General practitioners' knowledge, preparedness, and experiences of managing COVID-19 in Australia.
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ABSTRACT: Background
COVID-19 has brought unprecedented demands to general practitioners (GPs) worldwide. We examined their knowledge, preparedness, and experiences managing COVID-19 in Australia.Methods
A cross-sectional online survey of GPs members of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) was conducted between June and September 2020.Results
Out of 244 survey responses, a majority of GPs (76.6%) indicated having good knowledge of COVID-19, relying mostly on state/territory department of health (84.4%) and the RACGP (76.2%) websites to source up-to-date information. Most felt prepared to manage patients with COVID-19 (75.7%), yet over half reported not receiving training in the use of PPE. The majority were concerned about contracting SARS-CoV-2, more stressed than usual, and have heavier workloads. Their greatest challenges included scarcity of PPE, personal distress, and information overload.Conclusion
Access to PPE, training, accurate information, and preparedness are fundamental for the successful role of general practices during outbreaks.
SUBMITTER: Sotomayor-Castillo C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7891055 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:BackgroundEmergency clinicians have a crucial role during public health emergencies and have been at the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the knowledge, preparedness and experiences of Australian emergency nurses, emergency physicians and paramedics in managing COVID-19.MethodsA voluntary cross-sectional study of members of the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, and the Australasian College of Paramedicine was conducted using an online survey (June-September 2020).ResultsOf the 159 emergency nurses, 110 emergency physicians and 161 paramedics, 67.3-78% from each group indicated that their current knowledge of COVID-19 was 'good to very good'. The most frequently accessed source of COVID-19 information was from state department of health websites. Most of the respondents in each group (77.6-86.4%) received COVID-19 specific training and education, including personal protective equipment (PPE) usage. One-third of paramedics reported that their workload 'had lessened' while 36.4-40% of emergency nurses and physicians stated that their workload had 'considerably increased'. Common concerns raised included disease transmission to family, public complacency, and PPE availability.ConclusionsExtensive training and education and adequate support helped prepare emergency clinicians to manage COVID-19 patients. Challenges included inconsistent and rapidly changing communications and availability of PPE.
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Project description:OBJECTIVES:To synthesise the existing published literature on general practitioners (GP)'s knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) with a view to informing future interventions. METHODS:We conducted a systematic review and synthesis of quantitative and qualitative studies that explored GPs' experiences of managing BPSD (PROSPERO protocol registration CRD42017054916). Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to October 2017. Each stage of the review process involved at least 2 authors working independently. The meta-ethnographic approach was used to synthesise the findings of the included studies while preserving the context of the primary data. The Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (CERQual) was used to assess the confidence in our individual review findings. RESULTS:Of the 1638 articles identified, 76 full texts were reviewed and 11 were included. Three main concepts specific to GPs' experiences of managing BPSD emerged: unmet primary care resource needs, justification of antipsychotic prescribing, and the pivotal role of families. A "line of argument" was drawn, which described how in the context of resource limitations a therapeutic void was created. This resulted in GPs being over reliant on antipsychotics and family caregivers. These factors appeared to culminate in a reactive response to BPSD whereby behaviours and symptoms could escalate until a crisis point was reached. CONCLUSION:This systematic review offers new insights into GPs' perspectives on the management of BPSD and will help to inform the design and development of interventions to support GPs managing BPSD.
| S-EPMC6099359 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In the context of rising dementia prevalence, the workload of general practitioners (GPs) in dementia care is set to increase. However, there are many aspects of dementia care that GPs find challenging. Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) affect the majority of people with dementia and is an aspect of dementia care that GPs find particularly difficult to manage. The aim of this mixed methods systematic review is to undertake a synthesis of qualitative and quantitative studies on GPs' knowledge, attitudes and experiences of managing BPSD.Seven electronic bibliographic databases will be searched from inception to present. All qualitative or quantitative studies that explore the knowledge, attitude or experiences of GPs towards the management of BPSD in community and/or residential settings will be eligible for inclusion. A meta-ethnography will be conducted to synthesise included studies. Primary outcome measures will include GPs' experiences of managing BPSD, GPs' knowledge of BPSD and their attitude to different approaches to the management of BPSD, in particular their attitude to non-pharmacological approaches. All included papers will be independently assessed for methodological validity by two reviewers using the following tools: the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for qualitative research, the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) tool for intervention studies and the National Institute of Health (NIH) quality assessment tool for observational and analytical cross-sectional studies. As there is no agreed quality assessment tool for descriptive cross-sectional studies, an original tool will be developed. Two independent reviewers will apply the Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research (CERQual) tool to the review findings. The results will be reported in line with the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) statement.This study will be the first systematic review that synthesises the existing literature of GPs' knowledge, attitudes and experiences of managing BPSD in community and residential care. This review will improve our understanding of GPs' perspectives on the management of BPSD, and the results will be used to inform the development of an intervention to improve the management of BPSD in general practice.PROSPERO CRD42017054916 .
