Accessing Peers’ and Health Care Experts’ Wisdom: A Telephone Peer Support Program for Women with SCI Living in Rural and Remote Areas

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Djenana Jalovcic ◽  
Wendy Pentland
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas ◽  
Peer Support Program

Tele-otology: Planning, design, development and implementation

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 14-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H Eikelboom ◽  
Marcus D Atlas ◽  
Mathew N Mbao ◽  
Mark Gallop
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Software Package ◽  
Video Sequences ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Still Images ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas

summary The view of the tympanic membrane of the ear provides the specialist with important information for the assessment of ear disease and for treatment planning. In rural and remote areas, the incidence of ear disease is high but access to ear specialists is limited. As part of a project to deliver tele-otoscopy services to remote Western Australia, we have investigated various aspects of a tele-otoscopy system. We found that the MedRX video-otoscope is relatively safe to use and produces images of very good quality. A confident diagnosis could be made from still images compressed to 20 kByte. Video sequences could be compressed to a ratio of 1:300. Furthermore, a software package has been developed, and we are developing a training course for health-care workers in remote areas.

Paramedic involvement in health education within metropolitan, rural and remote Australia: a narrative review of the literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 114
Author(s):  
Tegwyn McManamny ◽  
Paul A. Jennings ◽  
Leanne Boyd ◽  
Jade Sheen ◽  
Judy A. Lowthian
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas ◽  
Sustainability Problems

Objective A growing body of research indicates that paramedics may have a greater role to play in health care service provision, beyond the traditional models of emergency health care. The aim of this study was to identify and synthesise the literature pertaining to the role of paramedic-initiated health education within Australia, with specific consideration of metropolitan, rural and remote contexts. Methods A literature review was undertaken using the Ovid Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE and Scopus databases. The search time frame was limited from January 2007 to November 2017. The search was performed using key paramedic search terms in combination with keywords such as health education, rural, metropolitan, remote and Australia. Reference lists from relevant papers were also reviewed. Results Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria for synthesis. Health education in the Australian paramedic context relates largely to expanded-scope paramedics, health promotion and the role of paramedics as key members of local communities. There were no studies specifically related to the paramedic role in health education, although many papers referred to health education as one of many roles paramedics engage in today. Conclusion This review highlights a broadening of paramedicine’s traditional scope of practice, and an indication of how vital paramedics could be to local communities, particularly in rural and remote areas. An expanded role may help address health workforce sustainability problems in areas where health care provision is challenged by geographical constraints and low workforce numbers. What is known about the topic? A broadening of paramedicine’s traditional scope of practice has been linked to improvements in health workforce sustainability problems in areas where health care provision is challenged by geographical constraints and low workforce numbers, such as rural and remote Australia. Health education, as well as health promotion, primary health care and chronic disease management, have been proposed as potential activities that paramedics could be well placed to participate in, contributing to the health and well-being of local communities. What does this paper add? This paper identifies and synthesises literature focusing on paramedic-initiated health education in the Australian context, assessing the current health education role of paramedics in metropolitan, rural and remote areas. It provides an understanding of different geographical areas that may benefit from expanded-scope prehospital practice, indicating that the involvement of paramedics in health education in Australia is significantly determined by their geographical place of work, reflecting the influence of the availability of healthcare resources on individual communities. What are the implications for practitioners? Today’s paramedics fill broader roles than those encompassed within traditional models of prehospital care. Rural and remote communities facing increasing difficulty in obtaining health service provision appear to benefit strongly from the presence of expanded-scope paramedics trained in health promotion, primary injury prevention, chronic disease management and health education: this should be a consideration for medical and allied health practitioners in these areas. Australian paramedics are uniquely placed to ‘fill the gaps’ left by shortages of healthcare professionals in rural and remote areas of the country.

scholarly journals A Web-Disseminated Self-Help and Peer Support Program Could Fill Gaps in Mental Health Care: Lessons From a Consumer Survey

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha L Bernecker ◽  
Kaitlin Banschback ◽  
Gennarina D Santorelli ◽  
Michael J Constantino
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Training Course ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Peer Support Program

