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We explored student and industry supervisors' experiences of virtual work-integrated learning (vWIL) health promotion placements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a descriptive phenomenological qualitative methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight students and eight supervisors of undergraduate health promotion–related placements at community, not-for-profit and government organizations. We asked participants about the aspects of their placement they found most enjoyable and challenging, their preparation, workload, and thoughts on placement structure. We audio-recorded and had the interviews transcribed. Our thematic analyses revealed four key themes: (1) the impact of COVID-19 on work and study, (2) benefits of vWIL (real-world application and career clarification, transcending barriers and saving time, and feeling less intimidated), (3) challenges of vWIL (experiencing workplace culture, providing support and guidance to students, and relationship building), and (4) recommendations on the evolution of vWIL (increased preparation and consider a hybrid model). Our findings suggest that vWIL is a viable and sound mode of delivery for health promotion–related placements, particularly in situations that inhibit face-to-face learning. It has the capacity to enhance the work-readiness of health promotion graduates while adding flexibility to professional preparation workplace-based training programs, providing opportunity for capacity building locally across rural and remote areas, as well as globally. Future research should examine the effectiveness, practicality, and feasibility of implementing placements across different models including face-to-face, virtual and hybrid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Professional development is essential in the health disciplines. Knowing the cost and value of educational approaches informs decisions and choices about learning and teaching practices. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to conduct a cost analysis of participation in continuing professional development via social media compared with live conference attendance. Methods: Clinicians interested in musculoskeletal care were invited to participate in the study activities. Quantitative data were obtained from an anonymous electronic questionnaire. Results: Of the 272 individuals invited to contribute data to this study, 150 clinicians predominantly from Australia, United States, United Kingdom, India, and Malaysia completed the outcome measures. Half of the respondents (78/150, 52.0%) believed that they would learn more with the live conference format. The median perceived participation costs for the live conference format was Aus $1596 (interquartile range, IQR 172.50-2852.00). The perceived cost of participation for equivalent content delivered via social media was Aus $15 (IQR 0.00-58.50). The majority of the clinicians (114/146, 78.1%, missing data n=4) indicated that they would pay for a subscription-based service, delivered by social media, to the median value of Aus $59.50. Conclusions: Social media platforms are evolving into an acceptable and financially sustainable medium for the continued professional development of health professionals. When factoring in the reduced costs of participation and the reduced loss of employable hours from the perspective of the health service, professional development via social media has unique strengths that challenge the traditional live conference delivery format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors comment on a study by B. Holmström and colleagues on prostate specific antigen (PSA) for predicting a subsequent prostate cancer diagnosis by record linkage to the regional cancer registry. They assert that clinicians need to initiate an informed discussion with patients, with the help of appropriate patient materials to ensure that patients understand the implications in the absence of conclusive evidence to inform PSA testing. The implication of the limitations of the PSA test, as shown in the study, is also noted.

Background: Blended learning describes a combination of teaching methods, often utilizing digital technologies. Research suggests that learner outcomes can be improved through some blended learning formats. However, the cost-effectiveness of delivering blended learning is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on a study by J. Hugossonh & others regarding the effectiveness of screening for prostate cancer, published in a 2014 issue of the journal "Lancet." He mentions that according to the study over-diagnosis occurs in majority of cases detected by screening, which in turn leads to high risk of overtreatment. Also he discusses making of an informed decision by at-risk men on the merits of screening for prostate cancer as per their needs and situation.

Background: Establishing and promoting connections between health researchers and health professional clinicians may help translate research evidence to clinical practice. Social media may have the capacity to enhance these connections. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore health researchers' and clinicians' current use of social media and their beliefs and attitudes towards the use of social media for communicating research evidence. Methods: This study used a mixed-methods approach to obtain qualitative and quantitative data. Participation was open to health researchers and clinicians. Data regarding demographic details, current use of social media, and beliefs and attitudes towards the use of social media for professional purposes were obtained through an anonymous Web-based survey. The survey was distributed via email to research centers, educational and clinical institutions, and health professional associations in Australia, India, and Malaysia. Consenting participants were stratified by country and role and selected at random for semistructured telephone interviews to explore themes arising from the survey. Results: A total of 856 participants completed the questionnaire with 125 participants declining to participate, resulting in a response rate of 87.3%. 69 interviews were conducted with participants from Australia, India, and Malaysia. Social media was used for recreation by 89.2% (749/840) of participants and for professional purposes by 80.0% (682/852) of participants. Significant associations were found between frequency of professional social media use and age, gender, country of residence, and graduate status. Over a quarter (26.9%, 229/852) of participants used social media for obtaining research evidence, and 15.0% (128/852) of participants used social media for disseminating research evidence. Most participants (95.9%, 810/845) felt there was a role for social media in disseminating or obtaining research evidence. Over half of the participants (449/842, 53.3%) felt they had a need for training in the use of social media for professional development. A key barrier to the professional use of social media was concerns regarding trustworthiness of information. Conclusions: A large majority of health researchers and clinicians use social media in recreational and professional contexts. Social media is less frequently used for communication of research evidence. Training in the use of social media for professional development and methods to improve the trustworthiness of information obtained via social media may enhance the utility of social media for communicating research evidence. Future studies should investigate the efficacy of social media in translating research evidence to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) is associated with poor prognosis. While it is often regarded as a rare pathology, the prevalence of IDC-P remains unclear, with variable reports from small and disparate patient populations. To