The status of interprofessional education (IPE) at regional and global levels - update from 2022 global IPE situational analysis.

This short report is based on the 2022 Global IPE Situational Analysis Results e-Book that is available at https://interprofessionalresearch.global/. As an up-to-date global environmental scan of interprofessional education (IPE), this cross-sectional study investigated institutional, administrative, and system-level processes that support IPE program development and implementation globally. Conducted by InterprofessionalResearch.Global (IPR.Global), the survey included 17 quantitative questions that were analyzed at global and regional levels. Three open-text questions were thematically analyzed. In total, 152 institutions from six regions worldwide contributed to this study. Results revealed that only 51.97% of all responding institutions have an established IPE program, with Canada and the USA having the highest (84%) and Africa (26%) having the lowest numbers. Globally, 37.33% of respondents reported no formal leadership positions and 41.33% reported the absence of a designated IPE Director or Coordinator. In addition, IPE funding varies considerably across the world, with 32.65% of institutions reporting no financial support. Over 48.22% of respondents indicated their institutions are rarely or not involved in IPE-related scholarly work or research. The open-text analysis revealed that supportive senior leadership, a culture of collaboration, and recognition of IPE as a strategic direction and/or priority at the institutional level, could foster the successful implementation of IPE. On the other hand, inadequate administrative support, lack of funding, poor attitudes regarding IPE, and limited dedicated time for research, seemed to impair successful implementation of scholarly activities in the field.

Teleconsultation in health and social care professions education: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Teleconsultation education in health care and social work education is under-reported. However, literature indicates that educating the workforce in teleconsultation skills is essential to continue with safe, high-quality delivery of services and increases the likelihood of implementing teleconsultations in health care. Training for students should, therefore, be encouraged. This systematic literature review aims to investigate global experiences of teleconsultation training in undergraduate health care and social work education. METHODS: A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature was undertaken. The review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Electronic databases were searched for eligible evidence. Studies were included only if they described and evaluated teleconsultation education for undergraduate health care and social work students. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: This review shows that mandatory education in teleconsultation is limited in undergraduate health care and social work education. Narrative synthesis and analysis of 14 studies led to the development of two themes: pedagogical aspects, and perspectives on telecommunication and teleconsultation learning and teaching. Practical experiences with simulated patients or during clinical placements with real patients were the most common mode of delivery. Feedback on teleconsultation education was generally positive; overall, health care students felt more confident using teleconsultation and valued safety of learning through simulation. CONCLUSION: Teleconsultation education is a legitimate way to expose students to telehealth. High satisfaction rates, increased knowledge and confidence in use indicate the positive impact this learning has on students. Nevertheless, further high-quality research and guidance for educators are warranted.

Improvements in biometric health measures among individuals with intellectual disabilities: A controlled evaluation of the Fit 5 program.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) have poorer health statuses compared to the general population. Actions are needed to address health disparities and promote healthy lifestyles among individuals with ID. Moreover, studies that consider program settings for this population are needed. OBJECTIVE: The Special Olympics health program, Fit 5, was evaluated to assess effectiveness in improving health measures for individuals with ID. The settings of programs' implementation were also considered. METHODS: Four Special Olympics basketball teams participated as an intervention group, and three teams as a control group, in a study of the Fit 5 program that was implemented during, and as part of, a regular 8-week basketball season. Resting heart rate (RHR) and blood pressure, and height and weight to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), were measured before and after the program. Differences in pre- and post-measures were compared between the two groups with paired samples t-tests and ANCOVA. RESULTS: Participants in the intervention group had significantly greater improvements in resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively) and RHR (p = 0.003). BMI increased for both groups; however, the increase in the intervention group was significantly less (p = 0.006). The Special Olympics setting was considered familiar and supportive and effectively reached individuals with ID. CONCLUSION: The Fit 5 program positively impacts RHR and blood pressure, and could help reduce extents of BMI increases, in individuals with ID when implemented in a common setting. Further investigation of the impact of Fit 5 and similar programs in additional settings is warranted.

Probiotic Treatment in Individuals with Euthymic Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot-Study on Clinical Changes and Compliance.

The importance of the microbiome for psychological well-being has gained rising interest in the last decade. A strategy to examine the role of the microbiome in different diseases is the intake of supplements that modulate the gut microbiome. Despite promising results in animal studies, research in humans is sparse to date and especially in individuals with psychiatric disorders almost missing. The current report of the ProbioBIP-one pilot study aims at describing general effects of the intake of the probiotic OMNi-BiOTiC Stress repair® on psychological parameters as well as gastrointestinal symptoms and general compliance in a cohort of euthymic individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), receiving daily probiotic treatment over a time period of 3 months. Twenty-seven individuals with BD took part in the present study (mean age = 50.7 years, SD = 12.2; females 40.7%). In sum, there was a high compliance rate with 81.5% of the study participants completing all 3 study visits and 85% of planned probiotic ingestions taken. Gastrointestinal problems were prevalent in more than half of the patients at the time of inclusion (t1). Expectedly, in the whole cohort, a high proportion of study participants experienced changes concerning digestion during probiotic treatment, around one third reported positive changes (reduced flatulence and easier and more frequent bowel movements) after 1 month (t2) and further after 3 months (t3). In contrast, a smaller part of study participants reported gastrointestinal discomfort after 1 and after 3 months (mainly flatulence and obstipation). We found a significantly reduced cognitive reactivity to sad mood between t2 and t3 indicating that participants under probiotic supplementation perceived themselves to be less distracted by ruminative thoughts. Further changes in psychiatric symptoms were small due to the euthymic state and already low scoring at the time of inclusion. Nevertheless, we found a significant symptom reduction in the rating scales measuring manic symptoms. From a clinical point of view, probiotic supplementation might provide a well-tolerated tool to positively influence gastrointestinal quality of life as well as mental and somatic health, cognition and immune response and potentially have effects on psychiatric symptoms.

The Impact of Probiotic Supplements on Cognitive Parameters in Euthymic Individuals with Bipolar Disorder: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive dysfunction is prevalent in depressive as well as manic episodes in individuals with Bipolar Disorder (BD). Even more, after symptom remission, many individuals with BD experience persisting cognitive impairment also in euthymic periods, leading to high illness burden and low quality of life. According to a recent research in animals and healthy humans, microbiota may influence cognitive processes via the brain-gut axis. A strategy to examine the role of the microbiota in different diseases is the intake of supplements that modulate the gut microbiome. The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the impact of probiotic supplements on cognitive parameters in a cohort of euthymic individuals with BD, receiving daily probiotic treatment over a time period of 3 months. METHODS: A total of 20 euthymic individuals with BD received probiotic supplement over a time period of 3 months and completed a cognitive test battery at 3 time points (t1 at time of inclusion, t2 after one month and t3 after 3 months of probiotic intake). RESULTS: We found a significant improvement of performance concerning attention and psychomotor processing speed measured with the Digit Symbol Test after one (t2) as well as after 3 months (t3) of treatment (F = 8.60; η2 = 0.49, p < 0.01). Furthermore, executive function measured with the TMT-B, increased significantly over 3 months (F = 3.68; η2 = 0.29, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results confirm the hypotheses that probiotic supplement might help stable individuals with BD to improve the cognitive function, which in turn might lead to better psychosocial, occupational, work and financial functioning. Nevertheless, the idea of this potential new treatment is challenging because of the variety of the human's gut microbiota.