"Rectal Feeding"-Unethical Medical Officer Participation at CIA Secret Interrogation Facilities.

This Viewpoint discusses recently released information regarding the practice of "rectal feeding" among detainees at Guantanamo Bay and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) secret prisons.

"A gente só quer ser atendida com profissionalismo": experiências de pessoas trans sobre atendimentos de saúde em Curitiba-PR, Brasil / "We just want to be treated with professionalism": Experiences of trans people about health care in Curitiba-PR, Brazil

Resumo Introdução: Pessoas trans pertencem a um grupo marginalizado e vulnerável na sociedade e sofrem com dificuldades no atendimento no sistema de saúde. Este estudo objetivou compreender o processo saúde-doença-cuidado dessas pessoas e seu acesso aos serviços de saúde na cidade de Curitiba-PR, Brasil. Metodologia: Pesquisa qualitativa hermenêutica, por meio de dez entrevistas semiestruturadas com pessoas trans de Curitiba, que foram gravadas, transcritas e codificadas. Apreenderam-se as experiências e percepções sobre a saúde desses sujeitos e suas trajetórias de atendimento no sistema de saúde, analisando-se pela perspectiva hermenêutica. Resultados: As narrativas mostram que ainda há muito despreparo dos profissionais da saúde, e isso gera situações de desconforto à população trans. Essas experiências moldam a conduta dessa população frente aos serviços de saúde, muitas vezes evitando-os. Toda essa dificuldade no acesso à saúde gera questões de saúde mental e sentimentos de ideação suicida. Conclusão: O estudo evidenciou a falta de reconhecimento e de aceitação da forma que pessoas trans se expressam e a existência de uma série de ações discriminatórias por parte dos trabalhadores da saúde. A compreensão dessas dificuldades aponta para o que pode ser modificado para garantir um acesso à saúde de maior qualidade para essa população.

Abstract Introduction: Trans people belong to a marginalized and vulnerable group in society and suffer from difficulties in receiving care in the health system. This study aimed to understand the health-disease-care process of trans people and their access to health services in Curitiba, PR, Brazil. Methodology: Qualitative hermeneutic research, through semi-structured interviews with ten trans persons from Curitiba. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded and submitted to hermeneutic analysis. Analysis enabled to understand participants' experiences and perceptions about their health and trajectories of care in the health system. Results: The narratives showed that there is still a lot of unpreparedness of health professionals and this produces discomfortable care for the trans persons. These experiences shape the behavior of the trans population towards health services, often avoiding them. All this difficulty in accessing health care generates mental health issues and feelings of suicidal ideation. Conclusion: The study highlighted the lack of recognition and acceptance of the way trans people express themselves and the existence of several discriminatory actions practiced by health workers. Understanding these challenges points to what need to be improved, such as increasing access and the healthcare quality for this population.

Satisfacción de pacientes y prestadores de servicios en el Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología / Satisfaction of Patients and Service Providers in the Institute of Hematology and Immunology

Introducción: La satisfacción del paciente y el prestador de servicio asistencial de salud es una variable multidimensional de la calidad en la atención médica. La comunicación, la atención y cortesía, el tiempo de espera percibido, la aplicación de una tecnología de avanzada y una infraestructura idónea son los factores que se deben trabajar para incrementar dicha satisfacción. Objetivo: Identificar el nivel de satisfacción de pacientes, familiares y prestadores de servicios en el Instituto de Hematología e Inmunología. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, durante cinco años (2017-2021). El universo lo conformaron 1004 personas, seleccionados mediante un muestreo aleatorio simple. Se aplicaron para la evaluación de la satisfacción las técnicas de encuestas y entrevistas. Resultados: Se identificó el nivel de satisfacción de las personas respecto a las dimensiones evaluadas sobresaliendo en más del 90 por ciento el trato recibido, la eficiencia en los servicios prestados y la privacidad en salas de asistencia médica. Resultó ser de un 93 por ciento el compromiso y la entrega de los prestadores de servicios y más del 70 por ciento del personal se capacitó. Se analizaron varios indicadores a partir de encuestas de tipo cerradas, abiertas y entrevistas. Conclusiones: La identificación del nivel de satisfacción de pacientes, familiares y prestadores de servicios permite mitigar o eliminar la mayoría de las inconformidades lo que contribuye a la mejora en los servicios asistenciales, docentes e investigativos, que avalan los logros alcanzados por el instituto en la actualidad(AU)

