scholarly journals Health Manpower Forecasting: A systematic Review for Models and Approaches

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 458-472
Author(s):  
Sima Rafiei ◽  
Sina Abdollahzade ◽  
Fariba Hashemi

Background: An appropriate planning requires forecasting the demand and supply of health manpower in an accurate manner. Objectives: The paper objective was to review health manpower forecasting approaches and methods and propose the improvement features for effectiveness of health manpower planning. Data sources: A systematic review was conducted for studies published in English from 1970-2014 using Pub Med, Science Direct, Pro Quest, and Google Scholar databases. Study eligibility criteria: Review articles, qualitative studies, questionnaire driven surveys, retrospective and prospective studies describing or applying various types of forecasting approaches and methods in health manpower forecasting were included in the review. Data collection and study appraisal: Two reviewers (SR and MA) independently appraised the studies to identify relevant ones to be included in the review. Results: A total of 128 studies were included in the review. As a result, two main categories of approaches (conceptual and analytical) for health manpower forecasting were identified with their strengths and weaknesses. Conclusions: Future forecasting methods should benefit from advantages of current approaches and overcome some of their main limitations. Applying a method which incorporates a wide range of factors affecting supply and demand, facilitates the collection of good quality data, monitors changing trends over time, considers the uncertainty of health systems and has a dynamic approach is proposed as an improvement roadmap for future forecasting. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.18(3) 2019 p.458-472

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. e037036
Author(s):  
Richard Greenall ◽  
Rachel E Davis

ObjectiveVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a potentially fatal complication of hospitalisation. Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) is one approach to reducing the likelihood of a VTE. Adherence to IPC is known to be inadequate though the reasons for this remain unclear. This systematic review explores factors that affect adherence to IPC in the inpatient context.MethodsInformation sources—EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched for literature between January 1960 and May 2019. Eligibility criteria—studies were included if they focused on inpatient care and examined factors affecting adherence to IPC devices.ResultsIncluded studies—a total of 20 out of 1476 studies were included. Synthesis of results—eight factors were identified that affected adherence: patient discomfort (n=8), healthcare professionals’ knowledge and behaviours (n=6), mobilisation (n=6), equipment supply and demand (n=3), the use of guidelines (n=3), intensive care context (n=2), computer-assisted prescribing (n=2) and patients’ knowledge of IPC (n=1).ConclusionOverall while the evidence base is quite limited, a number of factors were shown to affect adherence to IPC. These findings could be used to inform future research and quality improvement efforts to increase adherence in this very important, but currently under-researched area.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. e022499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Collins Zamawe ◽  
Carina King ◽  
Hannah Maria Jennings ◽  
Chrispin Mandiwa ◽  
Edward Fottrell

ObjectiveThe use of herbal medicines for induction of labour (IOL) is common globally and yet its effects are not well understood. We assessed the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines for IOL.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis of published literature.Data sourcesWe searched in MEDLINE, AMED and CINAHL in April 2017, updated in June 2018.Eligibility criteriaWe considered experimental and non-experimental studies that compared relevant pregnancy outcomes between users and non-user of herbal medicines for IOL.Data extraction and synthesisData were extracted by two reviewers using a standardised form. A random-effects model was used to synthesise effects sizes and heterogeneity was explored through I2statistic. The risk of bias was assessed using ‘John Hopkins Nursing School Critical Appraisal Tool’ and ‘Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool’.ResultsA total of 1421 papers were identified through the searches, but only 10 were retained after eligibility and risk of bias assessments. The users of herbal medicine for IOL were significantly more likely to give birth within 24 hours than non-users (Risk Ratio (RR) 4.48; 95% CI 1.75 to 11.44). No significant difference in the incidence of caesarean section (RR 1.19; 95% CI 0.76 to 1.86), assisted vaginal delivery (RR 0.73; 95% CI 0.47 to 1.14), haemorrhage (RR 0.84; 95% CI 0.44 to 1.60), meconium-stained liquor (RR 1.20; 95% CI 0.65 to 2.23) and admission to nursery (RR 1.08; 95% CI 0.49 to 2.38) was found between users and non-users of herbal medicines for IOL.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that herbal medicines for IOL are effective, but there is inconclusive evidence of safety due to lack of good quality data. Thus, the use of herbal medicines for IOL should be avoided until safety issues are clarified. More studies are recommended to establish the safety of herbal medicines.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 10537
Author(s):  
Adi A. AlQudah ◽  
Mostafa Al-Emran ◽  
Khaled Shaalan

