Project description:BackgroundThe National Immunization Program Information System (SIPNI - Sistema de Informação do Programa Nacional de Imunização) in Brazil is a technological innovation management tool that enhances the performance of managers and health professionals in the evaluation and monitoring of immunization activities. In the country, the decentralization of the System is at an advanced stage, but it still faces challenges regarding its operation and use, impacting on its results. This study aims to evaluate the deployment of SIPNI in the state of Minas Gerais, in 2017.MethodCross-section study performed in Primary Healthcare vaccination rooms in 54 municipalities in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, in 2017. A multidimensional questionnaire was used with nursing professionals who work in vaccination rooms, containing questions about the structure (presence of an internet-connected computer, instruction manual, software version, IT professional for technical support, trained healthcare professional, use of communication channels to obtain system information) and the process (activities performed by the staff to operate the immunization information system) of their work. Those questions refer to the components of the information system: system management, immunized-patient records, and Movement of Immunobiological. Implementation Degree (ID) was defined by a score system with different weights for each criterion, according to the importance level observed in it, with a rating of: adequate, partially adequate, inadequate and critically inadequate. For data analysis, median was used as the summary measure, and Pearson's Chi-Squared Test was used for proportion comparison.ResultsMunicipal SIPNI is not adequately implemented and that results mainly from the actions performed in health service units, indicating problems in the use of technology by professionals working in vaccination rooms. The structure was better evaluated than the process, presenting IDs of 70.9 and 59.5%, respectively. Insufficient internet access, inadequate use of communication channels, and lack of professional qualification were some of the identified structural issues. "Movement of Immunobiological" was the best-ranked component (ID = 68.5%), followed by "immunized patient records" (ID = 59.3%) and "SIPNI management" (ID = 50.7%). Partial performance of SIPNI is independent of population size in the municipality and of FSH coverage.ConclusionsSIPNI is still an underutilized technological innovation. There are challenges that must be overcome, such as implementation of the final web version, internet connectivity, and capabilities aimed at the use of information generated by technology. Nevertheless, perspectives regarding SIPNI are positive, with functionalities to optimize activities in vaccination rooms.
Project description:ObjectiveThe research evaluated the perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services at one of Canada's largest acute care teaching hospitals for the purpose of continuous quality improvement and investigation of relationships between variables that can impact user satisfaction.MethodsAn online survey was constructed using evidence-based methodologies. A systematic sample of staff and physicians requesting literature searches at London Health Sciences Centre were invited to participate in the study over a one-year period. Data analyses included descriptive statistics of closed-ended questions and coding of open-ended questions.ResultsA range of staff including clinicians, researchers, educators, leaders, and analysts submitted a total of 137 surveys, representing a response rate of 71%. Staff requested literature searches for the following "primary" purposes: research or publication (34%), teaching or training (20%), informing a policy or standard practice (16%), patient care (15%), and "other" purposes (15%). While the majority of staff (76%) submitted search requests using methods of written communication, including email and search request forms, staff using methods of verbal communication, including face-to-face and telephone conversations, were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian's interpretation of the search request (p=0.004) and to rate the perceived quality of the search results as excellent (p=0.005). In most cases, librarians followed up with staff to clarify the details of their search requests (72%), and these staff were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian's interpretation of the search request (p=0.002).ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the limitations of written communication in the context of librarian-mediated literature searching and suggest a multifaceted approach to quality improvement efforts.
Project description:IntroductionElectronic consultations (eConsult), asynchronous exchanges of patient health information at a distance, are increasingly used as an option to facilitate patient care and collaboration between primary care providers and specialists. Although eConsult has demonstrated success in increasing efficiency in the referral process and enhancing access to care, little is known about the factors influencing its wider adoption and implementation by end users. In this paper, we describe a protocol to conduct a scoping review of the literature on the barriers and facilitators to a wider adoption and implementation of eConsult service.Methods and analysisThis scoping review will be based on the framework pioneered by Arksey and O'Malley and later developed by Levac et al. We will use the guidance for scoping reviews developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute to report our findings. In addition to several electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EBSCOhost and PsycINFO) studies will be identified by including relevant grey literature. Two reviewers will independently screen titles and full texts for inclusion. Studies reporting on barriers and/or facilitators in settings similar to eConsult will be included. Data on study characteristics and key barriers and facilitators will be extracted. Data will be analysed thematically and classified using the Quadruple Aim framework.Ethics and disseminationApproval by research ethics board is not required since the review will only include published and publicly accessible data. Review findings will be used to inform future studies and the development of practice tools to support the wider adoption and success of eConsult implementation. We plan to publish our findings in a peer-reviewed journal and develop a useful and accessible summary of the results.