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Project description:BackgroundSome previous studies have investigated the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards certain aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, some general frameworks have been proposed to manage the pandemic.ObjectiveThe purpose of this article was to analyze the attitudes of healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia towards the treatment of patients with COVID-19, work planning of practitioners, leadership approaches to manage the pandemic, sharing information strategies, medical errors, compliance with procedures, and challenges faced by the practitioners. Furthermore, another objective was to propose a general framework for managing the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia.MethodsTo achieve these purposes, a survey was designed based on an online questionnaire that was initially sent via WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, and email to 336 healthcare practitioners working in 7 hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The response rate was 30.4%.ResultsThe outcomes indicated that healthcare practitioners in Saudi Arabia had positive attitudes towards effective communication and interaction between health professionals and patients, leadership and maintenance of team coordination, work planning, communication and cooperation between team members, training and skills development of healthcare professionals, implementing strict procedures to avoid errors and control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining an adequate supply of medicines and medical equipment, and obtaining the support of the government, the community, and the people.ConclusionBased on the findings, it was possible to suggest that the management of health care operations related to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia requires effective collaboration and information sharing among various stakeholders. In this sense, communication, effective leadership, coordination and work planning, adequate treatment for patients, strict compliance with hospital rules and procedures, preventive and regulatory measures, and training and support for health professionals, were parameters considered in the general qualitative framework suggested in this study for managing the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. The propositions presented in this study can help the Saudi Arabian government implement an effective plan to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in this country.
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Project description:BackgroundHealthcare professionals' (Oncologists, doctors, and nurses) physical activity (PA) recommendations impact patients living with cancer PA levels. General practitioners (GPs) monitor the overall health of patients living with cancer throughout their treatment journey. This is the first study to explore GP's knowledge, attitudes and practices of PA for patients living with cancer.MethodsGPs who see patients living with cancer regularly (n = 111) completed a survey based on The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Participants (GP's) reported knowledge, attitudes, perceived behaviour control and subjective norms of PA within the cancer population. GP recommendation and referral rates of PA were reported. Principal component analysis was conducted to establish a set of survey items aligned to TPB constructs (attitude, subjective norms, perceived control), and multiple regression analyses characterised associations between these predictor variables and (a) recommendation; and (b) referral-of PA to cancer patients.ResultsGPs (n = 111) recommended PA to 41-60% of their patients and referred 1-20% to PA programs. Multiple regression models significantly predicted the percent of patients recommended PA, p < .0005 adj. R2 = 0.40 and referred PA, p < .0005, adj. R2 = 0.21. GP attitudes and perceived behavioural control and GP's own activity levels were significant predictors of whether patients were recommended and referred for PA, p<0.05.ConclusionGPs reported positive attitudes and perceptions towards promoting PA for their patients living with cancer. Despite having a positive correlation between PA recommendations and referral rates, a gap was evident between GP's PA beliefs and their individual referral practices. More GP's willing to promote and refer their patients for PA, would improve the physical and mental health outcomes of the cancer population.
| S-EPMC7652282 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed the work of general practitioners (GPs). At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, German outpatient practices had to adapt quickly. Pandemic preparedness (PP) of GPs may play a vital role in their management of a pandemic.ObjectivesThe study aimed to examine the association in the stock of seven personal protective equipment (PPE) items and knowledge of pandemic plans on perceived PP among GPs.MethodsThree multivariable linear regression models were developed based on an online cross-sectional survey for the period March-April 2020 (the onset of the pandemic in Germany). Data were collected using self-developed items on self-assessed PP and knowledge of a pandemic plan and its utility. The stock of seven PPE items was queried. For PPE items, three different PPE scores were compared. Control variables for all models were gender and age.ResultsIn total, 508 GPs were included in the study; 65.16% believed that they were very poorly or poorly prepared. Furthermore, 13.83% of GPs were aware of a pandemic plan; 40% rated those plans as beneficial. The stock of FFP-2/3 masks, protective suits, face shields, safety glasses, and medical face masks were mostly considered completely insufficient or insufficient, whereas disposable gloves and disinfectants were considered sufficient or completely sufficient. The stock of PPE was significantly positively associated with PP and had the largest effect on PP; the association of the knowledge of a pandemic plan was significant but small. PPE scores did not vary considerably in their explanatory power. The assessment of a pandemic plan as beneficial did not significantly affect PP.ConclusionThe stock of PPE seems to be the determining factor for PP among German GPs; for COVID-19, sufficient masks are the determining factor. Knowledge of a pandemic plans play a secondary role in PP.
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Project description:The international Women in Supramolecular Chemistry network believes that taking an area-specific approach effectively supports equality, diversity, and inclusion. Science lacks diversity, and this is intersectional. We share effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by triangulating findings from an online survey, a collaborative autoethnography, and reflective group research meetings. We show how qualitative research with the community offers insights into challenges and supports individuals, and we demonstrate that research leaders have often taken responsibility for their teams' mental health and well-being at the cost of their own.
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