Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Hesitancy among Healthcare Workers in Southern California: Not Just “Anti” vs. “Pro” Vaccine

In this study, we evaluated the status of and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination of healthcare workers in two major hospital systems (academic and private) in Southern California. Responses were collected via an anonymous and voluntary survey from a total of 2491 participants, including nurses, physicians, other allied health professionals, and administrators. Among the 2491 participants that had been offered the vaccine at the time of the study, 2103 (84%) were vaccinated. The bulk of the participants were middle-aged college-educated White (73%), non-Hispanic women (77%), and nursing was the most represented medical occupation (35%). Political affiliation, education level, and income were shown to be significant factors associated with vaccination status. Our data suggest that the current allocation of healthcare workers into dichotomous groups such as “anti-vaccine vs. pro-vaccine” may be inadequate in accurately tailoring vaccine uptake interventions. We found that healthcare workers that have yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine likely belong to one of four categories: the misinformed, the undecided, the uninformed, or the unconcerned. This diversity in vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers highlights the importance of targeted intervention to increase vaccine confidence. Regardless of governmental vaccine mandates, addressing the root causes contributing to vaccine hesitancy continues to be of utmost importance.

The Occupational Stress from Workplace Violence and the 2019-nCoV Pandemic in Chinese Healthcare Professionals: A Mobile App-Based Survey

Objectives: To investigate the medical occupational risk and stress level of workplace violence (WPV) and novel coronavirus 2019 ( 2019-nCoV) pandemic in Chinese healthcare professionals (HPs).Methods: A national questionnaire survey was created to investigate HPs from 21 provinces of China. Seven questions in environment part and eight questions in stress part were used to assess medical occupation risk and stress respectively. Categorical data were statistically analyzed using chi-square tests. Structural equation model was performed to examine the correlations and differences among experiences of WPV, the 2019-nCoVpandemic, and occupational stress.Results:Totally, 1241 HPs completed the online survey from March 1st, 2020 to May 25th, 2020. The majority of the participants thought the current Chinese medical occupation was in inferior circumstance (n = 433, 34.89%), at high risk (n = 1082, 81.19%) and was in middle class (n = 717, 57.78%). Work-related stress ranked first of medical occupational risk (n = 786, 63.34%). When being asked the possility for their children to choose medicine, most HPs were uncertain (n = 542, 43.67%) or opposed (n = 547, 44.08%). More HPs thought there was no stress under 2019-nCoV pandemic (n = 303, 24.42%) than that under WPV (n = 48, 3.87%). WPV (Stress index = 3.23) put more pressure on HPs than the 2019-nCoV pandemic did (Stress index = 2.33) with significant difference (P = 0.006). WPV had a positive relationship with increasing doctor-patient conflicts (E=0.5, P0.000), and a negative correlation with ego-enhancement (E=-0.2, P=0.000) and public concern (E=-0.2, P=0.000). The 2019-nCoV pandemic had a positive correlation with ego-enhancement (E=0.09, P=0.006), the public's concern (E=0.1, P=0.002) and healthcare reform (E=0.1, P=0.000).Conclusions: Most HPs believe that the current environment for Chinese medical occupation is abominable and at high risk. Compared with WPV, the 2019-nCoV pandemic increases personal risks and reduces psychological stress to HPs. WPV weakens enthusiasm and significantly intensifies doctor-patient conflicts.

Tracing the occupational integration of internationally trained medical doctors of African descent

While Canadian schools are not producing enough medical doctors there is a surplus of immigrant medical doctors who are well equipped and eager to practice. Internationally trained medical doctors have increasingly experience difficulties in finding jobs that reflects their medical training and expertise. This research investigates the occupational integration of internationally trained medical doctors of African descent. Using snowball sampling and convenience sampling methods I interviewed 12 participants. Their experiences show why many internationally trained medical doctors end up in other fields after they try to practice medicine in Canada. Participants most often noted issues of lack of knowledge about the process, limited residency positions, lack of requirement consistency and lack of guidance. This study is expected to add to our understanding of internationally trained immigrant doctors’ path to successful or different medical occupation and the effectiveness of policies and practices that aim to help these professionals. Key words: internationally trained medical doctors; occupational integration; employment; African and Caribbean immigrants in Ontario.

Tracing the occupational integration of internationally trained medical doctors of African descent

While Canadian schools are not producing enough medical doctors there is a surplus of immigrant medical doctors who are well equipped and eager to practice. Internationally trained medical doctors have increasingly experience difficulties in finding jobs that reflects their medical training and expertise. This research investigates the occupational integration of internationally trained medical doctors of African descent. Using snowball sampling and convenience sampling methods I interviewed 12 participants. Their experiences show why many internationally trained medical doctors end up in other fields after they try to practice medicine in Canada. Participants most often noted issues of lack of knowledge about the process, limited residency positions, lack of requirement consistency and lack of guidance. This study is expected to add to our understanding of internationally trained immigrant doctors’ path to successful or different medical occupation and the effectiveness of policies and practices that aim to help these professionals. Key words: internationally trained medical doctors; occupational integration; employment; African and Caribbean immigrants in Ontario.

