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1.
BMJ Open ; 14(5): e080643, 2024 May 15.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38754890

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this systematic scoping review is to identify what approaches have been implemented in medical education programmes to teach medical students the skills to identify and manage emotions that may be elicited in them during physician-patient interactions and in the clinical environment. Emotions of all involved in the clinical encounter are central to the process of clinical care. However, a gap remains addressing and teaching medical students about recognising and dealing with their own emotions. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review will follow the updated JBI (The Johanna Briggs Institute) methodology guidance for the conduct and reporting of systematic scoping reviews, and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A search strategy was developed and applied to five databases. Terms used included medical education, medical curriculum, medical students, emotion (regulation), psychological well-being and mental health. Additionally, a grey literature and reference list search will be conducted. Two independent reviewers will first screen titles and abstracts followed by a second, full-text screening phase. Publications to be included will contain information and data about teaching approaches such as lectures, and other teaching material on physicians' emotion awareness and emotion regulation training in medical education. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study will review existing literature on emotion awareness and emotion regulation training in medical education, and a systematic scoping review does not require ethical approval. The results of this scoping review will be submitted for publication to relevant peer-reviewed journals and will be used to inform the development and implementation of training programmes and research studies aimed at preparing medical students to identify and manage their own emotions in the clinical environment.


Education, Medical , Emotional Regulation , Systematic Reviews as Topic , Humans , Education, Medical/methods , Physicians/psychology , Students, Medical/psychology , Emotions , Curriculum , Physician-Patient Relations , Awareness , Research Design
2.
Front Public Health ; 12: 1323090, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38756872

Background: It introduced an artefactual field experiment to analyze the influence of incentives from fee-for-service (FFS) and diagnosis-intervention package (DIP) payments on physicians' provision of medical services. Methods: This study recruited 32 physicians from a national pilot city in China and utilized an artefactual field experiment to examine medical services provided to patients with different health status. Results: In general, the average quantities of medical services provided by physicians under the FFS payment were higher than the optimal quantities, the difference was statistically significant. While the average quantities of medical services provided by physicians under the DIP payment were very close to the optimal quantities, the difference was not statistically significant. Physicians provided 24.49, 14.31 and 5.68% more medical services to patients with good, moderate and bad health status under the FFS payment than under the DIP payment. Patients with good, moderate and bad health status experienced corresponding losses of 5.70, 8.10 and 9.42% in benefits respectively under the DIP payment, the corresponding reductions in profits for physicians were 10.85, 20.85 and 35.51%. Conclusion: It found patients are overserved under the FFS payment, but patients in bad health status can receive more adequate treatment. Physicians' provision behavior can be regulated to a certain extent under the DIP payment and the DIP payment is suitable for the treatment of patients in relatively good health status. Doctors sometimes have violations under DIP payment, such as inadequate service and so on. Therefore, it is necessary to innovate the supervision of physicians' provision behavior under the DIP payment. It showed both medical insurance payment systems and patients with difference health status can influence physicians' provision behavior.


Fee-for-Service Plans , Humans , China , Fee-for-Service Plans/economics , Male , Female , Insurance, Health/statistics & numerical data , Insurance, Health/economics , Physicians/economics , Physicians/statistics & numerical data , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/economics , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Middle Aged , Health Status
3.
BMC Prim Care ; 25(1): 177, 2024 May 21.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38773496

