Reflections of nurses and primary healthcare managers on integrating hospital at home into public primary healthcare services: a Norwegian focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Hospital at home (HaH) is an innovative approach to healthcare delivery that brings specialized services to patients' homes. HaH services are typically available in urban areas where hospitals can easily reach nearby patients. An integrated care model that utilizes the public primary healthcare system may extend HaH services to include patients residing further away from hospitals. However, there is limited evidence of primary healthcare employees' views on integrating HaH care into primary healthcare services. This study aimed to explore the reflections of primary healthcare employees on integrating HaH care into primary healthcare services. METHODS: Ten focus group interviews were conducted with homecare nurses and managers of primary healthcare services in five municipalities in Mid-Norway. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in three key themes regarding the integration of HaH care into primary healthcare. Participants discussed how they capture the distinctiveness of HaH care within the primary healthcare landscape. Moreover, they identified that the introduction of HaH care reveals opportunities to address challenges. Lastly, the study uncovered a strong primary healthcare commitment and a sense of professional pride among the participants. This resilience and dedication among primary healthcare employees appeared as an incentive to make the integration of HaH work. CONCLUSIONS: This study offers valuable insights into integrating HaH into primary healthcare services, highlighting opportunities to address challenges. The resilience and dedication of primary healthcare employees underscore their commitment to adapting to and thriving with HaH care. To establish a sustainable HaH care model, it is important to address geographical limitations, consider the strain on providers, maintain robust relationships, enhance funding, and formalize decision-making processes.

[The comparative analysis of health care systems based on rating definition].

The comparative analysis of effectiveness and efficiency of health care systems functioning causes a number of difficulties due to different indicators applied in countries as assessment tools, different data collection mechanisms and differences in nature and dimension of determining indicators. To ensure comparability of absolute values of various indicators and possibility to compare activities of single medical organizations and effectiveness of health care system of both various Subjects of the Russian Federation and health care system as a whole, it is possible to apply different rating techniques. The article presents comprehensive comparative analysis of activities of health care systems based on construction of rating using integral indicators of public health: indicators of key functioning of health systems (financial support and infrastructure development), total mortality from non-communicable diseases, probability of dying at the age of 30 to 70 years from any of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases, universal health coverage index, life expectancy (at birth and at the age of 60). The comprehensive comparative analysis of results permitted to to conclude that the greatest financial costs for health care and best level of infrastructural support (beds and medical personnel) in countries with health insurance system. At that, according to ranking results and all selected integral public health indicators, health insurance system took the first place.

Perception and Acceptance of Telemedicine Use in Health Care Among the General Public in China: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing about substantial changes in health care systems, leading to a significant shift toward telemedicine for the delivery of health care services. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness and ease of use of telemedicine services and their association with the behavioral intention to use telemedicine. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted in China. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to determine significant predictors of intention to use telemedicine consultation. Types of illnesses that favored seeking telemedicine consultation, as well as the most preferred platform for conducting telemedicine consultations, were also investigated. RESULTS: In total, 1006 participants completed the survey. A total of 44.3% (n=446) reported being very likely and 49.3% (n=496) reported being likely to seek telemedicine consultation. Overall, the majority of participants expressed strong agreement or agreement regarding the perceived usefulness of telemedicine. Likewise, the majority indicated strong agreement or agreement when it came to their perception of the ease of using telemedicine. In the partial least squares structural equation modeling, perceived usefulness (ß=0.322; P<.001) and perceived ease of use (ß=0.118; P=.01) were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of seeking telemedicine consultation. A considerable number of participants expressed willingness to use telemedicine services for various medical conditions, particularly respiratory (n=340, 33.8%), skin (n=316, 31.4%), and musculoskeletal issues (n=316, 31.4%) while showing less interest in seeking telemedicine consultations for reproductive health (n=44, 4.4%) and cancer (n=64, 6.4%). The majority preferred video chat (n=443, 44%) and text chat (n=317, 31.5%) as their most preferred platforms for telemedicine consultation, while a smaller proportion preferred telephone (n=193, 19.2%) and email (n=53, 5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine has the potential to play a larger role in China's health care system. The preferences for certain platforms over others may influence service design and implementation.

