Hospital personnel perspectives on factors influencing acute care patient outcomes: a qualitative approach to model refinement.

BACKGROUND: Health systems have long been interested in the best practices for staffing in the acute care setting. Studies on staffing often focus on registered nurses and nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. There were fewer studies on the relationship between interprofessional team members or contextual factors such as hospital and community characteristics and patient outcomes. This qualitative study aimed to refine an explanatory model by soliciting hospital personnel feedback on staffing and patient outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to understand hospital personnel's perspectives and experiences of factors that affect acute care inpatient outcomes. Interviews were conducted in 2022 with 38 hospital personnel representing 19 hospitals across Washington state in the United States of America. RESULTS: Findings support a model of characteristics impacting patient outcomes to include the complex and interconnected relationships between community, hospital, patient, and staffing characteristics. Within the model, patient characteristics were positioned into hospital characteristics, and in turn these were positioned within community characteristics to highlight the importance of setting and context when evaluating outcomes. Together, these factors influenced both staff characteristics and patient outcomes, but these two categories also share a direct relationship. CONCLUSION: Findings can be applied to hospitals and health systems in a variety of contexts to examine how external factors such as community resource availability impact care delivery. Future research should expand on this work with specific attention to how staffing changes and interprofessional team composition can improve patient outcomes.

Perspectives of health practitioners on the challenges to accessing sexual and reproductive health care services for Venezuelan migrant women during the COVID-19 pandemic in Quito, Ecuador.

Objectives: To describe the perspectives of health practitioners on the barriers, gaps, and opportunities that Venezuelan migrant women experienced to accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how SRH services were affected in Quito, Ecuador. Methods: Health practitioners involved in SRH services at nine public health care facilities in three zones of Quito were surveyed. The Minimum Initial Service Package readiness assessment tool survey, available from the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crisis, was adapted for use and data collection in Ecuador. Results: Of 297 respondents, 227 were included in the analysis. Only 16% of the health practitioners agreed that discrimination against migrant Venezuelans women occurred in the health care system. Of those, only 2.3% described specific conditions associated with discrimination, including requiring identification documents (7.5%) and lack of empathy or responsiveness (6.6%). Most (65.2%) respondents reported that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the use of SRH services by women in the general population and by Venezuelan migrant women more so (56.3%) because of more limited access to SRH services, poverty, and vulnerability. There were no differences between perceptions by levels of health care facility, except with regard to the lack of supplies, awareness of discrimination, and the belief that Venezuelan migrant women were affected more negatively than the local population. Conclusion: The perception among health practitioners in Quito was that discrimination occurred infrequently during the COVID-19 pandemic despite affecting the health care system. However, some level of discrimination toward migrant Venezuelan migrant women seeking SRH services was acknowledged and may be underrepresented.

Using an HIV Self-test Kit to Test a Partner: Attitudes and Preferences Among High-Risk Populations.

For those most at risk of contracting HIV, new strategies for preventing transmission and increasing testing are needed. As part of a multi-site, randomized, controlled trial, we explored attitudes and preferences among 272 HIV-negative men who have sex with men and HIV-negative transgender women using an HIV self-testing (HIVST) kit to test partners. Less than one quarter had previously self-tested with HIVST kits (21.7%) and few had partner-tested (4.8%). Most preferred gum swab (96%) over fingerprick tests (69%), but would prefer a blood test if it gave results for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (86%). Five percent reported difficulties performing the test, four percent with storage, and 26% with portability. Ninety-three percent reported likelihood of using HIVST to test partners in future, but only 3% were willing to pay the current price. Efforts to improve HIVST uptake should focus on incorporating testing for other STIs, reducing test kit size, and reducing cost.