determine how common IDC-P is across the spectrum of prostate cancer, we conducted a systematic review correlating IDC-P prevalence with prostate cancer risk. Electronic searches of the OVID Medline, PubMed, and Scopus literature databases identified 38 patient cohorts in 24 articles, which were divided between four prostate cancer risk categories (low, moderate, high, and recurrent or metastatic disease). This review, which included radical prostatectomy and prostate biopsy specimens from >7000 patients, revealed an unexpectedly high rate of IDC-P. The IDC-P prevalence increased from 2.1% in low-risk patient cohorts to 23.1%, 36.7%, and 56.0% in moderate-risk, high-risk, and metastatic or recurrent disease risk categories, respectively ( p < 0.0001). IDC-P was also highly prevalent in tumours following androgen deprivation therapy or chemotherapy (60%). Contrary to common perceptions, this study demonstrates a strong association between IDC-P prevalence and aggressive prostate cancer, with a significantly higher frequency in high-risk disease. Greater recognition and systematic reporting of IDC-P may improve patient risk stratification. Patient summary Prostate cancer can grow within ducts of the prostate, as well as in prostate tissue. By reviewing all reports describing prostate cancer growing within ducts, we found that it occurs more commonly than many scientists and clinicians appreciate, especially in aggressive prostate cancers. We conclude that there should be more awareness of this pattern of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimation of cost and value in health professions education should involve robust methodologies and decision tools. These methods and tools should be applied consistently and transparently, but more importantly, employed in the appropriate context depending on the availability of data, target estimates and stakeholder focus. Best practice methodology and application of decision tools will allow for a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the return on investment of health profession education interventions by shedding greater light on the full opportunity cost of providing programs and the value of such programs to learners and recipients of health care services more broadly. This article provides insight into the basic methods, decision tools and key evaluation concepts that might be considered for the purpose of undertaking cost and value research in continuing education for health professionals. These methods and decision tools are based on consolidated discussions by the organizing delegates of the inaugural Symposium of the Society for Cost and Value of Health Professions Education, held in Prato, Italy, October 2015. In summary, the application of economic methods and tools used for analyzing health professions education is currently inconsistent. This article provides an overview and recommendations on the use of certain economic methods and tools when evaluating health profession education programs. It also provides a clear understanding of key evaluation concepts important for undertaking an economic review of a program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CONTEXT Failure by students in health professional clinical education intertwines the health and education sectors, with actions in one having potential downstream effects on the other. It is unknown what economic costs are associated with failure, how these costs are distributed, and the impacts these have on students, clinicians and workplace productivity. An understanding of cost drivers and cost boundaries will enable evidence-based targeting of strategic investments into clinical education, including where they should be made and by whom. OBJECTIVES This study was designed to determine the additional economic costs associated with failure by students in health professional clinical education. METHODS A cost analysis study involving cost identification, measurement, valuation and the calculation of total cost was conducted. Costs were considered from the perspective of the student, the education institution, the clinical educator, the health service placement provider organisation and the government. Data were based on a 5-week clinical education programme at Monash University,Australia. Data were collected using quantitative surveys and interviews conducted with health professional students, clinical educators and education institute staff. Reference group representation was also sought at various education institution and health service organisation levels. A transferable model with sensitivity analysis was developed. RESULTS There is a total additional cost of US $9371 per student failing in clinical education from the perspective of all stakeholders considered. Students bear the majority of this burden, incurring 49% of costs, followed by the government (22%), the education institution (18%), the health service organisation (10%) and the clinical educator (1%). CONCLUSIONS Strong economic links for multiple stakeholders as a result of failure by students in clinical education have been identified. The cost burden is skewed in the direction of students. Any generalisation of these results should be made with consideration for the unique clinical education context in which each health professional education programme operates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Web-based digital repositories allow educational resources to be accessed efficiently and conveniently from diverse geographic locations, hold a variety of resource formats, enable interactive learning, and facilitate targeted access for the user. Unlike some other learning management systems (LMS), resources can be retrieved through search engines and meta-tagged labels, and content can be streamed, which is particularly useful for multimedia resources. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine usage and user experiences of an online learning repository (Physeek) in a population of physiotherapy students. The secondary aim of this project was to examine how students prefer to access resources and which resources they find most helpful. Methods: The following data were examined using an audit of the repository server: (1) number of online resources accessed per day in 2010, (2) number of each type of resource accessed, (3) number of resources accessed during business hours (9 am to 5 pm) and outside business hours (years 1-4), (4) session length of each log-on (years 1-4), and (5) video quality (bit rate) of each video accessed. An online questionnaire and 3 focus groups assessed student feedback and self-reported experiences of Physeek. Results: Students preferred the support provided by Physeek to other sources of educational material primarily because of its efficiency. Peak usage commonly occurred at times of increased academic need (ie, examination times). Students perceived online repositories as a potential tool to support lifelong learning and health care delivery. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that today's health professional students welcome the benefits of online learning resources because of their convenience and usability. This represents a transition away from traditional learning styles and toward technological learning support and may indicate a growing link between social immersions in Internet-based connections and learning styles. The true potential for Web-based resources to support student learning is as yet unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the innovation in professional knowledge transfer from academic poster to MediaPoster. It notes that academic posters are designed to give a visual representation of an issue and its success as an educational tool lies in its design. It cites that MediaPoster combines information technology with a traditional poster appearance but incorporates a full interactive potential.