Spatial Access to Continuous Maternal and Perinatal Health Care Services in Low-Resource Settings: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Maternal and perinatal health are fundamental to human development. However, in low-resource settings such as sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), significant challenges persist in reducing maternal, newborn, and child mortality. To achieve the targets of the sustainable development goal 3 (SDG3) and universal health coverage (UHC), improving access to continuous maternal and perinatal health care services (CMPHS) has been addressed as a critical strategy. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a widely applicable procedure to illuminate the current challenges in ensuring access to CMPHS for women of reproductive age. The findings are intended to inform targeted recommendations for prioritizing resource allocation and policy making in low-resource settings. METHODS: In accordance with the World Health Organization guidelines and existing literature, and taking into account the local context of CMPHS delivery to women of reproductive age in Mozambique, we first proposed the identification of CMPHS as the continuum of 3 independent service packages, namely antenatal care (ANC), institutional delivery (ID), and postnatal care (PNC). Then, we used the nearest-neighbor method (NNM) to assess spatial access to each of the 3 service packages. Lastly, we carried out an overlap analysis to identify 8 types of resource-shortage zones. RESULTS: The median shortest travel times for women of reproductive age to access ANC, ID, and PNC were 2.38 (IQR 1.38-3.89) hours, 3.69 (IQR 1.87-5.82) hours, and 4.16 (IQR 2.48-6.67) hours, respectively. Spatial barriers for women of reproductive age accessing ANC, ID, and PNC demonstrated large variations both among and within regions. Maputo City showed the shortest travel time and the best equity within the regions (0.46, IQR 0.26-0.69 hours; 0.74, IQR 0.47-1.04 hours; and 1.34, IQR 0.83-1.85 hours, respectively), while the provinces of Niassa (4.07, IQR 2.41-6.63 hours; 18.20, IQR 11.67-24.65 hours; and 7.69, IQR 4.74-13.05 hours, respectively) and Inhambane (2.69, IQR 1.49-3.91 hours; 4.43, IQR 2.37-7.16 hours; and 10.76, IQR 7.73-13.66 hours, respectively) lagged behind significantly in both aspects. In general, more than 51% of the women of reproductive age, residing in 83.25% of Mozambique's land area, were unable to access any service package of CMPHS in time (within 2 hours), while only about 21%, living in 2.69% of Mozambique's land area, including Maputo, could access timely CMPHS. CONCLUSIONS: The spatial accessibility and equity of CMPHS in Mozambique present significant challenges in achieving SDG3 and UHC, especially in the Inhambane and Niassa regions. For Inhambane, policy makers should prioritize the implementation of a decentralization allocation strategy to increase coverage and equity through upgrading existing health care facilities. For Niassa, the cultivation of well-trained midwives who can provide door-to-door ANC and PNC at home should be prioritized, with an emphasis on strengthening communities' engagement. The proposed 2-step procedure should be implemented in other low-resource settings to promote the achievement of SDG3.

Inequity in uptake of maternal health care services in developing countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Maternal health service uptake remains an important predictor of maternal outcomes including maternal mortality. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to summarize the available evidence on the uptake of maternal health care services in developing countries and to assess the impact of place of residence, education status, and wealth index on the uptake of these services. Methods: We examined the databases MEDLINE, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, and Scopus until June 14, 2022. Cross-sectional studies done between 2015 and 2022 were considered. Mothers of reproductive age and all states of health were included in the study. Independently, two authors determined the eligibility of studies, extracted data, evaluated the risk of bias, and ranked the evidence's degree of certainty. To combine the data, we performed a random-effects meta-analysis. The PROSPERO registration ID is CRD42022304094. Results: We included 51 studies. Mothers living in urban areas were three times more likely to receive antenatal care (OR 2.95; 95% CI 2.23 to 3.89; 15 studies; 340,390 participants) than rural mothers. Compared with no education, those with primary education were twice as likely to utilize antenatal care (OR 2.36; 95% CI 1.80 to 3.09; 9 studies; 154,398 participants) and those with secondary and higher education were six and fourteen times more likely to utilize antenatal care, respectively. Mothers in the second wealth index were twice as likely as mothers in the lowest wealth index to utilize antenatal care (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.36 to 1.91; 10 studies; 224,530 participants) and antenatal care utilization increased further among mothers in the higher wealth index. We observed similar relative inequalities in skilled delivery care and postnatal care utilization based on the pace of residence, education, and wealth index. Conclusion: In developing countries, the problem of inequity in utilizing maternal health care services persists and needs considerable attention.