RESUMEN: Se necesitan nuevas estrategias para prevenir la transmisión del VIH e incrementar el testeo para aquellos con mayor riesgo al contagio. Como parte de un ensayo controlado aleatorio (ECA) multicentrico, exploramos las actitudes y preferencias entre 272 hombres VIH-negativos que tienen sexo con hombres y mujeres transgenero VIH-negativos que utilizaron kits del auto-test para el VIH (HIVST) para testear a sus parejas. Menos de una cuarta parte de los participantes había utilizado HIVST para auto-testearse (21.7%), y solo pocos para testear a sus parejas (4.8%) antes del comienzo del estudio. El hisopo bucal fue preferido (96%) sobre una prueba con un pinchazo de sangre (69%) por la mayoría de los participantes pero estos preferirían la prueba de sangre si puedieran obtener resultados para otras enfermedades de transmisión sexual (ETS) (86%). Cinco por ciento reportó problemas con el uso de la prueba, 4% con el almacenamiento, y el 26% con la portabilidad. Noventa y tres por ciento reportó que utilizarían HIVST para testear a sus parejas en el futuro, pero solo 3% estaba dispuesto a pagar el precio actual. Los futuros esfuerzos para mejorar la adopción del HIVST deberían enfocarse en incorporar otras pruebas de ETS, en reducir el tamaño del kit y en reducir los costos.

Transgender Women's Experiences Using a Home HIV-Testing Kit for Partner-Testing.

HIV partner-testing (PT) may represent a unique and empowering HIV prevention strategy for groups that face structural and institutional barriers to HIV testing and care, including transgender women. We report on in-depth interviews (IDIs) with N = 10 transgender women who used HIV self-test kits for three months to screen potential sexual partners in a randomized controlled trial (iSUM; "I'll Show You Mine") that took place in New York City and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Participants were assigned to intervention (supplied with 10 self-test kits immediately) or control groups (received 6 test kits after 3 months). We conducted IDIs with the first N = 10 transgender women to enroll in the intervention group after three months in the study (after participants used kits with partners) to understand their experiences. Themes discussed in IDIs included: partners' reaction to HIV testing, participants' reactions to partners' test results or refusal to test, partners' own reaction to their test results, and decision-making around test use. Data were independently analyzed by two coders. Overwhelmingly, participants' experiences with PT was positive. Participants reported kits were convenient and acceptable to most partners. Transgender women felt that PT could pose additional risk for them; one woman experienced violence related to kit use. Furthermore, the availability of kits appeared to encourage participants and their partners to think about their HIV status and, in some cases, modify sexual behavior. Work suggests that HIV PT could be a viable risk-reduction strategy for transgender women.

Information and Motivation Predict HIV-Serostatus Among a Population of High-Risk Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex with Men.

Two constructs from the information-motivation-behavioral skills model were used to predict HIV-serostatus among a sample of men and transgender women who have sex with men. Hypotheses were that lower levels of HIV knowledge and lower levels of motivation to remain HIV-negative would be associated with an increased likelihood of receiving a positive HIV test result at a study eligibility-screening session. Results of a backwards stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that lower levels of HIV knowledge, lower levels of motivation to remain HIV-negative, lower levels of education, and identifying as Hispanic/Latinx were associated with greater odds of receiving a positive HIV test result. These findings are consistent with the broader HIV-prevention literature that demonstrates that information and motivation are fundamental determinants of HIV preventive behavior. This work has implications for informing the development and improvement of HIV-prevention interventions.

Use of Rapid HIV Self-Test to Screen Potential Sexual Partners: Results of the ISUM Study.

ISUM ("I'll show you mine") was a randomized controlled trial in which 272 transgender women and men who have sex with men in New York, NY (NYC) and San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) were assigned to an intervention group (n = 136), in which they had access to free HIV self-testing (ST) kits, or to a control group (n = 136). The trial aimed to determine whether the intervention group would use ST to screen sexual partners and have fewer condomless anal intercourse (CAI) occasions with serodiscordant or unknown status partners than the control group. The intervention group had on average 10 (32%) fewer CAI occasions; though clinically relevant, this difference fell short of statistical significance (p = .08). In NYC (n = 166) intervention participants had significantly fewer CAI occasions, whereas in SJU (n = 106) they reported non-significantly more CAI occasions. Two devastating hurricanes hit SJU during the study and may have impacted results in unmeasured ways.

