ABSTRACT
Becoming ill while traveling is an unfortunate but common event, with gastrointestinal, febrile, dermatologic, and respiratory symptoms predominating. However, many illnesses acquired abroad can be prevented or controlled with evidence-based preventive measures and judicious use of appropriate self-care and local medical care. It is important that travelers know how to use international medical care and are aware of available tools to help them identify appropriate medical care in another country. Discussion of evacuation insurance is a crucial part of the pretravel medical evaluation. Epidemiology, prevention, and management guidelines of common travel-related illnesses, such as travelers diarrhea and febrile illnesses, should be addressed. Traveler counseling regarding the early management of serious but underrecognized considerations, such as accident-related trauma, sexual health, and mental health, should be included in the pretravel assessment. Important aspects of appropriate counseling and management of the traveler returning from an extended visit abroad include addressing reverse culture shock and evaluating symptoms that could be part of a delayed presentation of an illness acquired abroad.
Subject(s)
Travel-Related Illness , Travel , Humans , Travel Medicine , FeverABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many US medical schools and family medicine departments have responded to a growing interest in global health by developing global health fellowships. However, there are no guidelines or consensus statements outlining competencies for global health fellows. Our objective was to develop a mission and core competencies for Family Medicine Global Health Fellowships. METHODS: A modified Delphi technique was used to develop consensus on fellowship competencies. A panel, comprised of 13 members with dual expertise in global health and medical education, undertook an iterative consensus process, followed by peer review, from April to December 2014. RESULTS: The panel developed a mission statement and identified six domains for family medicine global health fellowships: patient care, medical knowledge, professionalism, communication and leadership, teaching, and scholarship. Each domain includes a set of core and program-specific competencies. CONCLUSION: The family medicine global health competencies are intended to serve as an educational framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of individual family medicine global health fellowship programs.
Subject(s)
Clinical Competence/standards , Delphi Technique , Family Practice/education , Fellowships and Scholarships , Global Health , Curriculum/standards , Education, Medical, Graduate/standards , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Health professionals from high-income countries are increasingly becoming involved in international service-learning trips in low and low/middle-income countries. While much has been written about the ethics and curricular guidelines related to such endeavors, scant attention has been paid to the attitudes with which trainees and clinicians enter into or return from them. In this essay the authors explore how attitudes contribute to the success or failure of international service-learning trips. DISCUSSION: The authors submit that the attitudes with which visiting health professionals approach international service-learning trips are much more critical to the success of these experiences than their demonstrated knowledge base or specialized skill sets. They list five attitudes that can aid those participating in international service-learning trips. They list five troubling attitudes that, while common, those participating in international service-learning trips can learn to recognize and avoid. They suggest five strategies key to learning respectful attitudes that can foster success in such cross-cultural activities. Lastly, the authors review several concepts related to attitude development in short or long-term global health work. SUMMARY: The attitudes with which visiting health professionals approach international service-learning activities can be important components of the success or failure of the experiences. Through thoughtful consideration of attitudes and approaches, participants on such trips can build a framework for rich and rewarding experiences in global medicine and global health.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Curriculum , Education, Medical , Ethics, Medical , Global Health , International Educational Exchange , Clinical Competence , HumansABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: This study investigates beginning Jordanian nursing students' level of awareness and attitudes toward the nursing profession, their expected future practices and their anticipated reactions when faced with challenging hypothetical situations, together with any correlation between these variables and the students' sex, age and social status. METHODS: The cross-sectional, descriptive methodology was applied to a population of 330 male and female students enrolled at the first year level of associate nursing at two Ministry of Health (MOH) training institutions in November 2003. FINDINGS: A student's personal desire to become a nurse accounted for only 31.0% of the total, while 69.0% began a nursing career because of other reasons, such as family or economic pressures. There was no correlation between the student's gender, high-school public certificate average, or socio-economic condition and the decision to become a nurse. Upon graduation, 30.0% of students would prefer to work at hospitals, 19.0% at emergency rooms, 21.0% at an ambulatory health center and 26.0% in administrative positions. Females favoured working at health centres over males (24.8% vs. 12.1%, respectively), while more males favoured working in administrative positions than females (30.8% and 23.5%, respectively). Analysis of students' expected reactions to various challenging encounters with a patient showed that approximately 50% would react in a less than professional manner. RECOMMENDATIONS: Curricular emphasis should be placed on expanding and raising nursing students' awareness of their responsibilities toward patients, especially in challenging or difficult situations, and on improving their concept of nursing as a profession.
Subject(s)
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Students, Nursing/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Career Choice , Cross-Sectional Studies , Ethics, Nursing , Female , Humans , Interprofessional Relations , Jordan , Male , Nurse's Role , Nurse-Patient Relations , Sex FactorsABSTRACT
En 1989, el Proyecto Esmeraldas, auspiciado por una fundación ecuatoriana, estableció un programa integral de salud en las comunidades negras del Río Onzale de la provincia de Esmeraldas, con el fin de disminuir la morbimortalidad del sector a través de la atención integral y preventiva a toda la familia en el contexto de la realidad comunitaria. Un censo y análisis social inicial demostraron problemas importantes como la falta de agua potable y letrinas, desintegración de la organización comunitaria, y graves problemas de salud. Con la implementación de un programa integral de atención curativa y preventiva, capacitación de promotores de salud y madres de familia, asesoría en organización comunitaria, y pequeños proyectos productivos, se han registrado logros importantes en el mejoramiento de varios índices de salud y bienestar. Se enfocará especialmente en la disminución de la incidencia de paludismo como modelo de la eficacia de las intervenciones integradas. Los principios fundamentales de la medicina familiar son sumamente aplicables a una zona selvática, primitiva, y de difícil acceso, dentro de un marco general de compromiso, intervenciones programadas e integradas con la realidad comunitaria
Subject(s)
Community Medicine , Health Promotion , Preventive Medicine , Ecuador , Family Practice , Health Programs and PlansABSTRACT
En 1989, el Proyecto Esmeraldas, auspiciado por una fundación ecuatoriana, estableció un programa integral de salud en las comunidades negras del Río Onzale de la provincia de Esmeraldas, con el fin de disminuir la morbimortalidad del sector a través de la atención integral y preventiva a toda la familia en el contexto de la realidad comunitaria. Un censo y análisis social inicial demostraron problemas importantes como la falta de agua potable y letrinas, desintegración de la organización comunitaria, y graves problemas de salud. Con la implementación de un programa integral de atención curativa y preventiva, capacitación de promotores de salud y madres de familia, asesoría en organización comunitaria, y pequeños proyectos productivos, se han registrado logros importantes en el mejoramiento de varios índices de salud y bienestar. Se enfocará especialmente en la disminución de la incidencia de paludismo como modelo de la eficacia de las intervenciones integradas. Los principios fundamentales de la medicina familiar son sumamente aplicables a una zona selvática, primitiva, y de difícil acceso, dentro de un marco general de compromiso, intervenciones programadas e integradas con la realidad comunitaria
