Navigating Diabetes: Enhancing Self-Management through Education among Diabetic People at the Early Stages of the Disease-A Systematic Review

Diabetes self-management education helps to improve health outcomes and qualities of life for diabetic patients. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of several types of diabetes self-management education for patients at the early stages of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A review of studies that have researched the use and impacts of health education on diabetic patients with T2DM was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, Elsevier, JSTORE, Walters Kluwer, and the Cochrane Library between January 2017 and November 2022. We found 789 studies, and after selecting the PRISMA flowchart, we selected 19 studies, including those of 2512 adult patients diagnosed with T2DM. Biomedical results presented the pooled effect of a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of -0.64% and a fasting blood glucose (FBG) of -0.32. Emotional and social results and behavioral effects were evaluated in 10 and nine studies, respectively. The education and support of diabetic patients at the early stages of the disease impact various aspects, including the biomedical profile, lifestyle, emotional and social well-being, and anthropometric parameters. Among the factors that have been identified to enhance the effectiveness of educational interventions are the following: conducting individualized sessions (or at least in small groups of patients), extending the duration of interventions by at least 12 months, adopting a combined approach that includes both face-to-face and online components, and ensuring the involvement of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Long-term impact of tobacco exposure during pregnancy on children's psychomotor development

BACKGROUND

Both active and second-hand smoking (SHS) can cause complications during pregnancy and after delivery. This study aimed to assess how tobacco exposure (active and passive) during the fetal period could impact the psychomotor development of children when they attain the age of 3-6 years.

METHODS

The study included 160 mothers and their 3-6 year-old children. Two research groups were set up of children born to active or SHS mothers during the period when they were pregnant and a control group of children of non-smoking mothers. The parameters of the psychomotor development of the children were measured using the Age & Stage Questionnaires 3® (ASQ-3).

RESULTS

Children, whose mothers were smokers themselves or who were exposed to SHS during the period of pregnancy had an average psychomotor development score of 221 points versus 243.5 points in the control group. Twenty-six percent had delays (near or under the cut-off scores) in one of the assessed psychomotor areas and 60% had two or more psychomotor delays; 36% of children whose mothers were not exposed to smoking during pregnancy had normal psychomotor development and only 34% presented multiple psychomotor delays.

CONCLUSIONS

Fetuses exposed to tobacco are more likely to achieve a psychomotor development in the 'monitor' and 'fail' areas compared to the non-exposed control group. The children exposed to smoking during their fetal development should be considered as a group at risk of developmental delays, therefore they should be closely monitored and supported by caregivers and developmental pediatricians.

Predictors of nurses' intention to accept COVID-19 vaccination: A cross-sectional study in five European countries

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To investigate nurses' intention in accepting COVID-19 vaccination and the factors affecting their decision.

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 vaccination has started in most European countries with healthcare personnel being the first group receiving the vaccine shots. Their attitude towards vaccination is of paramount significant as their role in the frontline could help in the awareness of general population.

METHODS

A study was conducted in Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Kosovo with the use of an online questionnaire. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale was used. The STROBE checklist was followed for this cross-sectional study.

RESULTS

Study population consisted of 1135 nurses. Mean age of the participants was 38.3 years, while most of them were female gender (84.7%) and married (53.1%). Acceptance of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine was higher among Greek (79.2%) and Spanish (71.6%) nurses, followed by Cypriot (54%), Albanian (46.3%) and Kosovo (46.2%) nurses. Key factors for willingness to get vaccinated were male gender, living in a country with a high mortality rate in comparison with low mortality, being not infected with COVID-19, having high level of knowledge about COVID-19 vaccines and having been vaccinated for influenza in the last 2 years. Moreover, trusting the government and doctors regarding the information about the COVID-19 and having high level of fear about this virus were key factors for willingness to get vaccinated.

CONCLUSION

Vaccination of healthcare personnel is a crucial issue not only for their own safety but also for their patients'. Healthcare acceptance to get vaccinated can work as a role model for general population.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Gender, country, mortality rate, trust in government and health professionals and the level of fear were key factors that should be managed in clinical practice.