Encuesta nacional para pediatras de Argentina: vacunación en la práctica diaria, percepción de conocimientos y barreras / National survey for pediatricians in Argentina: Vaccination in daily practice, perception of knowledge and barriers

Introducción. El descenso de las coberturas de vacunación fue muy significativo en la última década. Los pediatras son una pieza fundamental para recuperar coberturas y aumentar la confianza en la vacunación. Objetivos. Describir la percepción de los pediatras acerca del conocimiento y prácticas sobre vacunas, e identificar barreras en el acceso. Métodos. Estudio analítico observacional, mediante encuesta en línea. Se incluyeron variables del perfil del profesional, capacitación y barreras en inmunizaciones. Resultados. Participaron 1696 pediatras (tasa de respuesta: 10,7 %), media de 50,4 años. El 78,7 % fueron mujeres. El 78,2 % contaba con ≥10 años de ejercicio profesional. El 78,4 % realizaba atención ambulatoria y el 56,0 % en el subsector privado. El 72,5 % realizó una capacitación en los últimos 2 años. Se manifestaron "capacitados" para transmitir a sus pacientes los beneficios de las vacunas: 97,2 %; objetivos de campañas: 87,7 %; contraindicaciones: 82,4 %; efectos adversos: 78,9 %; recupero de esquemas: 71,2 %; notificación de ESAVI: 59,5 %. La proporción fue estadísticamente superior, en todos los aspectos, en pediatras con ≥10 años de ejercicio y en aquellos con capacitación reciente (p ≤ 0,01). Barreras identificadas en el acceso a la vacunación: falsas contraindicaciones (62,3 %); falta temporaria de vacunas (46,4 %); motivos culturales (41,4 %); horario restringido del vacunatorio (40,6 %). Conclusiones. La percepción del grado de capacitación fue variable según el aspecto de la vacunación. Aquellos con mayor tiempo de ejercicio profesional y con actualización reciente se manifestaron con mayor grado de capacidad. Se identificaron múltiples barreras frecuentes asociadas al acceso en la vacunación.

Introduction. The decline in vaccination coverage has been very significant in the past decade. Pediatriciansplay a key role in catching-up coverage and increasing confidence in vaccination. Objectives. To describe pediatricians' perceptions of vaccine knowledge and practices and to identify barriers to access. Methods. Observational, analytical study using an online survey. Variables related to professional profile, training and barriers to vaccination were included. Results. A total of 1696 pediatricians participated (response rate: 10.7%). Their mean age was 50.4 years; 78.7% were women; 78.2% had ≥ 10 years of experience; 78.4% provided outpatient care and 56.0%, in the private subsector; and 72.5% received training in the past 2 years. Respondents described themselves as "trained" in convey the following aspects to their patients: benefits of vaccines: 97.2%; campaign objectives: 87.7%; contraindications: 82.4%; adverse effects: 78.9%; catchup vaccination: 71.2%; reporting of events supposedly attributable to vaccination or immunization: 59.5%. The proportion was statistically higher in all aspects, among pediatricians with ≥ 10 years of experience and those who received training recently (p ≤ 0.01). The barriers identified in access to vaccination were false contraindications (62.3%), temporary vaccine shortage (46.4%), cultural reasons (41.4%), and restricted vaccination center hours (40.6%). Conclusions. The perception of the level of training varied depending on the vaccination-related aspect. Pediatricians with more years of professional experience and those who received recent updates perceivedthemselves as more trained. Multiple barriers associated with access to vaccination were identified.

Salud sin Fronteras: Identifying Determinants of Frequency of Healthcare Use among Mexican immigrants in Southern Arizona.