BACKGROUND: Advanced chronic kidney disease (ACKD) is associated with a high risk of adverse cardiovascular and renal events and has a significant impact on quality of life and life expectancy. Several studies have identified areas for improvement in their management in primary care. Some professional and environmental factors can act as key barriers to appropriate care. OBJECTIVE: To analyse attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control among primary care professionals related to the implementation of an evidence-based approach for individuals with ACKD in primary care. METHODOLOGY: This was a qualitative study using an interpretative phenomenological approach based on the theory of planned behaviour. Two aspects of the evidence-based approach were explored: the implementation of clinical practice guidelines and the utilisation of electronic kidney disease records within the scope of this study. Primary care nurses and physicians participated in a previous pilot interview and five focus groups. Subsequently, a thematic analysis of the gathered data was conducted. FINDINGS: Thirty-three primary care professionals participated. The emerging themes included: experiences in the management of ACKD (highlighting a distinct profile of older, frail patients with comorbidities masking CKD and a CKD follow-up primarily focused on analytical monitoring and drug adjustment); factors in the professional environment influencing the use of scientific evidence (such as time constraints, excessive electronic health records, and unfamiliar reference guidelines); attitudes towards the application of recommendations on ACKD (recognising limitations of computer systems despite considering them as guidance); and capacities to implement evidence-based recommendations (acknowledging formative needs and challenges in coordinating care with nephrology services). CONCLUSIONS: Several psychological elements identified through the TBP hinder the adequate implementation of an evidence-based approach for individuals with CKD. Attitudes have been identified as factors modulating the use of standardised electronic records. Instead, subjective norms (influences from the professional environment) and perceived behavioral control (perception of capabilities) acted as barriers to the proper application of clinical practice guidelines and standardised records. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Strategies aimed at optimising the management of people with ACKD should focus not only on training but also on improving attitudes, organisational structures, IT systems and coordination between primary care and nephrology.


Attitude of Health Personnel , Focus Groups , Qualitative Research , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic , Humans , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/therapy , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/psychology , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Primary Health Care , Adult , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Electronic Health Records , Nurses/psychology , Evidence-Based Medicine , Physicians/psychology
4.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 24(1): 650, 2024 May 21.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38773553

BACKGROUND: The inappropriate and excessive use of antibiotics during the coronavirus pandemic has become an important issue. OBJECTIVE: Our primary aim is to ascertain the attitudes of physicians toward the antibiotics prescribing for the treatment of COVID-19 in Turkey. Our secondary aim was to identify factors affecting to physicians' decisions regarding antibiotic therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 and risk factors associated with antibiotic overprescribing. METHODS: It was a multicenter cross-sectional survey. Physicians from 63 different cities were invited to survey through social media (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp). Data were collected from respondents through an online questionnaires during November-December 2021. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 571 participants from 63 cities. Pulmonologists comprised the majority (35.20%), followed by internal medical specialists (27.85%) and general practitioners (23.29%). The rates of participants who started empirical antibiotics in the outpatient, ward, and ICU (intensive care unit) were 70.2%, 85.5%, and 74.6%, respectively. When the practice of prescribing antibiotics by physicians for the treatment of COVID-19 in outpatients was compared according to the healthcare setting (primary, secondary, tertiary care hospitals) no significant difference was found. Sputum purulence (68.2%) was recognized as the most important factor for the decision of antibiotic therapy, followed by procalcitonin levels (64.9%) and abnormal radiological findings (50.3%). The most prescribed antibiotics were respiratory quinolones. (48%, 65.9%, 62.7% outpatient, ward, ICU respectively) CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that physicians frequently had irrational attitudes toward antibiotic prescription to COVID-19 patients, including those with minor diseases. Our findings underline that the necessity of particular, workable interventions to guarantee the prudent use of antibiotics in COVID-19.


Anti-Bacterial Agents , Attitude of Health Personnel , COVID-19 , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Humans , Turkey , Cross-Sectional Studies , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Male , Female , Practice Patterns, Physicians'/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Middle Aged , COVID-19/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Inappropriate Prescribing/statistics & numerical data , COVID-19 Drug Treatment , SARS-CoV-2 , Physicians/psychology , Physicians/statistics & numerical data , Pandemics
5.
JCI Insight ; 9(10)2024 May 22.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38775155

Physician-scientists play a crucial role in advancing medical knowledge and patient care, yet the long periods of time required to complete training may impede expansion of this workforce. We examined the relationship between postgraduate training and time to receipt of NIH or Veterans Affairs career development awards (CDAs) for physician-scientists in internal medicine. Data from NIH RePORTER were analyzed for internal medicine residency graduates who received specific CDAs (K08, K23, K99, or IK2) in 2022. Additionally, information on degrees and training duration was collected. Internal medicine residency graduates constituted 19% of K awardees and 28% of IK2 awardees. Of MD-PhD internal medicine-trained graduates who received a K award, 92% received a K08 award; of MD-only graduates who received a K award, a majority received a K23 award. The median time from medical school graduation to CDA was 9.6 years for K awardees and 10.2 years for IK2 awardees. The time from medical school graduation to K or IK2 award was shorter for US MD-PhD graduates than US MD-only graduates. We propose that the time from medical school graduation to receipt of CDAs must be shortened to accelerate training and retention of physician-scientists.