Broaching the Topic of HIV Self-testing with Potential Sexual Partners Among Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex with Men in New York and Puerto Rico.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) are highly affected by HIV and need novel prevention strategies. Using HIV self-testing (HIVST) kits to screen sexual partners may represent a viable risk-reduction alternative; however, more research is needed on effective strategies for broaching HIVST with partners. In the ISUM study, 136 MSM and TGW were given ten HIVST kits for self- and partner-testing. After 3 months, they returned for a follow-up assessment; thirty participants were also selected for in-depth interviews about their experiences initiating HIVST with partners. Most found proposing HIVST to a diverse array of partners relatively easy. They employed strategies such as joint testing and integrating HIVST into larger discussions about protection and sexual health, with moderate success. Nonetheless, real or anticipated negative partner reactions were a significant barrier. Future research can inform best practices for safely and successfully broaching HIVST with sexual partners.

RESUMEN: Los hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH) y las mujeres tránsgenero (MTG) están muy afectados por el VIH y necesitan estrategias innovadoras de prevención. El uso del autotest de VIH (HIVST) para testear a parejas sexuales podría ser una alternativa viable de reducir el riesgo; sin embargo, se necesitan más investigaciones sobre estrategias eficaces para abordar el tema de usar el HIVST con parejas. En el estudio ISUM, 136 HSH y MTG fueron provistos de diez HIVST para testear a sí mismo y a parejas. Después de tres meses, volvieron para una evaluación de seguimiento; treinta participantes también fueron seleccionados para una entrevista en profundidad sobres sus experiencias abordando el tema del uso del HIVST con parejas. La mayoría encontró que proponer HIVST a una gran variedad de parejas fue relativamente fácil. Emplearon estrategias como hacerse la prueba juntos y integrar HIVST en una conversación más amplia sobre la protección y la salud sexual, con leve éxito. No obstante, las reacciones negativas de parejas, ya sean reales o anticipadas, representaron una barrera importante. Las investigaciones futuras pueden informar las mejores prácticas para abordar el tema de HIVST con parejas sexuales de manera segura y exitosa.

Converting and expanding mobile support tools for tuberculosis treatment support: Design recommendations from domain and design experts.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the top ten causes of death globally despite it being largely treatable. Poor adherence to treatment directly contributes to poor outcomes, such as, prolonged infectivity and the development of drug resistance. Mobile phone-based interventions have the potential to improve treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to solicit design and domain expert feedback of a previously developed TB support intervention converted to a mobile application. METHODS: We used prototyping in iterative cycles that included integrating findings from prior formative research with endusers and soliciting feedback from design and content experts. In this project, we used low-fidelity prototype evaluation to inform the design of high-fidelity prototypes for further testing and iterative refinement. RESULTS: We received 12 survey results. Overall, the participants agreed that the functions would be easy to learn and use. Recommendations for improvement included: simplify the reporting by offering broad categories; split complex screens to be more intuitive and user friendly; modify feedback graphics to display data more clearly; incorporate instructions for each task/function to guide users and collapse the information once users had viewed it; display navigation icons on each screen and add a main menu button; have medication tracker be homepage and limit redundancies. Several potential functionalities were suggested, such as adding a notes/journal and a social feature. We were able to easily incorporate recommendations and feedback into the high-fidelity prototypes and continue testing and refinement. After we came to a stable prototype through testing, we gave the interactive prototype to our developers to program a base functioning model. CONCLUSION: The proposed design recommendations provide valuable insight to inform initial conversion of an interactive intervention to customize patient support, which include a smartphone app and a direct drug metabolite test reengineered for home use. Iteratively developing low- and high-fidelity prototypes with content and design experts to guide initial programming of a functional beta app paves the way to better explore further refinement needs and recommendations with endusers rather than using hypothetical scenarios.

Correction: Evaluation of a social protection policy on tuberculosis treatment outcomes: A prospective cohort study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002788.].

