Interprofessional Communication Team for Caregivers of Patients Hospitalized in the COVID-19 Wards: Results From an Italian Experience

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency restrictions did not allow clinician family meetings and relatives' visits. In Molinette Hospital, a new communication model between healthcare providers and families of COVID-19 affected patients was developed by a team of physicians and psychologists. The study's aims were to investigate caregivers' distress and to analyse their satisfaction with the communications provided.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among caregivers of patients of Molinette Hospital COVID wards. Between April and June 2020, all caregivers were contacted 2 weeks after the patient's discharge/death to assess their satisfaction with the communications received through an online survey.Results: A total of 155 caregivers completed the survey. Caregivers' distress level was found to be higher in women than men (p = 0.048) and in caregivers whose relative died compared to the caregivers whose relative was discharged (p < 0.001). More than 85% of caregivers defined communication “excellent”/“very good”; being male was associated with higher satisfaction levels than women (β = −0.165, p = 0.046). Besides daily communication, 63 caregivers (40.6%) received additional support from a psychologist of the team.Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study presenting, in an emergency, a new model of communication provided by a team of physicians and psychologists, and analyzing satisfaction with it. This model was highly appreciated by caregivers and it limited the discomfort caused by the restrictions on relatives' visits. It would be interesting to further evaluate the possibility of extending a communication model that includes doctors and psychologists in routine clinical practice.

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A Cross-Sectional Study On The Acceptance Of COVID-19 Vaccine

10.21203/rs.3.rs-992845/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Adetayo Olaniyi Adeniran ◽

Oluwadamisi Tayo-Ladega ◽

Taye Mohammed Abdullahi

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Vaccine Acceptance ◽

The Media ◽

The Developed Countries

Abstract Background Studies on the level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines and the perception of COVID-19 were most prevalent in the developed countries while scarcity of such studies in developing countries and Nigeria in particular. Because the level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines and the perception of COVID-19 differs among citizens of different countries, this study examines the acceptance of Nigerians to the usage of the COVID-19 vaccine. Methods An online cross-sectional study was conducted, with the use of an e-questionnaire which was administered to respondents (Nigerians) in a form of an online survey with emphasis on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Logistic regression analysis was employed to achieve the study. Conclusions The Nigerian public COVID-19 vaccines acceptance was fairly low in Nigeria. The educated male respondents are most likely to accept the usage of the vaccine. Similarly, respondents who believed that vaccines are generally safe and those who were willing to pay for vaccines, after becoming widespread, were more likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccines. However, those above 35 years old and respondents who are employed were not likely to accept the vaccines except been mandated by the employers. Moreover, respondents that believed in the rumors surrounding the dynamics of COVID-19 as well as those that do not have assurance in any source of information regarding COVID-19 vaccines, may not accept the usage of the vaccine. This study found that the most reliable sources of information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines were reports from the media and reports from healthcare providers.

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Self-Perceived Life Satisfaction during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126234 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6234

Author(s):

Christina Brogårdh ◽

Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund ◽

Frida Eek ◽

Kjerstin Stigmar ◽

Ingrid Lindgren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Online Survey ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sexual Life ◽

Life Domains ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Perceived Life Satisfaction

Currently, there is limited knowledge on how the Swedish strategy with more lenient public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced people’s life satisfaction. Here, we investigated self-reported life satisfaction during the first wave of the pandemic in Sweden, and perceived changes in life satisfaction in relation to various sociodemographic factors. A total of 1082 people (mean age 48 (SD 12.2); 82% women) responded to an online survey during autumn 2020 including the “Life Satisfaction Questionnaire-11”. A majority (69%) were satisfied with life as a whole, and with other important life domains, with the exception of contact with friends and sexual life. An equal share reported that life as a whole had either deteriorated (28%) or improved (29%). Of those that perceived a deterioration, 95% considered it to be due to the pandemic. Regarding deteriorated satisfaction with life as a whole, higher odds were found in the following groups: having no children living at home; being middle aged; having other sources of income than being employed; and having a chronic disease. The Swedish strategy might have contributed to the high proportion of satisfied people. Those who perceived a deterioration in life satisfaction may, however, need attention from Swedish Welfare Authorities.