Education, Medical, Graduate , Internal Medicine , Humans , Internal Medicine/education , United States , Internship and Residency/statistics & numerical data , Biomedical Research/education , Physicians/statistics & numerical data , Research Personnel/statistics & numerical data , Research Personnel/education , Time Factors , Awards and Prizes , National Institutes of Health (U.S.) , United States Department of Veterans Affairs , Male , Female
6.
Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) ; 70(5): e20231317, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38775504

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the newly graduated physicians' attitudes and perceptions regarding the medical relationship with the pharmaceutical industry and identify the sociodemographic patterns related to such thinking. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was administered to 4,601 participants selected from a pool of 16,323 physicians who were registered with one of the 27 Regional Medical Councils of Brazil in 2015. Answers were analyzed using two stratification variables: type of medical school (public vs. private) and the sex of the respondents. RESULTS: Out of the participants, 61.8% believed that industry funding could support medical conferences and education, and 48.4% felt that small gifts and conference travel funding were acceptable. Conversely, 64.7% disagreed with industry-sponsored social events. Views on whether pharmaceutical representatives' visits influenced prescriptions were divided. Statistically significant differences were observed between genders and medical school types, with men and private school graduates being more accepting of certain industry interactions. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the nuanced attitudes of new doctors toward industry relationships, indicating the need for clearer ethical guidelines and education in medical schools to align practice with evolving societal values.


Attitude of Health Personnel , Drug Industry , Physicians , Humans , Drug Industry/ethics , Brazil , Male , Female , Surveys and Questionnaires , Physicians/psychology , Physicians/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Perception , Conflict of Interest , Cross-Sectional Studies , Socioeconomic Factors , Gift Giving/ethics , Schools, Medical , Middle Aged , Sex Factors
7.
Hum Resour Health ; 22(1): 28, 2024 May 07.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38715124

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented multiple psychological challenges for healthcare workers, such as anxiety, depression, burnout, and substance use disorders. In this research, we investigate the different ways Romanian physicians dealt with the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also analyze how positive and negative stress-reducing strategies, as well as demographic variables, affect their psychological resilience and quality of life. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of how physicians coped with the unprecedented global health challenges. METHODS: We carried out a national cross-sectional study of 265 physicians in Romania between January 2021 and January 2022 using a web-based questionnaire. The study employed a web-based questionnaire to assess coping mechanisms using the COPE inventory, resilience through the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 25 (CD-RISC 25), and quality of life via the WHOQOL-BREF scale. The COPE inventory, consisting of 60 items across 15 subscales, categorizes coping strategies into problem-focused, emotion-focused, and dysfunctional types, with each item rated on a 4-point scale. The CD-RISC 25 measures resilience on a 5-point Likert scale, with total scores ranging from 0 to 100. WHOQOL-BREF assesses quality of life through 26 items in 4 domains: physical, mental, social relations, and environmental, scored from 1 to 5 and converted to a 0-100 scale for domain scores. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were employed to discern the intricate relationships between coping strategies, resilience levels, quality of life dimensions, and pertinent demographic factors. RESULTS: The average CD-RISC score among participants was 66.2. The mean scores for the values for the QOL subscales were 64.0 for physical well-being, 61.7 for psychological well-being, 61.2 for social relationships, and 64.7 for environment. Individuals tend to use problem-focused and emotion-focused coping more than dysfunctional mechanisms, according to the COPE inventory. Problem-focused and emotion-focused coping are positively correlated with resilience, while dysfunctional coping is negatively correlated. Resilience is significantly influenced by gender and professional status, with males and senior specialists reporting higher levels while younger physicians and residents reporting lower levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our data points to specific protective characteristics and some detrimental factors on physicians' resilience and quality of life during the pandemic.