Primary healthcare personnel challenges and barriers on the management of patients with multimorbidity in Albania

The number of people living with chronic conditions is increasing worldwide with most of these people receiving the needed healthcare services in primary healthcare (PHC) settings. The objective of this study was to explore the main challenges and barriers that PHC providers confront while treating multimorbid patients. This is a qualitative study utilising semi-structured individual in-depth interviews. The study took place in Vlora City, which is the biggest city located in south Albania. Τhe two biggest PHC centres of the city were enrolled. Purposive sampling method was used to recruit PHC practitioners. Main criteria of participation in the study were being fully employed at the enrolled primary care centres, having worked for at least 1 year and to deal with multimorbid patients in daily practice. Data collection took place from September 2019 to January 2020. In total, 36 semi-structured interviews took place with 23 (63.9%) nurses and 12 (33.3%) physicians (general practitioners/family doctors). Communication problems and disputes, lack of materials/equipment and the inappropriate infrastructure, miscommunication and problems in doctor-nurse relationships, coordination problems, lack of protocols and problems in the referral system were reported as the main challenges and barriers that the PHC personnel confront. The findings of this study are critical in understanding challenges that PHC personnel face when dealing with multimorbid patients in PHC settings. The emerged knowledge contributes significantly in a better understanding of the actual situation and to inform health policy makers on how to deal with the existing problems.

Factors influencing nursing students' intention to accept COVID-19 vaccination: A pooled analysis of seven European countries

BACKGROUND

Experiencing the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, high vaccination coverage by a safe and effective vaccine globally would be a great achievement. Acceptance of vaccination by nursing students is an important issue as they play a decisive role as future professionals in educating patients, counselling, and guiding them to the right clinical decision.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the intention of nursing students to get vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the factors acting either as motivators or as barriers towards vaccination.

DESIGN

A multicenter cross-sectional design.

PARTICIPANTS

In total 2249 undergraduate nursing students participated.

METHODS

The study was conducted in 7 universities in participating countries (Greece, Albania, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, and Kosovo) through a web survey. Data was collected during December 2020-January 2021 in all countries.

RESULTS

Forty three point 8% of students agreed to accept a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, while the acceptance was higher among Italian students. The factors for intention to get vaccinated were male gender (p = 0.008), no working experience in healthcare facilities during the pandemic (p = 0.001), vaccination for influenza in 2019 and 2020 (p < 0.001), trust in doctors (p < 0.001), governments and experts (p = 0.012), high level of knowledge (p < 0.001) and fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding of factors that influence students' decision to accept COVID-19 vaccination could increase the acceptance rate contributing to a management of the pandemic.

Is the mental health of young students and their family members affected during the quarantine period? Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic in Albania

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Mental health is deteriorated during the quarantine period. Mental health status is affected by the quarantine even after the end of it and for an extended period. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Depression levels among nursing/midwifery students during the quarantine period are high. Depression levels among students' family members during the quarantine period are high. Those who are not satisfied with COVID-19 prevention measures and those who believe that COVID-19 and quarantine can cause problems on health, have elevated levels of depression. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Provision of mental health services during the quarantine period should be a priority for the healthcare system. Offering mental health first aid training and support can improve the mental health status of students and their family members. ABSTRACT: Introduction The use of quarantine method has a significant impact on mental health status. Aim This study aimed to assess the levels of depression among bachelor and master university students (nurses/midwives) and their family members' during the quarantine period of COVID-19 pandemic. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted in Vlora University, Albania. Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used. Institutional e-mails of all active students were used for their recruitment. Results In total, 863 students and 249 family members participated in the study. The mean PHQ-9 score was 6.220 (SD = 5.803) and 6.280 (SD = 5.857) for students and family members, respectively. Being unsatisfied with COVID-19 prevention measures, beliefs that COVID-19 infection and quarantine process can cause problems on their health status were the key factors for students to be screened positive for mental problems in multiple regression analysis. For parents, the last two factors were found to contribute significantly. Discussion Our findings indicate that quarantine measures have a significant impact on the levels of depression among both university students and their family members. Broader population studies are necessary to safeguard these results. Implications for Practice Provision of mental health services during the quarantine period is of paramount significance. Mental health first aid training and support could benefit both students and their parents significantly. Additionally, follow-up services after the end of quarantine are recommended.

Nursing students, mental health status during COVID-19 quarantine: evidence from three European countries

BACKGROUND

The SARS-CoV2 pandemic obligated most of the European countries to implement strict measures and lockdowns to minimize the spread of the virus. Universities closed and on-line classes started. However, COVID-19 epidemic has significant impact on mental health of population.

AIM

To assess depression level of nursing students (undergraduate and master) in Greece, Spain and Albania during COVID-19 pandemic as well as to identify possible determinants of depression level.