BACKGROUND: Guided by Andersen's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use (BMHSU), this study aimed to identify determinants of post-migration healthcare use among a sample of Mexican immigrants in a US-Mexico border region in Southern Arizona, while considering pre-migration health and healthcare experiences. METHODS: A non-probabilistic convenience sample of 300 adult Mexican immigrants completed a telephone survey to assess healthcare practices. Multivariable logistic regressions were fitted to determine adjusted relationships between frequency of care and predisposing, enabling, need, and contextual factors as well as personal health practices. RESULTS: Overall, participants had a 79% probability of receiving healthcare "at least once a year" after migrating to Southern Arizona. Receiving post-migration healthcare was associated with predisposing, enabling, need, contextual factors, and personal health practices (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: Consistent with BMHSU, our findings suggest that frequency of healthcare is not only a function of having post-migration health insurance but is also shaped by a complex array of other factors. The results of this study shed light onto potential areas to be leveraged by multifactorial sociocultural interventions to increase Mexican immigrants' frequency of healthcare services use.

Utilization of maternal health facilities and rural women's well-being: towards the attainment of sustainable development goals.

BACKGROUND: The sustenance of any household is tied to the well-being of the mother's health before, during, and after pregnancy. Maternal health care has continued a downward slope, increasing maternal mortality in rural communities in Nigeria. Presently, few empirical findings connect maternal healthcare facilities' use to mothers' well-being in Nigeria. Using maternal health facilities and the well-being of rural women is crucial in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, and 3 (No poverty, zero hunger, good health, and well-being). OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine the level of maternal healthcare utilization and its effect on mothers' well-being status among mothers in rural Nigeria. METHODS: In this study, secondary data extracted from the Nigeria's 2018 National Demographic Health Survey was used. Data was analyzed with Multiple correspondence analysis, Fuzzy set analysis, and Extended ordered logit model. RESULTS: Women in rural Nigeria were moderate users of maternal health care services and had moderate well-being indices (0.54 ± 0.2, 0.424 ± 0.2, respectively). Mothers' moderate well-being status was increased by using maternal health care facilities, having a larger household, and having mothers who worked exclusively in agriculture. CONCLUSION: We concluded that mothers in rural Nigeria use maternal healthcare facilities moderately, and their well-being level was improved using maternal healthcare facilities. Therefore, Nigeria's Ministry of Health should raise awareness about the vitality of mothers using health care services before, during, and after pregnancy. In order to promote greater female participation in full-scale agricultural production, it is imperative for the Nigerian government to allocate substantial resources in the form of subsidies and incentives. The Nigerian government should source these resources from various channels, including expanded development cooperation. Additionally, policymakers should focus on designing developmental programmes specifically tailored for rural households and the health sector.

Embracing the Future of Health Care: Investigating Medical Students' Willingness to Become Online Doctors.

Purpose: With the rapid advancement of technology, online health care services are becoming increasingly prominent. This study aims to investigate medical students' perceptions, attitudes, and readiness to adopt online health care services. Methods: Based on a literature review, this study constructed a conceptual model describing the relationships among medical students' perception, personality traits, and usage intention, grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model and Technology Readiness Index (TRI). The data for this study were collected from January to February 2023 through a questionnaire survey at Wenzhou Medical University, China. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling through AMOS software. Results: Out of the 340 respondents, 281 (82.6%) validly responded. Among these, 58.4% of medical students agreed and strongly agreed with the intention to become an online doctor. Within the TRI's motivational factors, optimism positively and significantly affected perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). Innovativeness also significantly enhanced PEOU. Among the inhibitory factors, insecurity was found to have a negative and statistically significant influence on PU. The rest of the dimensions did not have a significant effect on either PU or PEOU. Importantly, both PU and PEOU demonstrated a direct and substantial effect on usage intention. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the significance of comprehending medical students' readiness to adopt the role of online doctors in shaping the future of health care. By equipping medical students with the necessary skills and competencies, health care institutions can effectively leverage the full potential of online health care services while ensuring the provision of high-quality, accessible, and patient-centered care in the digital era.

Cost Analysis of Oral Phenazopyridine vs Intravesical Lidocaine for Preprocedural Analgesia for Intradetrusor OnabotulinumtoxinA Injections.

