scholarly journals Prescription and Integration of Accredited Mobile Apps in Catalan Health and Social Care: Protocol for the AppSalut Site Design (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesc López Seguí ◽  
Carme Pratdepàdua Bufill ◽  
Ariadna Rius Soler ◽  
Marc de San Pedro ◽  
Bernat López Truño ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Storage ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Global Perspective ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Care Protocol ◽  
Health And Social Care

BACKGROUND The use of new mobile technologies in the health and social welfare sectors is already a reality. The ICT Social Health Foundation, in accordance with the technology strategy of the Catalan government’s Ministry of Health and its Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Families, is leading an initiative to create a public library of apps for its AppSalut Site. OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper is to present an account of the design of the project, with a global perspective, applied to the Catalan ecosystem, which can be divided into 3 areas: the framework governing the recommendation and prescription of apps, the subset of interoperability for mobile environments, and the data storage infrastructure. METHODS The security and credibility of the apps included in the catalog is ensured by submitting them to an accreditation process in the public domain that provides users with the guarantee that they are fit for purpose and trustworthy for the management and care of their health, while providing health care professionals with the possibility of recommending the apps in the doctor’s surgery, as well as adding the information generated by the users’ mobile devices to the information systems of the various organizations concerned. RESULTS An examination of the abovementioned areas suggests possibilities for improvements in the future. The experience obtained from the development of this element has shown the heterogeneity of the vocabularies used, as expected, due to the lack of awareness on the part of the developers regarding the need to standardize the information generated by the app, requiring the foundation to take on the role of consultant. CONCLUSIONS The project has evolved in keeping with changes in the technological and social paradigm and responds very satisfactorily to the needs posed to it. It can be seen as a landmark experience in mobile strategies in the fields of health and welfare of any public health system. The experience has shown itself to be feasible in organizational terms, necessary in any attempt to integrate mobile technologies into public health practice, and a global pioneer in the field. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR RR1-10.2196/11414

scholarly journals RESEARCH ON SELF MEDICATION: A HYPE OR A HOPE? A LITERATURE REVIEW.

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Mythri Halappa
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Recent Trend ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Importance ◽  
Self Medication ◽  
Over The Counter ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractMedications are one of the most important tools in public health practice. Since the 1980s, self‑medication is of prime public health importance as World Health Organization, in order to reduce the burden on health care professionals changed some prescription drugs to be sold over the counter. Each drug has its own advantages & disadvantages. Hence, always they have to be taken with caution. Considering this a recent trend has increased in surveying the prevalence of self medication. Hence, this review critically evaluated the studies to put a light on basic concept of self medication.Key words: Self medication, Drug abuse, Self care, Substance abuse, Antibiotic usage. 

scholarly journals The Connection between Health Promotion, Prevention, and Psychosocial Health: An Innovative Action Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 850-855
Author(s):  
Tannys Helfer ◽  
David Faeh ◽  
Eefje Luijckx ◽  
Sibylle Frey ◽  
Annemarie Berg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Innovative Approach ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Action Model ◽  
Core Concepts ◽  
Health Significance

The promotion of psychosocial health among individuals, groups, and society is becoming an increasingly important task and research topic in the field of public health. Psychosocial health is a complex interaction between the psyche of an individual and the social environment in which that individual lives. Promoting psychosocial health is often challenging and complex for health care professionals. Therefore, an important question of public health significance is: how can we address and improve the psychosocial health of individuals, groups, as well as society in general? An interdisciplinary team of specialists at the Department of Health Professions at the Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland, focused on the connection between health promotion, prevention, and psychosocial health. This team newly defined these topics in relation to how they could be synergistically combined to promote psychosocial health. Additionally, they presented an action model to graphically depict their connection. The proposed action model is based upon already well-established concepts, models, frameworks in health promotion, and prevention practice. In a further step, they have depicted them in a way that clearly integrates and combines their core concepts for their practical application in promoting psychosocial health. As these topics are overlapping, their clear illustration is important in promoting their systematic and planned usage. This new and innovative approach encourages the systematic usage of health promotion and prevention for the promotion of psychosocial health. The next step would be the implementation and evaluation of this action model, especially the measurement of the outcome (psychosocial health). The integrative and intentional use of health promotion and prevention is an innovative approach for the promotion of psychosocial health in public health practice.

scholarly journals Young People�s, Parents�, and Professionals� Views on Required Components of Mobile Apps to Support Self-Management of Juvenile Arthritis: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer M Waite-Jones ◽  
Rabiya Majeed-Ariss ◽  
Joanna Smith ◽  
Simon R Stones ◽  
Vanessa Van Rooyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Juvenile Arthritis ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Framework Approach

