scholarly journals Enhancing Online Patient Support through Health-Care Knowledge in Online Health Communities: A Descriptive Study

Information ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donghua Chen ◽  
Runtong Zhang ◽  
Kecheng Liu ◽  
Lei Hou
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Patient Support ◽  
Online Health Communities ◽  
Information User ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Communities ◽  
Knowledge Support

Online health communities (OHCs) should utilize health-care knowledge for enhancing online patient support. To examine the use of existing OHCs to identify the challenges and strategies of enhancing online patients’ decision-making support, we conducted a descriptive study to evaluate the information availability, user availability and knowledge usability in 100 carefully-selected health-related websites. On the basis of criteria for effective OHCs, we used three evaluation instruments for health-care professionals to review and score the websites. Questionnaire results were examined from the perspective of information, user and knowledge support. Results corroborate that over 80% of the websites facilitate effective social functions, whereas only 33% provide health-care decision-making services to online patients. Approximately 46% of them satisfy four or five effective OHCs’ criteria. Three of them only offer the functions of patients’ charts and journals to support health data management. Although the existing OHCs are facilitated with good social interaction and support, only a few can assist patients in making effective health-care decisions, not to mention properly using health-care knowledge support.

Caring for Gravely Ill Children

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan R. Fleischman ◽  
Kathleen Nolan ◽  
Nancy N. Dubler ◽  
Michael F. Epstein ◽  
Mary Ann Gerben ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Treatment Plan ◽  
Ethics Committees ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Pediatric Health Care ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Primary Focus

Background. Much has been written about the care of the hopelessly ill adult, but there is little guidance for pediatric health care professionals in the management of children who are critically or terminally ill. Methods. Through a 3-day meeting in Tarrytown, NY, attended by a group of pediatricians and others directly involved in these issues, a principled approach was developed for the treatment of, and health care decision-making for, children who are gravely ill. Results. The group agreed that the needs and interests of the child must be the central focus of any treatment plan and that the child should be involved to as great extent possible, consistent with developmental maturity, in the decision-making process. Quality of future life should be viewed as being relevant in all decisions. Parents are believed to be the natural guardians of children and ought to have great latitude in making decisions for them. However, parental discretion is not absolute and professionals must maintain an independent obligation to protect the child's interests. Conclusions. Decision-making should be collaborative among patient, parents, and professionals. When conflict arises, consultation and ethics committees may assist in resolution. When cure or restoration of function is no longer possible, or reasonable, promotion of comfort becomes the primary goal of management. Optimal use of pain medication and compassionate concern for the physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being of the child and family should be the primary focus of the professionals caring for the dying child.

Correlates of Ageism Among Health Care Professionals Working With Older Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyafet Uğurlu ◽  
Sultan Kav ◽  
Azize Karahan ◽  
Ebru Akgün Çıtak
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Educational Status ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Student’S T ◽  
Student’S T Test

Introduction: The changing proportion of older adults in society necessitates the need to determine the attitudes of health care professionals toward older adults. The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes of ageism and its correlates among health care professionals working with older adults. Method: This descriptive study was conducted in seven hospitals in five cities in Turkey. A total of 628 health care professionals participated in this study. The Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, student’s t test, one-way analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression were used for data analysis. Results: The mean total score from the FSA was 56.9 ( SD = 8.0). Education (β = −.18, p < .001) and difficulty with the care of older adults (β = −.10, p < .05) were statistically significant predictors of the FSA score. Conclusions: The attitudes of health care professionals toward older adults were generally positive and affected by difficulty in providing care and the educational status of the health care professionals.

scholarly journals Understanding the perspectives of older adults and elderly regarding vaccination; a snapshot in four European countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Timen ◽  
R Eilers ◽  
S Lockhart ◽  
R Gavioli ◽  
S Paul ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Elderly Care ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Syncytial Virus

