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Background: Eye care health promotion interventions aim to encourage the adoption of healthy behaviours that impact eye health and vision impairment, as well as increase the use of eye care services. Thus, this study aims to explore and describe the perceptions of eye care coordinators on the implementation of eye care health promotion interventions in rural Limpopo Province. Methods: This exploratory, descriptive qualitative study employed individual in-depth interviews to collect data from 10 district eye health coordinators. Participants were purposely sampled between June and July 2024. Data were analysed thematically using NVivo version 12. Results: The study revealed seven key themes: human resources in eye health, resource management, policy and governance, eye care services, innovation in eye health, community and patient engagement, and coordination and referral systems. Conclusions: In summary, our study offers important insights into the challenges and opportunities in implementing eye care health promotion interventions. A recommendation is made to address identified challenges such as workforce shortages, inadequate infrastructure, fragmented policies and outdated technologies. Policymakers and eye health professionals can work towards achieving the goals of universal health coverage (UHC) in eye health, ultimately improving eye health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As in other health professions, there is a shortage of skilled labour in the field of occupational therapy in Switzerland. To plan and implement effective measures to counter this shortage, empirical data on the size and structure of the Swiss occupational therapy workforce are needed.

Abstract Background People prefer to age in place and not move into a nursing home as long as possible. The prevention of cognitive and functional impairments is feasible to support this goal. Health services play a key role in providing support for underlying medical conditions. We examined differentials in nursing home admissions between patient sharing networks in Germany and whether potential variations can be attributed to indicators of health care provision. Methods We conducted an ecological study using data of patients of 65 years and above from all 11 AOK statutory health insurance companies in Germany. Nursing home admissions were observed in a cohort of persons becoming initially care-dependent in 2006 (n = 118,213) with a follow-up of up to 10 years. A patient sharing network was constructed and indicators for quality of health care were calculated based on data of up to 6.6 million patients per year. Community detection was applied to gain distinct patient populations. Analyses were conducted descriptively and through regression analyses to identify the variation explained by included quality indicators. Results The difference in the proportion of nursing home admissions between identified clusters shows an interquartile range (IQR) of 12.6% and the average time between onset of care-dependency and admission to a nursing home an IQR of 10,4 quarters. Included quality indicators attributed for 40% of these variations for the proportion of nursing home admissions and 49% for the time until nursing home admission, respectively. Indicators of process quality showed the single highest contribution. Effects of single indicators were inconclusive. Conclusions Health services can support persons in their preference to age in place. Research and discussion on adequate health care for care-dependent persons and on conditions, where nursing home admission may be beneficial, is necessary.

Diversity in the lines of public institutions, such as hospitals, schools, and police forces, is thought to improve provision for minority group members. Nonetheless, whether and how diversity in public institutions shapes majority citizens' prejudice toward minorities are unclear. Building on insights from the intergroup contact literature, I suggest that diversity in public institutions can facilitate positive intergroup contact between majority group members and minorities in elevated social positions. Such unique interactions, which exceed the equal status condition for effective intergroup contact, can serve to reduce prejudice and facilitate more inclusive attitudes among majority group members. To test this expectation, I focus on health care provision--a leading sector with regard to minority representation. Leveraging a natural experiment unfolding in 21 Israeli medical clinics where Jewish patients are haphazardly assigned to receive care from Jewish or Arab doctors and embedding prejudice-related questions in a routine evaluation survey, I demonstrate that brief contact with an Arab doctor reduces prejudice. Specifically, contact with an Arab doctor reduces Jewish patients' exclusionary preferences toward Arabs by one-sixth of an SD and increases Jewish patients' optimism about peace by a 10th of an SD. The modest magnitude of these effects is similar to the impact of well-powered interventions recently reviewed in a meta-analysis of prejudice reduction experiments. These findings emphasize how the demographic makeup of public institutions