Background Self-guided mental health interventions that are disseminated via the Web have the potential to circumvent barriers to treatment and improve public mental health. However, self-guided interventions often fail to attract consumers and suffer from user nonadherence. Uptake of novel interventions could be improved by consulting consumers from the beginning of the development process in order to assess their interest and their preferences. Interventions can then be tailored using this feedback to optimize appeal. Objective The aim of our study was to determine the level of public interest in a new mental health intervention that incorporates elements of self-help and peer counseling and that is disseminated via a Web-based training course; to identify predictors of interest in the program; and to identify consumer preferences for features of Web-based courses and peer support programs. Methods We surveyed consumers via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk to estimate interest in the self-help and peer support program. We assessed associations between demographic and clinical characteristics and interest in the program, and we obtained feedback on desired features of the program. Results Overall, 63.9% (378/592) of respondents said that they would try the program; interest was lower but still substantial among those who were not willing or able to access traditional mental health services. Female gender, lower income, and openness to using psychotherapy were the most consistent predictors of interest in the program. The majority of respondents, although not all, preferred romantic partners or close friends as peer counselors and would be most likely to access the program if the training course were accessed on a stand-alone website. In general, respondents valued training in active listening skills. Conclusions In light of the apparent public interest in this program, Web-disseminated self-help and peer support interventions have enormous potential to fill gaps in mental health care. The results of this survey can be used to inform the design of such interventions.

A Motivational Peer Support Program for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Delivered by People With Type 2 Diabetes

2012 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 366-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikki J. Murray ◽  
Amy V. Gasper ◽  
Lisa Irvine ◽  
Tracey J. Scarpello ◽  
Mike J. Sampson
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Health Care ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Diabetes Prevention ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Peer Support Program

Purpose The purpose of this study was to develop a peer support program for individuals at high risk of type 2 diabetes as part of a novel Diabetes Prevention Programme (The UEA-IFG Study). Lay members of the public with existing type 2 diabetes volunteered as peer supporters (termed type 2 trainers) for participants at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The feasibility of type 2 trainer recruitment, training, and retention was tested. Methods Between January and September 2009, 1500 potential type 2 trainers with existing type 2 diabetes were contacted and 168 (11%) expressed an interest. From this group, 26 type 2 trainers were appointed to begin training. All completed 7 training seminars, covering diabetes prevention, nutrition, physical activity, listening skills, motivation, and goal planning. Motivational calls were made every 12 weeks to each study participant by each type 2 trainer in addition to health care professional–delivered education sessions. Results Twenty-six type 2 trainers were recruited to enter the program. One type 2 trainer withdrew before beginning their role. The retention rate was high, with 22 (89%) of the type 2 trainers continuing until study end (July 2010; 20 months), with a total of 240 phone calls made. Conclusion The recruiting and training of lay volunteers with existing type 2 diabetes as type 2 trainers to support study participants at risk of developing the same condition was a cost-effective strategy in comparison to employing salaried health care professionals and warrants further investigation on health outcomes.

scholarly journals Learning and Use of eHealth Among Older Adults Living at Home in Rural and Nonrural Settings: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ella Airola
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Impaired Hearing ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Rural And Remote Areas

BACKGROUND Care policies emphasize deinstitutionalization and <i>aging in place</i> in response to demographic changes. Different eHealth technologies are one way to achieve this aim. However, there is a need to better understand older adults’ needs for eHealth services, and thus, these health solutions require further exploration. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this systematic literature review is to appraise, synthesize, and summarize the literature on older adults’ (aged ≥60 years) eHealth learning and use in real home settings, particularly in rural and remote areas, with a focus on the social and cultural context. METHODS A systematic search was conducted in January 2020 using 4 academic databases. The studies by means of qualitative thematic analysis to identify the barriers, enablers, and support practices involved in the domestication process were examined. In addition, we identified the various meanings attached to eHealth technologies for older adults living in rural and remote areas. RESULTS In total, 31 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2020 were included in this review. A total of 17 articles included participants from rural and remote areas. The most regularly reported barriers related to older adults’ learning to use and use of eHealth were health-related difficulties, such as cognitive impairment or impaired hearing. The most reported enabler was the support provided for older adults in learning and use of eHealth. Support mainly comprised older adults’ own digital competences, which were distributed with their social network. It was found that eHealth technology is needed for rural and remote areas to facilitate access and reduce logistical barriers to health care services. CONCLUSIONS The literature review provided information and practical implications for designers, health care providers, and policy makers. On the basis of these findings, eHealth technologies should be easy to use, and adequate support should be provided to older adults for use.

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