Patient generated health data use in clinical practice: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Precision health calls for collecting and analyzing large amounts of data to capture an individual's unique behavior, lifestyle, genetics, and environmental context. The diffusion of digital tools has led to a significant growth of patient generated health data (PGHD), defined as health-related data created, gathered or inferred by or from patients and for which the patient controls data collection and data sharing. PURPOSE: We assessed the current evidence of the impact of PGHD use in clinical practice and provide recommendations for the formal integration of PGHD in clinical care. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Ovid, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus up to May 2018. Inclusion criteria were applied and four reviewers screened titles and abstracts and consequently full articles. FINDINGS: Our systematic literature review identified 21 studies that examined the use of PGHD in clinical settings. Integration of PGHD into electronic records was extremely limited, and decision support capabilities were for the most part basic. DISCUSSION: PGHD and other types of patient-reported data will be part of the health care system narrative and we must continue efforts to understand its impact on health outcomes, costs, and patient satisfaction. Nursing scientists need to lead the process of defining the role of PGHD in the era of precision health.

Self-Management Strategies for Coping with Adverse Symptoms in Persons Living with HIV with HIV Associated Non-AIDS Conditions.

People living with HIV (PLWH) are living longer, but many are now affected by HIV-associated non-AIDS (HANA) conditions and their associated adverse symptoms. An online survey was conducted with 769 PLWH with HANA conditions in the US. Information was elicited on symptoms experienced, self-management strategies employed, and the helpfulness of these strategies. Open ended responses were collected for self-management strategies. A qualitative data analytic approach was used to organize the 4036 self-management strategies into thematic categories, with eight main categories emerging, including: taking medication, modifying activity, altering diet, seeking help, waiting, substance use, managing thoughts and attitudes, and altering the physical environment. Of the self-management strategy subcategories, social support was the most helpful self-management strategy with waiting/doing nothing being the least helpful approach. Findings can be used to inform the development of self-management interventions and to support health care professionals in recommending symptom self-management strategies to their patients.

Mixed-Method Evaluation of Social Media-Based Tools and Traditional Strategies to Recruit High-Risk and Hard-to-Reach Populations into an HIV Prevention Intervention Study.

Men who have sex with men and transgender women are hard-to-reach populations for research. Social media-based tools may overcome certain barriers in accessing these groups and are being tested in an ongoing study exploring HIV home-test kit use to reduce risk behavior. We analyzed pre-screening responses about how volunteers learned about the study (n = 896) and demographic data from eligible participants who came for an initial study visit (n = 216) to determine the strengths and weaknesses of recruitment strategies. Social media-based strategies resulted in the highest number of individuals screened (n = 444, 26% eligible). Dating sites/apps reached large numbers of eligible participants. White-Hispanics and African-Americans were more likely to be recruited through personal contacts; community events successfully reached Hispanic volunteers. Incorporating recruitment queries into pre-screening forms can help modify recruitment strategies for greater efficacy and efficiency. Findings suggest that recruitment strategies need to be tailored to reach specific target populations.

Clinical nursing and midwifery research in Latin American and Caribbean countries: A scoping review.

AIM: To identify and describe published, nursing-led and midwifery-led, clinical research that has been conducted in Latin America and the Caribbean. BACKGROUND: Peer-reviewed published research may correspond to and elucidate country's realities, priorities, and needs. DESIGN: A 6-stage scoping review methodology was used to search scientific databases using an applied search strategy. DATA SOURCES: Five databases were searched for articles published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese conducted in a Latin American or Caribbean country between January 1, 2006 and June 14, 2016. REVIEW METHODS: Articles were independently considered for inclusion by 2 researchers, data extracted, and study characteristics described. RESULTS: Of 6922 articles identified, 404 were included. The majority were conducted in Brazil (90.6%) followed by Chile (2.5%). Most were nurse-led (95.8%) and were implemented in hospitals (48.6%). Studies frequently explored patient knowledge or characterized patient populations (61.3%) and commonly assessed chronic disease (19.3%) or maternity/child health outcomes (15.9%). CONCLUSION: Findings revealed a large number of publications but an uneven geographical distribution of nurse-led clinical research and an evident gap of midwifery-related research in Latin America and the Caribbean. Results may be used to build research agendas to promote nursing and midwifery research capacity and further establish evidence-based practice.