METHODS

A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2020. An on-line questionnaire was used to collect the data. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to evaluate the depression levels of nursing students.

RESULTS

Seven hundred and eighty-seven nursing students participated in the study out of which 83.9% were of female gender, 92.9% single and 94.7% lived with others. One third of the nursing student population experienced mild depression, with higher depression levels noted for Spanish students (59.1%) followed by Albanian (34.5%) and Greek (21.8%) students. Multivariate linear regression analysis identified that Spanish students experienced more depression than Greek and Albanian (p < 0.001). Also, decreased age was associated with increased depression.

CONCLUSION

The impact of lockdown and quarantine on nursing students mental health is clear. Provision of university based mental health interventions should be a priority.

Current practices and perceived barriers to tobacco-treatment delivery among healthcare professionals from 15 European countries. The EPACTT Plus project

INTRODUCTION

The latest evidence-based Guidelines for Treating Tobacco Dependence highlight the significant role of healthcare professionals in supporting smokers interested to quit. This study aimed to identify the current practices of healthcare professionals in Europe and perceived barriers in delivering tobacco treatment to their patients who smoke.

METHODS

In the context of EPACTT-Plus, collaborating institutions from 15 countries (Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Italy, France, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine) worked for the development of an accredited eLearning course on Tobacco Treatment Delivery available at http://elearning-ensp.eu/. In total, 444 healthcare professionals from the wider European region successfully completed the course from December 2018 to July 2019. Cross-sectional data were collected online on healthcare professionals’ current practices and perceived barriers in introducing tobacco-dependence treatment into their daily clinical life.

RESULTS

At registration, 41.2% of the participants reported having asked their patients if they smoked. Advise to quit smoking was offered by 47.1% of the participants, while 29.5% reported offering assistance to their patients who smoked in order to quit. From the total number of participants, 39.9% regarded the lack of patient compliance as a significant barrier. Other key barriers were lack of: interest from the patients (37.4%), healthcare professionals training (33.1%), community resources to refer patients (31.5%), and adequate time during their everyday clinical life (29.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

The identification of current practices and significant barriers is important to build evidence-based guidelines and training programs (online and/or live) that will improve the performance of healthcare professionals in offering tobacco-dependence treatment for their patients who smoke.

Impact of the ENSP eLearning platform on improving knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy for treating tobacco dependence: An assessment across 15 European countries

INTRODUCTION

In 2018, the European Network for Smoking Cessation and Prevention (ENSP) released an update to its Tobacco Treatment Guidelines for healthcare professionals, which was the scientific base for the development of an accredited eLearning curriculum to train healthcare professionals, available in 14 languages. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ENSP eLearning curriculum in increasing healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy (perceived behavioral control) and intentions in delivering tobacco treatment interventions in their daily clinical routines.

METHODS

We conducted a quasi-experimental pre-post design study with 444 healthcare professionals, invited by 20 collaborating institutions from 15 countries (Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Italy, France, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Romania, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine), which completed the eLearning course between December 2018 and July 2019.

RESULTS

Healthcare professionals' self-reported knowledge improved after the completion of each module of the eLearning program. Increases in healthcare professionals' self-efficacy in delivering tobacco treatment interventions (p<0.001) were also documented. Significant improvements were documented in intentions to address tobacco use as a priority, document tobacco use, offer support, provide brief counselling, give written material, discuss available medication, prescribe medication, schedule dedicated appointment to develop a quit plan, and be persistent in addressing tobacco use with the patients (all p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

An evidence-based digital intervention can be effective in improving knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy and intentions on future delivery of tobacco-treatment interventions.

WHO FCTC Article 14 enforcement in Albania: An urgent issue to tackle

Tobacco use is a major preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer etc. Smoking prevalence in Albania is high. The country ratified the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2006 and has passed different bills and adopted strict tobacco control laws during the years. Despite this, there is a huge gap in primary healthcare (PHC) personnel education in this field. Additionally, tobacco treatment support facilities, such as free of charge telephone quit lines, tobacco treatment clinics in hospitals or in the community, are lacking or not well established. Training of healthcare professionals in evidence-based practices as well as the development of national guidelines on tobacco treatment, capacity building for tobacco treatment delivery, pharmacotherapy availability, public opinion awareness and promotion of smoking cessation practices are some of the measures Albanian policy makers should undertake.