Adolescence is a vulnerable period for the onset of mental disorders and risk behaviours. Based on the Health-Promoting Schools Framework, whole-school interventions offer a promising strategy in this developmentally-sensitive cohort, through championing a systems-based approach to promotion and prevention that involves the key stakeholders in an adolescent’s life. The evidence-base surrounding the effectiveness of whole-school interventions, however, remains inconclusive, partly due to the insufficient number of studies in previous meta-analyses. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis was thus conducted on the effectiveness of whole-school interventions promoting mental health and preventing risk behaviours in adolescence. From 12,897 search results, 28 studies reported in 58 publications were included. Study characteristics and implementation assessments were synthesized across studies, and quality appraisals and meta-analyses performed. Analyses identified a significant reduction in the odds of cyber-bullying by 25%, regular smoking by 31% and cyber-aggression by 37% in intervention participants compared to the control. Whole-school interventions thus offer substantial population health benefits through the reduction of these highly-prevalent issues affecting adolescents. The non-significant findings pertaining to the remaining eleven outcomes, including alcohol use, recreational drug use, anxiety, depression and positive mental health, are likely attributable to suboptimal translation of the Health-Promoting Schools Framework into practice and inadequate sensitivity to adolescents’ local developmental needs. Given the ongoing challenges faced in the implementation and evaluation of these complex interventions, this study recommends that future evaluations assess the implementation of health-promoting activities in both intervention and control conditions and actively use this implementation data in the interpretation of evaluation findings.Preregistration: A pre-registered PROSPERO protocol (ID: CRD42023491619) informed this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue is among the fastest-spreading vector-borne infectious disease, with outbreaks often overwhelm the health system and result in huge morbidity and mortality in its endemic populations in the absence of an efficient warning system. A large number of prediction models are currently in use globally. As such, this study aimed to systematically review the published literature that used quantitative models to predict dengue outbreaks and provide insights about the current practices. A systematic search was undertaken, using the Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science databases for published citations, without time or geographical restrictions. Study selection, data extraction and management process were devised in accordance with the 'Checklist for Critical Appraisal and Data Extraction for Systematic Reviews of Prediction Modelling Studies' ('CHARMS') framework. A total of 99 models were included in the review from 64 studies. Most models sourced climate (94.7%) and climate change (77.8%) data from agency reports and only 59.6% of the models adjusted for reporting time lag. All included models used climate predictors; 70.7% of them were built with only climate factors. Climate factors were used in combination with climate change factors (10.3%), both climate change and demographic factors (10.3%), vector factors (5.1%), and demographic factors (5.1%). Machine learning techniques were used for 39.4% of the models. Of these, random forest (15.4%), neural networks (23.1%) and ensemble models (10.3%) were notable. Among the statistical (60.6%) models, linear regression (18.3%), Poisson regression (18.3%), generalized additive models (16.7%) and time series/autoregressive models (26.7%) were notable. Around 20.2% of the models reported no validation at all and only 5.2% reported external validation. The reporting of methodology and model performance measures were inadequate in many of the existing prediction models. This review collates plausible predictors and methodological approaches, which will contribute to robust modelling in diverse settings and populations. Author summary: Dengue is considered as a major public health challenge and a life-threatening disease affecting people worldwide. Over the past decades, numerous forecast models have been developed to predict dengue incidence using various factors based on different geographical locations. Dengue transmission appears to be highly sensitive to climate variability and change, however quantitative models used to assess the relationship between climate change and dengue often differ due to their distribution assumptions, the nature of the relationship and the spatial and/or temporal dynamics of the response. We performed a systematic review to examine current literature surrounding existing quantitative models based on development methodology, predictor variable used and model performance. Our analysis demonstrates several shortcomings in current modelling practice, and advocates for the use of real time primary predictor data, the incorporation of non-climatic parameters as predictors and more comprehensive reporting of model development techniques and validation. This review collates methodological approaches adopted in the modelling practices in the field across current literature. This will provide an evidence-based framework for upgrading future modelling practice to develop more accurate predictive models with robust techniques. In turn, this also provided an opportunity for the effective distribution of limited public health resources to prepare for demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of the literature to understand the variation in the reporting of neuroendocrine staining and determine the influence of reporting neuroendocrine staining at diagnosis on patient outcomes. Methods: Medical databases were searched to identify studies in which adenocarcinoma specimens were stained with any of the following four neuroendocrine markers: chromogranin A (CgA), neuron‐specific enolase (NSE), synaptophysin and CD56. The prevalence of neuroendocrine staining and correlation of the prevalence of neuroendocrine staining to patient outcomes were analysed using a random‐effects model. All statistical tests were two‐sided. Results: Sixty‐two studies spanning 7616 patients were analysed. The pooled prevalence for the most common marker, CgA (41%), was similar to that of NSE (39%) and higher than that of synaptophysin (31%). The prevalence of CgA staining was significantly influenced by reporting criteria, where objective thresholds reduced the variation in prevalence to 26%. No correlation was found between CgA prevalence and tumour grade. Patients positive for CgA staining using objective criteria had more rapid biochemical progression (hazard ratio [HR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49 to 2.65) and poorer prostate cancer‐specific survival (HR 7.03, 95% CI 2.55 to 19.39) compared to negative patients, even among those with low‐risk cancers. Conclusion: Discrepancies in the reported prevalence of neuroendocrine