Abstract Prevention of infectious diseases in elderly by immunization is a prerequisite to ensuring healthy ageing. However, in order for the vaccine programs to be effective, these need to be provided by health care professionals who have up-to-date knowledge and high motivation. Furthermore, the knowledge and attitudes towards vaccination in the targeted age groups needs to be fully understood. When focusing on the information provision, it is important to know from whom or which institution older adults and elderly would like to receive and in which form. In January 2019, an international project called the VITAL (The Vaccines and InfecTious diseases in the Ageing population) project was started, within the framework of IMI (Innovative Medicines Initiatives). One of the goals of the VITAL project is to develop strategies to educate and train health care professionals (HCPs) and to promote awareness among stakeholders involved in elderly care management. We briefly focus on the results of studies undertaken in four European countries (Italy, France, The Netherlands and Hungary), which reveal the perspective of older adults and elderly regarding influenza, pneumococcal, herpes zoster vaccination and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as well as generic characteristics of the vaccines and diseases. We will show how attitudes towards vaccination are represented in our study population and which determinants influence the decision-making process of accepting vaccination. Furthermore, we shall elaborate on how the decision-making process towards vaccination takes place and which additional information is needed. In the second part of the session, we shall invite the audience to reflect on the findings and identify the factors they consider most important for setting up a training and education programme on vaccination.

Lifetime Enhancement and Reliability in Wireless Body Area Network

2021 ◽  
pp. 88-101
Author(s):  
Saranya Vasanthamani ◽  
S. Shankar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Care Service ◽  
Wireless Body Area Network ◽  
Body Area Network ◽  
Area Network ◽  
Body Area ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Health Related

The wireless body area network (WBAN) consists of wearable or implantable sensor nodes, which is a technology that enables pervasive observing and delivery of health-related information and services. The network capability of body devices and integration with wireless infrastructure can result in pervasive environment deliver the information about the patients to health care service providers. WBAN has a major part in e-health observing system. Due to sensitivity and critical of the data carried and handled by WBAN, reliability becomes a critical issues. WBAN loads a high degree of reliability as it openly affects the quality of patient observing. A main requirement is that the health care professionals receive the monitored data correctly. Thus reliability can be measured to achieve reliable network are fault tolerance, QoS, and security. As WBAN is a special type of WSN. The objective is to achieve a reliable network with minimum delay and maximum throughput while considering power consumption by reducing unnecessary communication.

scholarly journals Quality of sleep and health-related quality of life among health care professionals treating patients with coronavirus disease-19

2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402094280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Stojanov ◽  
Marina Malobabic ◽  
Goran Stanojevic ◽  
Milos Stevic ◽  
Vuk Milosevic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mental Status ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

Background: Health care professionals exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are facing high levels of stress. Aim: The aim was to evaluate the quality of sleep (QoS) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), among health care professionals treating patients with COVID-19, as well as quantifying the magnitude of symptoms of depression and levels of anxiety. Methods: We included 201 health care professionals in a cross-sectional, web-based study by applying 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale, Zung Self-rating Depression Scale, 36-item Health Survey of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF36), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and additional survey constructed for the purpose of the study. Results: Health care workers who treated COVID-19 patients were more afraid of becoming infected or of transmitting the infection to a family member with a significantly low self-assessment of their mental status. Poor QoS and HRQoL correlated with high health anxiety and severe depressive symptoms and several demographic characteristics. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that higher scores on GAD-7 (beta = .71, p < .01) and lower scores on mental health (MH) subscale on SF36 questionnaire (beta = –.69; p < .01) were independent predictors of the higher PSQI score (adjusted R2 = .61, p < .01 for overall model). Higher scores on GAD-7 (beta = .68, p < .01) and worse self-perceived mental status (beta = .25; p < .05) were independent predictors of the lower SF36 scores (adjusted R2 = .73, p < .01 for overall model). Conclusion: The major MH burden of health care professionals treating infected patients during the COVID-19 pandemic indicates that they need psychological support.

scholarly journals Advanced CKD Care and Decision Making: Which Health Care Professionals Do Patients Rely on for CKD Treatment and Advice?

