ABSTRACT
Acupuncture and Tuina are the main non-drug therapies for low back pain, which are recommended by the guidelines. Acupuncture and Tuina can alleviate pain, which is regarded as conditional specific outcome, and improve mental, emotional problems, as non-conditional specific outcomes. There are some problems of the outcome assessment of acupuncture and Tuina treatment for pain such as insufficient evaluation of specific effect and unclear evaluation of characteristic outcome. Therefore, the key to above problems is to construct a Specific ouTcomE Assessment Modal of acupuncture and Tuina treatment for pain (STEAM-A&T) based on the qualitive and quantitative methods. By describing the experience, narrative expression, feelings and needs of patients who receiving acupuncture and Tuina treatment, the item banks of acupuncture and Tuina treatment effect are constructed, and the characteristic outcome of acupuncture and Tuina for pain will be screened, and then the relationship model among outcomes is constructed and optimized, which reflected the characteristics of acupuncture and Tuina for pain from multiple dimensions, multiple levels and multiple views. We reveal the relationship between the outcome of acupuncture and Tuina for pain. It will provide a new theory and methods for the construction of specific outcome assessment modal of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
ABSTRACT
Aim of the Study: The current research was conducted with the aim of determining the quality of life of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients using mixed method approach. Methods: A mixed method triangulation design (QUAN + QUAL) was adopted in the study. Quantitative data were collected among 54 and qualitative data were collected till data saturation using nested sampling technique. Data were collected from seven oncological wards of two tertiary care hospitals during the 4th week of radiation therapy. Quantitative data were collected through functional assessment of cancer therapy: head and neck, and a semi-structured interview schedule was adopted to elicit their experiences. Quantitative and qualitative data were compared during the analysis phase. Both qualitative and quantitative data were depicted in meta-matrices. Results: Results showed that the most affected domains were functional well-being followed by HNC subscale. Similar findings were observed in narrative description of participants. Most focused experience was pain, and difficulty in eating and swallowing was experienced due to pain. Their verbal communication was inefficacious due to loss of voice and tone. Moreover, communication was difficult owing to changes in the oral mucous membrane and pathology. Conclusion: Patients with HNC suffer from varying degrees of psychosocial problems, and it is important to identify the psychosocial adjustment of the patients since the symptoms are sufficient to lay heavy burden
ABSTRACT
A Estratégia Saúde da Família (ESF) constitui o principal modelo de organização da Atenção Primária (APS) no Brasil. A Saúde Bucal foi inserida na ESF em 2001 com a criação das equipes de saúde bucal (ESB) como área prioritária diante da necessidade de melhorar as condições de saúde bucal da população. Na última década, observou-se uma expressiva expansão da ESF com o alcance de serviços chegando a cerca de 63% da população brasileira em 2016. Com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade dos serviços da ESF, o Ministério da Saúde lançou em 2011 o Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ-AB). O principal desafio do PMAQ é instituir uma cultura de avaliação entre os profissionais e gestores da ESF que monitore e avalie processos e resultados das equipes. O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever as ações de APS realizadas pelas ESB no Brasil e compreender aspectos que levam ao diferente desempenho das ESB. Para isso, foi desenvolvido um estudo misto explanatório sequencial. Na fase quantitativa, análise descritiva e de cluster foram aplicadas em dados do PMAQ-AB para descrever a produção de 12.403 ESB. Também foi utilizada a Teoria de Resposta ao Item (TRI) para avaliar as qualidades psicométricas de 20 questões de saúde bucal do PMAQ-AB. Resultados da TRI foram usados para selecionar ESB com desempenhos extremos para a próxima fase. Na fase qualitativa foi realizado um estudo descritivo em dez ESB da região metropolitana de Belo Horizonte com desempenhos extremos classificados pela TRI na fase anterior. Os resultados quantitativos demonstraram que as ESB realizam procedimentos clínicos da odontologia básica, mas fazem menos reabilitação com próteses e coordenação do cuidado de câncer bucal. A análise da TRI demonstrou que os itens do questionário foram insuficientes para discriminar ESB de alto e baixo desempenho. No entanto, foi observado que ESB de alto desempenho tendem a realizar ações de prevenção e acompanhamento de câncer e confecção de prótese na APS. Os resultados da fase qualitativa confirmaram que ESB de alto desempenho tendem a trabalhar mais ações de promoção e prevenção de câncer de boca, inclusive utilizando contatos pessoais para encaminhar pacientes para serviço especializado. Já em relação à questão da prótese na APS, os dados qualitativos confirmaram os achados quantitativos e demonstraram que ESB de alto desempenho fazem prótese na APS, garantindo a reabilitação do usuário
