Food hygiene practices are crucial to avoid foodborne illness and improve human well-being. Millions of people get sick, and many of them pass away due to eating unhealthy food. Foodborne diseases are still a public health problem in developing countries.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with food hygiene practices among food handlers in sub-Saharan Africa.

An extensive search was conducted using various databases including PubMed, Science Direct, African Journal Online, and Google Scholar. The search results were then extracted using Microsoft Excel. The data analysis was conducted using STATA version 14. Publication bias was checked by funnel plot, and more objectively through Begg and Egger regression test, with P < 0.05 considered to indicate potential publication bias. A random effect model was used to calculate the pooled prevalence of hygienic food handling practices. Sub-group analysis was done by country and study site.

To estimate the pooled prevalence of food hygiene practices in sub-Saharan Africa, 42 reviewed studies and 12,367 study participants were included. The pooled prevalence of food hygiene practices among food handlers in sub-Saharan Africa was found to be 50.68% (95% CI: 45.35, 56.02) in this study. Factors associated with food hygiene practices included lack of food safety training (OR = 2.14 95% CI: 0.68, 6.76), negative attitude (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.36, 4.09), and lack of regular medical checkups (OR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.52, 4.65) among food handlers.

This research found that only half of sub-Saharan Africa’s food handlers had good food hygiene practices. Lack of food safety training, a lack of regular medical checkups, and unfavorable attitudes toward food hygiene practices were factors contributing to food hygiene practices. Thus, the authors recommended that food workers receive food safety training about food hygiene and safety procedures.

Migraine is a prevalent and debilitating neurological disorder that significantly affects quality of life. While pharmacological treatments exist, they can have limitations such as side effects, contraindications, and incomplete relief, prompting interest in non-pharmacological approaches for better symptom management.

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of alternate nostril breathing (ANB) as a non-pharmacological intervention to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks and associated disability in adult patients.

A single-center, open-label, two-arm, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted at six Family Health Centers (FHCs) of Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey. A total of 86 migraine patients aged 18–50 years, diagnosed with migraine based on ICD-10 criteria, were randomized into control (n = 43) and intervention (n = 43) groups. The intervention group practiced ANB three times daily for three months, while the control group continued their usual care. The primary outcomes were changes in migraine frequency and severity. Secondary outcomes included changes in migraine-related disability, both outcomes measured using the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS).

The intervention group showed a significant reduction in migraine attack frequency (P = 0.002) and MIDAS scores (P = 0.003) compared to the control group. Both groups experienced a reduction in attack severity (P = 0.001), though no significant difference was observed between the groups (P = 0.074). Within-group comparisons showed significant improvements in attack frequency, severity, and MIDAS scores in the intervention group (P = 0.001 for all).

ANB significantly reduced migraine frequency and disability, making it a promising non-invasive and accessible treatment option for migraine management. Further research with longer follow-up periods is needed to explore its long-term effects and broader applicability.

Poor diet is a major contributing factor to the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases. There is a need for effective nutrition care in primary care that manages the bulk of such diseases. This study aimed to describe the self-perceived nutrition competence of primary care physicians (PCPs) in Singapore and to evaluate the associated factors.

A cross-sectional study utilizing an anonymous online survey platform was conducted among PCPs from a public primary care institution in Singapore. We collected data on PCPs’ sociodemographic information, previous nutrition education and personal dietary habits, and measured self-perceived nutrition competence using the NUTrition COMPetence (NUTCOMP) questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression was conducted to examine the association between PCPs’ characteristics with their self-perceived nutrition competence.

Totally, 153 PCPs (45.9%) completed the survey in full. Among the four NUTCOMP constructs, ‘nutrition knowledge’ (2.8 ± 0.6) and ‘nutrition skills’ (2.9 ± 0.6) had the lowest mean scores followed by ‘nutrition communication and counselling’ (3.1 ± 0.6) and ‘attitudes towards providing nutrition care’ (4.3 ± 0.5). PCPs with formal nutrition training had significantly higher NUTCOMP scores compared with those without (β = 10.76, 95%CI:4.57–16.94), and those with 5 to 9 years and more than 10 years of work experience had significantly higher scores than those with less than 5 years (β = 7.62, 95%CI:0.44–14.81, and β = 9.44, 95%CI:2.85–16.04, respectively).

PCPs had lowest self-perceived confidence in nutrition knowledge and skills. Previous formal nutrition education and a longer primary care work experience were associated with better self-perceived nutrition competence. Future research to better integrate nutrition competencies into formal education programmes may be useful to improve PCPs’ self-perceived nutrition competence.

