1.
Girma Kebede, Betlehem, et al.
(författare)
Communicative challenges among physicians, patients, and family caregivers in cancer care: An exploratory qualitative study in Ethiopia
2020
Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 15:3
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background: Cancer is a growing concern in Ethiopia. Though communication is essential for the treatment process, few studies have looked at communication in Ethiopian cancer care. Due to the large number of patients and scarcity of resources, it is vital to understand how to manage consultations in order to effectively help as many patients as possible in this challenging work environment. Thus, research is needed to analyze and understand the communicative challenges experienced by physicians, patients, and family caregivers, in order to successfully handle patient care in practice. Objective We explore communication in Ethiopian cancer care and present the main challenges faced by physicians, patients, and family caregivers. Methods This explorative qualitative study was conducted at the Oncology Department of the Tikur Anbessa (Black Lion) Specialized Teaching Hospital (TASH) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A triangulation of data collection methods was used: 91 audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews and 21 video-recordings of authentic interactions during hospital rounds. The aim was to obtain as complete a picture as possible of communication from the perspectives of physicians, patients, and family caregivers. The interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis and the identified themes were supported by excerpts from the transcribed recordings. Results Eight themes emerged from the data. Workload and time pressure, in combination with restricted space for privacy, limited the possibilities for physicians to deliver detailed information and provide emotional support. Furthermore, patient literacy levels, in combination with no or little cancer awareness, financial problems, reliance on traditional and religious treatments, the stigma of cancer, and a fatalistic attitude, resulted in delays in patients seeking care and participating in positive health behaviors, and, subsequently, often resulted in an unwillingness to openly discuss problems with physicians and adhere to treatment. The study also illustrates the paramount role of family in physician-patient communication in Ethiopia. Though family caregivers provide a valuable interpreting support when patients have limited language skills, they can also prevent patients from sharing information with physicians. Another important finding is that family caregivers were often responsible for making decisions about treatment and avoided telling patients about a poor prognosis, believing that conveying bad news may upset them. All of these themes have important implications for the role of ethically acceptable communication in patient-centered care. Conclusions This study has identified a number of serious challenges for successful and ethically acceptable health communication in Ethiopian cancer care. The study contributes to our understanding of the complexity around the role of family, combined with patients’ dependency on family members for communication, support, and access to care, which creates particular ethical dilemmas for the medical staff. The questions raised by this study concern how to organize consultations to achieve patient-centered health communication, while maintaining a constructive alliance with the family and not jeopardizing the patient’s continued access to care. The integration of communication training for medical students in Ethiopia, with a focus on ethical guidelines for family-centered patient consultation suitable for these circumstances, would be an essential step.
2.
Berbyuk Lindström, Nataliya, 1978, et al.
(författare)
Person- and Family-Centeredness in Ethiopian Cancer Care: Improving Communication, Ethics, Decision Making and Health
2020
Ingår i: JMIR Research Protocols. - : JMIR Publications Inc.. - 1929-0748. ; 9:5
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
BACKGROUND: Cancer is a major burden in Ethiopia. The Oncology Department of Tikur Anbessa (Black Lion) Specialized Hospital (TASH) in Addis Ababa is the country's sole specialist unit for cancer care. With only a handful of oncologists, a lack of resources, and a huge patient load, the work is challenging, especially in terms of achieving effective and ethical patient consultations. Patients, usually accompanied by family members, often wait for a long time to receive medical attention and frequently depart without treatment. Handling consultations effectively is essential in order to help patients as much as possible within such limitations. OBJECTIVE: The project addresses three main aims: (1) to enhance and expand the understanding of communicative and associated ethical challenges in Ethiopian cancer care; (2) to enhance and expand the understanding of the implications and use of person- and family-centered solutions to address such communicative challenges in practice, and (3) to plan and evaluate interventions in this area. METHODS: This project develops and consolidates a research collaboration to better understand and mitigate the communicative challenges in Ethiopian cancer care, with a focus on the handling and sharing of decision making, and ethical tensions between patients, staff, and family. Using theoretical models from linguistics, health communication, and health care ethics, multiple sources of data will be analyzed. Data sources