scholarly journals Predicting Pharmacist Intention to Contribute to COVID-19 Management at the Community Level: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Junlei Li ◽  
Hao Hu ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
Chi Ieong Lei ◽  
Carolina Oi Lam Ung

Introduction: The role of pharmacists in public health management is expected to grow into a key player in the continuing measures of managing the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the community setting. However, their intention to provide essential public health services for combating the pandemic and the impact of their attitude and beliefs are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the intention-to-practice COVID-19-related responsibilities of pharmacists based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), identify the key factors predicting their intention, and explore the usefulness of the TPB model in predicting such an intention.Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire was completed by pharmacists in Macao between May and August 2020. Quantitative responses regarding intention-to-practice COVID-19-related duties, and the four TPB variables [attitude (A), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), and past behavior (PB)] were measured. Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability were used to determine the reliability and validity of the tool. In addition to descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation was used to determine the strengths of the association, and multiple linear regression was used to predict the association between the intention and the four key variables.Results: More than half of the pharmacists practicing in Macao completed the questionnaire (296/520) giving a response rate of 56.9%. Among them, 75% were 26–40 years old and 56% were female. The majority of the participants (91.9%) demonstrated a positive intention to contribute to the COVID-19 infection management (mean = 4.19 ± 0.51). The mean scores for A, SN, PBC, and PB were 4.06 ± 0.52, 3.71 ± 0.58, 3.76 ± 0.65, and 4.03 ± 0.54, respectively. A (β = 0.671), SN (β = 0.608), PBC (β = 0.563), and PB (β = 0.829) were all positively correlated with intention (all P < 0.001). It was found that 72.5% of the variance in the intention-to-practice COVID-19-related duties could be explained by the TPB model using the four key variables with A and PB being two possible predictors.Conclusion: Pharmacists showed favorable A, SN, PBC, and intention in participating in COVID-19 management in the community setting. Specific training, enhanced stakeholder communication, and improved pharmacy management are essential to increase the willingness of pharmacists to take part in the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies alike in the future.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khanh Ngoc Cong Duong ◽  
Tien Nguyen Le Bao ◽  
Phuong Thi Lan Nguyen ◽  
Thanh Vo Van ◽  
Toi Phung Lam ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged <18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 979-986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arjan van der Tol ◽  
Vianda S Stel ◽  
Kitty J Jager ◽  
Norbert Lameire ◽  
Rachael L Morton ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We compare reimbursement for haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) in European countries to assess the impact on government healthcare budgets. We discuss strategies to reduce costs by promoting sustainable dialysis and kidney transplantation. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey among nephrologists conducted online July–December 2016. European countries were categorized by tertiles of gross domestic product per capita (GDP). Reimbursement data were matched to kidney replacement therapy (KRT) data. Results The prevalence per million population of patients being treated with long-term dialysis was not significantly different across tertiles of GDP (P = 0.22). The percentage of PD increased with GDP across tertiles (4.9, 8.2, 13.4%; P < 0.001). The HD-to-PD reimbursement ratio was higher in countries with the highest tertile of GDP (0.7, 1.0 versus 1.7; P = 0.007). Home HD was mainly reimbursed in countries with the highest tertile of GDP (15, 15 versus 69%; P = 0.005). The percentage of public health expenditure for reimbursement of dialysis decreased across tertiles of GDP (3.3, 1.5, 0.7%; P < 0.001). Transplantation as a proportion of all KRT increased across tertiles of GDP (18.5, 39.5, 56.0%; P < 0.001). Conclusions In Europe, dialysis has a disproportionately high impact on public health expenditure, especially in countries with a lower GDP. In these countries, the cost difference between PD and HD is smaller, and home dialysis and transplantation are less frequently provided than in countries with a higher GDP. In-depth evaluation and analysis of influential economic and political measures are needed to steer optimized reimbursement strategies for KRT.


Author(s):  
Shan Lu ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Niek Klazinga ◽  
Dionne Kringos

This study evaluates trends in workforce supply compared with those in the volume of service delivery (output) for basic clinical care (CC) and public health (PH) services from 2009 to 2017 in China. A cross-sectional survey (2018) was combined with retrospective data (2009–2017) from 785 primary care (PC) facilities in six provinces. Measures for the output of clinical care and of public health services were aggregated into a single (weighted) index for both service profiles. The output–workforce relationship was measured by its ratio. Latent class growth analysis and logistic regression analysis were applied to classify trajectories and determine associations with facility-level, geographic, and economic characteristics. From 2009 to 2017, the proportion of PC to overall healthcare workforce decreased from 24.25% to 18.57%; the proportion of PH to PC providers at PC facilities increased from 23.6% to 29.5%, while the proportion of PH output increased from 44.3% to 65.9%. Four trajectories of the output–workforce relationship were identified for CC, and five trajectories for PH services of which 85.3% of the facilities showed initially increasing and then slightly decreasing trends. Geographic characteristics impacted different trajectories. The PC workforce falls behind hospital workforce. The expansion in workload of PH services is unbalanced with that of workforce.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2971-2974
Author(s):  
Pavan Kumar K ◽  
Sudhakar P Reddy