Depressive, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms affecting hospitalized and home-isolated COVID-19 patients: a comparative cross-sectional study

Background Coronavirus has affected more than 100 million people. Most of these patients are hospitalized in isolation wards or self-quarantined at home. A significant percentage of COVID-19 patients may experience psychiatric symptoms. This study attempts to assess depressive, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in home-isolated and hospitalized COVID-19 patients, besides whether the isolation setting affected these symptoms’ presentation. Results The study involved 89 patients with confirmed COVID-19 virus, and the patients were divided into 2 groups: 43 patients in the home-isolated group (group A) and 46 patients in the hospital-isolated group (group B). The majority of subjects were male and married; also, they were highly educated. 30.2% from group A and 47.8% from group B had a medical occupation. There was a statistically significant difference (p= 0.03) between both groups in the presence of chronic disease. There was a statistically significant increase in suicidal thoughts in the home-isolated group (37.2%) (p = 0.008**). We found a statistically significant increase in the abnormal scores of Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale–Depression (HADS–Depression) in the home-isolated group (69.7%) compared to the hospital-isolated group (32.6%) (p <0.001**) which denotes considerable symptoms of depression. Moreover, we found that (32.6%) from the home-isolated group and (39.1%) from the hospital-isolated group had abnormal scores of Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale–Anxiety (HADS–Anxiety) which denotes considerable symptoms of anxiety. Also, we found 66.7% and 87.2% scored positive by the Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) in the home-isolated group and hospital-isolated group, respectively. Which was statistically significant (p = 0.02**). On doing a binary logistic regression analysis of HADS and DTS with significantly related independent factors, we revealed that lower education levels and family history of psychiatric disorder were risk factors for abnormal HADS–Anxiety scores in COVID-19 patients. The medical occupation was a protective factor against having abnormal HADS–Depression scores in COVID-19 patients, while home isolation was a risk factor. On the contrary, the medical occupation was a risk factor for scoring positive in DTS in COVID-19 patients. Simultaneously, low levels of education and home isolation were protective factors. Conclusion A significant number of patients diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus develop depressive, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms, whether they were isolated in the hospital or at home; besides, the isolation setting may affect the presenting symptoms.

Written in the stars: did your specialty choose you?

Purpose of the studyEstablished over 2000 years ago, horoscopes remain a regular feature in contemporary society. We aimed to assess whether there could be a link between zodiac sign and medical occupation, asking the question—did your specialty choose you?Study designA questionnaire-based study was distributed using an online survey tool. Questions explored the zodiac sign, specialty preferences and personality features of physicians.Results1923 physicians responded between February and March 2020. Variations in personality types between different medical specialties were observed, introverts being highly represented in oncology (71.4%) and rheumatology (65.4%), and extroverts in sexual health (55%), gastroenterology (44.4%) and obstetrics and gynaecology (44.2%) (p<0.01). Proportions of zodiac signs in each specialty also varied; for example, cardiologists were more likely to be Leo compared with Aries (14.4% vs 3.9%, p=0.047), medical physicians more likely Capricorn than Aquarius (10.4% vs 6.7%, p=0.02) and obstetricians and gynaecologists more likely Pisces than Sagittarius (17.5% vs 0%, p=0.036). Intensive care was the most commonly reported second choice career, but this also varied between zodiac signs and specialties. Fountain pen use was associated with extroversion (p=0.049) and gastroenterology (p<0.01).ConclusionsPersonality types vary in different specialties. There may be links to zodiac signs which warrant further investigation.

ZAPOTRZEBOWANIA KOBIET Z WOJEWÓDZTWA ZACHODNIOPOMORSKIEGO NA USŁUGI OKOŁOPORODOWE ŚWIADCZONE PRZEZ POŁOŻNE ORAZ STOPIEŃ ZNAJOMOŚCI PRZEZ ŚRODOWISKO MEDYCZNE USTAWOWYCH KOMPETENCJI ZAWODOWYCH POLSKICH POŁOŻNYCH

Introduction: The midwife’s profession has evolved across the ages to become – in the vast majority of countries, including Poland – an independent medical occupation. The aim of this thesis was to define how big is the social demand for perinatal servises given by midwifes among women from Zachodniopomorskie province and investigate the knowledge base of medical staff in Zachodniopomorskie province in regard to the midwife’s rights and duties resulting from Polish law.Material and methods: Research was carried out from 1.10.2009 to 30.06.2010. It included 115 active midwifes in the city of Szczecin and beyond it (Zachodniopomorskie province). Additionally, 40 doctors, 99 nurses and 1 master of physiotherapy took part in the survey (all of them based in Zachodniopomorskie province). Research was also conducted among 150 women from the same province. The survey was presented in the form of a questionnaire. Since the available literature did not include a standardized research tool which could be used to achieve appointed goals a new method was devised. Results were subjected to mathematical and statistical analysis.Conclusions: After the compilation of results presented in this paper the following conclusions were made: 1. Some of the medical personnel who participated in the survey do not perceive midwifes as independent medical practitioners. 2. Most midwifes are aware of their rights and obligations outlined in Polish legislation. In their opinion the lack of independence in their profession is caused by unclear clauses and paragraphs in Polish law. The women who participated in the survey showed an interest in services provided by midwifes. 3. They stated that there is a common need for this kind of service. There are grounds to intensify the promotion of midwifery as an independent occupation.