currently include semi-structured interviews with the Ethiopian staff, patients, and family caregivers (91), survey data on cancer awareness (150) and attitudes to breaking bad news (450), and video-recordings of medical consultations (45). In addition, we will also develop clinical and methodological solutions to formulate educational interventions. RESULTS: The project was awarded funding by the Swedish Research Council in December 2017 for the period 2018-2021. The research ethics board in Sweden and in Ethiopia approved the conduct of the project in May 2018. The results from the studies will be published in 2020 and 2021. CONCLUSIONS: The project is a first step towards producing unique and seminal knowledge for the specific context of Ethiopia in the area of physician-patient communication research and ethics. It contributes to an understanding of the complexity around the role of family and ethical challenges in relation to patient involvement and decision making in Ethiopia. Improved knowledge in this area can provide a fundamental model for ways to improve cancer care in many other low resource settings in Africa and the Middle East, which share central cultural prerequisites (such as a strong patriarchal family structure, combined with strong and devout religiosity). The project will also serve to develop greater understanding about current challenges in Western health systems associated with greater family and patient participation in decision making. In addition, the project will also contribute to improving the education of Ethiopian health professionals working in cancer care by developing a training program to help them better understand and respond to identified challenges associated with communication.
3.
Lindmark, Ulrika, 1965-, et al.
(författare)
Health-promoting factors in higher education for a sustainable working life : protocol for a multicenter longitudinal study
2020
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - London : BioMed Central. - 1471-2458. ; 20:1
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization has highlighted the importance of health promotion for health service providers in order to ensure sustainable working life for individuals involved in providing health services. Such sustainability begins when students are preparing to manage their own future health and welfare in working life. It has been suggested that universities, employees and trainee health professionals should adopt or follow a salutogenic approach that not only complements the providing of information on known health risks but also favors health promotion strategies. This paper describes the study design and data collection methods in a planned study aiming to explore health-promoting factors for a sustainable working life among students in higher education within healthcare and social work. METHODS: This protocol describes a multicenter longitudinal study involving Swedish students on higher education programs in the healthcare and social work sectors. In 2018, the study invited students on seven education programs at six universities to participate. These programs were for qualification as: biomedical laboratory scientists (n = 121); dental hygienists (n = 87); nurses (n = 1411); occupational therapists (n = 111); physiotherapists (n = 48); radiographers (n = 60); and, social workers (n = 443). In total, 2283 students were invited to participate. Participants completed a baseline, a self-reported questionnaire including six validated instruments measuring health-promoting factors and processes. There are to be five follow-up questionnaires. Three while the students are studying, one a year after graduating, and one three years after graduating. Each questionnaire captures different health-promoting dimensions, namely: health-promoting resources (i.e. sense of coherence); occupational balance; emotional intelligence; health and welfare; social interaction; and work and workplace experiences/perceptions. DISCUSSION: This study focuses on the vastly important aspect of promoting a sustainable working life for healthcare and social work employees. In contrast to previous studies in this area, the present study uses different, validated instruments in health promotion, taking a salutogenic approach. It is hoped that, by stimulating the implementation of new strategies, the study's findings will lead to education programs that prepare students better for a sustainable working life in healthcare and social work.
4.
Lloyd, H. M., et al.
(författare)
Supporting Innovative Person-Centred Care in Financially Constrained Environments: The WE CARE Exploratory Health Laboratory Evaluation Strategy
2020
Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-4601. ; 17:9
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The COST CARES project aims to support healthcare cost containment and improve healthcare quality across Europe by developing the research and development necessary for person-centred care (PCC) and health promotion. This paper presents an overview evaluation strategy for testing 'Exploratory Health Laboratories' to deliver these aims. Our strategy is theory driven and evidence based, and developed through a multi-disciplinary and European-wide team. Specifically, we define the key approach and essential criteria necessary to evaluate initial testing, and on-going large-scale implementation with a core set of accompanying methods (metrics, models, and measurements). This paper also outlines the enabling mechanisms that support the development of the "Health Labs" towards innovative models of ethically grounded and evidenced-based PCC.
