Improving maternal and child nutrition services in community based health planning and services zones in the jirapa municipality of northern ghana-challenges and strategies: the perspective of community health officers.

BACKGROUND: The Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative plays a key role in delivering maternal and child health nutrition services in Ghana. This study explored bottle necks hindering the delivery of maternal and child nutrition services at CHPS zones and searched for strategies to address them from the perspective of community health officers in rural Northern Ghana. METHODS: An exploratory qualitative cross-sectional study design using key informant interviews involving the municipal nutrition officer and Community Health Officers (CHOs) from eleven CHPS zones was carried out in April 2019. Manual data analysis was done using the framework analysis approach in qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. RESULTS: This study identified challenges of maternal and child nutrition services in the Jirapa municipality to be municipal health directorate and CHPS zone based in nature. Municipal health directorate based challenges were inadequate logistics/medicines; lack of staff training; lack of supervision/monitoring; and inadequate financial support/motivation/incentives. CHPS zone based challenges were lack of planning activities by staff; inadequate home visits; lack of commitment by staff; and lack of community meetings/engagements. Proposed strategies to address municipal health directorate based challenges included adequate provision of logistics/medicines; frequent training of staff in maternal and child nutrition related issues; frequent supervision/monitoring activities from the municipal health directorate; and providing financial support/motivation/incentives at the CHPS zones. Proposed strategies to address CHPS zone based challenges were planning of activities; improved home visits; increased commitment towards delivering maternal and child nutrition services; and frequent community meetings/engagements. CONCLUSION: In order to improve maternal and child nutrition services at CHPS zones, there is the need to address certain systemic challenges at both the municipal or district health directorate and CHPS zones levels of the primary health care system. It is recommended that, the Municipal Health Directorate; the Municipal Health Management Team; the Municipal Assembly and all relevant stakeholders involved in improving maternal and child nutrition services at the community level, actively engage CHOs to help address the systemic challenges.

Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) concept and access to healthcare delivery in Sefwi Wiawso Municipal, Ghana.

BACKGROUND: In spite of the successes of the community-based health planning and services (CHPS) policy since its inception in the mid-1990s in Ghana, data pertaining to the implementation and use of CHPS facilities in Sefwi Wiawso Municipal is scant. We assessed access to healthcare delivery and factors influencing the use of CHPS in Sefwi Wiawso Municipal. METHODS: An analytical community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Sefwi Wiawo Municipal from September to October 2020. Respondents for the study were recruited through multi-stage sampling. Information was collected on their socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and use of CHPS facilities through interviews using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. Factors influencing the use of CHPS facilities were assessed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression to generate crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 483 respondents were recruited for the study. The mean age of the respondents was 43.0 ± 16.3 years, and over 70% were females or married/cohabiting with their partners. Most respondents (88.2%) knew about the CHPS concept and more than half (53.4%) accessed healthcare in the CHPS facilities. Most respondents rated the quality of health services (> 65%) and staff attitude (77.2%) very positively. Significant factors influencing the use of the CHPS facilities were; knowledge of the CHPS concept (AOR 6.57, 95% CI 1.57-27.43; p = 0.01), longer waiting time for a vehicle to the facility, and shorter waiting time at the facility before being provided with care. People who waited for 30-60 min (AOR 2.76, 95% CI 1.08-7.07; p = 0.01) or over an hour (AOR 10.91, 95% CI 3.71-32.06; p = 0.01) before getting a vehicle to the facility, while patients who waited for less than 30 min (AOR 5.74, 95% CI 1.28-25.67; p = 0.03) or 30-60 min (AOR 2.60, 95% CI 0.57-11.78; p = 0.03) at the CHPS facility before receiving care were more likely to access care at the CHPS facilities. CONCLUSION: Knowledge, and use of healthcare services at the CHPS facilities were high in this population. Interventions aimed at reducing waiting time at the CHPS facilities could greatly increase use of healthcare services at these facilities.