Adaptation, Psychological , COVID-19 , Physicians , Quality of Life , Resilience, Psychological , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/psychology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Quality of Life/psychology , Romania , Male , Female , Cross-Sectional Studies , Physicians/psychology , Adult , Middle Aged , Surveys and Questionnaires , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Pandemics , Coping Skills
8.
Behav Neurol ; 2024: 9945392, 2024.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38725562

Background: The phenomenon of burnout among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic is a widespread problem with several negative consequences for the healthcare system. The many stressors of the pandemic have led to an increased development of anxiety and depressive disorders in many healthcare workers. In addition, some manifested symptoms of the so-called postpandemic stress syndrome and the emergence of occupational burnout syndrome, commonly referred to as "COVID-19 burnout." The aim of this study was to assess the burnout and life satisfaction of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in 2020-2022 among medical staff working in hospitals in Silesia, Poland. The instruments used to assess life satisfaction and burnout were the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), which assesses three dimensions: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DEP), and sense of reduced professional accomplishment (SRPA). Results: The study group included 900 participants. There were 300 physicians (mean age 38 ± 7 years), 300 nurses (mean age 35 ± 6 years), and 300 paramedics (mean age 31 ± 5 years). Life satisfaction as measured by the SWLS was lowest among nurses and paramedics in 2021 and among doctors in 2022. Male respondents and those with fewer years of work had higher levels of life satisfaction. People with more years of work had higher scores in EE and DEP and lower scores in SRPA (p = 0.001). We found a negative correlation between life satisfaction and EE (p = 0.001), DEP (p = 0.001), and SRPA (p = 0.002). Conclusions: The results highlight the need for further research into the causes of burnout among medical professionals and the need for effective interventions to promote well-being and prevent burnout in this group.


Burnout, Professional , COVID-19 , Health Personnel , Personal Satisfaction , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/psychology , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Poland/epidemiology , Adult , Male , Female , Health Personnel/psychology , Job Satisfaction , Pandemics , Surveys and Questionnaires , Middle Aged , Nurses/psychology , Physicians/psychology
9.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 24(1): 588, 2024 May 06.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38711060

BACKGROUND: Effective skills and training for physicians are essential for communicating difficult or distressing information, also known as breaking bad news (BBN). This study aimed to assess both the capacity and the practices of clinicians in Pakistan regarding BBN. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 151 clinicians. Quantitative component used a structured questionnaire, while qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with 13 medical educationists. The responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. RESULTS: While most clinicians acknowledged their responsibility of delivering difficult news, only a small percentage had received formal training in BBN. Areas for improvement include time and interruption management, rapport building, and understanding the patients' point of view. Prognosis and treatment options were not consistently discussed. Limited importance is given to BBN in medical education. DISCUSSION: Training in BBN will lead to improved patient and attendants' satisfaction, and empathetic support during difficult times.


Communication , Physician-Patient Relations , Truth Disclosure , Humans , Pakistan , Cross-Sectional Studies , Male , Female , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adult , Physicians/psychology , Qualitative Research , Clinical Competence , Interviews as Topic , Middle Aged , Attitude of Health Personnel
10.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak ; 34(5): 620-622, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38720228

Burnout and emotional exhaustion are becoming common among health workers in the busy teaching hospitals due to increased workload and the dearth of human resource. This study aimed to determine the causes of burnout among doctors and across gender differences. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from 1st July to 30th September 2022. Two hundred and forty-five randomly recruited doctors who filled out self-administered questionnaires were included in the study. Independent samples t-test was used for comparison of the mean emotional burnout score. Female doctors felt more emotionally drained, more fatigued, and more worn out from work than male doctors (p < 0.05). Overall emotional exhaustion was also higher in female doctors (p < 0.05). This situation was more serious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gender-sensitive environments, workplace policies, and necessary interventions will save physicians' burnout and brain drain. Emotional burnout is greater in female doctors as compared to their male counterparts. This evidence not only calls for prevention and treatment but also certain service-related reforms to facilitate female physicians to balance out their work and family lives more effectively. Key Words: Physicians, Emotional exhaustion, Burnout, Gender difference, Pakistan.