5.
Robinson, Yohan, 1977, et al.
(författare)
AI och framtidens försvarsmedicin
2020
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Medicinskt legitimerad personal är, och kommer med stor sannolikhet fortsattatt vara, en knapp resurs inom Försvarsmaktens sjukvårdsorganisation. I denna rapport ges en översikt över pågående och planerade ansatser baserade påartificiell intelligens (AI) inom akutsjukvård med särskild tonvikt på omhändertagandet av traumapatienter, där lösningarna skulle kunna bidra till att Försvarsmakten kan bibehålla sin sjukvårdskapacitet i kritiska lägen. Rapporten är ett resultat av samarbetet mellan FM, FOI, FMV, FHS och KI, och vänder sig i första hand till Försvarsmaktens strategiska ledning.Användningen av AI-teknik i framtida beslutsstöd kan skapa nya möjligheter till avlastning av personal och resurseffektivisering. Tekniken ger möjligheter att i realtid samla in, bearbeta och analysera stora mängder blandadinformation om förbands hälsoläge och fysiska stridsvärde. Bedömning av skadade kan t.ex. göras av triagedrönare och den efterföljande evakueringen kanunderlättas av intelligenta autonoma plattformar. Införandet av AI-system ställer dock vårdgivaren inför svåra etiska och medikolegala överväganden.Försvarsmedicin har en central roll i Försvarsmaktens krigföringsförmåga och för samhällets uthållighet. För att nyttja hela AI-teknikens framfart till Försvarsmaktens nytta måste dess innebörd och konsekvens för försvarsmedicinen förstås. Därför rekommenderar denna studie att Försvarsmaktens framtida satsningar inom AI och autonomi inkluderar den försvarsmedicinska teknikutveckling som är beskriven i denna rapport.
6.
Nijsingh, Niels, 1977, et al.
(författare)
Justifying Antibiotic Resistance Interventions: Uncertainty, Precaution and Ethics
2020
Ingår i: Jamrozik E., Selgelid M.J. (eds) Ethics and Drug-Resistance: Collective Responsibility for Global Public Health. - Cham, Switzerland : Springer. - 2211-6680. - 9783030278731
Bokkapitel (refereegranskat) abstract
This chapter charts and critically analyses the ethical challenge of assessing how much (and what kind of) evidence is required for the justification of interventions in response antibiotic resistance (ABR), as well as other major public health threats. Our ambition here is to identify and briefly discuss main issues, and point to ways in which these need to be further advanced in future research. This will result in a tentative map of complications, underlying problems and possible challenges. This map illustrates that the ethical challenges in this area are much more complex and profound than is usually acknowledged, leaving no tentatively plausible intervention package free of downsides. This creates potentially overwhelming theoretical conundrums when trying to justify what to do. We therefore end by pointing out two general features of the complexity we find to be of particular importance, and a tentative suggestion for how to create a theoretical basis for further analysis.
7.
Jemberie, Wossenseged Birhane, 1985-, et al.
(författare)
Substance Use Disorders and COVID-19 : Multi-Faceted Problems Which Require Multi-Pronged Solutions
2020
Ingår i: Frontiers in Psychiatry. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 1664-0640. ; 11
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
COVID-19 shocked health and economic systems leaving millions of people without employment and safety nets. The pandemic disproportionately affects people with substance use disorders (SUDs) due to the collision between SUDs and COVID-19. Comorbidities and risk environments for SUDs are likely risk factors for COVID-19. The pandemic, in turn, diminishes resources that people with SUD need for their recovery and well-being. This article presents an interdisciplinary and international perspective on how COVID-19 and the related systemic shock impact on individuals with SUDs directly and indirectly. We highlight a need to understand SUDs as biopsychosocial disorders and use evidence-based policies to destigmatize SUDs. We recommend a suite of multi-sectorial actions and strategies to strengthen, modernize and complement addiction care systems which will become resilient and responsive to future systemic shocks similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.
8.