can reduce mass prejudice, even in a context of intractable conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People prefer to age in place and not move into a nursing home as long as possible. The prevention of cognitive and functional impairments is feasible to support this goal. Health services play a key role in providing support for underlying medical conditions. We examined differentials in nursing home admissions between patient sharing networks in Germany and whether potential variations can be attributed to indicators of health care provision.Methods: We conducted an ecological study using data of patients of 65 years and above from all 11 AOK statutory health insurance companies in Germany. Nursing home admissions were observed in a cohort of persons becoming initially care-dependent in 2006 (n = 118,213) with a follow-up of up to 10 years. A patient sharing network was constructed and indicators for quality of health care were calculated based on data of up to 6.6 million patients per year. Community detection was applied to gain distinct patient populations. Analyses were conducted descriptively and through regression analyses to identify the variation explained by included quality indicators.Results: The difference in the proportion of nursing home admissions between identified clusters shows an interquartile range (IQR) of 12.6% and the average time between onset of care-dependency and admission to a nursing home an IQR of 10,4 quarters. Included quality indicators attributed for 40% of these variations for the proportion of nursing home admissions and 49% for the time until nursing home admission, respectively. Indicators of process quality showed the single highest contribution. Effects of single indicators were inconclusive.Conclusions: Health services can support persons in their preference to age in place. Research and discussion on adequate health care for care-dependent persons and on conditions, where nursing home admission may be beneficial, is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Migratory processes can affect women's access and use of contraceptive methods. Objective: To describe the use of contraceptive methods by pregnant Venezuelan migrants in two cities on the north coast of Colombia (Barranquilla and Riohacha), between 2018 and 2019. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was designed. Participants were selected through systematic sampling in hospitals and snowball sampling in the community. A standardized questionnaire allowed the sociodemographic, migration, contraceptive use and other variables to be collected. Results: 552 pregnant, mainly young, women from Venezuela who are married or living with their partner were surveyed. The minority of pregnancies were planned (37.7%), even though the women knew about contraception methods. The condom and the pill were the most well-known methods (94.7 and 96.1%, respectively). Conclusion: Nearly all of the women knew about birth control and where it can be accessed. However, only half managed to get them the last time they looked for them, meaning that most of the pregnancies were unplanned. Guaranteed sexual and reproductive rights, including satisfactory family planning requirements, must be a priority in actions aimed at the migrant population, within the framework of the Colombian- Venezuelan migratory phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Waitlist times for adolescents to be seen for initial assessment for gender-affirming hormone therapy in Manitoba, Canada are often 2 years. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of waitlisted youth and to assess the impact of social work contact for accessing relevant resources., Methods: A qualitative, semi-structured interview study was conducted. Youth aged 14 to 17 years on the provincial transgender clinic waitlist for 12 to 24 months for gender-affirming hormone therapy assessment and their caregivers were recruited. Eight youth and nine caregivers were interviewed. Separate interviews were conducted for youth and their caregivers. All interviews were virtual, recorded, and transcribed prior to thematic analysis., Results: Three themes and eight subthemes were identified. Youth (n = 8) and caregivers (n = 9) described barriers to supported transition in the following three themes: (1) 'In a Black Hole': Describing the lack of communication, relevant resources, and mental health supports, (2) 'Structural Transphobia': A summary term outlining the attitudinal, technological, physical, and architectural barriers faced by the participants, and (3) 'Manitoba: An Information Desert': describing the systemic barriers faced including lack of knowledgeable providers and reliable information within the province., Conclusions: Although delays in gender-affirming therapy were noted, youth socially transitioned and accessed existing resources. However, mental health concerns persisted, and participants felt frustrated and unsupported during their extensive wait times. Improved experiences may be achieved by additional communication from the clinic, hands-on assistance with accessing relevant resources, and an improved online presence., Competing Interests: Jennifer Bhatla, Kristin James, Kaylen Lamb, and Chrystal Neault-Lount have no conflict of interests to disclose. Dr. Protudjer is Section Head, Allied Health and Co-Lead, Research Pillar, Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and is on the steering committee for Canada’s National Food Allergy Action Plan. She reports consulting for Novartis, Nutricia, ALK Abelló, and Cambrooke Ajinomoto. Dr. Reitmeier received travel and accomodation for the 2022 Clarion Expert Summit. Dr. Cooney and Dr. Wicklow have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Canadian Paediatric Society. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to serious challenges and emphasized the importance of using technology for health care operational transformation. Consequently, the need for technological innovations has increased, thus empowering patients with chronic conditions to tighten their adherence to medical prescriptions., Objective: This study aimed to develop a model for a mobile health (mHealth) self-monitoring system for patients with diabetes in rural communities within resource-limited countries. The developed model could be based on the implementation of a system for the self-monitoring of patients with diabetes to increase medical adherence., Methods: This study followed a quantitative approach, in which data were collected from health care providers using a questionnaire with close-ended questions. Data were collected from district hospitals in 3 South African provinces that were selected based on the prevalence rates of diabetes and the number of patients with diabetes treated. The collected data were analyzed using smart partial least squares to validate the model and test the suggested hypotheses., Results: Using variance-based structural equation modeling that leverages smart partial least squares, the analysis indicated that environmental factors significantly influence all the independent constructs that inform patients' change of behavior toward the use of mHealth for self-monitoring of medication adherence. Technology characteristics such as effort expectancy, self-efficacy, and performance expectancy were equally significant; hence, their hypotheses were accepted. In contrast, the contributions of culture and social aspects were found to be insignificant, and their hypotheses were rejected. In addition, an analysis was conducted to determine the interaction effects of the moderating variables on the independent constructs. The results indicated that with the exception of cultural and social influences, there were significant interacting effects on other independent constructs influencing mHealth use for self-monitoring., Conclusions: On the basis of the findings of this study, we conclude that behavioral changes are essential for the self-monitoring of chronic diseases. Therefore, it is important to enhance those effects that stimulate the behavior to change toward the use of mHealth for self-monitoring. Motivational aspects were also found to be highly significant as they triggered changes in behavior. The developed model can be used to extend the research on the self-monitoring of patients with chronic conditions. Moreover, the model will be used as a basic architecture for the implementation of fully fledged systems for self-monitoring of patients with diabetes., (©Mmamolefe Kgasi, Bester Chimbo, Lovemore Motsi. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 23.10.2023.)

Asclepius and Hippocrates focused medical practice on the natural approach and treatment of diseases, highlighting the importance of understanding the patient's health, independence of mind, and the need for harmony between the individual, social and natural environment, as reflected in the Hippocratic Oath. The aim of this study was to present the philosophy of care provision in ancient Greece and to highlight the influence of the Hippocratic ideal in modern health care practices. A literature review was carried out using browser methods in international databases. According to the literature, "healthy mind in a healthy body" was the main component of the Hippocratic philosophy. Three main categories were observed in the Hippocratic provision of care: health promotion, interventions on trauma care, and mental care and art therapy interventions. Health promotion included physical activity as an essential part of physical and mental health, and emphasized the importance of nutrition to improve performance in the Olympic Games. Interventions on trauma care included surgical practices developed by Hippocrates, mainly due to the frequent wars in ancient Greece. Mental care and art therapy interventions were in accordance with the first classification of mental disorders, which was proposed by Hippocrates. In this category music and drama were used as management tools in the treatment of illness and in the improvement of human behavior. The role of Asclepieion of Kos was highlighted which clearly indicates a holistic health care model in care provision. Finally, all practices regarded detailed recordings and evaluation of information within the guidelines. The Hippocratic philosophy on health care provision focused on the holistic health care model, applying standards and ethical rules that are still valid today.