A practical field guide to conducting nursing research in low- and middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this report is to offer practical guidance to nurse investigators interested in international research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Lessons learned and strategies for planning and implementing an international research project are addressed. METHODS: Four nurse researchers who conducted studies in diverse international settings (Argentina, India, South Africa, and Tanzania) describe their collective experiences regarding study planning and implementation; data collection using a variety of methods; and cultural, contextual and ethical considerations. RESULTS: Nurses who undertake international health research projects, particularly in LMICs, can face unique challenges and opportunities. Recommendations for success include advance planning, remaining flexible, having a backup plan, cultivating an attitude of curiosity and cultural humility, establishing collaborative and respectful partnerships, and budgeting adequate time. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse scientists often receive little training and support to conduct international research. Guidance to undertake research projects in LMICs can build capacity for nurses to make significant contributions to global health.

[Trends of tuberculosis in the Fifth Health Region, Buenos Aires Province, years 2000-2011]. / Tendencia de la tuberculosis en la Región Sanitaria V de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, años 2000-2011.

The aim of this study was to describe the trends in tuberculosis (TB) in the Fifth Health Region (RSV) in the Buenos Aires Province. A trend study allowed the evaluation of the average variation of change in the incidence rate (IR) using simple linear regression expressed as a mean annual variation (VAP). The number of reported TB cases and IR per 100 000 population of all TB cases, pulmonary TB (PTB) and bacteriologically confirmed PTB from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2011, were analyzed by age groups: 0-14; 15-29 and over 64 years of age. The decline in IR was less than 5% for all forms of TB and lower for bacteriologically confirmed PTB cases. The highest rate of PTB and IR was concentrated in the age group of 15-29 years with stable or slightly increasing trend of IR in bacteriologically confirmed PTB. There were similar trends for bacteriologically confirmed PTB in children. The fastest decline in PTB IR occurred in 0-14 age group, while for cases over 64 years of age the decline was sustained over time. TB continues to be a health risk in RSV, with cases in younger age groups. Therefore, it remains necessary to strengthen TB control activities in this region.

Optimizing Directed Research Groups with Students to Iteratively Refine the Tuberculosis Treatment Support Tools.

Targeted Directed Research Groups can be optimized leverage diverse student experiences and expertise, offering a platform for active student involvement in addressing global challenges. With experience we improved our strategies during the refinement of tools to support individuals with active tuberculosis (TB).

Adapting a Patient-Centered Tuberculosis Digital Adherence Technology Intervention for New Patient Populations.

Tuberculosis (TB) intervention adaptation strategies can be optimized to inform digital health intervention refinement. With experience we improved our strategies during the refinement of tools to support individuals with active TB.

Developing an AI-Assisted Platform to Support Tuberculosis Care Delivery.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to "bridge the gap" between healthcare provider and patient needs in low-resource settings to deliver timely, personalized, and empathetic care to individuals with active tuberculosis.

Usability testing of a mobile health application to support individuals with active tuberculosis: a mixed methods study.

Poor adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment leads to further disease transmission, worsened outcomes, and the development of drug resistance. Digital adherence technologies may facilitate a more patient-centered approach for improving TB treatment outcomes than current strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate and explore improving usability of the TB Treatment Support Tools (TB-TST) mobile application. We used an iterative convergent mixed-method design consisting of two quantitative surveys and a qualitative think-aloud interview. Testing was conducted in three testing cycles consisting of a total of 16 interviews and 26 surveys. Results were thematically analyzed and reported to the development team during weekly team meetings. Participants rated the TB-TSTs application as having high usability and the iterative approach resulted in several refinements to the application in response to participant feedback. These refinements were well received during qualitative interviews but did not result in a statistically significant improvement in usability testing scores between cycles. Using an iterative convergent mixed-method design was an effective method for refining our mHealth application. Data collected from think-aloud interviews, the MAUQ, and the Health-ITUES identified key areas of application design that needed refinement.