Project description:Nucleosomes are barriers to transcription in vitro, however, their effects on RNA polymerase in vivo are unknown. Here we describe a simple and general strategy to comprehensively map the positions of elongating and arrested RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) at nucleotide resolution. Our results suggest that nucleosomes present significant, context-specific barriers to RNAPII in vivo that can be tuned by the incorporation of H2A.Z. 8 sets of two replicates each of paired-end and 3 sets of two replicates each of single-end samples were sequenced and analyzed.
Project description:BackgroundA new intervention, Tobacco Cessation on Prescription (TCP), has been developed in the Swedish primary health care (PHC) setting to address inequalities in health caused by tobacco use. It consists of counseling for at least 10 minutes, an individualized prescription of tobacco cessation treatment and follow-up on at least one occasion. TCP is currently being tested in clinical practice for the first time but there is a lack of knowledge about how it is perceived by health care providers.AimTo explore PHC provider's perceived barriers and facilitators of implementing TCP as an intervention targeting a context with socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in Sweden.MethodsDirected content analysis of transcripts from eight semi-structured interviews and one focus group interview with PHC providers with personal experience of TCP as informants. Data collection and analysis was guided by The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.ResultsPerceived facilitators of implementing TCP were increased self-efficacy among the informants and involvement in the treatment among patients, which led to more intensive counseling and advice being taken more seriously by patients. Lack of resources, routines, and collaboration to work with tobacco cessation and lack of knowledge, motivation and self-efficacy among colleagues were perceived as barriers. Motivation and self-efficacy to quit was perceived as low among some patients, which was explained by low social support to quit, negative attitude and low adherence to treatment and tobacco being used as a coping strategy for life stress. Access to treatment for patients was limited by cost of treatment, long waiting times and focus on face-to-face counseling.ConclusionTCP was perceived positively by the informants but access to treatment for patients was partly limited by how tobacco cessation services were organized. Lack of structural support, resources and differing attitudes among PHC providers need to be addressed to facilitate its implementation.
Project description:ObjectivesThe eighteen-month evaluation of a clinical librarian project (October 2003-March 2005) conducted in North Wales, United Kingdom (UK) assessed the benefits of clinical librarian support to clinical teams, the impact of mediated searching services, and the effectiveness of information skills training, including journal club support.MethodsThe evaluation assessed changes in teams' information-seeking behavior and their willingness to delegate searching to a clinical librarian. Baseline (n = 69 responses, 73% response rate) and final questionnaire (n = 57, 77% response rate) surveys were complemented by telephone and face-to-face interviews (n = 33) among 3 sites served. Those attending information skills training sessions (n = 130) completed evaluations at the session and were surveyed 1 month after training (n = 24 questionnaire responses, n = 12 interviews).ResultsHealth professionals in clinical teams reported that they were more willing to undertake their own searching, but also more willing to delegate some literature searching, than at the start of the project. The extent of change depended on the team and the type of information required. Information skills training was particularly effective when organized around journal clubs.ConclusionsCollaboration with a clinical librarian increased clinician willingness to seek information. Clinical librarian services should leverage structured training opportunities such as journal clubs.
Project description:BackgroundImproving quality of palliative and end of life care in older people's care homes is essential. Increasing numbers of people die in these settings, yet access to high quality palliative care is not routinely provided. While evidence for models of care are growing, there remains little insight regarding how to translate evidence-based models into practice. Palliative Care Needs Rounds (hereafter Needs Rounds) have a robust evidence base, for providing palliative care in care homes, reducing resident hospitalisations, improving residents' quality of death, and increasing staff confidence in caring for dying residents. This study aimed to identify and describe the context and mechanisms of change that facilitate implementation of Needs Rounds in care homes, and enable other services to reap the benefits of the Needs Rounds approach to care provision.MethodsQualitative interviews, embedded within a large randomised control trial, were conducted with a purposive sample of 21 staff from 11 care homes using Needs Rounds. The sample included managers, nurses, and care assistants. Staff participated in individual or dyadic semi-structured interviews. Implementation science frameworks and thematic analysis were used to interpret and analyse the data.ResultsContextual factors affecting implementation included facility preparedness for change, leadership, staff knowledge and skills, and organisational policies. Mechanisms of change that facilitated implementation included staff as facilitators, identifying and triaging residents, strategizing knowledge exchange, and changing clinical approaches to care. Care home staff also identified planning and documentation, and shifts in communication. The outcomes reported by staff suggest reductions in hospitalisations and problematic symptoms for residents, improved staff skills and confidence in caring for residents in their last months, weeks and days of life.ConclusionsThe significance of this paper is in offering care homes detailed insights into service contexts and mechanisms of change that will enable them to reap the benefits of Needs Rounds in their own services. The paper thus will support the implementation of an approach to care that has a robust evidence base, for a population under-served by specialist palliative care.Trial registrationACTRN12617000080325 .