INTRODUCTION: Office administration of intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA is commonly used to treat overactive bladder. For preprocedure analgesia, either 50 mL 2% intravesical lidocaine instillation for 20 to 30 minutes or 200 mg oral phenazopyridine can be used. Phenazopyridine is associated with shorter appointment times and is noninferior to lidocaine for pain control in this setting. We performed a cost analysis of phenazopyridine vs lidocaine for analgesia before office intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injection for the treatment of idiopathic overactive bladder. METHODS: A health care sector-perspective cost analysis was performed. The following assumptions were made: (1) similar efficacy of each medication in providing adequate analgesia, (2) similar physician ease of performing the procedure with either analgesic, and (3) similar patient satisfaction with either analgesic. Average cost of medications, adverse reactions, nursing tasks, and office visit time were found in publicly available data. Sensitivity analyses were performed using TreeAge Pro 2021, R1 software. RESULTS: Phenazopyridine is less costly compared to lidocaine per visit for office intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injection ($827 vs $925). A difference of $98 per procedure provides a total annual cost savings of over $24 million if all procedures are performed with phenazopyridine instead of lidocaine. Sensitivity analysis showed that phenazopyridine remained less costly under most circumstances, and threshold analysis provided exact circumstances under which phenazopyridine is no longer cost saving. CONCLUSIONS: Phenazopyridine provides cost savings compared to lidocaine for analgesia before office intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injection for the treatment of idiopathic overactive bladder. If adopted by providers nationwide, phenazopyridine may reduce health care spending and minimize office visit time while maintaining patient pain control and satisfaction.

Service Quality and Related Factors in Primary Health Care Services: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Primary health care services aim to prevent diseases and improve health efficiently and effectively. This study measures perceived service quality in a primary healthcare organization and examines the effect of personality traits on service quality. The cross-sectional study population comprised individuals over the age of 18 who applied to the Bingöl Central Community Health Centre. A total of 460 participants were included in the study between November 2018 and March 2019. The participants completed a face-to-face questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics, the SERVQUAL Scale, and an abbreviated form of the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. This study is based on doctoral research in public health. The study found median values for personality trait sub-dimensions as follows: neuroticism: 2, psychoticism: 2.65, extraversion: 4, and lying: 5. The SERVQUAL Score was -0.02. The study revealed that the quality of primary health care services did not meet the participants' expectations. The study findings also indicated that age, educational attainment, and extraverted and psychotic personality traits were significantly associated with the satisfaction of service quality expectations (p < 0.05). It is recommended to provide primary health care services in facilities with good physical characteristics, with sufficient and competent health personnel, and in a timely and accurate manner to improve service quality.

The views of general practitioners in Morocco about health promotion at the primary health care services: Qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Health promotion (HP) is one of the key skills that every general practitioner (GP) should have, according to The World Organization of Family Doctors, but for several reasons, his practice remains insufficient. However, a gap would exist between the GPs' knowledge and their practices about HP. The aims of our study were to explore GPs' perceptions, knowledge, and practices in Morocco about HP and identify their barriers and needs to best practice HP actions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative case study was conducted among GPs, via semi-structured interviews following an interview guide. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select our sample. It contained four themes, perceptions, practices, barriers and needs, and proposals for improvement. The interviews were recorded and then transcribed. Thematic content data analysis was done manually. Favorable ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee. RESULTS: Fourteen GPs participated in this study. The sex ratio was at one. GPs' practices were focused on the biomedical model with wide confusion of HP with prevention and therapeutic education. Their roles in HP were considered paramount. The number of patients during consultations, structures' care, and knowledge were the main barriers. The main cited needs were material resources and HP training. CONCLUSION: Our study has made it possible to make an inventory of the practice of HP in Morocco. Participants' practices were based on the curative aspect. There is a crucial need to implement continuing and contextualized training for general practitioners to strengthen their skills in HP. This training will help to succeed in the health-promoting hospital's strategy.

Evaluating the Quality of Life of Beneficiaries After Providing Financial Aid by a Multi-specialty Tertiary Care Hospital.