Understanding the factors affecting the use of healthcare technologies is a crucial topic that has been extensively studied, specifically during the last decade. These factors were studied using different technology acceptance models and theories. However, a systematic review that offers extensive understanding into what affects healthcare technologies and services and covers distinctive trends in large-scale research remains lacking. Therefore, this review aims to systematically review the articles published on technology acceptance in healthcare. From a yield of 1768 studies collected, 142 empirical studies have met the eligibility criteria and were extensively analyzed. The key findings confirmed that TAM and UTAUT are the most prevailing models in explaining what affects the acceptance of various healthcare technologies through different user groups, settings, and countries. Apart from the core constructs of TAM and UTAUT, the results showed that anxiety, computer self-efficacy, innovativeness, and trust are the most influential factors affecting various healthcare technologies. The results also revealed that Taiwan and the USA are leading the research of technology acceptance in healthcare, with a remarkable increase in studies focusing on telemedicine and electronic medical records solutions. This review is believed to enhance our understanding through a number of theoretical contributions and practical implications by unveiling the full potential of technology acceptance in healthcare and opening the door for further research opportunities.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. e029072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Xiong ◽  
Sara Hanafy ◽  
Vincy Chan ◽  
Zheng Jing Hu ◽  
Mitchell Sutton ◽  
...  

ObjectivesComorbidity in traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been recognised to alter the clinical course of patients and influence short-term and long-term outcomes. We synthesised the evidence on the effects of different comorbid conditions on early and late mortality post-TBI in order to (1) examine the relationship between comorbid condition(s) and all-cause mortality in TBI and (2) determine the influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with a TBI at baseline on all-cause mortality.DesignSystematic review.Data sourcesMedline, Central, Embase, PsycINFO and bibliographies of identified articles were searched from May 1997 to January 2019.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesIncluded studies met the following criteria: (1) focused on comorbidity as it related to our outcome of interest in adults (ie, ≥18 years of age) diagnosed with a TBI; (2) comorbidity was detected by any means excluding self-report; (3) reported the proportion of participants without comorbidity and (4) followed participants for any period of time.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent reviewers extracted the data and assessed risk of bias using the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool. Data were synthesised through tabulation and qualitative description.ResultsA total of 27 cohort studies were included. Among the wide range of individual comorbid conditions studied, only low blood pressure was a consistent predictors of post-TBI mortality. Other consistent predictors were traditional sociodemographic risk factors. Higher comorbidity scale, scores and the number of comorbid conditions were not consistently associated with post-TBI mortality.ConclusionsGiven the high number of comorbid conditions that were examined by the single studies, research is required to further substantiate the evidence and address conflicting findings. Finally, an enhanced set of comorbidity measures that are suited for the TBI population will allow for better risk stratification to guide TBI management and treatment.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42017070033


SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 215824402110613
Author(s):  
Büşra Alma Çallı ◽  
Erman Coşkun

This study aims to reveal the predictors of individuals’ financial behavior associated with credit default for accurate and reliable credit risk assessment. Within the scope of credit use research, a systematic review of 108 studies was performed. Among the reviewed studies, a fair number have analyzed the determinants of default and delinquency. A remarkable number has examined the factors affecting outstanding and problematic debt levels, and some have investigated the financial behavior in terms of responsibility, debt repayment, and credit misuse. A wide range of socioeconomic, demographic, psychological, situational, and behavioral factors was explored, and their role in predicting the investigated outcome domain at various time-points was analyzed. The main analysis techniques and mix of predictors in papers also differed based on different time periods. While the synthesis of findings revealed some strong and consistent predictors for each outcome variable, mixed results were obtained for some factors. Additionally, a cluster of new practices that includes a wide range of alternative factors to improve prediction accuracies were uncovered. Study findings revealed a paradigm shift regarding the use of non-traditional data sources, especially big data, and novel techniques.


Author(s):  
Claudia Carmassi ◽  
Claudia Foghi ◽  
Valerio Dell’Oste ◽  
Carlo Antonio Bertelloni ◽  
Andrea Fiorillo ◽  
...  