Project description:IntroductionNutrition literacy has been cited as a crucial life skill. Nutrition education as a primary school subject has been treated inconsequentially when compared to other subjects. We investigated an aspect of the current state of nutrition education in Ghana by engaging stakeholders about their sources of nutrition information and the perceived barriers in implementing nutrition education in mainstream primary schools.MethodsThree hundred and fifty one (351) primary school children, 121 homebased caregivers, six schoolteachers, two headteachers, two Ghana Education Service (GES) officials, and six school cooks were involved in the study. Surveys were used to collect data on nutrition information acquisition behaviors and to record perceived barriers. Key Informant Interviews were conducted among GES officials, headteachers, schoolteachers and school cooks, while Focus Group Discussions were used among homebased caregivers and children to gather qualitative information.ResultsOnly 36.3% of the primary school children had heard about nutrition, and 71% of those got nutrition information from their family members. About 70% of homebased caregivers had heard or seen nutrition messages, and their source of nutrition information was predominantly traditional media. Schoolteachers mostly received their nutrition information from non-governmental organizations and the Internet, while most of the school cooks stated their main source of nutrition information was hospital visits. Perceived barriers included schoolteachers' knowledge insufficiency, and lack of resources to adequately deliver nutrition education. Lack of a clear policy appeared to be an additional barrier.ConclusionThe barriers to the implementation of nutrition education in the mainstream curriculum at the primary school level that were identified in this study can be resolved by: providing schoolteachers with learning opportunities and adequate nutrition education resources for practical delivery, having specific national policy framework, and including family members and school cooks in the nutrition education knowledge and information dissemination process.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Although polypharmacy can cause adverse health outcomes, patients often know little about their medication. A regularly conducted medication review (MR) can help provide an overview of a patient's medication, and benefit patients by enhancing their knowledge of their drugs. As little is known about patient attitudes towards MRs in primary care, the objective of this study was to gain insight into patient-perceived barriers and facilitators to the implementation of an MR. METHODS:We conducted a qualitative study with a convenience sample of 31 patients (age???60 years, ?3 chronic diseases, taking ?5 drugs/d); in Hesse, Germany, in February 2016. We conducted two focus groups and, in order to ensure the participation of elderly patients with reduced mobility, 16 telephone interviews. Both relied on a semi-structured interview guide dealing with the following subjects: patients' experience of polypharmacy, general design of MRs, potential barriers and facilitators to implementation etc. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed by two researchers using thematic analysis. RESULTS:Patients' average age was 74 years (range 62-88 years). We identified barriers and facilitators for four main topics regarding the implementation of MRs in primary care: patient participation, GP-led MRs, pharmacist-led MRs, and the involvement of healthcare assistants in MRs. Barriers to patient participation concerned patient autonomy, while facilitators involved patient awareness of medication-related problems. Barriers to GP-led MRs concerned GP's lack of resources while facilitators related to the trusting relationship between patient and GP. Pharmacist-led MRs might be hindered by a lack of patients' confidence in pharmacists' expertise, but facilitated by pharmacies' digital records of the patients' medications. Regarding the involvement of healthcare assistants in MRs, a potential barrier was patients' uncertainty regarding the extent of their training. Patients could, however, imagine GPs delegating some aspects of MRs to them. CONCLUSIONS:Our study suggests that patients regard MRs as beneficial and expect indications for their medicines to be checked, and possible interactions to be identified. To foster the implementation of MRs in primary care, it is important to consider barriers and facilitators to the four identified topics.
Project description:ObjectiveClinical experience reveals a gap between recommended psychosocial care and actual support for psycho-oncology. Physicians are essential for managing psychosocial distress and for the successful implementation of psycho-oncology. The aim was to explore physician's attitudes towards psycho-oncology, their self-perceived barriers towards referral to psycho-oncology, and their personal psychosocial competencies in a maximum-care hospital.MethodSemistructured interviews informed the development of a questionnaire administered to a monocentric sample of 120 physicians at the University Hospital Frankfurt. The data were exploratively analysed.ResultsOne hundred two physicians completed the questionnaire. Physicians provided high ratings concerning the value of psycho-oncology, beliefs about its efficacy, and their personal commitment to psycho-oncology. Physicians noticed especially barriers that originated from patients themselves. They estimated their own psychosocial education and knowledge as moderate but rated their psychosocial skills and abilities as higher. Frequency of integration of psychosocial care was most strongly influenced by physicians' psychosocial competencies and their personal commitment to psycho-oncology. Integration of psycho-oncological issues occurs in 43% of patients.ConclusionPhysicians are an important indicator of successful implementation. The discrepancy between the positive evaluation and actual support for psycho-oncology may be explained by several factors, eg, the lack of support from clinic leaders. Patient-related barriers, most often identified by physicians, seem to be an indication of actual lack of psychosocial competencies. Physicians' psychosocial competencies positively affect the implementation of psycho-oncology. Sound knowledge of psychosocial topics may result in increased integration of psychosocial aspects into treatment. Therefore, medical training should focus more on psychosocial issues.