Background Financial aid programs offered by multi-specialty tertiary care hospitals play a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to healthcare. This study investigates the effect of financial aid on the quality of life (QoL) of beneficiaries, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted relationship between healthcare support and overall well-being. Aim The study's objectives included assessing changes in pre- and post-aid QoL, identifying influencing factors, understanding beneficiary experiences, and evaluating the effectiveness of financial aid programs. Methods The study adopted quantitative assessments through QoL questionnaires developed based on the WHO BREF questionnaire and insights obtained through interviews. A representative sample of beneficiaries was selected, informed consent was obtained, and an institutional ethical certificate was also obtained. Results The findings overwhelmingly support the alternative hypothesis. The alternative hypothesis was that after receiving financial support, recipients' quality of life would increase. Quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant enhancement in the QoL of beneficiaries across physical, mental, and social well-being domains. The quality of life scores of patients before and after receiving the support was statistically tested using a paired t-test, and the quality of life score has improved significantly with a p-value of 4.156 × 10-28 (p value<0.001). The comparison of quality of life scores of the control group with the patient's group before getting the support was tested using an independent sample t-test and found to be non-significant (p=0.496), while a similar comparison between the control group and the patient's group after receiving the support was found to be statistically highly significant with a p-value of 8.721 × 10-28 (p-value<0.001). Conclusions This research demonstrates the substantial impact of financial aid on the QoL of beneficiaries in a multi-specialty tertiary care hospital setting. It underlines the importance of addressing economic barriers and providing patient-centered, holistic support. These insights have broader implications for healthcare policy and practice, promoting a more comprehensive approach to patient well-being.

Is patients' activities of daily living self-care score in Norwegian home care a proxy for workers standing at work?

BACKGROUND: Prolonged standing at work may contribute to increased risk of musculoskeletal pain in home care workers. Patients' activities of daily living (ADL) score may be a proxy for home care workers' standing time at work. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between patients' ADL self-care score, and workers standing time. METHODS: This cross-sectional study measured time spent standing, sitting and in physical activity for seven days using thigh-worn accelerometers, among 14 home care workers. Patients' ADL self-care scores are routinely adjusted by home care nurses, and time intervals of home care visits are stored in home care services electronic patient journal. We collected ADL self-care scores and start and end time points of visits, and categorized ADL self-care scores as low (ADL ≤ 2.0), medium (ADL > 2.0 to 3.0) or high (ADL > 3.0). Physical behavior data were transformed to isometric log-ratios and a mixed-effect model was used to investigate differences in physical behavior between the three ADL self-care score categories. RESULTS: We analyzed 931 patient visits and found that high ADL self-care scores were associated with longer standing times relative to sitting and physical activity, compared to low ADL score (0.457, p = 0.001). However, no significant differences in time spent standing were found between high and medium ADL patient visits (0.259, p = 0.260), nor medium and low (0.204, p = 0.288). High ADL score patients made up 33.4% of the total care time, despite only making up 7.8% of the number of patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that caring for patients with high ADL self-care score requires workers to stand for longer durations and that this group of patients constitute a significant proportion of home care workers' total work time. The findings of this study can inform interventions to improve musculoskeletal health among home care workers by appropriate planning of patient visits.

Utilization of Health Care Services and Accessibility Challenges among Adults Aged 50+ before and after Austerity Measures across 27 European Countries: Secular Trends in the SHARE Study from 2004/05 to 2019/20.

This study aimed to assess and compare the utilization of preventive and other health services and the cost or availability in different regions of Europe, before and during the economic crisis. The data used in the study were obtained from Wave 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2019/2020) and Wave 1 data (2004/5), with a sample size of 46,106 individuals aged ≥50 across 27 countries, adjusted to represent a population of N = 180,886,962. Composite scores were derived for preventive health services utilization (PHSU), health care services utilization (HCSU), and lack of accessibility/availability in health care services (LAAHCS). Southern countries had lower utilization of preventive services and higher utilization of other health services compared to northern countries, with a significant lack of convergence. Moreover, the utilization of preventive health services decreased, whereas the utilization of secondary care services increased during the austerity period. Southern European countries had a significantly higher prevalence of lack of accessibility. An increase in the frequency of lack of accessibility/availability in health care services was observed from 2004/5 to 2019/20. In conclusion, our findings suggest that health inequalities increase during crisis periods. Therefore, policy interventions could prioritize accessibility and expand health coverage and prevention services.