Background: In the context of the digital transformation of all areas of society, health care providers are also under pressure to change. New technologies and a change in patients' self-perception and health awareness require rethinking the provision of health care services. New technologies and the extensive use of data can change provision processes, optimize them, or replace them with new services. The inpatient sector, which accounts for a particularly large share of health care spending, plays a major role in this regard., Objective: This study examined the influences of current trends in digitization on inpatient service delivery., Methods: We conducted a scoping review. This was applied to identify the international trends in digital transformation as they relate to hospitals. Future trends were considered from different perspectives. Using the defined inclusion criteria, international peer-reviewed articles published between 2016 and 2021 were selected. The extracted core trends were then contextualized for the German hospital sector with 12 experts., Results: We included 44 articles in the literature analysis. From these, 8 core trends could be deduced. A heuristic impact model of the trends was derived from the data obtained and the experts' assessments. This model provides a development corridor for the interaction of the trends with regard to technological intensity and supply quality. Trend accelerators and barriers were identified., Conclusions: The impact analysis showed the dependencies of a successful digital transformation in the hospital sector. Although data interoperability is of particular importance for technological intensity, the changed self-image of patients was shown to be decisive with regard to the quality of care. We show that hospitals must find their role in new digitally driven ecosystems, adapt their business models to customer expectations, and use up-to-date information and communications technologies., (©Philipp Koebe, Sabine Bohnet-Joschko. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 21.04.2023.)

Aim: The second Diabetes, Attitudes, Wishes and Needs (DAWN2™) multinational cross-sectional study was aimed at generating insights to facilitate innovative efforts by people with diabetes (PWD), family members (FMs), and health care professionals (HCPs) to improve self-management and psychosocial support in diabetes. Here, the French data from the DAWN2™ study are described. Methods: In France, 500 PWD (80 with type 1 diabetes [T1] and 420 with type 2 diabetes [T2]), 120 FMs, and 288 HCPs were recruited. The questionnaires assessed the impact of diabetes on quality of life and mood, self-management, attitudes/beliefs, and care/support. Results: Diabetes negatively impacted the emotional well-being of 59% of people with T1 versus 45% of people with T2 (P<0.05) and about half of FMs. A high level of distress was felt by about half of PWD and FMs. About half of HCPs reported assessing depression in their patients. Sixty-two percent of FMs considered managing diabetes to be a burden. Hypoglycemia was a source of concern for 64% of people with T1 and 73% of FMs of insulin users. About two-thirds of non-insulin-medicated people with T2 agreed to start insulin if prescribed, while half of HCPs preferred to delay insulin initiation. A discrepancy between HCPs' perceptions of their interactions with their patients and PWD's recollection of these interactions with regard to patients' personal needs and distress was also observed. Conclusion: While distress remains under-assessed by HCPs, the negative impact of diabetes on the lives of PWD and FMs clearly induces distress on both groups. These findings provide new understanding of barriers precluding optimal management of diabetes. Developing strategies to overcome these barriers is now warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine conditions that may explain the failure to attend the programmed prenatal control appointments (CPN), and assessing whether eliminating the access barriers improves the health conditions of pregnant women. Methodology: We performed a mixed design prospective cohort study in several stages. Results: The main access barrier that caused failures to attend was difficulties to pay for transportation. By giving transportation subsidies, the failures to attend to the appointments were reduced by 87%. The health determinants associated with a higher probability of having perinatal complications were: low socio-economic status, distance from their residence to the attention site, and a high score in the bio-psychosocial risk scale. Additionally, factors like tertiary education and economic support in charge of the man head of the household were associated with a decrease in the risk of maternal-fetal complications. Conclusions: the economic, socio-cultural and geographical barriers ignored by the Colombian health system affect access to the CPN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asclepius and Hippocrates focused medical practice on the natural approach and treatment of diseases, highlighting the importance of understanding the patient's health, independence of mind, and the need for harmony between the individual, social and natural environment, as reflected in the Hippocratic Oath. The aim of this study was to present the philosophy of care provision in ancient Greece and to highlight the influence of the Hippocratic ideal in modern health care practices. A literature review was carried out using browser methods in international databases. According to the literature, "healthy mind in a healthy body" was the main component of the Hippocratic philosophy. Three main categories were observed in the Hippocratic provision of care: health promotion, interventions on trauma care, and mental care and art therapy interventions. Health promotion included physical activity as an essential