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Objectives: Palliative care (PC) is an interdisciplinary approach aimed at improving the physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being of patients and families affected by life-threatening diseases. This study aimed to investigate the need for PC among critically ill patients and their quality of life (QOL) in low-income groups in Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at four healthcare facilities from March to April 2023, involving 553 registered patients with advanced chronic conditions. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 183 patients in the advanced stage of illness were included. We collected data on sociodemographic, comorbidities, disabilities, and the 10-item African Palliative Outcome Scale (APOS). The Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) was used to identify individuals requiring PC. The study investigated patients with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 3–4, indicating significant functional impairment, and explored QOL across four domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environmental factors. Results: The mean age of the 183 patients was 53.8 (± 14.53) years, with 69.5% being female. We found that 10.3% of patients with chronic illness required PC, particularly cancer patients (87%) and those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) (53.3%). The APOS scores indicated that family anxiety (48.6%) was the most burdensome issue, followed by severe pain (15.5%), severe worry about illness (22.4%), and feelings of life being unworthy (9.4%). Patients with severe functional limitations (ECOG 3–4) were significantly more likely to need PC (58%) compared to those with moderate or no limitations (ECOG 0–2) (24%). Among those requiring PC, 70.1% rated their QOL as poor or very-poor, while only 23.8% of patients not needing PC reported similar ratings. Female patients had poorer QOL than males across all domains, and those facing financial hardships also experienced significantly lower QOL. Conclusion: In Bangladesh's low-income communities, a significant proportion of patients with chronic illnesses require palliative care (PC) due to advanced conditions. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating PC early in the treatment process for cancer and CKD patients, as it can greatly improve their QOL and provide essential support for both patients and families. The results advocate for a holistic approach to PC that addresses physical, psychological, social, and environmental factors affecting patients' QOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The English‐language Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS) is a valid, reliable measure for postpartum anxiety (PPA), but its 51‐item length is a limitation. Consequently, the PSAS Working Group developed the PSAS Research Short‐Form (PSAS‐RSF), a statistically robust 16‐item tool that effectively assesses PPA. This study aimed to assess and validate the reliability of an Arabic‐language version of the PSAS‐RSF in Jordan (PSAS‐JO‐RSF). Methods: Using a cross‐sectional methodological design, a sample of Arabic‐speaking mothers (N = 391) with infants aged up to 6 months were recruited via convenience sampling from a prominent tertiary hospital in northern Jordan. Factor analysis, composite reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), McDonald's ω, and inter‐item correlation measures were all examined. Results: Explanatory factor analysis revealed a four‐factor model consistent with the English‐language version of the PSAS‐RSF, explaining a cumulative variance of 61.5%. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the good fit of the PSAS‐JO‐RSF (χ2/df = 1.48, CFI = 0.974, TLI = 0.968, RMSEA = 0.039, SRMR = 0.019, p < 0.001). The four factors demonstrated acceptable to good reliability, with McDonald's ω ranging from 0.778 to 0.805, with 0.702 for the overall scale. The CR and AVE results supported the validity and reliability of the PSAS‐JO‐RSF. Conclusion: This study establishes an Arabic‐language version of the PSAS‐JO‐RSF as a valid and reliable scale for screening postpartum anxieties in Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Although Jordan has made significant progress toward expanding the utilization of facility‐based intrapartum care, prior research highlights that poor service quality is still persistent. This study aimed to identify quality gaps between women's expectations and perceptions of the actual intrapartum care received, while exploring the contributing factors. Methods: Utilizing a pre–post design, quality gaps in intrapartum care were assessed among 959 women pre‐ and postchildbirth at a prominent tertiary hospital in northern Jordan. Data were gathered using the SERVQUAL scale, measuring service quality across reliability, responsiveness, tangibles, assurance, and empathy dimensions. Results: The overall mean gap score between women's expectations and perceptions of the quality of intrapartum care was −0.60 (±0.56). The lowest and highest mean gap scores were found to be related to tangibles and assurance dimensions, −0.24 (±0.39) and −0.88 (±0.35), respectively. Significant negative quality gaps were identified in the dimensions of assurance, empathy, and responsiveness, as well as overall service quality (p < 0.001). The MLR analyses highlighted education (β = 0.61), mode of birth (β = −0.60), admission timing (β = −0.41), continuity of midwifery care (β = −0.43), physician's gender (β = −0.62), active labour duration (β = 0.37), and pain management (β = −0.33) to be the key determinants of the overall quality gap in intrapartum care. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the importance of fostering a labour environment that prioritizes enhancing caregivers' empathetic, reassuring, and responsive skills to minimize service quality gaps and enhance the overall childbirth experience for women in Jordan. Patient or Public Contribution: This paper is a collaborative effort involving women with lived experiences of childbirth, midwives, and obstetrics and gynaecologist physicians. The original idea, conceptualization, data generation, and coproduction, including manuscript editing, were shaped by the valuable contributions of stakeholders with unique perspectives on intrapartum care in Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bangladesh's islands, because of their geographical location, frequently encounter crises like floods and river erosion, which pose significant threats to the residents' well-being and livelihoods. To delve into the effects of these disasters on livelihood and healthcare challenges, a mixed-method study was undertaken in a riverine-island near a major river of Bangladesh. Methodology: Between February 15th and February 28th, 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted on an island in Bangladesh. The quantitative method involved conducting a survey of 442 households, with a total of 2921 participants. Additionally, 10 in-depth interviews and 10 key-informant interviews were conducted using semi-structured guidelines. Qualitative interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a thematic analysis. Triangulation was employed in this study through the integration of qualitative and quantitative analysis, resulting in the presentation of findings that offer an in-depth comprehension of the phenomenon being investigated. Results: River erosions and floods are common and recurring natural disasters that significantly impact the lives of the riverine island inhabitants. These disasters often disrupted their livelihoods, forced many residents to endure substandard living conditions or relocated during flood events. The island faced a low diagnostic prevalence of chronic diseases (e.g., 5.1% of adults were hypertension and 2.5% are diabetes) because of the absence of diagnostic facilities and a shortage of certified doctors. A significant number of chronic illness people in the community turned to alternative medicine sources (39.3%) such as homeopathy, Kabiraj, and Ayurvedic medicine, especially it gets increased during periods of natural disasters. Moreover, reproductive aged women revealed that 79.4% of them gave birth at home, with 6.0% of these home deliveries resulting in miscarriage or infant death. The destruction of crops, unstable job opportunities, an inadequate educational system, and a deficient healthcare delivery system exacerbated the hardships faced by the population affected by these disasters. Conclusion: The failure to seek treatment for chronic diseases and undiagnosed diseases is a significant health issue among the aging adults on the island. Island residents face the challenge of establishing effective prevention strategies for the well-being of older adults especially at the period of natural disasters. It is crucial for the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to collaborate to prevent the negative effects of floods and river erosions. This should include efforts to enhance the quality of education, healthcare services, job opportunities, and financial assistance for rebuilding homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The COVID‐19 pandemic had a major impact on people of all ages. Adolescents' exposure to online learning is linked to excessive screen time on digital devices, which leads to poor sleep quality. This study aimed to investigate the association between screen time on different electronic devices and sleep quality among adolescents in the United Arab Emirates. This study was based on a self‐reported questionnaire, which was administered online to school‐aged adolescents (aged 12–19 years). The multicomponent questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic characteristics, sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and screen time (minutes) on TV, TV‐connected devices, laptops, smartphones, and tablets on weekdays, weeknight, and weekends using the Screen Time Questionnaire (STQ). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors correlated with poor sleep quality. A total of 1720 adolescents were recruited from private and public schools (mean age 14.6 ± 1.97 years). The mean PSQI score was 8.09 ± 3.37, and 74.3% of participants reported poor sleep (cutoff score >5). Mean scores were highest for the sleep latency (1.85 ± 0.97) and sleep disturbance (1.56 ± 0.62) domains. The highest STQ score was observed for smartphones, with a median screen time of 420 min on weekdays and 300 min on weekends. Screen time related to smartphones on weekends (p = 0.003) and increased screen time in bed (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with poor sleep. Our results confirmed the correlation between sleep and screen time in adolescents. The results may inform educational polices that target screen time and sleep among adolescents during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]