Co-design and usability of an interactive web-based fertility decision aid for transgender youth and young adults.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a patient- and family-centered Aid For Fertility-Related Medical Decisions (AFFRMED) interactive website targeted for transgender and nonbinary (TNB) youth/young adults and their parents to facilitate shared decision-making about fertility preservation interventions through user-centered participatory design. METHOD: TNB youth/young adults interested in or currently receiving pubertal suppression or gender-affirming hormone treatment and parents of eligible TNB youth/young adults were recruited to participate in a series of iterative human-centered co-design sessions to develop an initial AFFRMED prototype. Subsequently, TNB youth/young adults and parents of TNB youth/young adults were recruited for usability testing interviews, involving measures of usability (i.e., After Scenario Questionnaire, Net Promotor Score, System Usability Scale). RESULTS: Twenty-seven participants completed 18 iterative co-design sessions and provided feedback on 10 versions of AFFRMED (16 TNB youth/young adults and 11 parents). Nine TNB youth/young adults and six parents completed individual usability testing interviews. Overall, participants rated AFFRMED highly on measures of acceptability, appropriateness, usability, and satisfaction. However, scores varied by treatment cohort, with TNB youth interested in or currently receiving pubertal suppression treatment reporting the lowest usability scores. CONCLUSIONS: We co-created a youth- and family-centered fertility decision aid prototype that provides education and decision support in an online, interactive format. Future directions include testing the efficacy of the decision aid in improving fertility and fertility preservation knowledge, decisional self-efficacy, and decision satisfaction.

Exploring the Performance of ChatGPT-4 in the Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination: Preliminary Observational Study Highlighting the Potential of AI Chatbots in Hearing Care.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, such as ChatGPT-4, have shown immense potential for application across various aspects of medicine, including medical education, clinical practice, and research. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT-4 in the 2023 Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination, thereby preliminarily exploring the potential utility of AI chatbots in the fields of audiology and hearing care services. Methods: ChatGPT-4 was tasked to provide answers and reasoning for the 2023 Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination. The examination encompassed six subjects: (1) basic auditory science, (2) behavioral audiology, (3) electrophysiological audiology, (4) principles and practice of hearing devices, (5) health and rehabilitation of the auditory and balance systems, and (6) auditory and speech communication disorders (including professional ethics). Each subject included 50 multiple-choice questions, with the exception of behavioral audiology, which had 49 questions, amounting to a total of 299 questions. Results: The correct answer rates across the 6 subjects were as follows: 88% for basic auditory science, 63% for behavioral audiology, 58% for electrophysiological audiology, 72% for principles and practice of hearing devices, 80% for health and rehabilitation of the auditory and balance systems, and 86% for auditory and speech communication disorders (including professional ethics). The overall accuracy rate for the 299 questions was 75%, which surpasses the examination's passing criteria of an average 60% accuracy rate across all subjects. A comprehensive review of ChatGPT-4's responses indicated that incorrect answers were predominantly due to information errors. Conclusions: ChatGPT-4 demonstrated a robust performance in the Taiwan Audiologist Qualification Examination, showcasing effective logical reasoning skills. Our results suggest that with enhanced information accuracy, ChatGPT-4's performance could be further improved. This study indicates significant potential for the application of AI chatbots in audiology and hearing care services.

Action researchers as "orchestrators" of co-innovation: a theoretical and methodological framework.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing complexity of health care services, more comprehensive and integrated services need to be designed. Action researchers are encouraged to facilitate multiactor participation and user-centered approaches to initiate service development. However, "orchestrating" co-innovation, in which actors have diverse attitudes, agendas, positions of power, and horizons of understanding, is challenging, and a framework that supports action researchers in co-innovation studies lack. The purpose of this article was to explore how action researchers can facilitate multiactor engagement and handle possible challenges and stimulate creativity among diverse stakeholders. METHODS: We have studied and discussed two Scandinavian cases of rehabilitation innovation (for cancer patients and persons with acquired brain injury) where two research teams with action research approaches have acted in an orchestrating role to create co-innovation. RESULTS: We identified four themes that are essential for action researchers to facilitate collaborative and creative co-innovation processes: (1) relational power reflexibility, (2) resource integration, (3) joint understanding, and (4) the facilitation of creativity. These mutually dependent themes constitute a theoretical and methodological framework for of co-innovation. CONCLUSIONS: This paper offers a contribution that supports action researchers in orchestrating diverse actors and their contributions in co-innovation processes.

A longitudinal cohort study on the use of health and care services by older adults living at home with/without dementia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: the HUNT study.

