Barriers to the provision of smoking cessation intervention/services: A mixed-methods study among health care workers in Zambezi region, Namibia

Background. Healthcare workers (HCWs) can play a significant role in tobacco prevention by delivering smoking cessation (SC) interventions to patients who smoke. Objective: To identify and explore the perceived barriers which prevent healthcare workers from delivering SC counselling to patients in Zambezi region, Namibia. Methods: A regional-based, concurrent mixed-methods study was conducted between March and October 2020 among HCWs of the 8 constituencies of Zambezi region, Namibia. In the study, 129 respondents, who had been residents of the selected constituencies for over 5 years and aged between 17 to 60 years, participated. Results: 129 respondents participated in the study. Majority of respondents were females (62.9% and 68.1%) compared to (37.1% and 31.9%) males. The mean age of respondents was 35.91 (SD=9.3) and 36.61 (SD=8.7) respectively and their ages ranged between 18 and 59 years. Key barriers were identified: (i) HCWs based barriers included lack of time to provide SC, inadequate training and insufficient knowledge on SC interventions; (ii) system-based barriers identified lack of SC guidelines and educational materials for patients, and specialists to refer patients; and (iii) patient/client-based barriers included lack of patient interest in SC information, patients not adhering to advise given on SC. Conclusions: This study showed that SC delivery in Zambezi region is inadequate. Barriers were identified regarding the delivery of SC intervention for the first time. Targeted SC interventions are required to combat these identified specific barriers. There is a crucial need to improve HCWs skills and knowledge in providing SC intervention.

Communication model enhancement using electronic health record standard for tertiary hospital

Background: Communication of patient information in a healthcare setting in previous years was based on documented information on paper records carried from one location to another. However, with the introduction of electronic health records (EHRs), communications are now conducted electronically via installed and connected computer systems that are networked together. Inadequate communication of patients' information can deter patients' health and threaten their lives, putting them in unnecessary danger. Objective: The objective of this study was to design a standard EHR template model of communication for tertiary hospital that can be used in communicating patients' information between various departments involved in the management of patients without carrying papers around or tossing Patients or their relatives up and down. Method: The research adopts soft system methodology (SSM) with communication concepts from knowledge management, combining observations with various practical information to make a conclusion based on past experiences through a process of inductive reasoning, a communication model was developed that can be used as a template for hospitals to upgrade/integrate paper-based patient information management to electronic based in a bid to enhance patient care and information management. Results: The developed communication template model has been designed to be adopted for use in a bid to manage patients' information electronically in all tertiary hospitals and other hospitals that may so desire its use. Conclusion: It is observed from this article that communication in hospitals through EHR template is user friendly, safe and possible within the hospital and to outside facilities for effective paperless management of patients.