Communication practices in conversations about sexual health in medical healthcare settings: A systematic review

ObjectiveMany healthcare professionals experience difficulties in discussing sexual health with their patients. The aim of this review was to synthesize results of studies on communication practices in interactions about sexual health in medical settings, to offer healthcare professionals suggestions on how to communicate about this topic.MethodsWe searched for studies using five databases. Reference lists and specialist bibliographies were searched to identify additional studies. We included discourse analytic studies that used recordings of medical consultations.ResultsWe identified five studies that met the inclusion criteria. Findings were synthesized into seven categories of practices deployed by patients and healthcare professionals when talking about sexual health: avoiding delicate terms (1), delaying potentially delicate words and issues (2), using assumptive talk (3), generalized advice-giving (4), deploying patients’ talk (5), depersonalization (6), and patient-initiated advice (7).ConclusionPractices indicate the delicacy associated with discussing sexual health issues, but results also shed light on practices that can help professionals to deal with this delicacy, and to be responsive to patients’ needs and concerns.Practice implicationsFindings will assist healthcare professionals in broaching topics related to sexual health so they can help patients deal with challenges that affect their sexual health and overall well-being.     

Medical masks’ and respirators’ pattern of use,adverse effects and errors among Portuguese health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundDuring COVID-19 pandemic, a shortage of surgical masks (Mask) and respirators (Resp) was experienced worldwide. We aimed to assess its pattern of use, adverse effects and user errors by Portuguese health care professionals (HCP).MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted through snowball convenience sample, collected by email/ social media to health care organizations. Participants answered an online anonymous survey in March 2021.ResultsMean age of 3052 respondents was 42.1 years old, 83.6% were female and 77.8% provided direct health care to COVID-19 patients. Mean time of use per shift was 6-8 hours in 40.8% of the participants. 28.0% reported never changing it during their shift. Resp use (vs Mask) was more associated with discomfort (58.2% vs 26.8%), affecting task performance (41.5 vs 18.9%) and communication (55.0 vs 40.9%), dyspnea (36.0 vs 14.4%), skin rash (37.5 vs 19.4%) and headache (37.5 vs 19.4%). Frequent user errors included touching the front while in use (70.1% Mask vs 66.3% Resp) and omitting hand hygiene before (61.8% Mask vs 55.0% Resp) or after use (61.3% Mask vs 57.0% Resp). Average number of errors was higher for Mask (4.3), than for Resp (3.2) (all: P < .001).ConclusionsMost HCP admitted an extended use of Mask/ Resp. Resp were more prone to adverse effects and Mask more prone to errors. Strategies to reinforce good practices should be considered.     

Risk communication in a patient decision aid for radiotherapy in breast cancer: How to deal with uncertainty?

Background and aimPatient decision aids for oncological treatment options, provide information on the effect on recurrence rates and/or survival benefit, and on side-effects and/or burden of different treatment options. However, often uncertainty exists around the probability estimates for recurrence/survival and side-effects which is too relevant to be ignored. Evidence is lacking on the best way to communicate these uncertainties. The aim of this study is to develop a method to incorporate uncertainties in a patient decision aid for breast cancer patients to support their decision on radiotherapy.MethodsFirstly, qualitative interviews were held with patients and health care professionals. Secondly, in the development phase, thinking aloud sessions were organized with four patients and 12 health care professionals, individual and group-wise.ResultsConsensus was reached on a pictograph illustrating the whole range of uncertainty for local recurrence risks, in combination with textual explanation that a more exact personalized risk would be given by their own physician. The pictograph consisted of 100 female icons in a 10 x 10 array. Icons with a stepwise gradient color indicated the uncertainty margin. The prevalence and severity of possible side-effects were explained using verbal labels.ConclusionsWe developed a novel way of visualizing uncertainties in recurrence rates in a patient decision aid. The effect of this way of communicating risk uncertainty is currently being tested in the BRASA study (NCT03375801).     

Association of psychological and physiological measures of stress in health‐care professionals during an 8‐week mindfulness meditation program: mindfulness in practice

Work stress, burnout, and diminished empathy are prevalent issues for health‐care professionals. Mindfulness meditation (MM) is one commonly used strategy to manage stress. Measuring salivary cortisol allows for the assessment of serum cortisol level, a known stress level indicator. This study evaluated the association of subject‐reported stress symptoms and salivary cortisol in health‐care professionals, in an 8‐week MM program, with data collected prospectively at baseline and 8 weeks after program completion. Questionnaires [Profile of Mood States—Short Form (POMS‐SF), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)] measured mood, burnout and empathy. A paired t‐test between groups for pre/post‐salivary cortisol yielded no significant change. The POMS‐SF was most sensitive to change (mean increase 12.4; p = 0.020). Emotional exhaustion, measured in the MBI, was also affected by MM (mean decrease 4.54; p = 0.001). Changes in empathy may not have been captured due to either absence of effect of MM on empathy, subject number or scale sensitivity. Baseline and 8‐week correlations between salivary cortisol and survey results, and correlations between changes in these measures, were weak and not statistically significant. Nevertheless, psychometric results present a strong case for additional clinical trials of MM to reduce stress for health‐care professionals. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

影响医学人才科技创新相关因素初探

通过查阅文献并结合专家咨询，找出了医学人才科技创新的影响因素（包括主观因素与客观因素），并对创新影响因素和机制进行分析。     

血尿酸对急性心肌梗死预后的影响

目的 探讨血尿酸水平对急性心肌梗死(AMI)预后的影响.方法 对198例急性心肌梗死患者的血尿酸水平及其肌酸激酶同工酶(CK-MB)峰值,梗死后心绞痛、心律失常、心源性休克、心力衰竭的发生率和病死率的相关关系进行分析比较.结果 198例中正常血尿酸133例,高血尿酸65例.高血尿酸组CK-MB峰值较高,梗死后心绞痛、心律失常、心力衰竭的发生率和病死率均高于正常血尿酸组(P＜0.01或P＜0.05).结论 高血尿酸与AMI预后不良有关.     

社区公共卫生人才岗位胜任力要素重要性分析

目的 分析社区公共卫生人才岗位胜任力各要素的重要程度,为公共卫生人才队伍建设与培养提供数据与方法学支持。方法 2020年9至10月,选取25位咨询专家,采用区间值犹豫模糊熵法,对确立的岗位胜任力各要素进行重要性分析。利用Excel 2013和SPSS 25.0对数据进行计算。结果 社区公共卫生人才岗位胜任力要素一级指标中,重要性排序为职业素养（0.207）、专业知识与技能（0.204）、整合性思维（0.200）、个人特质（0.199）、职业基本能力（0.191）;二级指标中,重要性排序前3位的为批判性思维（0.105）、系统性思维（0.095）、公共卫生知识技能（0.044）。结论 以职业道德为主的隐性职业素养、以批判性思维为主的公共卫生整合性思维、以公共卫生知识技能为主的专业知识与技能等岗位胜任力要素应予以重点关注。