The Impact of Primary Care Clinic and Family Physician Continuity on Patient Health Outcomes: A Retrospective Analysis From Alberta, Canada.

PURPOSE: Continuity of care is broadly associated with better patient health outcomes. The relative contributions of continuity with an individual physician and with a practice, however, have not generally been distinguished. This retrospective observational study examined the impact of continuity of care for patients seen at their main clinic but by different family physicians. METHODS: We analyzed linked health administrative data from 2015-2018 from Alberta, Canada to explore the association of physician and clinic continuity with rates of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations across varying levels of patient complexity. Physician continuity was calculated using the known provider of care index and clinic continuity with an analogous measure. We developed zero-inflated negative binomial models to assess the association of each with all-cause ED visits and hospitalizations. RESULTS: High physician continuity was associated with lower ED use across all levels of patient complexity and with fewer hospitalizations for highly complex patients. Broadly, no (0%) clinic continuity was associated with increased use and complete (100%) clinic continuity with decreased use, with the largest effect seen for the most complex patients. Levels of clinic continuity between 1% and 50% were generally associated with slightly higher use, and levels of 51% to 99% with slightly lower use. CONCLUSIONS: The best health care outcomes (measured by ED visits and hospitalizations) are associated with consistently seeing one's own primary family physician or seeing a clinic partner when that physician is unavailable. The effect of partial clinic continuity appears complex and requires additional research. These results provide some reassurance for part-time and shared practices, and guidance for primary care workforce policy makers.

Health Workforce Planning: Designing a Specialty and Subspecialty Supply Model for Iran.

Background: One of the approaches to health workforce planning is supply-based. It has been emphasized that countries should model health workforce based on evidence and their context. The objective of this study is to "design a supply health workforce planning model for specialty and subspecialty in Iran." Methods: This is a study using Walker and Avant's (2018) theory synthesis framework to construct the model. This method has three steps. According to the viewpoint of the research team and the needs of the country, the focal concept is determined. Then, a literature review was done to determine related factors and their relationships. In the third step, according to the review, the viewpoint of the research team, the rationale of the connection between components, and the graphic model were presented. Results: "Supply" was selected as the focal concept. In the literature review, 42 components were obtained from the systematic review, 43 components obtained from the study of other texts were combined with the opinion of the research team about the field of Iran, and the connections between them were determined. In the third step, the supply model was designed using the Stock and Flow method. Finally, by applying the "functional full-time coefficient", the number of full-time equivalent physicians was calculated. Conclusion: The presented model is an evidence-based model that follows stock and flow design. Stock is the number of specialties or subspecialties that exist in the labor market. Flow includes inflow and outflow according to the educational pathway in the context of Iran.

[Operational planning of health services: How do we make it possible?] / Planificación operativa en servicios sanitarios: ¿cómo lo hacemos posible?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The Catalan Health Service carries out the operational planning of service delivery and organization. The goal is to describe the methodology and procedure followed to perform these functions. METHODS: The process of operational planning in healthcare services (OPHS) is continuous, dynamic, participatory, objective, and adaptable. OPHS can be divided into three stages prior to implementation and evaluation: Service delivery planning, Organization of healthcare resources, and Procurement planning. RESULTS: Three examples of projects are presented following the POSS framework. It is essential to adapt the process to the characteristics of each project. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed framework is useful to achieve high quality and equity in access to services.

