Patient safety is a crucial element of quality healthcare, and endeavours to enhance it are vital for attaining universal health coverage and improving patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate ...the perception of patient safety culture among staff at the Community Health Centre Ljubljana (CHCL).
A cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2022. All CHCL staff (N=1,564) from different professional groups were invited to participate in an anonymous electronic survey using the validated Slovenian version of the "Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture" (MOSPSC). Mean percent positive scores for all items in each composite were calculated.
The final sample included 377 participants (response rate, 24.1%), most of whom were women (91.5%, N=345) with different professional profiles. The mean age of the participants was 44.5 years (SD 11.1) with a mean work experience of 20.1 years (SD 12.1). The percentage of positive overall MOSPSC composite scores was 59.6%. A strong patient safety culture perception was identified in the following dimensions: Information exchange with other settings (93.5%), Organisational learning (90.2%), List of patient safety and quality issues (88.1%), Patient care tracking/follow-up (76.2 %) and Teamwork (75.0%). Weak patient safety culture was identified in the dimensions of Work pressure and pace (10.7%), Leadership support for patient safety (27.1%), Communication openness (40.9%), Office processes and standardisation (48.2%) and Overall ratings on quality and patient safety (49.4%).
CHCL leadership should address weaknesses, redesign processes, and implement strategies to reduce patient safety incidents. Establishing a just culture that encourages employees to report errors fosters transparency and facilitates learning from errors.
Body balance control represents a key factor preventing falls and subsequent injuries in seniors aged 65+. Intervention based on yoga exercises seem to be effective in improving balance.
The ...objective is to analyse and compare changes in static, dynamic, and total balance scores, changes in body composition and social indices as effects of yoga-based intervention.
A total of 500 participants (234 men aged 74.5 SD±7.74 and 266 women aged 76.9 SD±7.23) were assessed using the Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool, the InBody 230 bioimpedance body composition analyser, and the SF-36 Health Survey, applied to pre and post-testing. The experimental group (n=262; 122 males; 140 females) underwent a four-week yoga-based intervention, 30 minutes daily, while the control group (n=238; 112 males; 126 females) underwent its usual daily programme at senior homes or centres. The ANOVA model, consisting of the Group, Stage, Subject and Group × Stage interaction factors, was used for data evaluation.
Intervention led to improvements in the static, dynamic and total balance scores in the experimental group compared to the control group. The results of SF-36 showed positive changes in the psychosocial aspects of health, such as promoting of calmness and happiness in male seniors and reducing fatigue, nervousness and depression in female seniors. The post-intervention decrease in body fat percentage and increase in muscle mass in seniors is discussed.
The four-week yoga-based intervention had positive effects on the static, dynamic and total balance scores, body composition and social status.
Abstract
Aim
To analyse if body mass index (BMI) could be used as a fast proxy indicator of poor oral hygiene habits (POHH) among the adult population with diabetes mellitus.
Methods
Adults, aged ...25-74, from the Slovenian 2016 nationwide cross-sectional survey based on the Countrywide Integrated Non-Communicable Disease Intervention (CINDI) Health Monitor methodology, who reported being diabetic, were included in the study (n=560). We assessed the relationship between POHH and BMI, adjusted to confounders, using multiple binary logistic regression.
Results
In the total sample, the POHH prevalence was 50.9%. Taking into account BMI, POHH prevalence in participants with normal BMI values was only 37.8%, in the overweight group it was 1.22-times higher (46.0%), while in the obese group it was 1.63-times higher (61.6%) (p<0.001). Also, the odds for POHH were 2.64-times higher in the obese group in comparison to the normal BMI group (95% CI: 1.55-4.51; p<0.001). After adjustment for confounders, this OR decreased only moderately (OR=2.45; 95% CI: 1.35-4.44; p=0.003).
Conclusions
BMI could be used as a readily assessable, fast, simple, and cheap tool indicating higher odds for having POHH among the diabetic population. By defining the high-risk group it could be easier for physicians and dentists to take further referrals and actions for promoting oral health in this group. The suggested tool can save time and could have an important positive impact on the quality of life of diabetics, as well as on health expenditures.
Health-related absenteeism impacts individuals, companies, and society. Its consequences are reflected in the cost of benefits, substitutes, and reduced productivity. Research shows that ...musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common work-related health problem reported by hospital staff. This study determines the groups at the Ljubljana University Medical Centre that are most susceptible to MSDs, especially low back pain.