BACKGROUND There is growing evidence that supporting self-management of Juvenile Arthritis can benefit both patients and professionals. Young people with Juvenile Arthritis and their healthy peers increasingly use mobile technologies to access information and support in day-to-day life. Therefore, a user-led, rigorously developed and evaluated mobile app could be valuable for facilitating young people’s self-management of Juvenile Arthritis. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to seek the views of young people with Juvenile Arthritis, their parents or carers, and health care professionals (HCPs) as to what should be included in a mobile app to facilitate young people’s self-management of chronic Juvenile Arthritis. METHODS A qualitative approach was adopted with a purposeful sample of 9 young people aged 10-18 years with Juvenile Arthritis, 8 parents or carers, and 8 HCPs involved in their care. Data were gathered through semi-structured focus group and individual interviews with young people and their parents or carers and HCPs. Interview discussion was facilitated through demonstration of four existing health apps to explore participants’ views on strengths and limitations of these, barriers and facilitators to mobile app use, preferred designs, functionality, levels of interaction, and data sharing arrangements. Data were analyzed using the framework approach. RESULTS Analysis revealed three interlinked, overarching themes: (1) purpose, (2) components and content, and (3) social support. Despite some differences in emphasis on essential content, general agreement was found between young people with Juvenile Arthritis their parents or carers, and professionals that a mobile app to aid self-management would be useful. Underpinning the themes was a prerequisite that young people are enabled to feel a sense of ownership and control of the app, and that it be an interactive, engaging resource that offers developmentally appropriate information and reminders, as well as enabling them to monitor their symptoms and access social support. CONCLUSIONS Findings justify and pave the way for a future feasibility study into the production and preliminary testing of such an app. This would consider issues such as compatibility with existing technologies, costs, age, and cross-gender appeal as well as resource implications.

scholarly journals Knowledge Is Power: Improving Outcomes for Patients, Partners, and Professionals in the Digital Age

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Ferguson ◽  
David Maidment ◽  
Helen Henshaw ◽  
Rachel Gomez
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
User Engagement ◽  
Written Information ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Communication Partners

Purpose The aim of this research was to develop and evaluate methods to address poor knowledge of hearing aids, hearing loss, and communication in patients, partners, and nonaudiologic health and social care professionals. Method An interactive multimedia educational program (C2Hear) has been co-produced with hearing aid users and audiologists to provide high-quality information and demonstrate complex concepts relating to hearing aids and communication. Results A randomized controlled trial showed numerous benefits for first-time hearing aid users that included better knowledge and skill, and increased hearing aid use and satisfaction. Patients reported that C2Hear was highly useful, enjoyable, and preferable to written information. C2Hear Online is now freely available on YouTube and has global reach, well in excess of 150,000 views. Further developments include a version for communication partners, which showed that joint-working between hearing aid users and their communication partners resulted in joint responsibility for communication that facilitated communication behaviors. In addition, a behavior theory-driven version for use with mobile technologies (m2Hear) has been designed to be tailored to the needs of individual hearing aid users. m2Hear includes more activities/interaction to maximize user engagement and learning. Finally, C2Hear has been used to improve hearing-related knowledge in other health and social care professionals, such as carehome assistants. Conclusion This range of educational programs and tools aims to improve knowledge and skills, leading to better outcomes for patients, partners, and health care professionals.

scholarly journals Integration of and visions for community pharmacy in primary health care in Denmark

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 2212
Author(s):  
Rikke N. Hansen ◽  
Lotte S. Nørgaard ◽  
Ulla Hedegaard ◽  
Lone Søndergaard ◽  
Kerly Servilieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Community Pharmacy ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Central Government ◽  
National Level ◽  
Community Pharmacies ◽  
Pharmacy Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Government

In 2014, the Danish government launched a plan for health entitled: “Healthier lives for everyone – national goals for the health of Danes within the next 10 years”. The overall objective is to prolong healthy years of life and to reduce inequality in health. In Denmark, the responsibility for health and social care is shared between the central government, the regions and the municipalities. National and local strategies seek to enhance public health through national and local initiatives initiated by different stakeholders. The Danish community pharmacies also contribute to promoting public health through distribution of and counselling on medication in the entire country and through offering several pharmacy services, six of which are fully or partly remunerated on a national level. Because of greater demands from patients, health care professionals and society and a lack of general practitioners, the Danish community pharmacies now have the opportunity to suggest several new functions and services or to extend existing services. The Danish pharmacy law changed in 2015 with the objective to maintain and develop community pharmacies and to achieve increased patient accessibility. The change in the law made it possible for every community pharmacy owner to open a maximum of seven pharmacy branches (apart from the main pharmacy) in a range of 75 km. This change also increased the competition between community pharmacies and consequently the pharmacies are now under financial pressure. On the other hand, each pharmacy may have been given an incentive to develop their specific pharmacy and become the best pharmacy for the patients. Community pharmacies are working to be seen as partners in the health care system. This role is in Denmark increasingly being supported by the government through the remunerated pharmacy services and through contract with municipalities. Concurrent with the extended tasks for the Danish community pharmacies and utilisation of their excellent competencies in medication the community pharmacies need to focus on their main tasks of supplying medicines and implementing services. This requires efficient management, an increased use of technology for distribution and communication and continuing education and training.