Atenção hospitalar em saúde mental no Rio Grande do Norte: contribuições do planejamento e avaliação em saúde / Atención hospitalaria en salud mental en Rio Grande do Norte: aportes de la planificación y evaluación en salud / Hospital mental health care in Rio Grande do Norte: contributions of health planning and evaluation

Introdução: O componente hospitalar da Rede de Atenção Psicossocial preconiza o fechamento progressivo de hospitais psiquiátricos e a implementação de leitos de saúde mental em hospital geral, capazes de fornecer atendimento para os casos agudos que necessitem de internação de forma articulada com os demais pontos de atenção da rede. Objetivo: Diante disso, o objetivo do presente artigo foi analisar a distribuição do número de leitos de atenção hospitalar em saúde mental no Rio Grande do Norte entre 2012 e 2022 e apresentar uma proposta de planejamento e avaliação para fortalecer a Rede de Atenção Psicossocial do estado. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo ecológico realizado no estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil, no período de 2012 a 2022, usando dados secundários sobre as internações, seguido de um estudo propositivo com base em referências de planejamento e avaliação em saúde. Resultados: Observa-se uma redução do número de leitos psiquiátricos ao longo do tempo, mas que não se mostra suficiente e não se traduz em um crescimento satisfatório de leitos de saúde mental em hospital geral. Foram propostas cinco ações com o intuito de fortalecer a Rede de Atenção Psicossocial através da implantação e qualificação de leitos de saúde mental em hospitais gerais. Conclusão: Conclui-se que o movimento de constituição do componente hospitalar da Rede de Atenção Psicossocial do Rio Grande do Norte tem se apresentado em movimento irregular e o número de leitos de saúde mental em hospital geral é insuficiente. Espera-se que as intervenções e avaliações sugeridas possam contribuir para subsidiar importantes encaminhamentos no âmbito das políticas públicas de saúde mental do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil (AU).

Introduction: The hospital component of the Psychosocial Care Network (PCN) advocates the progressive closure of psychiatric hospitals and the implementation of mental health beds in general hospitals, capable of providing care for acute cases that require hospitalization in conjunction with other network attention points. Objective: In view of this, the objective of this article was to analyze the quantitative distribution of hospital mental health care beds in Rio Grande do Norte between 2012 and 2022 and present a planning and evaluation proposal to strengthen the state's PCN. Methodology: This is an ecological study carried out in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, from 2012 to 2022 using secondary data on hospitalizations, followed by a proactive study based on health planning and evaluation references. Results:There has been a reduction in the number of psychiatric beds over time, but not sufficient andnot translated into a satisfactory growth in mental health beds in general hospitals. Five actions were proposed with the aim of strengthening the PCN through the implementation and qualification of mental health beds in general hospitals.Conclusion: It is concluded that the movement to establish the hospital component of PCN in Rio Grande do Norte has been irregular and the number of mental health beds in general hospitals is insufficient. It is expected that the suggested interventions and evaluations may contribute to supporting important developments within the scope of public mental health policies in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil (AU).

Introducción: El componente hospitalario de la Red de Atención Psicosocial (RAPS) aboga por el cierre progresivo de los hospitales psiquiátricos y la implementación de camas de salud mental en los hospitales generales, capaces de brindar atención a casos agudos que requieran hospitalización en conjunto con otros puntos de atención de la red. Objetivo:Ante esto, el objetivo de este artículo fue analizar la distribución del número de camas hospitalarias de atención a la salud mental en Rio Grande do Norte entre 2012 y 2022 y presentar una propuesta de planificación y evaluación para fortalecer el RAPS del Estado. Metodología:Se trata de un estudio ecológico realizado en el Estado de Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil, de 2012 a 2022, utilizando datos secundarios sobre hospitalizaciones, seguido de un estudio propositivo basado en referencias de planificación y evaluación de la salud. Resultados:Hay una reducción en el número de camas psiquiátricas a lo largo del tiempo, pero esto no es suficiente y no se traduce en un crecimiento satisfactorio de camas de salud mental en los hospitales generales. Se propusieron cinco acciones con el objetivo de fortalecer el RAPS a través de la implementación y habilitación de camas de salud mental en hospitales generales. Conclusión:Se concluye que el movimiento para establecer el componente hospitalario del RAPS en Rio Grande do Norte ha sido irregular y el número de camas de salud mental en un hospital general es insuficiente. Se espera que las intervenciones y evaluaciones sugeridas puedan contribuir a apoyar derivaciones importantes dentro del alcance de las políticas públicas de salud mental en Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil (AU).