Burnout, Professional , Physicians , Tertiary Care Centers , Humans , Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Female , Male , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pakistan/epidemiology , Adult , Physicians/psychology , Sex Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , COVID-19/psychology , COVID-19/epidemiology , Workload/psychology , SARS-CoV-2 , Middle Aged , Job Satisfaction , Workplace/psychology , Physicians, Women/psychology , Physicians, Women/statistics & numerical data
11.
Arch Psychiatr Nurs ; 49: 126-132, 2024 Apr.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38734448

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic has represented one of the most stressful events of recent times and has placed enormous psychological pressure on doctors and nurses. AIMS: The objective of this work is to evaluate the psychological impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on Spanish nurses and doctors, and to identify factors related to their mental health. METHODS: The study is a descriptive study and examined 812 doctors and 768 nurses. The dependent variables were health-related quality of life, anxiety, depression, perceived stress and insomnia. Participants completed the Health-related Quality of Life-Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item-Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Impact Event Scale-Revised, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Sociodemographic and Covid-related data were also recorded. Descriptive statistics, univariable analysis and multivariable linear regression models were used. RESULTS: A greater proportion of nurses than doctors suffered clinical anxiety, depression and insomnia (56.84 % vs 45.81 p-value<0.0001, 64.67 % vs 53.39 p-value<0.0001, and 23.04 % vs 18.02 p-value 0.01, respectively). Although in our study nurses were more likely to suffer clinical anxiety, stress and insomnia than doctors, our results nevertheless showed that there were no differences in terms of quality of life. Different factors related to mental health were identified for doctors and nurses. Nurses working in care homes or geriatric services (OR = 4.13, IC95% 1.71-9.99, p-value 0.002), and in services with greatest contact with Covid-19 patients (OR = 1.71,IC95% 1.10-2.68, p-value 0.02) were more likely to suffer depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that doctors and nurses are at high risk of clinical anxiety, depression, stress or insomnia during the Covid-19 pandemic.


Anxiety , COVID-19 , Depression , Physicians , Quality of Life , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders , Humans , COVID-19/psychology , COVID-19/nursing , Quality of Life/psychology , Male , Female , Adult , Spain/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Depression/psychology , Depression/epidemiology , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/psychology , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/epidemiology , Anxiety/psychology , Anxiety/epidemiology , Physicians/psychology , Middle Aged , Stress, Psychological/psychology , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemics
12.
Harefuah ; 163(5): 321-322, 2024 May.
Article He | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38734947

INTRODUCTION: In his important article, Prof. G. Eshel describes the story of three Jewish physicians who returned to Nazi Germany to complete their MD thesis despite laws prohibiting Jewish students from German Universities. The three physicians completed their MD thesis examination with the help of three German Professors who supported them regardless of the laws banning Jewish students. The three physicians risked their lives by returning to Nazi Germany, as did the three professors who supported them. The three physicians returned to Palestine upon completion of the requirement for their medical licensing and continued to contribute to the medical system for many years in the State of Israel. The determination of the three Jewish physicians and their courage teaches us an important lesson on the motivation of young doctors to complete their education and practice medicine. The support of the German professors created some lights in the great darkness of the Nazi regime. Generations of physicians took a stand on non-medical issues and contributed to social justice and the wellbeing of individuals beyond medical care. We should all continue this legacy.


Education, Medical , Jews , National Socialism , Physicians , National Socialism/history , Jews/history , Humans , Germany , History, 20th Century , Physicians/history , Education, Medical/history , Israel
13.
J Assoc Physicians India ; 72(3): 87-92, 2024 Mar.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38736124

The relationship between a doctor and a patient is a contract, retaining the essential elements of the tort. Modern medical practice has evolved alongside the court of law to regulate the conduct of doctors and hospitals to reduce litigations of medical negligence. Lately, Indian patients have become more aware of their rights and the Consumer Protection Act. This awareness encourages patients to litigate and seek the help of redressal forums to mitigate their loss/injury in cases of medical negligence. Though there is a rise in complaints of medical negligence filed against doctors and hospitals, these allegations are often frivolous. The specter of litigation constantly looms over medical practitioners, who frequently struggle to defend themselves in a court of law, causing undue anxiety and anguish. Thus, a doctor can be considered the second victim in a medical negligence case. Lack of awareness regarding their legal rights and pertinent laws coupled with contradictory actions of the law enforcement agencies while handling alleged medical negligence cases worsens a doctor's trepidation. Hence, this article attempts to raise awareness among medical professionals, which will thereby allay undue fear while facing an allegation.