part of physical and mental health, and emphasized the importance of nutrition to improve performance in the Olympic Games. Interventions on trauma care included surgical practices developed by Hippocrates, mainly due to the frequent wars in ancient Greece. Mental care and art therapy interventions were in accordance with the first classification of mental disorders, which was proposed by Hippocrates. In this category music and drama were used as management tools in the treatment of illness and in the improvement of human behavior. The role of Asclepieion of Kos was highlighted which clearly indicates a holistic health care model in care provision. Finally, all practices regarded detailed recordings and evaluation of information within the guidelines. The Hippocratic philosophy on health care provision focused on the holistic health care model, applying standards and ethical rules that are still valid today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reforms that have reshaped the public health care systems have often been coupled with devolution. However, this process has frequently been accompanied by widespread soft budget constraint policies. In this paper we argue that the soft budget constraint arises from a cooperative game between local authorities that force Central Government to bail them out. Our theoretical model is tested using data for Italian regions for the period 2002-2006 and our hypothesis is verified. Although the model uses Italy as a benchmark, we believe that the framework we propose could be extended to other federal contexts where resources are distributed unevenly and preferences are asymmetric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: In January 1999, a new institutional structure for Poland's health care system was laid out, instigated by the dramatic change in both the political and economic system. Following the dissolution of state socialism, private financing of health care services was encouraged to fill an important role in meeting rising consumer demand and to encourage a more efficient use of resources through competition and private initiative. However, from the outset of the intended transformations, systemic limitations to the privatization process hindered progression, resulting in varying rates of privatization amongst the distinct health care sectors. The aim of this paper is to describe the privatization process and to analyze its pace and differences in strategic approach in all major health care sectors. Methods: Policy analysis of legislation, government directives, and published national and international scientific literature on Polish health reforms between 1999 and 2012 was conducted. Results: The analysis demonstrates a clear disparity in privatization rates in different sectors. The pharmaceutical industry is fully privatized in 2012, and the ambulatory and dental sectors both systematically increased their private market shares to around 70% of all services provided. However, despite a steady increase in the number of private hospitals in Poland since 1999, their overall role in the health care system is comparatively limited. Conclusions: Unclear legal regulations have resulted in a gray area between public and private health care, where informal payments impede the intended function of the system. If left unchanged, official health care in Poland is likely to become an increasingly residual service for the worst-off population segments that are unable to afford the legal private sector or the informal payments which guarantee a higher quality service in the public sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT The concept of solidarity has achieved relatively little attention from philosophers, in spite of its signal importance in a variety of social movements over the past 150 years. This means that there is a certain amount of preliminary philosophical work concerning the concept itself that must be undertaken before one can ask about its potential use in arguments concerning the provision of health care. In this paper, I begin with this work through a survey of some of the most prominent bioethical, political philosophical and intellectual historical literature concerned with the project of determining a philosophically specific and historically perspicacious meaning of the term 'solidarity'. This provides a conceptual foundation for a sketch of a four-tiered picture of social competition and cooperation within the nation-state. Corresponding to this picture is a four-tiered account of health care provision. These two models, taken together, provide a framework for articulating the conclusion that, while there are myriad examples of solidarity in claiming health care for some, or even many, the concept does not provide a basis for claiming health care for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study aimed to describe health care provision, resource consumption and related costs, as well as treatment patterns and quality of life in adult patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in Germany. Data for this retrospective and prospective cost-of-illness-study were derived from hospitals, general practitioners and patients. Costs were evaluated from the perspective of third party payer and patient. Quality of life data were collected by using three validated instruments. A total of 167 patients were enrolled at 10 hospitals. Time period from first occurrence of symptoms to confirmed diagnosis of PAH was 2.3 years on average. Mean number of GP visits was 1.5 per patient per month, and within 15 months, inpatient stays were reported for 50% of patients. The ratio of combination therapy to single-drug therapy for endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase-5-inhibitor and prostacyclin analogues increased significantly during 15 months. Treatment costs were, on average, €47,400 per patient per year, arising mainly from drugs. Compared to the general population, quality of life of PAH patients was considerably impaired. This is the first study which evaluated aspects of the medical and economic consequences of PAH based on a large cohort of PAH patients in Germany. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Objectives: To examine gender differences along the care pathway to total hip replacement. Methods: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of 26,046 individuals aged 35 years and over in Avon and Somerset. Participants completed a questionnaire asking about care provision at five milestones on the pathway to total hip replacement. Those reporting hip disease were invited to a clinical examination. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence intervals (CI)] for provision of care to women compared with men. Results: 3169 people reported hip pain, 2018 were invited for clinical examination, and 1405 attended (69.6%). After adjustment for age and disease severity, women were less likely than men to have consulted their general practitioner (OR 0.78, 95%-CI 0.61–1.00), as likely as men to have received drug therapy for hip pain in the previous year (OR 0.96, 95%-CI 0.74–1.24), but less likely to have been referred to specialist care (OR 0.53, 95%-CI 0.40–0.70), to have consulted an orthopaedic surgeon (OR 0.50, 95%-CI 0.32–0.78), or to be on a waiting list for total hip replacement (OR 0.41, 95%-CI 0.20–0.87). Differences remained in the 746 people who had sought care from their general practitioner, and after adjustment for willingness and fitness for surgery. Conclusions: There are gender inequalities in provision of care for hip disease in England, which are not fully accounted for by gender differences in care seeking and treatment preferences. Differences in referral to specialist care by general practitioners might unwittingly contribute to this inequity. Accurate information about availability, benefits and risks of hip replacement for providers and patients, and continuing education to ensure that clinicians interpret and correct patients'' assumptions could help reduce inequalities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Access to medical technology differs across Europe. Differences in funding and reimbursement systems create barriers for the adoption of new and innovative medical technology. It is obvious that a joint effort between representatives from the industry and the profession has great potential to emphasise inequitable discrepancies and thereby improve the availability of accepted innovations in cardiovascular medicine. It is equally obvious that future efforts to overcome such restrictions to availability must be directed at the individual country level. The involvement of the profession, perhaps best accomplished by activation of National Cardiac Societies, will be mandatory for success. Collaboration with the industry is then a likely key factor for success. Presently there seems to be a great lack of knowledge and interest for this important aspect of a well functioning health care system and the responsibility to improve it remains with the professional societies. They need to allocate time and resources for this purpose, educate their members and lobby within their countries with the ambition to create better, more uniform and transparent procedures, and to become natural partners in the funding and reimbursement processes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract Background In 2002, the World Health Organization published a health system performance ranking for 191 member countries. The ranking was based on five indicators, with fixed weights common to all countries. Methods We investigate the feasibility and desirability of using mathematical programming techniques that allow weights to vary across countries to reflect their varying circumstances and objectives. Results By global distributional measures, scores and ranks are found to be not very sensitive to changes in weights, although differences can be large for individual countries. Conclusions Building the flexibility of variable weights into calculation of the performance index is a useful way to respond to the debates and criticisms appearing since publication of the ranking.

Abstract In the debate on 'Third options' for health care delivery in low- and middle-income countries it is proposed that self-help should play a larger role. Self-help is expected to contribute towards improving population health outcomes and reducing government health care expenditure. We review scope and limitations of self-help groups in Europe and South Asia and assess their potential role in health care within the context of health sector reform. Self-help groups are voluntary unions of peers, formed for mutual assistance in accomplishing a health-related purpose. In Europe, self-help groups developed out of dissatisfaction with a de-personalised health care system. They successfully complement existing social and health services but cannot be instrumentalized to improve health outcomes while reducing health expenditure. In South Asia, with its hierarchical society, instrumental approaches towards self-help prevail in Non-governmental Organizations and government. The utility of this approach is limited as self-help groups are unlikely to be sustainable and effective when steered from outside. Self-help groups are typical for individualistic societies with developed health care systems – they are less suitable for hierarchical societies with unmet demand for regulated health care. We conclude that self-help groups can help to achieve some degree of synergy between health care providers and users but cannot be prescribed to partially replace government health services in low-income countries, thereby reducing health care expenditure and ensuring equity in health care.