Equidade na promoção das práticas corporais e atividades físicas no SUS: reflexões a partir do serviço de orientação ao exercício / Equity in the promotion of body practices and physical activities in SUS: reflections from the exercise guidance service / Equidad en la promoción de prácticas corporales y actividades físicas en SUS: reflexiones desde el servicio de orientación en ejercicio

A equidade é um dos princípios constitucionais e doutrinários do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), assim como da Política Nacional de Promoção da Saúde, principal marco das Práticas Corporais e Atividades Físicas (PCAF) no referido sistema. Considerando as desigualdades sociais gerais e as iniquidades em saúde, a equidade deve ser prioritária. Assim, o trabalho, de caráter ensaístico, teve como objetivo apresentar a experiência do Serviço de Orientação ao Exercício na operacionalização deste princípio. Foram abordados aspectos relacionados ao acesso, recursos, resultados e desafios para indicar possibilidades e caminhos para a efetivação da equidade na promoção das PCAF no SUS, visando o seu fortalecimento e qualificação como sistema de saúde universal, integral e equânime (AU).

Equity is one of the constitutional and doctrinal principles of the Unified Health System (SUS), as well as of the National Health Promotion Policy, the main framework for Body Practices and Physical Activities (PCAF) in this system. Considering the general social inequalities and inequities in health, equity must be a priority. The aim of this essay was to present the experience of the Exercise Guidance Service in operationalizing this principle. Aspects related to access, resources, results and challenges were addressed in order to indicate possibilities and paths towards the realization of equity in the promotion of PCAF in the SUS, with a view to strengthening and qualifying it as a universal, comprehensive and equitable health system (AU).

La equidad es uno de los principios constitucionales y doctrinales del Sistema Único de Salud (SUS), así como de la Política Nacional de Promoción de la Salud, marco principal de las Prácticas Corporales y Actividades Físicas (PCAF) de este sistema. Considerando las desigualdades sociales generales y las inequidades en salud, la equidad debe ser priorizada. El objetivo de este ensayo era, por tanto, presentar la experiencia del Servicio de Orientación para el Ejercicio en la puesta en práctica de este principio. Se analizaron aspectos relacionados con el acceso, los recursos, los resultados y los desafíos, a fin de indicar posibilidades y formas de hacer realidad la equidad en la promoción del PCAF en el SUS, con miras a fortalecerlo y calificarlo como sistema de salud universal, integral y equitativo (AU).

Guideline Recommendations on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize recommendations on assessing and managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSDs) in existing clinical practice guidelines on dementia care to learn from and adapt recommendations to a Canadian context and language for describing BPSDs. DESIGN: Systematic review. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Moderate to high-quality clinical practice guidelines on dementia care that made 1 or more recommendations on BPSD assessment or management. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, JBI EBM, PsycINFO, AgeLine, and gray literature for clinical practice guidelines on dementia care making recommendations on BPSD, published between January 1, 2011, and October 13, 2022. Two independent reviewers conducted study screening and data abstraction. Four independent reviewers completed quality appraisal using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool; included guidelines had a mean overall AGREE II score ≥4. RESULTS: Our systematic review identified 23 moderate to high-quality clinical practice guidelines (264 recommendations). The mean overall quality score on the AGREE II tool ranged from 4 to 6.5. Recommendations were clearly presented (mean clarity of presentation score 73.5%), but guideline applicability was not consistently addressed (mean applicability score 39.3%). BPSD was the most prevalent term describing neuropsychiatric symptoms (number of guidelines [n] = 14). People with lived experience contributed to 6 guidelines (26.1%). Ten guidelines (43.5%) described 1 or more health equity considerations. Guidelines made recommendations for assessing and managing agitation (n = 12), aggression (n = 10), psychosis (n = 11), depression (n = 9), anxiety (n = 5), apathy (n = 6), inappropriate sexual behavior (n = 3), nighttime behavior (n = 5), and eating disturbances (n = 3). There was substantial variability in recommendation statements, evidence quality assigned to each statement, and strength of recommendations. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: There are several moderate to high-quality clinical practice guidelines making recommendations on BPSD assessment and management, but variability in recommendation statements across guidelines and insufficient consideration of guideline applicability may hamper guideline dissemination and implementation in clinical practice.