The Family Health Strategy is the main organizational model of primary health care in Brazil. Dental care was included in the FHS in 2001 as a priority area due to the need to improve the oral health status of the population, and the oral health teams were created. In the last decade, there was a significant expansion of the ESF with the range of services reaching about 63% of the population in 2016. In 2011, the Brazilian Ministry of Health launched a program to assess the quality of FHS Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e Qualidade da Atenção Básica PMAQ-AB. The main challenge of PMAQ-AB was to stimulate a culture of evaluation among FHS professionals and managers who evaluate processes and outcomes of the teams. This study aimed to describe the actions performed at primary health care by oral health teams in Brazil and to understand factors that contribute to different performance of each team. For this, a mixed sequential explanatory study was developed. In the quantitative phase, we undertook descriptive statistics and cluster analysis to describe the production of 12,403 OHTs, and applied Item Response Theory (IRT) to assess survey's 20 dental care questions psychometric properties. IRT results were used to sample OHTs with extreme scores performance to the next phase. In the qualitative phase, we used descriptive approach applying thematic analysis in 10 dentists from extreme performance OHTs. Quantitative results showed OHTs provided basic dentistry clinical care, but underprovided rehabilitation with dentures and oral cancer care coordination. IRT analysis showed survey limitation to discriminate OHTs performance, except for rehabilitation with dentures and oral cancer-related items that tend to discriminate high-performance OHTs. Qualitative data showed barriers to access oral health services and failures for integrating oral cancer delivery services. Dentists' empathy and altruism determine the quality of oral cancer care coordination by means of their own network to refer patients suspect of oral cancer. OHTs that deliver dentures know better the population rehabilitation needs. Mixed method results showed the improvements in oral health services in Brazil, but pointed that in low performance OHT, patients face multiples barriers to access services. Also, low performance OHT failed to following oral câncer patients, and provided dentures
Subject(s)
Dental Health Services/organization & administration , Dental Health Surveys/methods , National Health Strategies , Primary Health Care/methods , Primary Health Care/organization & administration , Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration , Employee Performance Appraisal/organization & administration , Health Services Accessibility/organization & administration , Intersectoral CollaborationABSTRACT
Information regarding out of hospital cardiac arrest incidence including outcomes in Malaysia is limited and fragmented. This study aims to identify the incidence and adherence to protocol of out of hospital cardiac arrest and also to explore the issues faced by pre-hospital personnel in regards to the management of cardiac arrest victim in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A mixed method approach combining qualitative and quantitative study design was used. Two hundred eighty five (285) pre-hospital care data sheet for out of hospital cardiac arrest during the year of 2011 were examined by using checklists to identify the incidence and adherence to protocol. Nine semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions were performed. Based on the overall incidence for out of hospital cardiac arrest cases which occurred in 2011 (n=285), the survival rate was 16.8%. On the adherence to protocol, only 89 (41.8%) of the cases adhered to the given protocol and 124 did not adhere to such protocol. All the relevant qualitative data were merged into few categories relating to issues that could affect the management of out of hospital cardiac arrest performed by pre-hospital care team. The essential elements in the handling of out of hospital cardiac arrest by pre-hospital care teamwasto ensure increased survival rates and excellent outcomes. Measures are needed to strengthen the quick activation of the pre-hospital care service, prompt bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early defibrillation and timely advanced cardiac life support, and also to address all other issues highlighted in the qualitative results of this study.
ABSTRACT
The notion of competency in pre-hospital emergency medical service (EMS) personnel is mainly focused on the professional proficiency that he/she has to provide intervention outside of hospital setting. Consequently, the effectiveness of pre-hospital EMS performance very much depends upon the capability of the personnel at the scene and as well during transport to the definitive care center. The aim of this study is to appraise and explore the competency of pre-hospital care staff and provide strategies for improvement. Methods: A mixed method approach combining the qualitative and quantitative study design. Of 134 staffs only 111(82.84%) returned the questionnaire. Nine semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions were performed. The main informants were nurses/assistant medical officers, nurse/assistant medical officer administrators, and emergency physicians. Results: From the quantitative finding on the competency of staff handling pre-hospital EMS, all had the essential knowledge and skills. However, most of them reported not having good knowledge and skills for invasive procedures (31%-61%), include giving medications (61%-66%). The qualitative information provided insight about the issues and strategies for the personnel in regards to competency. All the relevant qualitative data were merged into 5 categories relating issues and 5 categories to strategies that could affect the competency of the personnel. Conclusion: Pre-hospital EMS systems need to consider that the competency of pre-hospital EMS personnel has to come along with the responsible attitude of the staff itself, the support of medical direction, clear protocol for guiding them whenever needed, and continuous professional-development courses require them to maintain their professional proficiency.