Background: In India, 42 million people are suffering from thyroid disorders, out of which hypothyroidism is most common with a prevalence of 5.4%. It is more prevalent among females with the male-female ratio being 1:6. Hypothyroidism is a clinical syndrome resulting from a deficiency of thyroid hormones, which in turn results in a generalized slowing down of metabolic processes. Impaired metabolism can be compared with vitiation of Agni causing Agnimandhya according to Ayurveda. Agnimandhya further hampers the formations of Ahara Rasa and consecutive Dhatus Nirmana, diminishing the metabolism, thereby causing features similar to hypothyroidism. The objective of the Study: To assess the impact of diet & lifestyle on the prevalence of Hypothyroidism in Females. Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional survey study. A total of 150 female subjects were selected for the study. With the help of a validated pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire, the interview was conducted on female subjects diagnosed with Hypothyroidism to assess the impact of diet and lifestyle on the prevalence of Hypothy- roidism in and around Mysuru city. Result: In the survey study, the majority of the hypothyroidism diagnosed subjects followed unhealthy daily regimes and the majority percentage of them practised unwholesome diet, food habits and lifestyle. Diet and lifestyle have a direct influence on the occurrence of hypothyroidism. Conclusion: Hypothyroidism is a metabolic disorder is mainly caused by Agni Mandhya and Rasa Pradoshaja as a result of faulty diet and lifestyle. One should follow Dincharya, Rutucharya and other Ayurveda principles to protect the Agni and thereby prevent Hypothyroidism. The practice of Ahita Ahara Vidhi and Ahita Vihara in the manifestation of Agnimandhya, followed by the development of features of hypothyroidism was substantiated by the result of the survey. Keywords: Hypothyroidism; Diet; Lifestyle; Agnimandhya; Rasa Pradoshaja Vikara.


Healthcare ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 160
Author(s):  
Jinlin Liu ◽  
Ying Mao

National basic public health services (BPHSs) are important for promoting the health of rural populations. A better understanding of rural BPHSs from the viewpoint of residents utilizing the services can help health-related departments and primary health care (PHC) centers further improve rural BPHSs. By conducting a large-scale cross-sectional survey in 10 western provinces of China, the study depicts rural resident experiences with rural BPHSs. Of the 9019 participants, 59.33% and 66.48% did not receive services related to health examinations or health education in the six months prior to the survey, respectively. A total of 56.90% were satisfied with the rural BPHSs, and the mean overall satisfaction score was 3.61 ± 0.908 (out of a maximum of 5). The most satisfying domain for rural residents with BPHSs was the attitude of PHC workers, whereas rural residents with chronic diseases were the least satisfied with the health management. Satisfaction with the attitude of PHC workers was identified as the strongest determinant of rural residents’ overall satisfaction with BPHSs. This study could enlighten rural BPHSs management in China.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Müesser Özcan ◽  
Neşe Yeniçeri ◽  
Edip Güvenç Çekiç

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study is to determine the characteristics of medical faculty students about violations of academic integrity. Method From the whole population of the 572 students of the Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Medicine, 271 students participated voluntarily in a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Descriptive data were recorded in the survey and a five-point Likert-type instrument, namely the Tendency towards Academic Dishonesty Scale, was used as the data collection tool in the study. The scale included 22 items’ means that are considered to evaluate “Tendency towards academic dishonesty” (TTAD) score. In addition, four subscales, namely “Tendency towards cheating”, “Dishonesty in works such as assignments and projects”, “Tendency towards dishonesty in research and reporting processes” and “Tendency towards citation dishonesty” scores were evaluated separately. Results Of the participants, 138 (53.3%) were male. TTAD scores were 2.15 ± 0.61, showing a slight tendency towards academic dishonesty, according to the scale. TTAD scores and standard deviations (SD) were 2.26 ± 0.65 and 2.04 ± 0.55 for men and women, respectively (P = 0.005). There was no difference in the TTAD scores for students whether they had read the ethics code. Significant differences were observed in the TTAD scores for students with gender, different academic achievements and in different academic years. However, when multivariate analysis was performed, the significance shown in the results disappeared. Conclusion In our study, a slight tendency to academic dishonesty was found for medical faculty students and there were no differences between all of the recorded individual factors of students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhen Yang ◽  
Cheng-hua Jiang