Malpractice , Malpractice/legislation & jurisprudence , India , Humans , Liability, Legal , Physicians/legislation & jurisprudence
16.
World Neurosurg ; 185: e57-e74, 2024 May.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38741330

BACKGROUND: Nigeria has an inadequate number of neurosurgeons to meet the population's demand for neurosurgical care. Furthermore, few Nigerian neurosurgeons are female. This study sought to evaluate perceived barriers to pursuing neurosurgery among Nigerian trainees. METHODS: A 60-question survey was distributed electronically to medical students at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, and unspecialized intern physicians at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Participation was voluntary. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-seven respondents participated in the survey. A greater proportion of males indicated an interest in neurosurgery than females (40% vs. 18%, P = 0.010). Over 75% of respondents identified decreased family and personal time, long work hours, and limited access to maternity or paternity leave as potential barriers to neurosurgery, with no differences by gender. Respondents overall saw being female and low-income as disadvantageous to pursuing neurosurgery in Nigeria. Although they universally viewed research as important in neurosurgery, 59% of respondents reported inadequate access to research opportunities; this did not vary by gender. However, 65% of female respondents reported that having a female neurosurgery mentor would increase their interest in neurosurgery (vs. 37% of males, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Nigerian medical trainees perceived the time commitment of neurosurgery as a major barrier to pursuing the specialty. Regardless of gender, they also reported low exposure to neurosurgery and inadequate access to research and mentorship opportunities. However, we found that enhanced female representation among neurosurgery mentors and improved work-life balance could increase interest in neurosurgery and help expand Nigeria's neurosurgical workforce.


Career Choice , Neurosurgery , Students, Medical , Humans , Nigeria , Female , Male , Neurosurgery/education , Students, Medical/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Adult , Surveys and Questionnaires , Physicians/psychology , Neurosurgeons , Young Adult
17.
JAMA Netw Open ; 7(5): e2410242, 2024 May 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38728031

Importance: Black physicians are substantially underrepresented in the US health care workforce, with detrimental effects on the health and health care experiences of Black individuals. These contemporary gaps can be traced to the early days of the medical profession using the first edition of the American Medical Directory (AMD). Objective: To identify state- and county-level patterns related to the training and availability of Black physicians relative to their White counterparts in the 1906 AMD. Design, Setting, and Participants: For this cross-sectional study, data for 41 828 physician entries in 18 US states in or adjacent to the South as well as the District of Columbia were extracted from the 1906 AMD and aggregated to 1570 counties. Data analysis was performed between September 2023 and January 2024. Exposures: County-level exposure variables included population density, racial composition, and illiteracy rate among US-born White residents as well as an index of terrain ruggedness and the number of lynchings in the previous decade. Median values of physicians' distance from place of practice to place of medical training (by race of physician) were also used as an exposure variable. Main Outcomes and Measures: There were 4 county-level outcomes: (1) presence of any Black physician, (2) proportion of Black physicians per Black population, (3) proportion of White physicians per White population, and (4) community representativeness (reported as the community representativeness ratio). The cross-sectional analysis used generalized additive mixed models with state-level random effects. Results: Across 1570 counties, Black physicians comprised 746 (1.8%) of the 41 828 physicians in the dataset. Black physicians tended to train further from their place of practice than their White counterparts. The proportion of Black physicians per 1000 Black residents was 0.08 compared with 1.62 for White physicians; these proportions varied substantially by state. At the county level, the presence of any Black physician was associated with percentage Black population (odds ratio [OR], 28.94 [95% CI, 9.77 to 85.76]; P ≤ .001), population density (OR, 2.63 [95% CI, 2.03 to 3.40]; P ≤ .001), and distance to the nearest Black medical school (OR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.42 to 0.92]; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance: A variety of structural disadvantages are illustrated in this cross-sectional study of county-level sociodemographic and geographic characteristics associated with the prevalence of Black physicians in the earliest days of the profession. To demonstrate its broader utility for health disparities research, the dataset has been made publicly available with a visualization platform.


