healthcare Systems ◽

Positive Experience ◽

Perceived Credibility ◽

Inductive Thematic Analysis

ObjectiveSymptom checkers are potentially beneficial tools during pandemics. To increase the use of the platform, perspectives of end users must be gathered. Our objectives were to understand the perspectives and experiences of young adults related to the use of symptom checkers for assessing COVID-19-related symptoms and to identify areas for improvement.MethodsWe conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 22 young adults (18–34 years of age) at a university in Ontario, Canada. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsWe identified six main themes related to the decision of using a symptom checker for COVID-19 symptoms: (1) presence of symptoms or a combination of symptoms, (2) knowledge about COVID-19 symptoms, (3) fear of seeking in-person healthcare services, (4) awareness about symptom checkers, (5) paranoia and (6) curiosity. Participants who used symptom checkers shared by governmental entities reported an overall positive experience. Individuals who used non-credible sources reported suboptimal experiences due to lack of perceived credibility. Five main areas for improvement were identified: (1) information about the creators of the platform, (2) explanation of symptoms, (3) personalised experience, (4) language options, and (5) option to get tested.ConclusionsThis study suggests an increased acceptance of symptom checkers due to the perceived risks of infection associated with seeking in-person healthcare services. Symptom checkers have the potential to reduce the burden on healthcare systems and health professionals, especially during pandemics; however, these platforms could be improved to increase use.

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Attitude of person living with psychosis towards MH professionals: A qualitative study

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2017.01.1666 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 41 (S1) ◽

pp. s843-s843

Author(s):

K. Vaiphei ◽

P. Sreedaran ◽

V. Sathyanarayanan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Relationship Building ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

People With Mental Illness ◽

Depth Interview ◽

Competing Interest ◽

The Relationship

AimsStudies investigating attitudes of people with mental illness are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate person living with psychosis on their attitudes and perception towards the mental health professionals in contact with mental health services.MethodsAn in-depth interview was used to explore their lived experiences and attitude towards mental health professionals.ResultsBoth negative and positive attitudes were prevalent among the patients. Most negative attitudes concerned on not giving time, the MHPs are most interested in financial gains. They felt attitude changes according to diagnosis, psychosis perceived as diagnosis with violence; they are more interested in protecting themselves, perception that treating symptoms and not cause of illness. On the contrary, they felt positive on the relationship and time given to them.Discussion and conclusions The PLWI's attitude to MHPs could be a product of the type of admission (forced upon), symptoms related or on the type of service settings. The present study is purely qualitative, single settings, could not be generalised. However it points on the need for sensitization of MHPs and relationship building oriented intervention.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Effects of Sex-Role Stereotypes and Androgynous Alternatives on Mental Health Judgments of Psychotherapists

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1984.54.2.475 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 475-481 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Elizabeth V. Swenson ◽

Ruth Ragucci

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Sex Role ◽

Healthy Person ◽

Inventory Analysis ◽

Bem Sex Role Inventory ◽

Sex Role Stereotyping ◽

Sex Role Stereotypes ◽

The Relationship

Research and theoretical notions on the relationship between mental health and androgyny have yielded contradictory statements. In the present study 42 practicing psychotherapists were asked to rate the mentally healthy person (sex unspecified), man, and woman on the Bem Sex-role Inventory. Analysis showed that masculine was the preferred category for the person, with androgynous more often used to describe the man and undifferentiated, the woman. Male and female ratees differed significantly in masculinity and femininity in the expected direction with the person midway between. Sex-role stereotyping remains prevalent among mental health professionals.

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Extended Breastfeeding in Poland: Knowledge of Health Care Providers and Attitudes on Breastfeeding Beyond Infancy

Journal of Human Lactation ◽

10.1177/0890334418819448 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 371-380 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Barbara Baranowska ◽

Marta Malinowska ◽

Ewelina Stanaszek ◽

Dorota Sys ◽

Grażyna Bączek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care Providers ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Further Education ◽

Self Report ◽

Care Providers ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Level Of Knowledge ◽