Using data from the Health Data Centre of the Slovenian National Public Health Institute and the medical centre, this cross-sectional study analysed absenteeism among medical centre employees. The correlation between MSD / low-back pain risk factors and incidence was determined using logistic regression. An odds ratio was calculated to determine the probability of MSDs, most especially low back pain via sex, age, occupation, and education.
Sick leave at the medical centre is higher than 5%, exceeding the Slovenian healthcare sector average. MSDs, as the main reason for absence, is significantly more frequent in women, non-medical staff, and employees with a maximum secondary school education. Among the MSDs, low back pain predominates as a reason for absence and is most frequent among nurses, midwives, and employees of 20 to 44.9 years old.
This study offers insight into the health status of medical centre employees. The high percentage of sick leave is mainly due to musculoskeletal disorders, including low back pain. This is an important basis for further monitoring and analysis of sick leave indicators and for planning systematic and continuous workplace health-promoting measures to manage ergonomic risk factors and reduce health-related absenteeism.
Članek obravnava tematiko zdravja v izobraževanju odraslih. Izhodišče razprave je sodobno pojmovanje zdravja, ki se uveljavlja v družbenih vedah in se razume kot fizična, psihosocialna in duhovna ...dobrobit. Poudarjena je tudi misel, da je zdravje proces in da zdravstveno stanje določajo tako subjektivni kot okoljski dejavniki. To odpira vrata teoriji salutogeneze, povezani s prepričanjem, da je zdravje mogoče izboljšati s pomočjo zdravstvene vzgoje in promocije zdravja. Koncept okoljskih in socio-kulturnih dejavnikov, ki odločajo o zdravju in vprašanja, ki se nanašajo na z zdravjem povezani vidik kakovosti življenja, so tudi uporabljeni kot referenčni okvir in teoretska podlaga za to pedagoško razpravo o zdravju kot predmetu izobraževanja odraslih.
The present study investigates the evolution of illicit drug use among Romanian university students from 1999 to 2011.
The study was performed in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in three phases: in 1999 (T1), ...in 2003 (T2) and in 2011 (T3). The study was carried out by means of anonymous questionnaires among university students aged 19-24.
The results show that among girls the lifetime illicit drugs use increased statistically significantly from 2.5% in 1999 to 7.5% in 2003 and to 15% in 2011. Among boys the trend was also increasing, the prevalence of illicit drug use was 14.2% at T1, 18.1% at T2, and it increased dramatically to 30.6% at T3. The percentage of students reporting cannabis use was almost identical with the total prevalence of illicit drug use. Ecstasy was the second most frequent drug used by the students; its consumption had also an increasing trend during the examined periods (from 0 to 5.6% among girls and from 0.8% to 11.2% among boys). The results of the bivariate correlation analyses show that lifetime illicit drug use was associated with having friends who experimented with illicit drugs both among boys and girls. Moreover, girls who declared stress management problems and depressive episodes were more likely to try illicit drugs, while among boys illicit drug use was associated with poorer academic performance.
The data pointed out by our study call for comprehensive actions regarding the prevention of illicit drug use among Romanian young people.
The connection between exertion and the prevalence of low back pain among hospital staff Theoretical background: Low back pain is more frequent in professional groups with a workload and overall ...physical work required. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the exertion on the low back pain prevalence and medical treatment among hospital staff. Methods: The study is based on the meta-analysis study design. The analysis involved research reports published in the last 5 years as original scientific articles in journals included in the international electronic databases CINAHL®, ERIC and MEDLINE, which were focused on exertion impact on low back pain prevalence among adult hospital staff (Mean=34.9 years), with at least 40 units in the sample. Regarding initial and final criteria for inclusion we classified an additional 8 articles. Results: The results showed 61.58% low back prevalence among hospital staff. Physical activity is a factor with an important impact on the low back pain prevalence among hospital staff. 62.5% of analysed studies have confirmed this significant direct positive impact. There are two forms of exertion that are important: physical activity in the leisure time and physical movement at the work place. They both act synergistically. Discussion and conclusion: Low back pain among hospital staff could be prevented with regular exercise, at least twice a week in an organised form, which includes aerobic exercise for increasing body fitness, exercise for trunk muscle strength and back muscle flexibility, educational programs for safe work body postures and safe patient handling and transfers. Further investigations are needed for evaluating the efficiency of the exercise therapeutic program in low back medical treatment. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT