Health information literacy and health informatics: imperatives for medical librarians and healthcare practitioners

Health informatics,also known as healthcare informatics or biomedical informatics, is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on the scientific study and practice of managing health data. In this paper authors have conceptualized health information literacyand health informatics. Discourses include: the role of medical libraries and medical librarians, Electronic Health Systems including Health Information Systems, Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Also, Medical Data Management, its benefits and challenges were also highlighted. Health information literature is also reviewed. The authors concluded by reiterating the importance of health information literacy, health informatics and its technological applications and the need for librarians and medical practitioners in the healthcare environments to acquire the requisite knowledge, skills and technologies that could enhance health information services delivery on the part of the librarians and healthcare services delivery on the part of the health practitioners

Healthcare Practitioners’ Views of Postnatal Depression: A Qualitative Synthesis / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

@#The World Health Organisation recommends healthcare practitioners to equip themselves with appropriate skills to assess the psychological distress in women attending the antenatal and postnatal healthcare. Nevertheless, little is known about the healthcare practitioners’ perceptions of postnatal depression and its management. The aims of this review were: (i) to explore the experiences of healthcare practitioners in caring for women with postnatal depression in different countries and (ii) to identify any qualitative study conducted in Malaysia regarding the healthcare practitioners’ perceptions of postnatal depression. To achieve these objectives, a qualitative synthesis of studies reporting the healthcare practitioners’ experience of managing women with postnatal depression was conducted. A search in CINAHL, PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and ASSIA databases was performed using specific keywords and published peer-reviewed articles from 2006 to 2016 were screened for inclusion criteria. A total of 15 relevant studies were identified and reviewed. The studies included were conducted in eight different countries: America, Australia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada, Greek, Mexico, and Slovenia. No study conducted in Malaysia was found. This review suggested that the experiences of managing women with postnatal depression were relatively similar among the healthcare professionals in different countries. The main limitations reported by the healthcare practitioners were the lack of resources on maternal mental health and the absence of policy regarding the management of postnatal depression. Further research should investigate how Malaysian healthcare practitioners perceive postnatal depression and their roles in its management to provide more insights into the current clinical practice in Malaysia for postnatal depression.

O Programa Saúde da Família segundo profissionais de saúde, gestores e usuários / Brazil's Family Health Program according to healthcare practitioners, managers and users

OBJETIVO: Analisar a percepção dos profissionais de saúde, gestores e usuários sobre o Programa Saúde da Família (PSF) de dois municípios de Minas Gerais, Brasil. METODOLOGIA: Foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com os profissionais e gestores com os temas: formação profissional, objetivos do PSF, equipes e dificuldades do programa no município. Foi utilizado um questionário estruturado, usando como critério de inclusão o sorteio de domicílios cadastrados em quatro unidades dos municípios. RESULTADOS: Os profissionais relataram que: os atributos pessoais de seus membros são o requisito para uma boa equipe; há insatisfação com a organização do PSF; a prevenção é o principal objetivo do PSF. Os gestores destacaram que o maior benefício do PSF é a intervenção junto às famílias. Citaram também a educação, a assistência e a promoção da saúde como pontos importantes do PSF. Os usuários revelaram que: o agente de saúde representa a categoria profissional de maior destaque; a presença de especialistas no PSF é necessária; a maior parte dos entrevistados não participa de atividade extra-consulta; o serviço especializado é preferível ao PSF. CONCLUSÃO: Os envollvidos na proposta do PSF têm expectativas diferentes quanto à estratégia, o que pode afetar a efetividade do serviço.

OBJECTIVE: To examine perceptions among Healthcare Practitioners, Managers and Users of Brazil's Family Health Program (FHP) in two municipalities in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. METHODOLOGY: Semi-structured interviews with the Practitioners and Managers focused on: professional training, Family Health Program goals, teams and difficulties encountered in the municipalities; Users responded to a structured questionnaire in households registered with four healthcare units in these municipalities, selected through a random draw. RESULTS: Practitioners reported that: the requirements for a good team include the personal attributes of its members; they are not satisfied with the FHP organization; prevention is its main goal. Managers ranked intervention at the family level as its main benefit, also mentioning health promotion, education and assistance as other important aspects. Users indicated that: community health agents are the most outstanding professional category; specialists are required in the FHP; most respondents are not engaged in any health-related activities other than consultations; specialized services are preferable to the FHP. CONCLUSION: There are different expectations among all those involved in the FHP, which may undermine the effectiveness of its services.