cells in adenocarcinoma are driven by the inconsistent scoring criteria. This study unequivocally demonstrates that when neuroendocrine cell staining is assessed with objective criteria it identifies patients with poor clinical outcomes. Future studies are needed to determine the exact quantifiable thresholds for use in reporting neuroendocrine cell staining to identify patients at higher risk of progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global online education sector has been rising rapidly, particularly during and after the events of 2020, and is becoming mainstream much sooner than expected. Despite this, research studies report higher levels of perceived isolation, difficulties with engagement, and higher attrition rates in online compared to equivalent on-campus programs. Reasons include restrictions to the type of institutional support accessible by online students, and the lack of comprehensiveness of orientation resources. This paper describes the collaborative efforts by a cross-faculty academic team, supported by a community of practice, to create a university-wide online orientation resource—the Monash Online Learning Hub (MOLH). The development of the MOLH involved multiple phases, including an analysis of current practice, resource design and content creation, formative evaluation by staff and students, and successful integration into the university's mainstream student orientation platform for widescale implementation. The methods adopted were varied, and involved generating both qualitative and quantitative data across multiple phases of development from online education experts at the University, that culminated in the gradual building and refinement of the MOLH. Final outcomes, implications and lessons learned are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes Distress (DD)—an emotional or affective state arise from challenge of living with diabetes and the burden of self-care—negatively impact diabetes management and quality of life of T2DM patients. Early detection and management of DD is key to efficient T2DM management. The study aimed at developing a valid and reliable instrument for Bangladeshi patients as unavailability such a tool posing challenge in diabetes care. Linguistically adapted, widely used, 17-item Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS), developed through forward–backward translation from English to Bengali, was administered on 1184 T2DM patients, from four diabetes hospitals in Bangladesh. Psychometric assessment of the instrument included, construct validity using principal component factor analysis, internal consistency using Cronbach's α and discriminative validity through independent t-test and test–retest reliability using intraclass-correlation coefficient (ICC) and Kappa statistics. Factor analysis extracted 4 components similar to original DDS domains, confirms the construct validity. The scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.838), stability (test–retest ICC = 0.941) and good agreement across repeated measurements (Kappa = 0.584). Discriminative validity revealed that patients with complication (p < 0.001) and those are on insulin (p < 0.001) had significantly higher distress scores in all domains. Bengali version of DDS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing distress among Bangladeshi T2DM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing demand for accountability, transparency, and efficiency in health professions education is expected to drive increased demand for, and use of, cost and value analyses. In this AMEE Guide, we introduce key concepts, methods, and literature that will enable novices in economics to conduct simple cost and value analyses, hold informed discussions with economic specialists, and undertake further learning on more advanced economic topics. The practical structure for conducting analyses provided in this guide will enable researchers to produce robust results that are meaningful and useful for improving educational practice. Key steps include defining the economic research question, identifying an appropriate economic study design, carefully identifying cost ingredients, quantifying, and pricing the ingredients consumed, and conducting sensitivity analyses to explore uncertainties in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic scoping review explores how Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) is conceptualised and investigated in peer-reviewed empirical studies within higher education. Our results indicate that PCK research in higher education is disparate and varies across countries, disciplines, and focus areas. Although most articles specified the theoretical frameworks in their PCK conceptualisations, significant variations exist regarding included PCK components and interpretations, making comparisons across studies challenging. While most PCK frameworks originated in science disciplines within school education, this review suggests that their general theoretical contributions to PCK have led to their widespread adoption across various disciplines in higher education. • PCK studies in higher education have seen an upsurge in recent years. • PCK research in higher education is diverse and varies by countries, disciplines, and focuses. • Significant disparities in PCK components and their interpretations were evident in the studies. • Studies are needed that focus on the design of PD programs for PCK development of higher education teachers. • Studies on how teachers enact and develop their PCK in interaction with students are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The design of selection methods must balance, amongst a range of factors, the desire to select the best possible future doctors with the reality of our resource‐constrained environment. Examining the cost of selection processes enables us to identify areas in which efficiencies may be gained. Methods: A cost description study was conducted based on selection for 2018 entry into medical school directly from secondary school. The perspectives of applicants, volunteer interviewers and the admitting institution were considered. Costs were modelled based on the Monash University (Australia) selection process, which uses a combination of secondary school matriculation score, aptitude test score (Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test) and multiple mini‐interview score. A variety of data sources were utilised, including bespoke surveys, audit data and existing literature. All costs are expressed in 2018 Australian dollars (AU$). Applicant behaviours in preparing for selection tests were also evaluated. Results: A total of 381 of 383 applicants returned the survey. Over 70% of applicants had utilised commercial preparation materials. The median total cost to applicants was AU$2586 (interquartile range [IQR] AU$1574‐3999), including costs to both prepare for and attend selection tests. Of 217 volunteer interviewers, 108 returned the survey. These were primarily health professional clinicians at a mid‐career stage. The median total cost to interviewers was AU$452 (IQR AU$252‐715) for participation in a half‐day interview session, largely due to