Accurate Prediction Equations for Ventilatory Thresholds in Cardiometabolic Disease When Gas Exchange Analysis is Unavailable: Development and Validation.

AIMS: To develop and validate equations predicting heart rate (HR) at the first and second ventilatory thresholds (VTs) and an optimized range-adjusted prescription for patients with cardiometabolic disease (CMD). To compare their performance against guideline-based exercise intensity domains. METHODS: Cross-sectional study involving 2,868 CMD patients from nine countries. HR predictive equations for first and second VTs (VT1, VT2) were developed using multivariate linear regression with 975 cycle-ergometer cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET). 'Adjusted' percentages of peak HR (%HRpeak) and HR reserve (%HRR) were derived from this group. External validation with 1,893 CPET (cycle-ergometer or treadmill) assessed accuracy, agreement, and reliability against guideline-based %HRpeak and %HRR prescriptions using mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), Bland-Altman analyses, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: HR predictive equations (R²: 0.77 VT1, 0.88 VT2) and adjusted %HRR (VT1: 42%, VT2: 77%) were developed. External validation demonstrated superiority over widely used guideline-directed intensity domains for %HRpeak and %HRR. The new methods showed consistent performance across both VTs with lower MAPE (VT1: 7.1%, VT2: 5.0%), 'good' ICC for VT1 (0.81, 0.82) and 'excellent' for VT2 (0.93). Guideline-based exercise intensity domains had higher MAPE (VT1: 6.8%-21.3%, VT2: 5.1%-16.7%), 'poor' to 'good' ICC for VT1, and 'poor' to 'excellent' for VT2, indicating inconsistencies related to specific VTs across guidelines. CONCLUSION: Developed and validated HR predictive equations and the optimized %HRR for CMD patients for determining VT1 and VT2 outperformed the guideline-based exercise intensity domains and showed ergometer interchangeability. They offer a superior alternative for prescribing moderate intensity exercise when CPET is unavailable.

Equations to predict heart rate at ventilatory thresholds were developed and externally validated, offering a new perspective when a cardiopulmonary exercise test is unavailable to accurately determine the aerobic exercise intensity domains. Additionally, an adjusted range for exercise intensity prescription based on the percentage of heart rate reserve (%HRR) was provided, utilizing a large sample from eight countries. The proposed equations and the range-adjusted %HRR significantly outperformed the guideline-directed methods for determining exercise intensity, exhibiting higher accuracy, agreement, and reliability. Exercise intensity prescription based on the percentage of heart rate peak showed higher errors, raising concerns about its clinical applicability. Our study may enhance the efficacy of exercise training and physical activity advice when gas exchange analysis is unavailable, potentially leading to improved clinical outcomes, even in low-resource settings. Employing these approaches in research could facilitate more tailored and consistent interventions, introducing a contemporary perspective for studies comparing exercise intensity prescriptions.

Concept analysis of health system resilience.