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 532-542.e1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tyler M. Barrett ◽  
Jamie A. Green ◽  
Raquel C. Greer ◽  
Patti L. Ephraim ◽  
Sarah Peskoe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Professionals

scholarly journals Impact of deliberate practice on evidence-based medicine attitudes and behaviours of health care professionals

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eelco Draaisma ◽  
Lauren A. Maggio ◽  
Jolita Bekhof ◽  
A. Debbie C. Jaarsma ◽  
Paul L. P. Brand
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Research ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Evidence Based Medicine ◽  
Deliberate Practice ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Teaching Activities ◽  
Based Medicine

Abstract Introduction Although evidence-based medicine (EBM) teaching activities may improve short-term EBM knowledge and skills, they have little long-term impact on learners’ EBM attitudes and behaviour. This study examined the effects of learning EBM through stand-alone workshops or various forms of deliberate EBM practice. Methods We assessed EBM attitudes and behaviour with the evidence based practice inventory questionnaire, in paediatric health care professionals who had only participated in a stand-alone EBM workshop (controls), participants with a completed PhD in clinical research (PhDs), those who had completed part of their paediatric residency at a department (Isala Hospital) which systematically implemented EBM in its clinical and teaching activities (former Isala residents), and a reference group of paediatric professionals currently employed at Isala’s paediatric department (current Isala participants). Results Compared to controls (n = 16), current Isala participants (n = 13) reported more positive EBM attitudes (p < 0.01), gave more priority to using EBM in decision making (p = 0.001) and reported more EBM behaviour (p = 0.007). PhDs (n = 20) gave more priority to using EBM in medical decision making (p < 0.001) and reported more EBM behaviour than controls (p = 0.016). Discussion Health care professionals exposed to deliberate practice of EBM, either in the daily routines of their department or by completing a PhD in clinical research, view EBM as more useful and are more likely to use it in decision making than their peers who only followed a standard EBM workshop. These findings support the use of deliberate practice as the basis for postgraduate EBM educational activities.

scholarly journals Social and Health System Complexities Impacting on Decision-Making for Utilization of Oncology and Palliative Care in an African Context: A Qualitative Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Agom ◽  
Stuart Allen ◽  
Sarah Neill ◽  
Judith Sixsmith ◽  
Helen Poole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Care System

Background: There is a dearth of research focusing on identifying the social complexities impacting on oncology and palliative care (PC), and no study has explored how the health-care system in Nigeria or other African contexts may be influencing utilization of these services. Aim: This study explored how social complexities and the organization of health-care influenced the decision-making process for the utilization of oncology and PC in a Nigerian hospital. Methods: This qualitative study used an interpretive descriptive design. Data were collected using semistructured interview guides with 40 participants, comprising health-care professionals, patients, and their families. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate and analyze patterns within the data. Findings: Three themes were identified: dysfunctional structural organization of the health-care delivery system, service-users’ economic status, and the influence of social networks. The interrelationship between the themes result in patients and their family members decisions either to present late to the hospital, miss their clinical appointments, or not to seek oncological health care and PC. Conclusion: This article offers insights into the role of the health-care system, as organized currently in Nigeria, as “autoinhibitory” and not adequately prepared to address the increasing burden of cancer. We therefore argue that there is a need to restructure the Nigerian health-care system to better meet the needs of patients with cancer and their families as failure to do so will strengthen the existing inequalities, discourage usage, and increase mortality.

scholarly journals KOKON: A Germany-Wide Collaborative Research Project to Identify Needs, Provide Information, Foster Communication and Support Decision-Making about Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Oncology

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corina Güthlin ◽  
Hans-Helge Bartsch ◽  
Stefanie Joos ◽  
Alfred Längler ◽  
Claudia Lampert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Knowledge Database ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
Self Help Groups ◽  
Support Decision Making

Background: The German Cancer Aid set up a priority research programme with the intention to generate high-quality information based on evidence and to make this information easily accessible for health-care professionals and advisors, researchers, patients, and the general public. Summary: The Kompetenznetz Komplementärmedizin in der Onkologie (KOKON) received 2 funding periods within this programme. During the first funding period, KOKON assessed patients’ and health-care professionals’ informational needs, developed a consulting manual for physicians, developed an education programme for self-help groups, set up a knowledge database, and developed a pilot information website for patients. Funding period 2 continues with work that allows cancer patients and health-care professionals to make informed decisions about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). For this aim, KOKON evaluates training programmes for physicians (oncology physicians, paediatric oncologists, and general practitioners) and for self-help groups. All training programmes integrate results from an analysis of the ethical, psychological, and medical challenges of CAM in the medical encounter, and the knowledge database is being extended with issues related to CAM for supportive and palliative care. Key Message: A Germany-wide collaborative research project to identify needs, provide information, foster communication, and support decision-making about CAM in oncology is being set up.

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