Westerlund, Tommy, et al.
(författare)
Community pharmacy and primary health care in Sweden-at a crossroads
2020
Ingår i: Pharmacy Practice. - : Centro Investigaciones & Publicaciones Farmaceuticas. - 1885-642X .- 1886-3655. ; 18:2, s. 1-8
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The overall goal of Swedish health care is good health and equitable care for the whole population. The responsibility for health is shared by the central government, the regions, and the municipalities. Primary care accounts for approximately 20 percent of all expenditures on health care. About 16% of all physicians work in primary health. The regions have also employed a large number of clinical pharmacists, usually hospital-based, but many perform a variety of different primary care services, the most common of which is patient medication reviews. Swedish primary health care is at a crossroads facing extensive challenges, due to changes in demography and demanding financial conditions. These changes necessitate large transformations in health services and delivery. Current Government inquiries have primarily focused on two ways to meet the challenges; a shift towards more local care requiring a transfer of resources from hospital care, and a further development of structured digi-physical care, that is both digital (“online doctors”) and physical accessibility of care. While primary care at present is undergoing processes of change, community pharmacy has done so during the past decade since the re-regulation of the Swedish pharmacy market. A monopoly was replaced by a competitive system, where five pharmacy chains now share most of the market, a competition that has made community pharmacy very commercialized. A number of different, promising primary care services are being offered, but they are usually delivered on a small scale due to a lack of remuneration and philosophy of providers. Priority is given to sales and fast dispensing of prescriptions, often with a minimum of counseling. Reflecting primary health care, community pharmacy in Sweden is at a crossroads but currently has a golden opportunity to choose a route of collaboration with primary health care in its current transformation into more local and digiphysical care. A major challenge is that primary health care inquires, strategic plans, and national policy documents usually do not include community pharmacy as a partner. Hence, community pharmacy have to be proactive and seize this chance of changes in primary health policy and organization in order to become an important link in the chain of health care delivery, or there is a significant risk that it will predominantly remain a retail business. © 2020, Grupo de Investigacion en Atencion Farmaceutica. All rights reserved.
9.
Wild, Verina, et al.
(författare)
Covid-19: Eine Ad hoc Public-Health-Ethikberatung : Covid-19: An ad hoc public health ethics consultation
2020
Ingår i: Das Gesundheitswesen. - : Georg Thieme Verlag KG. - 0941-3790 .- 1439-4421. ; 82:6, s. 507-513
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
In diesem Dokument beschreiben wir den Prozess und den Inhalt einer ad hoc Public-Health-Ethikberatung vom 22. März 2020 für eine regionale Gesundheitsbehörde (Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit) zu Entscheidungen im Zusammenhang mit Covid-19. In this paper we describe the process and content of our ad hoc public health ethics consultation for a Bavarian health authority in relation to Covid-19.
10.
Hoffmann, Mikael, et al.
(författare)
Guiding principles for the use of knowledge bases and real-world data in clinical decision support systems : report by an international expert workshop at Karolinska Institutet
2020
Ingår i: Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1751-2433 .- 1751-2441. ; 13:9, s. 925-934
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Introduction Technical and logical breakthroughs have provided new opportunities in medicine to use knowledge bases and large-scale clinical data (real-world) at point-of-care as part of a learning healthcare system to diminish the knowledge-practice gap. Areas covered The article is based on presentations, discussions and recommendations from an international scientific workshop. Value, research needs and funding avenues of knowledge bases and access to real-world data as well as transparency and incorporation of patient perspectives are discussed. Expert opinion Evidence-based, publicly funded, well-structured and curated knowledge bases are of global importance. They ought to be considered as a public responsibility requiring transparency and handling of conflicts of interest. Information has to be made accessible for clinical decision support systems (CDSS) for healthcare staff and patients. Access to rich and real-world data is essential for a learning health care ecosystem and can be augmented by data on patient-reported outcomes and preferences. This field can progress by the establishment of an international policy group for developing a best practice guideline on the development, maintenance, governance, evaluation principles and financing of open-source knowledge bases and handling of real-world data.