BACKGROUND: Older adults and people with dementia were anticipated to be particularly unable to use health and care services during the lockdown period following the COVID-19 pandemic. To better prepare for future pandemics, we aimed to investigate whether the use of health and care services changed during the pandemic and whether those at older ages and/or dementia experienced a higher degree of change than that observed by their counterparts. METHODS: Data from the Norwegian Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT4 70 + , 2017-2019) were linked to two national health registries that have individual-level data on the use of primary and specialist health and care services. A multilevel mixed-effects linear regression model was used to calculate changes in the use of services from 18 months before the lockdown, (12 March 2020) to 18 months after the lockdown. RESULTS: The study sample included 10,607 participants, 54% were women and 11% had dementia. The mean age was 76 years (SD: 5.7, range: 68-102 years). A decrease in primary health and care service use, except for contact with general practitioners (GPs), was observed during the lockdown period for people with dementia (p < 0.001) and those aged ≥ 80 years without dementia (p = 0.006), compared to the 6-month period before the lockdown. The use of specialist health services decreased during the lockdown period for all groups (p ≤ 0.011), except for those aged < 80 years with dementia. Service use reached levels comparable to pre-pandemic data within one year after the lockdown. CONCLUSION: Older adults experienced an immediate reduction in the use of health and care services, other than GP contacts, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Within primary care services, people with dementia demonstrated a more pronounced reduction than that observed in people without dementia; otherwise, the variations related to age and dementia status were small. Both groups returned to services levels similar to those during the pre-pandemic period within one year after the lockdown. The increase in GP contacts may indicate a need to reallocate resources to primary health services during future pandemics. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, with the identification number NCT04792086.

Patient Satisfaction With the Health Care Services of a Government-Financed Health Protection Scheme in Bangladesh: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Since 2016, the government of Bangladesh has been piloting a health protection scheme known as Shasthyo Surokhsha Karmasuchi (SSK), which specifically targets households living below the poverty line. This noncontributory scheme provides enrolled households access to inpatient health care services for 78 disease groups. Understanding patients' experiences with health care utilization from the pilot SSK scheme is important for enhancing the quality of health care service delivery during the national-level scale-up of the scheme. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate patient satisfaction with the health care services provided under the pilot health protection scheme in Bangladesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with the users of the SSK scheme from August to November 2019. Patients who had spent a minimum of 2 nights at health care facilities were selected for face-to-face exit interviews. During these interviews, we collected information on patients' socioeconomic characteristics, care-seeking experiences, and level of satisfaction with various aspects of health care service delivery. To measure satisfaction, we employed a 5-point Likert scale (very satisfied, 5; satisfied, 4; neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, 3; dissatisfied, 2; very dissatisfied, 1). Descriptive statistics, statistical inferential tests (t-test and 1-way ANOVA), and linear regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: We found that 55.1% (241/438) of users were either very satisfied or satisfied with the health care services of the SSK scheme. The most satisfactory indicators were related to privacy maintained during diagnostic tests (mean 3.91, SD 0.64), physicians' behaviors (mean 3.86, SD 0.77), services provided at the registration booth (mean 3.86, SD 0.62), confidentiality maintained regarding diseases (mean 3.78, SD 0.72), and nurses' behaviors (mean 3.60, SD 0.83). Poor satisfaction was identified in the interaction of patients with providers about illness-related information (mean 2.14, SD 1.40), availability of drinking water (mean 1.46, SD 0.76), cleanliness of toilets (mean 2.85, SD 1.04), and cleanliness of the waiting room (mean 2.92, SD 1.09). Patient satisfaction significantly decreased by 0.20 points for registration times of 16-30 minutes and by 0.32 points for registration times of >30 minutes compared with registration times of ≤15 minutes. Similarly, patient satisfaction significantly decreased with an increase in the waiting time to obtain services. However, the satisfaction of users significantly increased if they received a complete course of medicines and all prescribed diagnostic services. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the users were satisfied with the services provided under the SSK scheme. However, there is scope for improving user satisfaction. To improve the satisfaction level, the SSK scheme implementation authorities should pay attention to reducing the registration time and waiting time to obtain services and improving the availability of drugs and prescribed diagnostic services. The authorities should also ensure the supply of drinking water and enhance the cleanliness of the facility.