Caregivers of severely ill individuals often struggle to adjust to new responsibilities and roles while experiencing negative psychological outcomes that include depression, anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This systematic review aims to outline potential risk and protective factors for the development of PTSD in caregivers of adult subjects affected by severe somatic, potentially life-threatening illnesses. Twenty-nine studies on caregivers of adult patients affected by severe, acute, or chronic somatic diseases have been included. Eligibility criteria included: full-text publications reporting primary, empirical data; PTSD in caregivers of adult subjects affected by severe physical illnesses; risk and/or protective factors related to PTSD; and English language. Specific sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, besides the illness-related distress, familiar relationships, exposure characteristics, coping style, and support, were identified as relevant risk/protective factors for PTSD. The review limitations are the small number of studies; studies on different types of diseases; studies with same samples. It is crucial to consider factors affecting caregivers of severely ill adult patients in order to plan effective intervention strategies aimed at reducing the risk of an adverse mental health outcome and at enhancing the psychological endurance of this population.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Medlinskiene ◽  
Justine Tomlinson ◽  
Iuri Marques ◽  
Sue Richardson ◽  
Katherine Stirling ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Implementation and uptake of novel and cost-effective medicines can improve patient health outcomes and healthcare efficiency. However, the uptake of new medicines into practice faces a wide range of obstacles Earlier reviews provided insight into determinants for new medicine uptake (such as medicine, prescriber, patient, organization, and external environment factors), but the methodological approaches used had limitations (e.g., single author, narrative review, narrow search, no quality assessment of reviewed evidence).This systematic review aims to identify barriers and facilitators affecting the uptake of new medicines into clinical practice and identify areas for future research. Method: A systematic search was undertaken within seven databases. Eligible qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies focused on adult participants (18 years and older) requiring or taking new medicine(s) for any condition, in the context of healthcare organizations and identified factors affecting the uptake of new medicines. The methodological quality was assessed using QASTDD tool. A narrative synthesis of reported factors was conducted using framework analysis and conceptual framework was utilised to group them. Results: A total of 66 studies were included. Most studies (n=62) were quantitative and used secondary data (n=46) from various databases, e.g., insurance databases. The identified factors had a varied impact on the uptake of the different studied new medicines. Differently from earlier reviews, patient factors (patient education, engagement with treatment, therapy preferences), cost of new medicine, reimbursement and formulary conditions, and guidelines were suggested to influence the uptake. Also, the review highlighted that health economics, wider organizational factors, and underlying behaviours of adopters were not or under explored. Conclusion: This systematic review identifies additional factors affecting new medicine use not reported in earlier reviews, which included patient influence and education level, cost of new medicines, formulary and reimbursement restrictions, and guidelines. Further research employing determinant frameworks or implementation theories is needed to gain a better understanding of factors, especially patient, prescriber, and organizational, affecting the uptake of new medicines into clinical practice.Registration: PROSPERO database (CRD42018108536)


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Achungura Kabaniha ◽  
Doris Osei Afriyie ◽  
Mayur L Mandalia ◽  
John E Ataguba

Abstract Background Financial protection is one of the main indicators to assess progress towards Universal Health Coverage. Efforts have been made globally to monitor financial protection. However, progress in the African Region is limited. Methods A systematic review was conducted to assess financial protection in health in Africa. The search of five databases was conducted between March and May 2019. Studies were included if they conducted empirical analyses on one or two dimensions of financial protection—catastrophic and impoverishing health expenditures, at the national or subnational levels. The review included peer-review articles, grey literature and reports. Data extraction included study characteristics, the dimension of financial protection, including methods and data sources, and the type of analysis (incidence, equity analysis, determinants, trends over time) of financial protection. Results Fifty-one studies met the inclusion criteria of the review with at least one study in 41 out of the 47 countries in the WHO African Region. The analyses of the included studies showed that catastrophic and impoverishing health spending occurs in all the countries in the region, albeit at different levels. Various national household surveys were used as data sources. Also, the studies used different methods to assess financial protection. The incidence ranged from 0.29% in Zambia in 2010 to 16.4% in Nigeria in 2009 at a 10% threshold. Due to the wide range of data sources and methods, comparison of findings within and across countries was difficult. Furthermore, the majority of the studies focused on in-depth analysis of catastrophic health spending than impoverishing. Trends over time of both catastrophic and impoverishing health expenditures were even limited in single-country analysis. Conclusion This review provides evidence that generally, financial protection is being monitored at the national level in the African Region, and the incidence of financial protection has increased generally in the Region. Further research on financial protection should explore methods to harmonize the estimation of OOP from different surveys In addition, analyses should go beyond measuring the incidence of financial protection and also focus on equity analysis, looking at the drivers and trends of both dimensions of financial protection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 516-528
Author(s):  
Amaia Halty ◽  
Ana Berástegui