Test educational interventions to increase the quality of care in telemedicine.

Telemedicine (TM) has become an essential tool to practise medicine around the world. However, education to address clinical skills in TM remains an area of need globally across the health professions. We aim to evaluate the impact of a pilot online learning platform (OLP) and standardized coaching programme on the quality of medical student TM clinical skills.

A randomized pilot study was conducted with fourth-year medical students (n = 12). All participants engaged in video-recorded standardized patient (SP) simulated encounters to assess TM clinical skills before and after the intervention. Participants were randomized to either the OLP or OLP + Virtual Coaching Institute (VCI) intervention cohort. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to address self-reported skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy before the 1st SP encounter and after the 2nd SP encounter. SP encounter recordings were scored by two blinded non-investigator raters based on a standardized rubric to measure the change in TM care delivered pre- and post-intervention. Statistical analysis of quantitative data included descriptive statistics and mixed effects ANOVA.

Recruitment and retention of participants exceeded expectations, pointing to significant enthusiasm for this educational opportunity. Self-reported skills and scored simulation skills demonstrated significant improvements for all participants receiving the interventions. Both OLP and VCI interventions were well received, feasible, and demonstrated statistically significant efficacy in improving TM clinical skills. Participants who received coaching described more improvements in self-efficacy, confidence, and overall virtual clinical skills. This study provides evidence that virtualized clinical learning environments can positively impact the development of TM clinical skills among medical students. As TM continues to evolve, the implementation of innovative training approaches will be crucial in preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals for the demands of modern healthcare delivery.

The Peruvian public healthcare system is characterized by various shortcomings that adversely affect healthcare quality as perceived by the general and minority populations, including the Afro-Peruvian community. This population has demonstrated reduced healthcare access due to discrimination and differential treatment, reflecting broader societal inequities.

This study explores the experiences and perceptions of Afro-Peruvian individuals regarding the treatment they receive from public primary healthcare providers in metropolitan Lima.

In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with Afro-Peruvian individuals recruited from Lima. They were selected based on their responses to a survey conducted in a previous study, which indicated a high or low perception of intercultural adaptation in healthcare. The interviews explored their experiences with healthcare services and their perceptions about their interactions with health providers. The qualitative analysis involved topic coding to interpret the data.

We interviewed 19 Afro-Peruvians, including 15 women and 4 men, ages 26 to 70. The findings reveal that Afro-Peruvians generally experience mistreatment in the healthcare system. In their opinion, this is associated with systemic issues such as poor infrastructure, low salaries, and insufficient time allocated for patient care. Furthermore, participants perceive receiving poor quality and inefficient service not only from providers but also from the system presents difficulties in other processes, such as getting the appointment.

This study highlights significant areas for improvement in the public healthcare system, specifically enhancing the quality of patient care, improving communication, and upgrading healthcare infrastructure to serve the Afro-Peruvian community better. These insights could guide the development of targeted policy recommendations and practical interventions to address healthcare disparities and improve access to quality healthcare services for minority populations.

The aim of this study was to explore the role of managers and employees with an assigned responsibility (i.e. inspirers) when integrating recovery-enhancing activities into everyday work in a primary health care setting.

The possibility of recovery during the workday is essential for employee wellbeing. However, the literature on workplace interventions focusing on recovery is scarce. Especially with regard to the importance of local driving forces, like managers and inspirers.

Two focus groups and two individual interviews were conducted in this qualitative interview study. In total, ten managers and inspirers from different primary health care centres were interviewed about their experiences of brief recovery interventions at their workplaces. A semi-structured interview guide was used, and the qualitative analysis was conducted by using systematic text condensation.

From a leadership perspective, two themes with promoting factors for recovery interventions were identified. These were structural promoting factors (including authorisation, communication, and integration) and cultural promoting factors (including attitude, support, and open-mindedness). This knowledge can contribute to future workplace environment development with the focus on recovery during the workday. The results also showed several positive effects of integrated recovery, both on an individual and group level. Hence, this study is a valuable addition to the work recovery research, in terms of understanding the importance of investing in recovery at work.

The aim of this study was to evaluate district nurses’ perceived and factual knowledge about nutritional care after an updated and expanded educational intervention. Furthermore, we aimed to compare the outcomes of the revised and the original educational intervention.

In-depth knowledge of nutritional care is a prerequisite to supporting older adults’ well-being and health. District nurses’ actual knowledge of the nutrition care process, older adults’ need for food, and palliative care in diverse phases of disease is therefore of utmost importance. An updated and expanded educational intervention meeting these needs was evaluated.