BACKGROUND: There are several definitions of resilience in health systems, many of which share some characteristics, but no agreed-upon framework is universally accepted. Here, we review the concept of resilience, identifying its definitions, attributes, antecedents and consequences, and present the findings of a concept analysis of health system resilience. METHODS: We follow Schwarz-Barcott and Kim's hybrid model, which consists of three phases: theoretical, fieldwork and final analysis. We identified the concept definitions, attributes, antecedents and consequences of health system resilience and constructed an evidence-informed framework on the basis of the findings of this review. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL Complete, EBSCOhost-Academic Search and Premier databases and downloaded identified titles and abstracts on Covidence. We screened 3357 titles and removed duplicate and ineligible records; two reviewers then screened each title, and disagreements were resolved by discussion with the third reviewer. From the 130 eligible manuscripts, we identified the definitions, attributes, antecedents and consequences using a pre-defined data extraction form. RESULTS: Resilience antecedents are decentralization, available funds, investments and resources, staff environment and motivation, integration and networking and finally, diversification of staff. The attributes are the availability of resources and funds, adaptive capacity, transformative capacity, learning and advocacy and progressive leadership. The consequences of health system resilience are improved health system performance, a balanced governance structure, improved expenditure and financial management of health and maintenance of health services that support universal health coverage (UHC) throughout crises. CONCLUSION: A resilient health system maintains quality healthcare through times of crisis. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, several seemingly robust health systems were strained under the increased demand, and services were disrupted. As such, elements of resilience should be integrated into the functions of a health system to ensure standardized and consistent service quality and delivery. We offer a systematic, evidence-informed method for identifying the attributes of health system resilience, intending to eventually be used to develop a measuring tool to evaluate a country's health system resilience performance.

National strategies for knowledge translation in health policy-making: A scoping review of grey literature.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Without strategic actions in its support, the translation of scientific research evidence into health policy is often absent or delayed. This review systematically maps and assesses national-level strategic documents in the field of knowledge translation (KT) for health policy, and develops a practical template that can support Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) Europe countries in producing national strategies for evidence-informed policy-making. METHODS: Websites of organizations with strategic responsibilities in KT were electronically searched, on the basis of pre-defined criteria, in July-August 2017, and an updated search was carried out in April-June 2021. We included national strategies or elements of national strategies that dealt with KT activities, as well as similar strategies of individual institutions with a national policy focus. Two reviewers screened the strategies for inclusion. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: A total of 65 unique documents were identified, of which 17 were eligible and analysed for their structure and content. Of the 17, 1 document was a national health KT action plan and 6 documents were institution-level KT strategies. The remaining 10 strategies, which were also included were 2 national health strategies, 5 national health research strategies and 3 national KT strategies (not specific to the field of health alone). In all, 13 structural elements and 7 major themes of health policy KT strategies were identified from the included documents. CONCLUSION: KT in health policy, as emerged from the national strategies that our mapping identified, is based on the production and accessibility of policy-relevant research, its packaging for policy-making and the activities related to knowledge exchange. KT strategies may play different roles in the complex and context-specific process of policy-making. Our findings show that the main ideas of health-specific evidence-informed policy literature appear in these strategies, but their effectiveness depends on the way stakeholders use them. Specific knowledge-brokering institutions and organizational capacity, advocacy about the use of evidence, and close collaboration and co-decision-making with key stakeholders are essential in furthering the policy uptake of research results.

Understanding priorities and needs for child and adolescent mental health in Greece from multiple informants: an open resource dataset.

The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Initiative (CAMHI) aims to enhance mental health care capacity for children and adolescents across Greece. Considering the need for evidence-based policy, the program developed an open-resource dataset for researching the field within the country. A comprehensive, mixed-method, community-based research was conducted in 2022/2023 assessing the current state, needs, barriers, and opportunities according to multiple viewpoints. We surveyed geographically distributed samples of 1,756 caregivers, 1,201 children/adolescents, 404 schoolteachers, and 475 health professionals using validated instruments to assess mental health symptoms, mental health needs, literacy and stigma, service use and access, professional practices, training background, and training needs and preferences. Fourteen focus groups were conducted with informants from diverse populations (including underrepresented minorities) to reach an in-depth understanding of those topics. A dataset with quantitative and qualitative findings is now available for researchers, policymakers, and society [ https://osf.io/crz6h/ and https://rpubs.com/camhi/sdashboard ]. This resource offers valuable data for assessing the needs and priorities for child and adolescent mental health care in Greece. It is now freely available to consult, and is expected to inform upcoming research and evidence-based professional training. This initiative may inspire similar ones in other countries, informing methodological strategies for researching mental health needs.