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Knowledge and Practice of Health Professionals in the Management of Dysphagia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18042139 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 2139

Author(s):

Eduardo Sánchez-Sánchez ◽

Ylenia Avellaneda-López ◽

Esperanza García-Marín ◽

Guillermo Ramírez-Vargas ◽

Jara Díaz-Jimenez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Providers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Clinical Settings ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Swallowing Disorder ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Anonymous Questionnaire ◽

Knowledge And Practice ◽

Definition Of ◽

Management Of Dysphagia

The aim of this study was to determine healthcare providers’ knowledge and practices about dysphagia. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out based on a self-administered and anonymous questionnaire addressed to healthcare providers in Spain. A total of 396 healthcare providers participated in the study. Of these, 62.3% knew the definition of dysphagia as a swallowing disorder. In addition, up to 39.2% of the participants reported that they did not know whether the EatingAssessmentTool (EAT-10) dysphagia screening test was usedin their own clinical settings. Similarly, up to 49.1% of them did not know the ClinicalExaminationVolume-Viscosity (MECV-V) method. Nearly all participants (98.8%) reported that thickeners must be used forall liquids administered to patients. A higher percentage of respondents based the choice of texture on patient’s tolerance (78.2%) rather than on the MECV-V result (17.3%). In addition,76.4% of the professionals had witnessed a bronchoaspiration; after it, 44.4% (n = 175) of them reported the appearance of pneumonia, and 14.5% (n = 57) the death of the patient (p = 0.005). The participants revealeda moderate/low knowledge ofthe definition, diagnosis, and clinical management of liquid dysphagia, which indicates some room for improvements.

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Perspectives of Healthcare Professionals Regarding Factors Associated with Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Their Consequences: A Cross Sectional Study in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Antibiotics ◽

10.3390/antibiotics10070878 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 878

Author(s):

Mohamed A. Baraka ◽

Amany Alboghdadly ◽

Samar Alshawwa ◽

Asim Ahmed Elnour ◽

Hassan Alsultan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antimicrobial Resistance ◽

Inappropriate Prescribing ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Key Factors ◽

Eastern Province ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Factors Influencing

Factors reported in the literature associated with inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobials include physicians with less experience, uncertain diagnosis, and patient caregiver influences on physicians’ decisions. Monitoring antimicrobial resistance is critical for identifying emerging resistance patterns, developing, and assessing the effectiveness of mitigation strategies. Improvement in prescribing antimicrobials would minimize the risk of resistance and, consequently, improve patients’ clinical and health outcomes. The purpose of the study is to delineate factors associated with antimicrobial resistance, describe the factors influencing prescriber’s choice during prescribing of antimicrobial, and examine factors related to consequences of inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobial. A cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare providers (190) in six tertiary hospitals in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The research panel has developed, validated, and piloted survey specific with closed-ended questions. A value of p < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. All data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM SPSS version 23.0). 72.7% of the respondents have agreed that poor skills and knowledge are key factors that contribute to the inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobials. All of the respondents acknowledged effectiveness, previous experience with the antimicrobial, and reading scientific materials (such as books, articles, and the internet) as being key factors influencing physicians’ choice during antimicrobial prescribing. The current study has identified comprehensive education and training needs for healthcare providers about antimicrobial resistance. Using antimicrobials unnecessarily, insufficient duration of antimicrobial use, and using broad spectrum antimicrobials were reported to be common practices. Furthermore, poor skills and knowledge were a key factor that contributed to the inappropriate use and overuse of antimicrobials, and the use of antimicrobials without a physician’s prescription (i.e., self-medication) represent key factors which contribute to AMR from participants’ perspectives. Furthermore, internal policy and guidelines are needed to ensure that the antimicrobials are prescribed in accordance with standard protocols and clinical guidelines.

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Healthcare Provider Attitudes toward the Newly Developed COVID-19 Vaccine: Cross-Sectional Study

Nursing Reports ◽

10.3390/nursrep11010018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 187-194

Author(s):

Gasmelseed Ahmed ◽

Zainab Almoosa ◽

Dalia Mohamed ◽

Janepple Rapal ◽

Ofelia Minguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Private Hospital ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Chronic Illnesses ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Provider Attitudes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Electronic Survey ◽

Consistency Results

Background: During the long wait and the global anxiety for a vaccine against COVID-19, impressively high-safety and effective vaccines were invented by multiple pharmaceutical companies. Aim: We aimed to assess the attitudes of healthcare providers and evaluate their intention to advocate for the vaccine. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary private hospital where an electronic survey was distributed among healthcare providers (HCPs). The survey contained two sections: socio-demographic characteristics and Likert-scale perception, with 72% internal consistency. Results: The response rate to the email survey was 37% (n = 236). In addition, 169 (71.6%) of respondents were women, with more than half (134, 56.8%) aged ≤35 years. A total of 110 (46.6%) had over 10 years of experience, and most of them were nurses (146, 62%). Univariate analysis revealed that older participants significantly accepted and advocated for the new vaccine more than the younger ones. In the multivariate analysis, men were significantly more likely than women to accept and advocate for the new vaccine, as were those with chronic illnesses. Participants with allergy were significantly less likely to accept the vaccine than others. odds ratio (OR) and p-values were 2.5, 0.003; 2.3, 0.04; and 0.4, 0.01, respectively. Conclusion: The acceptance rate for the newly-developed COVID-19 vaccines was average among HCPs. Sex, age, presence of chronic illnesses, and allergy were significant predictors of accepting the vaccine.

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Evaluating the Association Between Artificial Sweetener Intake and Indicators of Stress and Anxiety

International Quarterly of Community Health Education ◽

10.1177/0272684x211022150 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0272684X2110221

Author(s):

Benjamin Miller ◽

Paul Branscum

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Food Frequency Questionnaire ◽

Online Survey ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Anxiety Reduction ◽

Artificial Sweetener ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Frequency ◽

Very High

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) consumption and stress and anxiety, among a sample of college students. Two-hundred and twenty-seven students from a large mid-western university participated in this cross-sectional study. Students completed an online survey that evaluated NNS using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Stress and anxiety were evaluated using previously validated instruments. Most students reported very low/low/average concern for stress (63.9%), and had low/moderate anxiety (82.3%). Participants experiencing high and very high levels of stress had significantly higher NNS consumption compared to those with a very low and low risk, and concern for stress ( p < .046; d = 0.28). There was no difference however for NNS intake and anxiety. Reduction of artificial sweetener intake may be associated with stress levels among college students. However, more research is needed to examine any causal relationship between artificial sweetener intake and stress.

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Dissociation, Cognitive Reflection and Health Literacy Have a Modest Effect on Belief in Conspiracy Theories about COVID-19

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105065 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5065

Author(s):

Vojtech Pisl ◽

Jan Volavka ◽

Edita Chvojkova ◽

Katerina Cechova ◽

Gabriela Kavalirova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Literacy ◽

Online Survey ◽

Digital Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Conspiracy Theories ◽

Cognitive Reflection ◽

Variance Explained ◽

Modest Effect

Understanding the predictors of belief in COVID-related conspiracy theories and willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19 may aid the resolution of current and future pandemics. We investigate how psychological and cognitive characteristics influence general conspiracy mentality and COVID-related conspiracy theories. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on data from an online survey of a sample of Czech university students (n = 866) collected in January 2021, using multivariate linear regression and mediation analysis. Sixteen percent of respondents believed that COVID-19 is a hoax, and 17% believed that COVID-19 was intentionally created by humans. Seven percent of the variance of the hoax theory and 10% of the variance of the creation theory was explained by (in descending order of relevance) low cognitive reflection, low digital health literacy, high experience with dissociation and, to some extent, high bullshit receptivity. Belief in COVID-related conspiracy theories depended less on psychological and cognitive variables compared to conspiracy mentality (16% of the variance explained). The effect of digital health literacy on belief in COVID-related theories was moderated by cognitive reflection. Belief in conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 was influenced by experience with dissociation, cognitive reflection, digital health literacy and bullshit receptivity.