Introduction: Patient and healthcare provider satisfaction is a multidimensional variable of healthcare quality. Communication, care and politeness, the perceived waiting time, the application of advanced technology, as well as an adequate infrastructure, are the factors that should be worked on to increase such satisfaction. Objective: To identify the level of satisfaction of patients, family members and service providers at the Institute of Hematology and Immunology. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out during five years (2017-2021). The universe consisted of 1004 people, selected by simple random sampling. The survey and interview techniques were used to evaluate satisfaction. Results: The level of satisfaction of the people was identified, with respect to the evaluated dimensions; received treatment, efficiency of provided services and privacy in medical care rooms stood out in more than 90 percent. The commitment and dedication of the service providers was 93 percent, while more than 70 percent of the personnel received training. Several indicators were analyzed based on closed or open-ended surveys and interviews. Conclusions: The identification of the level of satisfaction among patients, family members and service providers allows mitigating or eliminating most of the nonconformities, contributing to the improvement in care, teaching and research services, which confirms the achievements attained by the institute nowadays(AU)

Ethical dilemmas encountered in suicide research and management: Experiences of young mental health professionals.

This study aimed to explore ethical dilemmas and challenges faced by young mental healthcare researchers and professionals working with survivors of suicide (hereinafter suicide survivors). Two focus group discussions (FGDs) Researcher FGD (with those engaged in suicide research) and Clinician FGD (with those providing treatment to suicide survivors) - consisting of open-ended questions and lasting for 70-90 minutes were conducted and analysed using Thematic Analysis. Five themes were identified: i) struggling with the incongruity of harm within benefit, ii) difficulty in delineating boundaries, iii) self-doubt in one's professional competence, iv) nature of suicide straining the limits of confidentiality, and v) working with structural limitations. The study helps to understand the obstacles and dilemmas encountered in adhering to ethical principles while working with vulnerable individuals.

Exploring the Ethics of a Nurses' Strike During a Pandemic.

ABSTRACT: It's usually considered a violation of professional ethics for health care workers, including nurses, to refuse to work during mass medical emergencies, especially if their refusal is over concerns like compensation. Strikes and other forms of work stoppage may result in harm to patients and, therefore, violate professional obligations of beneficence. However, in rare circumstances a health care worker's choice to remain on the job despite risk or potential harm to themselves or even their family may be considered beyond their professional obligation. During a pandemic such as COVID-19, the ethical calculus (that is, finding the right balance between beneficence and harm before deciding on a course of action) must take account of a confluence of factors, including the risks to present patients, future patients, and health care workers; the severity and duration of the risks; and the availability of ameliorative or protective steps that reduce risk and harm. The principle of beneficence to both future patients and health care workers may be thwarted if the risk analysis is confined only to short-term concerns (that is, to concerns occurring within a narrow temporal window). If a significantly elevated risk has been demonstrated to affect nurses and other health care workers of color disproportionately, racial justice must also be considered. The purpose of this article is to assess the moral framework of a work stoppage by nurses during a pandemic.

Atenção à Saúde Mental de crianças e adolescentes negros e o racismo / Atención a la salud mental de niños y adolescentes negros y el racismo / Mental health assistance for black children and adolescents and racism

O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar estratégias utilizadas por uma equipe de um Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Infantojuvenil (Capsij) na assistência a crianças e adolescentes pretos e pardos com problemas de saúde. Seus pressupostos apoiaram-se no vasto campo de estudos das relações raciais, paradigma pelo qual são feitas também as análises. Participaram 18 trabalhadores do Capsij - Brasilândia; as entrevistas foram guiadas por um questionário semiestruturado e a análise temática para interpretação dos dados foi organizado tendo raça/cor como categoria analítica. Os resultados mostram que cuidado a crianças e adolescentes que manifestam sofrimentos pela vivência do racismo, ou que o tem como uma dimensão importante, demanda do profissional espaços de sensibilização, informação e letramento para as formações raciais, assim como convoca a elaboração de estratégias de enfrentamento ao racismo institucional, sobretudo em perspectiva intersetorial.(AU)