Abstract Background China is making efforts to promote the equalization of National Essential Public Health Services (NEPHS) for internal migrants. Studies have demonstrated that the impacts of social capital on health services are different among subgroups of people. Clarifying these differences will help China accurately promote the equalization of NEPHS for the internal migrants and provide reference for other countries. Methods Data from the China Migrant Dynamic Survey of 2017, involving 130,642 migrants in 31 provinces were used to clarify the complex relationship between social capital and the utilization of NEPHS. Social capital was divided into regional cognitive social capital (RCSC), regional structural social capital (RSSC), individual cognitive social capital (ICSC), and individual structural social capital (ISSC). Then, multi-level logistic regression was conducted to analyze their impacts on the utilization of NEPHS of the migrants, and whether such impacts are moderated by sex and education. Results (1) There are significant differences in the levels of CSC, SSC, and NEPHS utilization between different sexs and educational subgroups of the migrants, among which the educational difference is more prominent. (2) An interaction exists between the levels and dimensions of social capital and NEPHS projects. Also, the impact of SSC on NEPHS is always greater than that of CSC at the same level. (3) The effects of RCSC, RSSC, ICSC, and ISSC on NEPHS utilization by migrants are not moderated by sex. However, a high education could weaken the relationship between RCSC and health education, ISSC and health education, and RSSC and health records but strengthen the correlation between RSSC and health education. Conclusion Social capital plays an important role in the access of migrants to NEPHS. Governments should vigorously promote the construction of regional social capital, encourage migrants to actively participate in community activities, especially pay attention to the enhancement of the migrants with low SES to the destination identity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (40) ◽  
pp. 145-159
Author(s):  
`Adlina Abdul Khalil ◽  
Syed Sultan Bee Packeer Mohamed ◽  
Haslina Hassan ◽  
Azizah Ibrahim

The learning process at the tertiary level needs to go through a phase of transformation in line with the demand of the current situation. The implementation of teaching activities and assignments given should emphasize the aspect of human capital formation. In other words, students need to be provided with the concept of independent study, see the problems faced by society and be sensitive to changes taking place in society. This is because, after graduation, students will be in the community. Community groups in the workplace and communities outside the workplace. Aspects of skills acquired while studying at university will be a measure of the ability of students to provide the best service to their employers later. Teaching and learning today needs to be improved according to the changing times. The stigma of society's thinking defining that lecturer are only teachers should be added to lecturers as advisors of a project or assignment given to students. Based on this factor, a study was conducted to see how the implementation of Community Based Learning (CBL) in Community Service courses can be used as an effective teaching medium in building students' personalities. The design of the study was a survey study (cross-sectional survey) and the data obtained were analyzed descriptively based on the percentage obtained from the distribution of the questionnaire. Respondents involved in this study were 239 undergraduate students from various backgrounds and institutions of study namely Uitm, UUM UniKL, and UniSHAMS. The study focused on the impact and challenges aspects of students applying CBL in Community Service courses. The findings of the study found that the formation of student personality such as self–confidence, leadership attitude, critical thinking occurs when CBL is applied in the teaching and learning process. Although CBL successfully applied in teaching and learning, there were some students who had to face some form of challenge. Among the dominant forms of challenge are differences of opinion with group members, lack of cooperation by the community, and financial constraints. However, on the basis of commitment and responsibility, students can deal with the problems faced in a wise manner and eventually be able to complete the assigned tasks.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Kuei Lin ◽  
Caroline R. Richardson ◽  
Iulia Dobrin ◽  
Melissa J. DeJonckheere ◽  
Kara Mizokami-Stout ◽  
...  

<i>Objective:</i> This study aims to: (1) identify the frequency of severe and level 2 hypoglycemia presenting in people with type 1 diabetes using continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGMs), including those with concomitant closed-loop insulin pumps, in a clinical practice setting; (2) evaluate the impact of beliefs around hypoglycemia in the development of severe and level 2 hypoglycemia in this population. <p><i>Research Design and Methods:</i> A cross-sectional survey study in adults with type 1 diabetes using CGMs >6 months was conducted at a large tertiary academic center. Participant demographics, 6-month severe hypoglycemia history, hypoglycemia beliefs (with the Attitude to Awareness of Hypoglycemia questionnaire) and 4-week CGM glucose data were collected. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the presentation of severe and level 2 hypoglycemia and identify associated risk factors. </p> <p><i>Results: </i>A total of 289 participants were recruited (including 257 participants with CGM data within the last 3 months). Of these, 25.6% experienced at least one severe hypoglycemic episode in the last 6 months, and 13.6% presented with ≥1% of time in level 2 hypoglycemia on CGMs. Reporting beliefs about prioritizing hyperglycemia avoidance was associated with severe hypoglycemia development (<i>P</i><0.001), while having beliefs of minimal concerns for hypoglycemia was associated with spending ≥1% of time in level 2 hypoglycemia (<i>P</i>=0.038).</p> <p><i>Conclusions:</i> Despite the use of advanced diabetes technologies, severe and level 2 hypoglycemia continues to occur in people with type 1 diabetes and high hypoglycemia risks. Human factors, including beliefs around hypoglycemia, may remain to impact the effectiveness of glucose self-management.</p>


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