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Profilaxia Pré-Exposição para o Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana no Currículo Médico em Portugal: Uma Análise Transversal

Acta Médica Portuguesa ◽

10.20344/amp.15446 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 35 (13) ◽

Author(s):

Francisco Duarte ◽

Nuno Rua ◽

David Gomes ◽

Vasco Ricoca Peixoto ◽

Daniela Azevedo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Online Survey ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

School Year ◽

Exposure Prophylaxis

Introduction: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has gained relevance as a method of prevention for HIV in certain people and settings. Following the publication of the guideline on PrEP prescribing in Portugal, we aimed to assess the knowledge of Portuguese Medical Students about PrEP.Material and Methods: An online survey was sent to Medical students of Portuguese Medical Schools. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the results and an analytic cross-sectional study to identify factors associated with “knowing about PrEP”, “having had one class about PrEP” and “identifying eligible groups correctly”.Results: Of the 796 students that responded to the survey, 64.6% were aware of what PrEP is. Of these, 34.44% acquired this knowledge during their training. Out of the total amount of respondents, 4.77% could identify correctly and completely the eligible groups for PrEP. As the training years went by, the probability of being aware of PrEP, having had one class about PrEP, and identifying the eligible groups correctly, increased. Of the sixth-year students, 43.48% had had one class about PrEP and among the students that were aware of PrEP, 28% identified what the eligible groups were. After adjusting for the school year, we found differences between Medical Schools regarding the outcomes. The association between the different ways of learning about PrEP and the ability to correctly identify eligible groups for PrEP was not statistically significant.Conclusion: The differences between Medical Schools could be harmonized through changes in the medical curricula that would allow this topic to be addressed more often.

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Translation, adaptation, and validation of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) for use in Japan: A multicenter cross-sectional study

10.1101/2020.05.14.20102442 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Takuya Aoki ◽

Yosuke Yamamoto ◽

Tomoaki Nakata

Keyword(s):

Patient Experience ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Internal Consistency Reliability ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Validity Criterion ◽

Hospital Consumer Assessment ◽

Consumer Assessment

Objectives. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a well-established and internationally recognized scale for measuring patient experience with hospital inpatient care. This study aimed to develop a Japanese version of the HCAHPS and to examine its structural validity, criterion-related validity, and internal consistency reliability. Design. Multicenter cross-sectional study. Setting. A total of 48 hospitals in Japan. Participants. Patients aged ≥ 16 years who were discharged from the participating hospitals. Results. We translated the HCAHPS into Japanese according to the guidelines. Psychometric properties were examined using data from 6,522 patients. A confirmatory factor analysis showed excellent goodness of fit of the same factor structure as that of the original HCAHPS, with the following composites: communication with nurses, communication with doctors, responsiveness of hospital staff, hospital environment, communication about medicines, and discharge information. All hospital-level Pearson correlation coefficients between the Japanese HCAHPS composites and overall hospital rating exceeded the criteria. Results of inter-item correlations indicated adequate internal consistency reliability. Conclusions. We developed the Japanese HCAHPS, and evaluated its structural validity, criterion-related validity, and internal consistency reliability. This scale could be used for quality improvement based on the assessment of patient experience with hospital care and for health services research in Japan.

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Louisiana Medicaid access for treatment and care for hepatitis C virus (LA-MATCH) project: A cross-sectional study protocol

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257437 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (10) ◽

pp. e0257437

Author(s):

Hasheemah Afaneh ◽

Susanne Straif-Bourgeois ◽

Evrim Oral ◽

Ashley Wennerstrom ◽

Olivia Sugarman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis C ◽

Online Survey ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Fixed Cost ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Hcv Treatment ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Data Set ◽

Direct Acting Antiviral ◽

Louisiana State University

Introduction This article presents the Louisiana Hepatitis C Elimination Program’s evaluation protocol underway at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center–New Orleans. With the availability of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) agents, the elimination of Hepatitis C (HCV) has become a possibility. The HCV Elimination Program was initiated by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) Office of Public Health (OPH), LDH Bureau of Health Services Financing (Medicaid), and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSC) to provide HCV treatment through an innovative pricing arrangement with Asegua Therapeutics, whereby a fixed cost is set for a supply of treatment over five years. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study design will be used. Data will be gathered from two sources: 1) an online survey administered via REDCap to a sample of Medicaid members who are receiving HCV treatment, and 2) a de-identified data set that includes both Medicaid claims data and OPH surveillance data procured via a Data Use Agreement between LSUHSC-NO and Louisiana Medicaid. Discussion The evaluation will contribute to an understanding of the scope and reach of this innovative treatment model, and as a result, an understanding of areas for improvement. Further, this evaluation may provide insight for other states considering similar contracting mechanisms and programs.

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