A study-specific questionnaire about nutritional care was used before and after the educational intervention. Participants (n = 118) were district nurses working in primary health care in Region Stockholm. Additionally, a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design was used to assess differences in learning outcomes of the revised intervention compared with the original intervention.

District nurses who completed the questionnaire had worked in health care for about 18 years and as district nurses for 5 years after their specialist examination. After the revised educational intervention, significant improvements were found in all statements concerning perceived challenges and actions related to nutritional care, while questions about factual knowledge showed significant improvements in three of the four questions.

Comparison between the revised and the original intervention revealed no differences in most areas of perceived challenges and actions related to nutritional care. Additionally, in half of the areas assessed, factual knowledge improved more after the revision than after the original educational intervention, including the maximum length of overnight fast and the type of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) that should be prescribed.

The intervention was successful in increasing knowledge about nutritional care, nutritional counselling, food adaptation, and prescribing ONS in an individually tailored way. In-depth knowledge supports usability in clinical practice. Nevertheless, we need to follow-up and understand how increased knowledge about undernutrition and ONS prescription are implemented in primary health care when caring for older adults’ desires and needs.

Community pharmacists should provide qualified drug information services for the rational use of medicine in community. However, there is no standard professional incentive for the service in Indonesia. This study aimed to assess drug information services with incentives and its associated factors among community pharmacists in Indonesia.

A multi-centre cross-sectional study was conducted among community pharmacists in Medan City, Bandung City, Bandung Regency, and Makassar City. A validated online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on pharmacists’ demographics, pharmacy characteristics, and drug information provision practices. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with incentivized drug information services.

A total of 639 community pharmacists participated, with representation from Medan (21.9%), Bandung City (20.8%), Bandung Regency (26%), and Makassar (31.3%). Most respondents were female (79%) with a median age of 31 years (IQR: 9). Only 12% of pharmacists reported receiving incentives for providing drug information services. Factors significantly associated with receiving incentives included being male (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.16–3.58), aged 20–30 years (OR: 3.25, 95% CI: 1.10–9.58), working over 40 hours per week (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.16–4.58), working in a chain pharmacy (OR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.18–3.67), and having an onsite physician practice (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.04–2.85).

Limited number of community pharmacists received an incentive for drug information services. The development of a remuneration system for drug information services can be considered to enhance the quality of pharmaceutical care services in the community setting.

We describe activity, outcomes, and benefits after streaming low urgency attenders to General practice services at Door of Accident and Emergency departments (GDAE).

Many attendances to A&Es are for non-urgent health problems that could be better met by primary care rather than urgent care clinicians. It is valuable to monitor service activity, outcomes, service user demographics, and potential benefits when primary care is co-located with A&E departments.

As a service evaluation, we describe and analyse GDAE users, reasons for presentation, wait times, outcomes, and co-located A&E wait times at two hospitals in eastern England. Distributions of outcomes, wait times, reasons for attendance, deprivation, and age groups were compared for GDAE and usual A&E attenders at each site using Pearson chi-square tests and accelerated time failure modelling. Performance in a four-hour key performance indicator was descriptively compared for co-located and similar emergency departments.

Each GDAE saw about 1025 patients per month. Wait times for usual accident and emergency (A&E) care are relatively short at only one site. Reattendances were common (about 11% of unique patients), 75% of GDAE attenders were seen within 1 hour of arrival, 7% of patients initially allocated to GDAE were referred back to A&E for further investigations, and 59% of GDAE patients were treated and discharged with no further treatment or referral required. Pain, injury, infection, or feeling generally unwell each comprised > 10% of primary reasons for attendance. At James Paget University Hospital, 4.3%, and at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 16.1% of GDAE attendances led to referral to specialist health services. GDAE attenders were younger and more socially deprived than attenders to co-located A&Es. Patients were seen quickly at both GDAE sites, but there were differences in counts of specialist referrals and wait times. Process evaluation could illuminate reasons for differences between study sites.

The ‘Associate Psychological Practitioner’ (APP) is an innovative new role that expands the psychological workforce and addresses the rising demand for mental health services in England, yet the impact of this role on NHS workforce capacity has yet to be modelled.

We modelled the impact of the APP role in Primary Care in terms of additional capacity to provide mental health care and the impact on General Practitioner (GP) capacity within the sector.

Workforce experts of the NHS Workforce Repository and Planning Tool (WRaPT) team used a modelling tool to determine future state scenarios of APPs working across all Primary Care Networks (PCNs) within a region and the associated change on the baseline workforce. Modelling was based on Lancashire and South Cumbria, a large geographical area in North-West England that includes 41 PCNs. Assumptions used in the modelling included identifying the patient population and workforce in scope, documenting the activity undertaken by APPs, and considering the future state scenarios for modelling.