The Relationship

Background: Extended breastfeeding is rare in Poland, and lack of acceptance and understanding is often evident in public opinion. The ability to provide reliable information about breastfeeding beyond infancy depends on health professionals’ levels of knowledge and attitudes. They are considered by most parents in Poland to be authorities in the field of child nutrition. Research aims: To determine (1) the level of knowledge and the attitudes of Polish health professionals towards extended breastfeeding; (2) the relationship between personal breastfeeding experience and attitudes towards extended breastfeeding; and (3) the relationship between knowledge about breastfeeding beyond twelve months and attitudes towards breastfeeding beyond infancy. Methods: A one-group prospective, cross-sectional, self-report style survey was used. The convenience sample ( N = 495) comprised gynaecologists, neonatologists and midwives. Data were collected via an online questionnaire and the results were analyzed with the use of descriptive statistics, a chi-square independence test, Fisher’s exact test, post-hoc testing, and two-part tables using SPSS. Results: Most of the respondents (76.7%; n = 384) had a low level of knowledge about the benefits of breastfeeding beyond twelve months and even emphasized that this nutritional choice could have negative impacts. There was a positive correlation ( F = 105.847; p = < .01) between levels of knowledge and respondents’ attitudes towards breastfeeding beyond infancy. Attitudes were also influenced by the length of time respondents had breastfed. Conclusion: Healthcare providers have an insufficient level of knowledge about extended breastfeeding and need further education in this area.

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Health Care Professionalism Without Doctors

Qualitative Studies ◽

10.7146/qs.v5i2.104462 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 72-94 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marie Østergaard Møller

Keyword(s):

Health Professionals ◽

Qualitative Data ◽

Nationwide Survey ◽

Relational Theory ◽

Local Health ◽

Medical Field ◽

Data Set ◽

The Individual ◽

The Relationship ◽

Larger Sample

The article uses the organization of health houses in Denmark as a case to study the relationship between spatial surroundings and professionalization. The question is whether these new local health houses comprise an alternative to the medical view on health or ––even in the absence of the hospital–– script the professionals to identify themselves as agents from the medical field? In this article, macro-structural theory is combined with micro-relational theory in order to identify how macro structures such as professionalization nest the way social interaction takes place in concrete spatial situations and surroundings. The argument put forward is that we need to identity this process at the level of the individual in order to qualify and anchor our understanding of professionalization as a macro phenomenon. The empirical basis is two dissimilar locations (health houses), selected from a larger qualitative data set of interviews with health professionals and citizens and observations of health houses, originally selected from a nationwide survey. The presented analysis zooms in on selected places and situations and relates analyses to the overall picture of differences and similarities identified in the larger sample. The analysis shows how entrances, receptions, information screens and coffee tables not only design houses, but also script styles of interaction between health professionals and citizens as well as they work as signs creating expectations about professional roles and how to reflect and act as a professional in a given physical and social setting. The main finding is that spatial surroundings facilitate processes of identification and counter-identification crucial to a new kind of health professionals such as the ones under study here.

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Depression and empathy in health professionals who work in the long-term care institutions for older adults

Dementia & Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1590/1980-57642021dn15-030011 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 381-386

Author(s):

Marina Miranda Borges ◽

Ana Julia de Lima Bomfim ◽

Marcos Hortes Nisihara Chagas

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Reactivity Index ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Term Care ◽

Patient Health ◽

The Relationship

ABSTRACT Empathy is an important factor to guarantee the quality of care provided in the long-term care institutions (LTCIs) for older adults, and depression is a factor that affects the health of the professional and, consequently, the care. Thus, it is important that studies are conducted on the relationship of these variables in this context. Objective: The aim of this study is to verify the relationship between empathy and depressive symptoms among health professionals working in the LTCIs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at LTCIs in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The final sample was constituted by 101 health professionals (i.e., caregivers and nursing technicians) with direct participation in the care of institutionalized older adults. The instruments were used as follows: the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to assess empathy and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for the diagnosis of depression. For the analyses, the patients were divided into groups with and without depression, according to the score of the PHQ-9. Results: The prevalence of depression among health professionals was 19.8%. Significant statistical differences were found between the groups for the total score of the IRI (p=0.029), for the emotional domain (p=0.023), and for the personal distress (p=0.009). Conclusions: The findings indicate that the presence of depression among health professionals at LTCIs is related to the higher levels of empathy, especially in the emotional domain. Thus, future studies that contribute to understanding how care must be provided with empathy, but without harming the health of the professional, should be carried out.

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Migrants and healthcare within the European Union

International Review of Social Research ◽

10.1515/irsr-2011-0003 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 61-72

Author(s):

Raluca Nagy

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Local Population ◽

Healthcare Systems ◽

Health Problems ◽

The European Union ◽

European Context ◽

The Relationship ◽

Migrant Groups

Abstract The investigation of migration can help us understand how the types of migration interact with each other as well as with the various local/national ‘immobilities’. Migrants pose special challenges to healthcare systems, in their origin as well as destination countries. Available data on this topic, following EU interests and policies, focuses on health problems of vulnerable migrant groups, often directed exclusively to issues that can affect the local population. This paper aims to set some explanatory contexts when it comes to the relationship between migration and healthcare within the European context.

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