the loss of income. The cost to the admitting institution was AU$269 per applicant, accounted for by the costs of equipment and consumables (52%), personnel (34%) and facilities (14%). Conclusions: The costs of student selection for medical school are substantial. Understanding costs facilitates achievement of the objective of selecting the desired future medical workforce within the constraints of the resources available. Opportunities for change may arise from changes in applicant preparation behaviours, opportunities for economies of scale, and efficiencies driven by technological solutions. What does it take to get into medical school? Money for one thing. The authors demonstrate that, in Australia, students spend AU$2, 586 on preparation, attendance. The universities to which they apply spend AU$269 per applicant, money that is likely to be recouped if selection can avoid student attrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: High‐quality research into education costs can inform better decision making. Improvements to cost research can be guided by information about the research questions, methods and reporting of studies evaluating costs in health professions education (HPE). Our objective was to appraise the overall state of the field and evaluate temporal trends in the methods and reporting quality of cost evaluations in HPE research. Methods: We searched the MEDLINE, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), EMBASE, Business Source Complete and ERIC (Education Resources Information Centre) databases on 31 July 2017. To evaluate trends over time, we sampled research reports at 5‐year intervals (2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016). All original research studies in HPE that reported a cost outcome were included. The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) and the BMJ economic checklist were used to appraise methodological and reporting quality, respectively. Trends in quality over time were analysed. Results: A total of 78 studies were included, of which 16 were published in 2001, 15 in 2006, 20 in 2011 and 27 in 2016. The region most commonly represented was the USA (n = 43). The profession most commonly referred to was that of the physician (n = 46). The mean ± standard deviation (SD) MERSQI score was 10.9 ± 2.6 out of 18, with no significant change over time (p = 0.55). The mean ± SD BMJ score was 13.5 ± 7.1 out of 35, with no significant change over time (p = 0.39). A total of 49 (63%) studies stated a cost‐related research question, 23 (29%) stated the type of cost evaluation used, and 31 (40%) described the method of estimating resource quantities and unit costs. A total of 16 studies compared two or more interventions and reported both cost and learning outcomes. Conclusions: The absolute number of cost evaluations in HPE is increasing. However, there are shortcomings in the quality of methodology and reporting, and these are not improving over time. Cost may be most influential yet least studied determinant of practice in health professional education. In this systematic review, Foo et al. explore the state of the literature regarding formal use of cost‐evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-efficacy is an individual’s perception of their ability to be successful in a given endeavour and it has been shown to have an important role in successful university education and clinical performance of healthcare workers. This article examines the self-efficacy beliefs of undergraduate healthcare students (n = 388) for the skills required for interprofessional education and interprofessional collaboration. The students were enrolled at an Australian university from the disciplines of public health, social work, and paramedic practice. The Self-Efficacy for Interprofessional Experiential Learning (SEIEL) scale, which is a valid and reliable scale, was used to determine the self-reported perceptions of self-efficacy in this cohort. The 16-item scale was developed for use with medicine and other healthcare professional undergraduate students. Studentt-tests were used to compare scores between males and females, with one-way ANOVAs used to explore SEIEL scores across disciplines and year level. A significant difference was found between genders for the scores on SEIEL subscale 2 “Interprofessional evaluation and feedback” (p = 0.01) with the male mean being 2.65 units higher (Cohen’sd = 0.29). There was also a significant gender difference for the overall SEIEL scale (p = 0.029) with the male mean being 4.1 units higher (Cohen’sd = 0.238). No significant gender differences were demonstrated for the subscale “Interprofessional interaction.” Neither subscale demonstrated significant differences between healthcare disciplines or course year. Further investigation is required to explore the reasons for the outcomes of this study. With the increasing importance of interprofessional education and practice within healthcare, it would also appear reasonable to consider further research into the development and support of student self-efficacy for the skills required for interprofessional education and interprofessional collaboration within healthcare curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Prostate cancer screening using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is highly controversial. In this Q & A, Guest Editors for BMC Medicine's 'Spotlight on Prostate Cancer' article collection, Sigrid Carlsson and Andrew Vickers, invite some of the world's key opinion leaders to discuss who, and when, to screen for prostate cancer. In response to the points of view from the invited experts, the Guest Editors summarize the experts' views and give their own personal opinions on PSA screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of various irrigation solutions on root canal dentine and gutta-percha surface properties. In addition, the effects of disinfectant chemicals on the wettability and surface morphological properties of the filling materials were evaluated. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), citric acid, and ozone were employed as irrigation solutions for dentine and gutta-percha treatment. Thereafter, the samples’ microstructure, degree of mineralization, and mechanical properties were assessed by means of quantitative backscattered electron imaging (qBEI) and reference point indentation (RPI). A contact angle analyzer was used to measure adhesion on the tested materials. Here, EDTA had the most significant affect on both the mechanical properties and the adhesive behavior of dentine. Citric acid did not affect dentine wettability, whereas the indentation properties and the mineralization were reduced. Similar effects were observed when ozone was used. The dentinal tubules were significantly widened in citric acid compared to the ozone group. EDTA causes considerable micromechanical surface alteration of dentine and gutta-percha, but represents the best option in clinical cases where a high adhesiveness of the filling materials is desired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Prostate cancer is a common malignancy in men and the worldwide burden of this disease is rising. Lifestyle