Black or African American , Physicians , Humans , Physicians/statistics & numerical data , Physicians/supply & distribution , United States , Cross-Sectional Studies , Black or African American/statistics & numerical data , Male , Prevalence , History, 20th Century , Female
19.
BMC Med Ethics ; 25(1): 50, 2024 May 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38702731

BACKGROUND: Assisted death, including euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS), is under debate worldwide, and these practices are adopted in many Western countries. Physicians' attitudes toward assisted death vary across the globe, but little is known about physicians' actual reactions when facing a request for assisted death. There is a clear gap in evidence on how physicians act and respond to patients' requests for assisted death in countries where these actions are not legal. METHODS: A survey including statements concerning euthanasia and PAS and an open question about their actions when facing a request for assisted death was sent to all Finnish physicians. Quantitative data are presented as numbers and percentages. Statistical significance was tested by using the Pearson chi-square test, when appropriate. The qualitative analysis was performed by using an inductive content analysis approach, where categories emerge from the data. RESULTS: Altogether, 6889 physicians or medical students answered the survey, yielding a response rate of 26%. One-third of participants agreed or partly agreed that they could assist a patient in a suicide. The majority (69%) of the participants fully or partly agreed that euthanasia should only be accepted due to difficult physical symptoms, while 12% fully or partly agreed that life turning into a burden should be an acceptable reason for euthanasia. Of the participants, 16% had faced a request for euthanasia or PAS, and 3033 answers from 2565 respondents were achieved to the open questions concerning their actions regarding the request and ethical aspects of assisted death. In the qualitative analysis, six main categories, including 22 subcategories, were formed regarding the phenomenon of how physicians act when facing this request. The six main categories were as follows: providing an alternative to the request, enabling care and support, ignoring the request, giving a reasoned refusal, complying with the request, and seeing the request as a possibility. CONCLUSIONS: Finnish physicians' actions regarding the requests for assisted death, and attitudes toward euthanasia and PAS vary substantially. Open discussion, education, and recommendations concerning a request for assisted death and ethics around it are also highly needed in countries where euthanasia and PAS are not legal.


Attitude of Health Personnel , Physicians , Suicide, Assisted , Humans , Finland , Suicide, Assisted/ethics , Suicide, Assisted/legislation & jurisprudence , Physicians/psychology , Physicians/ethics , Male , Female , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adult , Middle Aged , Attitude to Death , Euthanasia/ethics , Qualitative Research
20.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 24(1): 573, 2024 May 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38702774

BACKGROUND: The problem of mental ill-health in doctors is complex, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and impacts on healthcare provision and broader organisational performance. There are many interventions to address the problem but currently no systematic way to categorise them, which makes it hard to describe and compare interventions. As a result, implementation tends to be unfocussed and fall short of the standards developed for implementing complex healthcare interventions. This study aims to develop: 1) a conceptual typology of workplace mental health and wellbeing interventions and 2) a mapping tool to apply the typology within research and practice. METHODS: Typology development was based on iterative cycles of analysis of published and in-practice interventions, incorporation of relevant theories and frameworks, and team and stakeholder group discussions. RESULTS: The newly developed typology and mapping tool enable interventions to be conceptualised and/or mapped into different categories, for example whether they are designed to be largely preventative (by either improving the workplace or increasing personal resources) or to resolve problems after they have arisen. Interventions may be mapped across more than one category to reflect the nuance and complexity in many mental health and wellbeing interventions. Mapping of interventions indicated that most publications have not clarified their underlying assumptions about what causes outcomes or the theoretical basis for the intervention. CONCLUSION: The conceptual typology and mapping tool aims to raise the quality of future research and promote clear thinking about the nature and purpose of interventions, In doing so it aims to support future research and practice in planning interventions to improve the mental health and wellbeing of doctors.


COVID-19 , Mental Health , Physicians , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Physicians/psychology , Workplace/psychology , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemics
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