With regard to generating additional capacity, having 1 APP in each of the 41 PCNs in Lancashire and South Cumbria could provide 53 000 brief intervention appointments of 45 min each, thereby diverting these appointments away from the GP, and up to 48 people could benefit from attending Group and Well-being sessions over a year with 1 APP working with another Primary Care colleague, that is, 384 group intervention sessions delivered. In relation to GP capacity, 1 APP (if placed across a PCN, or within multiple practices) could free up at least 1,665 GP appointments within one year, which could lead to potential cost savings. These findings can be used to underpin decision-making with respect to training future cohorts of APPs and contribute to wider workforce planning in primary care.

Research is needed to improve the performance of primary health care. In Africa, few family physicians conduct research, and therefore an online research training and mentorship programme was developed to build research capacity amongst novice and early career researchers.

To evaluate the implementation of the AfriWon Research Collaborative (ARC) training and e-mentorship programme in sub-Saharan Africa.

A 10-module online curriculum was supported by peer and faculty e-mentorship, to mentor participants in writing a research protocol. A convergent mixed methods study combined quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate nine implementation outcomes.

Fifty-three participants (20 mentees, 19 peer mentors, and 14 faculty mentors), mostly male (70%), participated in the ARC online programme. The programme was seen as an acceptable and appropriate initiative. Mentees were mostly postgraduate students from African countries. Faculty mentors were mostly experienced researchers from outside of Africa. There were issues with team selection, orientation, communication, and role clarification. Only 35% of the mentees completed the programme. Alignment of mentoring in teams and engagement with the online learning materials was an issue. Costs were relatively modest and dependent on donor funds.

Despite many challenges, the majority of participants supported the sustainability of the programme. The evaluation highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the ARC programme and e-mentoring. The ARC working group needed to ensure better organization and leadership of the teams. Going forward the programme should focus more on developing peer mentors and local supervisory capacity as well as the mentees.

This research aimed to comprehensively explore the impact of diverse challenges encountered by older adults on the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It delved into how these effects vary depending on individuals’ levels of trust in authority and medical professionals, providing a nuanced understanding of the interplay between external challenges, personal trust, and mental health outcomes in the older population.

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed significant hardships, particularly on the ageing population, with potential psychological repercussions such as PTSD. Notably, there is a dearth of research exploring this association within the context of Chinese older adults, a group that may experience unique impacts due to cultural differences in the face of global crises.

Data were collected from a representative sample of 1,211 participants aged 60 years and above in Shenzhen. Logistic and hierarchical linear regression methods were utilized to investigate the relationship between the challenges posed by COVID-19, public trust, and the manifestation of PTSD symptoms.

Higher levels of challenges related to ‘supplies, services access and safety’, ‘abuse and conflicts’, and ‘anger and fear’ were associated with PTSD. Furthermore, a lower level of challenges related to ‘disease management and information’ was associated with PTSD. Trust in authority or medical professionals was the moderator between the challenges brought about by COVID-19 and PTSD, which helped to lower the impact of challenges. Despite the challenges brought by COVID-19 to people, nurturing a stronger sense of trust in authority and medical professionals would ease older adults’ psychological stress and concerns.

This study aimed to explore healthcare experiences of rural-living patients both with (attached) and without (unattached) a local primary care provider.

Primary care providers serve a gatekeeping role in the Canadian healthcare system as the first contact for receiving many health services. With the shortage of primary care providers, especially in rural areas, there is a need to explore attached and unattached patient experiences when accessing healthcare.

A cross-sectional survey of rural patients both with (attached) and without (unattached) a primary care provider was conducted July–September 2022. An open-ended question gathered participants’ thoughts and experiences with provider shortages.

Overall, 523 (Mean age = 51 years, 75% female) rural British Columbia community members (306 attached; 217 unattached) completed the survey. Despite similar overall health, unattached patients received care less frequently overall compared to attached patients, including less frequent non-urgent and preventive care. The vast majority of attached patients sought care from a regular provider whereas unattached patients were more likely to use walk-in, emergency department, and urgent care and 29% did not seek care at all. Overall, 460 (88.0%) provided a response to the open-ended doctor shortage question. Similar themes were found among both attached and unattached participants and included: i) the ubiquity of the doctor shortage, ii) the precariousness or fluidity of attachment status, and iii) solutions and recommendations. Greater attention is needed on the negative and cyclical impacts provider shortages have for both attached and unattached patients alike.