modifications such as smoking cessation, exercise, and weight control offer opportunities to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Early detection of prostate cancer by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening is controversial, but changes in the PSA threshold, frequency of screening, and the use of other biomarkers have the potential to minimise the overdiagnosis associated with PSA screening. Several new biomarkers for individuals with raised PSA concentrations or those diagnosed with prostate cancer are likely to identify individuals who can be spared aggressive treatment. Several pharmacological agents such as 5α-reductase inhibitors and aspirin could prevent development of prostate cancer. In this Review, we discuss the present evidence and research questions regarding prevention, early detection of prostate cancer, and management of men either at high risk of prostate cancer or diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: Egg consumption in adults has been linked with a modestly increased risk of all-cause and CVD mortality. However, evidence on adults aged 65 y+ is limited. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between egg intake and mortality in community-dwelling older adults., Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 8756 adults aged 70+ years, participants in the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) Longitudinal Study of Older Persons, self-reported the frequency of their total egg intake: never/infrequently (rarely/never, 1-2 times/month), weekly (1-6 times/week), and daily (daily/several times per day). All-cause and cause-specific (cardiovascular disease [CVD] and cancer) mortality was established from at least two sources: medical records, death notices, next of kin, or death registry linkage. The association between egg intake and mortality was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, adjusted for socio-demographic, health-related, and clinical factors and overall dietary quality., Results: Over the median 5.9-year follow-up period, a total of 1034 all-cause deaths (11.8%) were documented. A 29% lower risk of CVD mortality (HR (95% CI): 0.71 [0.54-0.92]) and a 17% (HR (95% CI): 0.83 [0.71-0.96]) lower risk of all-cause mortality were observed among those who consumed eggs weekly, compared to those who consumed eggs never/infrequently; no statistically significant association was observed for weekly consumption and cancer mortality. In contrast, compared to those that never or infrequently consumed eggs, daily consumption had slightly higher odds of mortality, though these results did not reach statistical significance., Conclusions: The consumption of eggs 1-6 times per week was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality in community-dwelling adults aged 70 years and over. These findings may be important to inform the development of evidence-based guidelines for egg consumption.

Research on how pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)-informed faculty development initiatives can support PCK development among health professions educators is limited. Given the positive impact of PCK on enhancing professional knowledge for effective teaching, this study investigates the learning process of health professions educators in developing their PCK through a faculty development initiative, supported by the Content Representation (CoRe) tool. Using a qualitative approach, grounded in social constructionism, the study engaged eight educators from diverse health disciplines at an Australian university. Participants collaborated in developing and refining PCK-infused lesson plans using the CoRe tool. Several workshops, writing sessions, feedback sharing, and an online community of practice facilitated PCK-related discussion, resource sharing, and networking. Data collection comprised two rounds of individual interviews, written reflections, and lesson planning artefacts. Data were analysed using team-based thematic framework analysis. Four themes were identified: 1) articulating teaching purposes, (2) understanding students' learning needs, (3) promoting reflection on teaching practice, and (4) challenges in adapting and implementing the CoRe tool. The findings highlight the critical role of faculty development programs and advocate for the use of the CoRe tool for articulating and scaffolding PCK for both experienced and novice educators. The collaborative environment facilitated peer feedback and knowledge sharing, thus fostering a collective understanding of PCK and affirming its relevance within the broader health professions education community., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: There is increasing use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in intensive care, where nurses provide the majority of the required ongoing care of cannulas, circuit, and console. Limited evidence currently exists that details nursing perspectives, experiences, and challenges with workload in the provision of ECMO care., Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate intensive care nurses' perceptions of workload in providing specialist ECMO therapy and care in a high-volume ECMO centre., Methods: The study used a qualitative descriptive methodology through semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach following Braun and Clarke's iterative process. This study was conducted in an intensive care unit within an Australian public, quaternary, university-affiliated hospital, which provides specialist state-wide service for ECMO., Findings: Thirty ECMO-specialist trained intensive care nurses were interviewed. This study identified three key themes: (i) opportunity; (ii) knowledge and responsibilities; and (iii) systems and structures impacting on intensive care nurses' workload in providing ECMO supportive therapy., Conclusions: Intensive care nurses require advanced clinical and critical thinking skills. Intensive care nurses are motivated and engaged to learn and acquire ECMO skills and competency as part of their ongoing professional development. Providing bedside ECMO management requires constant monitoring and surveillance from nurses to care for the one of the most critically unwell patient populations in the intensive care unit setting. As such, ECMO nursing services require a suitably trained and educated workforce of intensive care trained nurses. ECMO services provide clinical development opportunities for nurses, increase their scope of practice, and create advanced practice-specialist roles., (Copyright © 2023 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this systematic review was to examine the association of nursing workload on patient outcomes in intensive care units. The primary outcome measure was patient mortality, with adverse events (AE), the secondary outcome measures. Electronic search of databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane, EMCARE, Scopus, and Web of Science were performed. Studies were excluded if they were in non-ICU settings, pediatric, neonatal populations, or if the abstract/full text was unavailable. Risk of bias was assessed by the ROBINS-I tool. After screening 4129 articles, 32 studies were identified as meeting inclusion criteria. The majority of included studies were assessed as having a moderate risk of bias. The nursing activities score (NAS) was the most frequently used tool to assess nursing workload. Our systematic review identified that higher nursing workload was associated with patient-focused outcomes, including increased mortality and AE in the intensive care setting. The varied approaches of measuring and reporting nursing workload make it difficult to translate the findings of the impact of nursing workload on patient outcomes in intensive care settings., (© 2023 The Authors. Nursing & Health Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Introduction/background: Course evaluation in health education is a common practice yet few comprehensive evaluations of health education exist that measure the impact and outcomes these programs have on developing health graduate capabilities., Aim/objectives: To explore how curricula contribute to health graduate capabilities and what factors contribute to the development of these capabilities., Methods: Using contribution analysis evaluation, a six-step iterative process, key stakeholders in the six selected courses were engaged in an iterative theory-driven evaluation. The researchers collectively developed a postulated theory-of-change. Then evidence from existing relevant documents were extracted using documentary analysis. Collated findings were presented to academic staff, industry representatives and graduates, where additional data was sought through focus group discussions - one for each discipline. The focus group data were used to validate the theory-of-change. Data analysis was conducted iteratively, refining the theory of change from one course to the next., Results: The complexity in teaching and learning, contributed by human, organizational and curriculum factors was highlighted. Advances in knowledge, skills, attitudes and graduate capabilities are non-linear and integrated into curriculum. Work integrated learning significantly contributes to knowledge consolidation and forming professional identities for health professional courses. Workplace culture and educators' passion impact on the quality of teaching and learning yet are rarely considered as evidence of impact., Discussion: Capturing the episodic and contextual learning moments is important to describe success and for reflection for improvement. Evidence of impact of elements of courses on future graduate capabilities was limited with the focus of evaluation data on satisfaction., Conclusion: Contribution analysis has been a useful evaluation method to explore the complexity of the factors in learning and teaching that influence graduate capabilities in health-related courses., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Choi, Sarkar, Bonham, Brock, Brooks, Diug, Ilic, Kumar, Lau, Lindley, Morphet, Simmons, Volders, White, Wright and Palermo.)

Objectives: To systematically review the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on the academic performance of undergraduate medicine, nursing and allied health students., Methods: Randomised controlled trials that examined the effects of MBIs in medicine, nursing and allied health students on academic performance were eligible for inclusion. Electronic database searches were conducted across Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL Plus), PsycINFO and ERIC databases. Two authors independently reviewed citations, extracted data and assessed the quality of evidence using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. A descriptive analysis of included studies and a meta-analysis using a random-effects model of standardised mean difference were performed., Results: A total of 267 studies were returned from the search, of which 2 met the inclusion criteria. The overall risk of bias was assessed as unclear risk of bias for one study and high risk of bias for second included study. A meta-analysis of MBIs on student academic performance as measured by marks in written examination indicated no statistical difference between interventions (Standardised Mean Difference (SMD)=0.43, 95% CI -1.77 to 2.62, I 2 =96%)., Discussion: Our systematic review highlights a lack of evidence to either support, or refute, the use of mindfulness interventions on the academic performance of undergraduate medical students. We encourage that future randomised controlled trials pay heed to the dosing of mindfulness and include a measurement of mindfulness to enable us to draw a clearer causal relationship., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Critically ill patients in the intensive care environment require an appropriate nursing workforce to improve quality of care and patient outcomes. However, limited information exists as to the relationship between severity of illness and nursing skill mix in the intensive care., Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the variation in nursing skill mix across different hospital types and to determine if this was associated with severity of illness of critically ill patients admitted to adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Australia and New Zealand., Design & Setting: A retrospective cohort study using the Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Adult Patient Database (to provide information on patient demographics, severity of illness, and outcome) and the Critical Care Resources Registry (to provide information on annual nursing staffing levels and hospital type) from July 2014 to June 2020. Four hospital types (metropolitan, private, rural/regional, and tertiary) and three patient groups (elective surgical, emergency surgical, and medical) were examined., Main Outcome Measure: The main outcome measure was the proportion of critical care specialist registered nurses (RNs) expressed as a percentage of the full-time equivalent (FTE) of total RNs working within each ICU each year, as reported annually to the Critical Care Resources Registry., Results: Data were examined for 184 ICUs in Australia and New Zealand. During the 6-year study period, 770 747 patients were admitted to these ICUs. Across Australia and New Zealand, the median percentage of registered nursing FTE with a critical care qualification for each ICU (n = 184) was 59.1% (interquartile range [IQR] = 48.9-71.6). The percentage FTE of critical care specialist RNs was highest in private [63.7% (IQR = 52.6-78.2)] and tertiary ICUs [58.1% (IQR = 51.2-70.2)], followed by metropolitan ICUs [56.0% (IQR = 44.5-68.9)] with the lowest in rural/regional hospitals [55.9% (IQR = 44.9-70.0)]. In ICUs with higher percentage FTE of critical care specialist RNs, patients had higher severity of illness, most notably in tertiary and private ICUs. This relationship was persistent across all hospital types when examining subgroups of emergency surgical and medical patients and in multivariable analysis after adjusting for the type of hospital and relative percentage of each diagnostic group., Conclusions: In Australian and New Zealand ICUs, the highest acuity patients are cared for by nursing teams with the highest percentage FTE of critical care specialist