[Brazilian Ministry of Health strategy to increase vaccination coverage at bordersEstrategia del Ministerio de Salud de Brasil para aumentar las tasas de cobertura de vacunación en las fronteras]. / Estratégia do Ministério da Saúde do Brasil para aumento das coberturas vacinais nas fronteiras.

Objective: Evaluate the implementation of the Ministry of Health's "Action Plan: Border Vaccination Strategy - Agenda 2022" in the Brazil's 33 twin cities and evaluate the increase in the country's vaccination coverage (VC). Methodology: Pre-post community clinical trial. Implementation of the strategy was analyzed, and pre- and post-intervention VC were compared in two stages: P1 (pre-intervention) and P2 (post-intervention). Based on statistical analyses of P1 and P2 coverage, calculations were made of municipal averages, standard deviation, and difference in VC between the two periods. Results: Integration was observed between the primary health care (PHC), surveillance, immunization, and special indigenous health district (DSEI) teams, although there were difficulties, for example, in relation to migratory flows. While immigration flows present challenges in the areas of immunization, PHC, and DSEI, the difficulties are compounded by the polarization of these services, which hinders intersectoral integration. After carrying out the workshops, a total of 50 977 doses were administered in the general population in the 33 twin cities. There was an increase in vaccination coverage in children up to 1 year of age in the locations evaluated after the intervention, which may be relevant in terms of increasing VC in Brazil. Conclusion: There was an increase in vaccination coverage in children up to 1 year of age in the locations evaluated after the intervention, helping to increase VC in Brazil.

Objetivo: Evaluar la aplicación de la Estrategia de Vacunación en las Fronteras - Agenda 2022, que forma parte del Plan de Acción del Ministerio de Salud en las 33 ciudades hermanas y evaluar el aumento de las tasas de cobertura de vacunación en Brasil. Métodos: Ensayo clínico comunitario realizado antes y después de la intervención correspondiente. Se analizó la aplicación de la estrategia y se compararon las tasas de cobertura de vacunación antes y después de la intervención en dos periodos: P1 (pre-intervención) y P2 (post-intervención). En los análisis estadísticos de la tasa de cobertura de vacunación en P1 y P2 se calcularon los valores de media y desviación estándar de los municipios y la diferencia entre las tasas de cobertura de los dos periodos. Resultados: Se observó una integración entre los equipos de Atención Primaria de Salud, Vigilancia, Inmunización y el Distrito Especial de Salud Indígena (DISEI), pero con dificultades, como las inherentes al flujo migratorio. Cabe destacar que el flujo migratorio es uno de los desafíos en el contexto de la inmunización, la atención primaria de salud y el DISEI, dificultad que se ve agravada por la polarización entre los servicios (inmunización, atención primaria de salud y el DISEI), lo que supone un reto para la integración de los sectores. Por lo que respecta al análisis de las tasas de cobertura de vacunación llevado a cabo después de realizar los talleres, se administró un total de 50 977 dosis a la población general en las 33 ciudades hermanas de Brasil. Hubo un aumento de las tasas de cobertura de vacunación de menores de hasta un año de edad en los lugares evaluados después de la intervención, lo que puede ser importante para aumentar las tasas de cobertura de Brasil. Conclusión: Después de la intervención hubo un aumento de las tasas de cobertura de vacunación de menores de hasta un año de edad en los lugares evaluados, lo cual influyó en el incremento de las tasas de cobertura de Brasil.

A Retrospective Public Health Assessment and Management in Terms of the Social and Clinical Risk Factors of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Northern Canada.