Objetivo: Este estudio pretende identificar y analizar las medidas observacionales para evaluar el constructo de responsividad parental, con especial atención en los componentes que se evalúan, en las características de aplicación y en los criterios de uso. Método: Se llevó a cabo una revisión sistemática de la literatura de todos los instrumentos publicados a través de las bases de datos de PsychINFO y Google Scholar. Dos investigadoras independientes evaluaron la elegibilidad de todos los instrumentos, extrajeron los datos y evaluaron sus características. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 33 instrumentos. Los componentes evaluados son diversos y más del 50% evalúan también otros constructos. La mayoría son de enfoque positivo, más de la mitad se codifican a través de vídeo y el tiempo destinado a la evaluación es muy variable, desde menos de 5 minutos a más de una hora. Algo menos de la mitad solicita realizar tareas concretas y todos ellos requieren formación específica para su uso. Discusión: Existe una gran oferta de instrumentos para evaluar la responsividad parental. Esta revisión ofrece claves que facilitan la elección del instrumento más adecuado a cada necesidad profesional o de investigación. Objective: The aim of this research is to identify and analyze the observational measures for the assessment of parental responsiveness construct, with a focus on the components that are evaluated, the characteristics of the implementation and the criteria of use. Method: A systematic review was carried out to identify all instruments published through PsychINFO and Google Scholar databases. Two independent researchers assessed the eligibility criteria of all measures, substracted data and assessed their characteristics. Results: 33 instruments were selected. The components of the measures are diverse and more than 50% also evaluate other constructs. Most instruments are positive in focus, more than half are encoded through video and the evaluation periods are very variable, from less than 5 minutes to more than one hour. Less than a half request to perform specific tasks and all of them require specific training for their use. Discussion: There is a wide range of instruments to assess parental responsiveness. This review offers clues that facilitate the choice of the most appropriate instrument for each professional or research needs.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 916-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abid Hasan ◽  
Bassam Baroudi ◽  
Abbas Elmualim ◽  
Raufdeen Rameezdeen

Purpose A significant amount of work has been performed in the area of identification of factors affecting construction productivity. Previous studies have tried to determine the most important factors affecting construction productivity in different countries for a long time. As a result of continuous effort in this direction, researchers have identified a wide range of factors. While the subject area has matured, no general agreement could be made on the factors affecting construction productivity. To fill this gap, the purpose of this paper is to undertake a comprehensive systematic review of mainstream studies on factors affecting construction productivity published in the last 30 years (1986–2016). Design/methodology/approach A total of 46 articles from different sources such as journals, conference proceedings, dissertation and PhD theses were identified and thoroughly reviewed. Findings Gaps in research and practices are discussed and directions for future research have been proposed. The literature review indicates that despite noticeable differences in the socio-economic conditions across both developed countries and developing countries, an overall reasonable consensus exists on few significant factors impeding productivity. These are, namely, non-availability of materials, inadequate supervision, skill shortage, lack of proper tools and equipment and incomplete drawing and specifications. Nevertheless, implications of technology, site amenities, process studies, project culture, and impacts of physiological and psychological factors were not adequately covered in existing literature. The study also found that traditional construction projects have remained the main focus of these studies while green construction projects have been generally overlooked. Research limitations/implications The review does not include studies that report productivity at the organisational or industry level as well as total factor productivity. The scope of the review is limited to work on identification of factors affecting productivity at the activity level in construction projects. Practical implications The outcomes of this study would help researchers and practitioners by providing the findings of previous studies in a concise manner. It is also expected that presenting a deeper and wider perspective of the research work performed until now will direct a more focussed approach on productivity improvement efforts in the construction industry. Originality/value This review paper undertakes a comprehensive systematic review of studies on identification of factors affecting construction productivity published during the last three decades.


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