RNs. The Australian and New Zealand healthcare system has a critical care nursing workforce which scales to meet the acuity of ICU patients across Australia and New Zealand., (Copyright © 2022 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasing in the management of critical care patients. ECMO service delivery requires an organisation-supported approach to ensure appropriate resources to deliver training, equipment, capacity, staffing, and the required model of care for quality care delivery. The aim of this nested substudy was to explore challenges specific to nursing staff in ECMO services in Australian intensive care units., Methods: This was a nested substudy within a qualitative study using semistructured focus group discussions conducted with 83 health professionals, which included 40 nurses. There were 14 focus groups across 14 ECMO centres participating in the binational ECMO (EXCEL) registry of Australia and New Zealand. An inductive thematic analysis focused on the nurse's experiences of the barriers and facilitators for nursing in providing an ECMO service., Results: Four themes emerged relating to the nurse's experience of implementing ECMO services: workforce requirements, workload demands, models of care, and level of experience. The complexity and intensity of caring for ECMO patients may need to be considered an additional factor in the burnout in critical care nurses. Current nursing ratios and responsibilities in critical care need to be considered, with the opportunity for the development of specialist advanced practitioner nursing roles., Conclusion: This study highlights the challenges for nursing in providing ECMO services in the intensive care setting. The complexity and intensity of ECMO is challenging and leads to concerns regarding burnout and workforce preparedness. New models of care need to be considered to mitigate the barriers for nursing identified across ECMO centres., (Copyright © 2021 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

One of the main challenges in the current pandemic is the detection of coronavirus. Conventional techniques (PT-PCR) have their limitations such as long response time and limited accessibility. On the other hand, X-ray machines are widely available and they are already digitized in the health systems. Thus, their usage is faster and more available. Therefore, in this research, we evaluate how well deep CNNs do when it comes to classifying normal versus pathological chest X-rays. Compared to the previous research, we trained our network on the largest number of images, 103,468 in total, including 5 classes such as COPD signs, COVID, normal, others and Pneumonia. We achieved COVID accuracy of 97% and overall accuracy of 81%. Additionally, we achieved classification accuracy of 84% for categorization into normal (78%) and abnormal (88%)., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2022.)

Background: To identify the effectiveness of different teaching modalities on student evidence-based practice (EBP) competency., Methods: Electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Cochrane central register of controlled trials, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, A + Education and AEI through to November 2021. We included randomised-controlled trials comparing EBP teaching modes on EBP knowledge, skills, attitudes or behaviour in undergraduate and post-graduate health professions education. Risk of bias was determined using the Cochrane risk of bias tool., Results: Twenty-one studies were included in the review. Overall, no single teaching modality was identified as being superior to others at significantly increasing learner competency in EBP. Changes in learner knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour were conflicting, with studies either reporting no change, or a moderate increase in EBP behavioural outcomes when directly compared to another intervention., Conclusion: Current evidence highlights the lack of a single teaching modality that is superior than others regarding learner competency in EBP, regardless of health professions discipline or graduate status. The poor quality, heterogeneity of interventions and outcome measures limited conclusions. Further research should focus on the development of high-quality studies and use of psychometrically validated tools to further explore the impact of different EBP teaching modalities., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Stringent public health measures have been shown to influence the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within school environments. We investigated the potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a primary school setting with and without public health measures, using fine-grained physical positioning traces captured before the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Approximately 172.63 million position data from 98 students and six teachers from an open-plan primary school were used to predict a potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in primary school settings. We first estimated the daily average number of contacts of students and teachers with an infected individual during the incubation period. We then used the Reed-Frost model to estimate the probability of transmission per contact for the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron variant (B.1.1.529). Finally, we built a binomial distribution model to estimate the probability of onward transmission in schools with and without public health measures, including face masks and physical distancing., Results: An infectious student would have 49.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 46.1-52.1) contacts with their peers and 2.00 (95% CI = 1.82-2.18) contacts with teachers per day. An infectious teacher would have 47.6 (95% CI = 45.1-50.0) contacts with students and 1.70 (95% CI = 1.48-1.92) contacts with their colleague teachers per day. While the probability of onward SARS-CoV-2 transmission was relatively low for the Alpha and Delta variants, the risk increased for the Omicron variant, especially in the absence of public health measures. Onward teacher-to-student transmission (88.9%, 95% CI = 88.6%-89.1%) and teacher-to-teacher SARS-CoV-2 transmission (98.4%, 95% CI = 98.5%-98.6%) were significantly higher for the Omicron variant without public health measures in place., Conclusions: Our findings illustrate that, despite a lower frequency of close contacts, teacher-to-teacher close contacts demonstrated a higher risk of transmission per contact of SARS-CoV-2 compared to student-to-student close contacts. This was especially significant with the Omicron variant, with onward transmission more likely occurring from teacher index cases than student index cases. Public health measures (eg, face masks and physical distance) seem essential in reducing the risk of onward transmission within school environments., Competing Interests: Disclosure of interest: The authors completed the ICMJE Disclosure of Interest Form (available upon request from the corresponding author) and disclose no relevant interests., (Copyright © 2022 by the Journal of Global Health. All rights reserved.)