Background The predominant source of respiratory infections in Northern Canada stems from RSV, leading to potentially life-threatening lower respiratory tract infections in children below the age of 2. Typically, RSV begins to appear in November or December and persists until April or May. Synagis® (Palivizumab), a monoclonal antibody, is employed to mitigate or reduce the effects of RSV. Past research indicated a reduction in hospitalizations with the use of Synagis®. Aim The aim is to estimate the cost-benefit analysis by comparing the health services cost with Synagis® program cost. Also evaluate the association of identified risk factors with the severity of RSV infection. Material and methods The dependent variable is categorized as: "Mild-Medium" cases that didn't undergo intubation or require medical evacuation; "Severe" cases that underwent intubation, required medical evacuation, and intensive care unit facilities. We also calculate the cost of health services and Synagis® of each year. Results It has been found that babies who exclusively breastfed and regularly took vitamin D did not develop severe forms of infection. Prenatal smoking and shared and crowded accommodations contribute to the spreading of RSV. The average cost of health services per participant was higher than that of the Synagis program. Conclusion They are promoting the Synagis® program during the season. Standardize the regulations prohibiting smoking around small children since they are more vulnerable to infection. Practice breastfeeding up to 24-month-old babies.

The evaluation of clinical factors affecting oral health impacts on the quality of life of Iranian elderly patients visiting dental clinics: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Iran will soon have an aging population. Healthcare providers must consider factors affecting the quality of life for those 60 and older. Understanding oral health as one of these factors can improve the elderly's quality of life. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) is a crucial reflection of individuals' general well-being and their overall quality of life linked to health. This study aimed to evaluate the OHRQoL among elderly Iranians referring to Azad University of Medical Sciences in Tehran. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 171 individuals over 65 (93 men and 78 women) were evaluated using OHIP-14 and GOHAI-12 questionnaires to analyze their quality of life. Gender, age, systemic diseases, using medications and dentures, the number of remaining teeth, and oral lesions were recorded. Salivary flow and xerostomia were analyzed with the spitting method and xerostomia index questionnaire, respectively. Also, four main flavor solutions were used to evaluate the taste perception. Data were analyzed using PASS11 and p value < .05 was the significance level. RESULTS: Based on OHIP-14 and GOHAI-12, Iranian older people's quality of life can be affected by cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, xerostomia, and the number of remaining teeth (p < .05). The results also showed a significant correlation between the OHIP-14 and GOHAI-12 scores (p < .001). Both indexes revealed that the number of remaining teeth, xerostomia, salivary flow, and taste perception greatly influenced participants' quality of life. More remaining teeth, improved salivary flow, and better perception of sweetness and sourness were all linked to a higher quality of life, while increased xerostomia, reduced salivary flow, and bitter taste perception were linked to a decline in overall well-being. Cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and medication use were also found to significantly impact quality of life. CONCLUSION: This study's results indicate that cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, dry mouth, and tooth loss can negatively impact the elderly's quality of life. So, improving both systemic and oral health is vital for enhancing life quality in this age group.

Community-based Health Planning and Services programme in Ghana: a systematic review.

Introduction: Ghana established Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) as the primary point of contact for primary healthcare in 1999. CHPS has since emerged as the country's primary strategy for providing close-to-client healthcare delivery, with numerous positive health outcomes recorded as a result of its implementation. There is, however currently a paucity of systematic reviews of the literature on CHPS. The purpose of this study was not only to investigate dominant trends and research themes in Community-based Health Planning and Services, but also to track the evolution of the CHPS intervention from its inception to the present. Method: We adopted a systematic review approach for selected articles that were searched on Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases. The study was conducted and guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. We then applied a reflexive thematic analysis approach in synthesizing the results. Results: The search resulted in 127 articles of which 59 were included in the final review. Twenty (20) papers targeted the national level, eighteen (18) for the regional level, sixteen (16) for the district level, two (2) for the sub-district level, and three (3) papers targeted the community. The years 2017 and 2019 were recorded to be the years with the highest number of publications on CHPS in Ghana. Conclusion: Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) is an effective tool in addressing barriers and challenges to accessing quality and affordable health care causing significant effects on health. It provides close-to-client healthcare delivery in the community.