scholarly journals Benefits of Mobile Apps in Pain Management: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon E Thurnheer ◽  
Isaac Gravestock ◽  
Giuseppe Pichierri ◽  
Johann Steurer ◽  
Jakob M Burgstaller
Keyword(s):  
Pain Management ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Patient Characteristics ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Clinic Setting ◽  
Tablet Apps ◽  
Near Future

BACKGROUND Pain is a common condition with a significant physical, psychosocial, and economic impact. Due to enormous progress in mobile device technology as well as the increase in smartphone ownership in the general population, mobile apps can be used to monitor patients with pain and support them in pain management. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to assess the efficacy of smartphone or computer tablet apps in the management of patients with pain. METHODS In December 2017, a literature search was performed in the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, and PsycINFO. In addition, a bibliography search was conducted. We included studies with at least 20 participants per arm that evaluated the effects of apps on smartphones or computer tablets on improvement in pain. RESULTS A total of 15 studies with 1962 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 4 studies examined the effect of mobile apps on pain management in an in-clinic setting and 11 in an out-clinic setting. The majority of the original studies reported beneficial effects of the use of a pain app. Severity of pain decreased in most studies where patients were using an app compared with patients not using an app. Other outcomes, such as worst pain or quality of life showed improvements in patients using an app. Due to heterogeneity between the original studies—patient characteristics, app content, and study setting—a synthesis of the results by statistical methods was not performed. CONCLUSIONS Apps for pain management may be beneficial for patients, particularly in an out-clinic setting. Studies have shown that pain apps are workable and well liked by patients and health care professionals. There is no doubt that in the near future, mobile technologies will develop further. Medicine could profit from this development as indicated by our results, but there is a need for more scientific inputs. It is desirable to know which elements of apps or additional devices and tools may improve usability and help patients in pain management.

scholarly journals Waist circumference percentiles for Kuwaiti children and adolescents

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert T Jackson ◽  
Nawal Al Hamad ◽  
Prassana Prakash ◽  
Mona Al Somaie
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Waist Circumference ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Least Mean Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Female Children ◽  
Kuwaiti Children

AbstractObjectiveAbdominal obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases. Yet there are no waist circumference (WC) cut-offs for children in the Arabian Gulf. We developed smoothed WC percentiles for 5–19-year-old Kuwaiti children and adolescents, which could be used in clinical and public health practice. We also examined the percentages of children who had WC ≥ 90th percentile, a value commonly associated with an elevated risk of CVD.DesignThis is a cross-sectional study that was conducted by the Kuwait National Nutrition Surveillance System.SettingData were collected from representative primary-, intermediate- and secondary-school children as part of the yearly nutrition and health monitoring. Least mean square regression was used to develop smoothed WC curves.SubjectsA total of 9593 healthy 5·0–18·9-year-old children of both sexes were studied from all areas of Kuwait. Age, gender, residency, education level, weight, height and WC were collected for all participants.ResultsWe developed the first smoothed WC curves for Kuwaiti children. Male children had higher WC than female children. WC increased with age in both genders, but larger percentages of male children had WC ≥ 90th percentile. Male children aged >10 years have higher WC percentiles than do female children at the 50th, 75th, 90th and 97th percentiles.ConclusionsMale children (especially those aged >10 years) are at higher risk than female children. Few health-care professionals routinely measure WC. WC measurement should be promoted as an important tool in paediatric primary care practice. The use of these age- and gender-specific percentiles can impact public health recommendations for Kuwaiti and other Arab children from the Gulf.

scholarly journals Prescription and Integration of Accredited Mobile Apps in Catalan Health and Social Care: Protocol for the AppSalut Site Design

10.2196/11414 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e11414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesc López Seguí ◽  
Carme Pratdepàdua Bufill ◽  
Ariadna Rius Soler ◽  
Marc de San Pedro ◽  
Bernat López Truño ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Care ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Care Protocol ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Site Design
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