Identificar estrategias utilizadas por un equipo de un Centro de Atención Psicosocial infantojuvenil (CAPSij) en la asistencia a niños y adolescentes negros y mulatos con problemas de salud. Las presuposiciones de este trabajo se apoyaron en el vasto campo de estudios de las relaciones raciales, paradigma a partir del cual se realizan también los análisis. Participaron 18 trabajadores del CAPSij - Brasilândia; las entrevistas fueron guiadas por un cuestionario semiestructurado y el análisis temático para la interpretación de los datos se estructuró teniendo raza/color como categoría analítica. Los resultados muestran que el cuidado a niños y adolescentes que manifiestan sufrimientos por la vivencia del racismo, o que lo tienen como una dimensión importante, demanda del profesional espacios de sensibilización, información y aprendizaje para las formaciones raciales, así como convoca la elaboración de estrategias de enfrentamiento al racismo institucional, sobre todo en perspectiva intersectorial.(AU)

The study aimed to identify strategies used by a team of a Psychosocial Care Center (CAPSij) to assist black and brown children and adolescents with health problems. The assumptions of the study were supported by the vast field of studies on race relations, the paradigm that also underpinned the analyses. Eighteen workers from the Brasilândia CAPSij were interviewed. The interviews were guided by a semi-structured questionnaire and the thematic analysis for data interpretation was structured having race/color as the analytical category. The results showed that the provision of care for children and adolescents who express suffering due to the experience of racism, or who have it as an important dimension, demands, of the professional, spaces for awareness, information and literacy regarding racial formations. In addition, it calls for the development of strategies to combat institutional racism, especially in an intersectoral perspective.(AU)

Impacts of morally distressing experiences on the mental health of Canadian health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Research is urgently needed to understand health care workers' (HCWs') experiences of moral-ethical dilemmas encountered throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and their associations with organizational perceptions and personal well-being. This research is important to prevent long-term moral and psychological distress and to ensure that workers can optimally provide health services. Objective: Evaluate associations between workplace experiences during COVID-19, moral distress, and the psychological well-being of Canadian HCWs. Method: A total of 1362 French- and English-speaking Canadian HCWs employed during the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited to participate in an online survey. Participants completed measures reflecting moral distress, perceptions of organizational response to the pandemic, burnout, and symptoms of psychological disorders, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results: Structural equation modelling showed that when organizational predictors were considered together, resource adequacy, positive work life impact, and ethical work environment negatively predicted severity of moral distress, whereas COVID-19 risk perception positively predicted severity of moral distress. Moral distress also significantly and positively predicted symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and burnout. Conclusions: Our findings highlight an urgent need for HCW organizations to implement strategies designed to prevent long-term moral and psychological distress within the workplace. Ensuring availability of adequate resources, reducing HCW risk of contracting COVID-19, providing organizational support regarding individual priorities, and upholding ethical considerations are crucial to reducing severity of moral distress in HCWs.

Antecedentes: Se necesita con urgencia investigaciones para comprender las experiencias de los dilemas éticos y morales que los trabajadores de la salud encontraron durante la pandemia de la COVID-19 y su asociación con las percepciones de la organización y el bienestar personal. Esta investigación es importante para prevenir la angustia moral y psicológica a largo plazo y para asegurar que los trabajadores de la salud puedan proveer de manera óptima los servicios de salud.Objetivo: Evaluar la asociación entre las experiencias en el lugar de trabajo durante la COVID-19, la angustia moral y el bienestar psicológico de los trabajadores de salud canadienses.Métodos: Se reclutó a un total de 1362 trabajadores de salud canadienses, que hablaban francés e inglés y que fueron contratados durante la pandemia de la COVID-19, para participar en un cuestionario en línea. Los participantes completaron mediciones que reflejaban la angustia moral, la percepción de la respuesta de la organización a la pandemia, el burnout y los síntomas de trastornos psicológicos, que incluían a la depresión, a la ansiedad y al trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT).Resultados: El modelo de ecuaciones estructurales mostró que cuando los predictores de la organización se consideraban en conjunto ­ los recursos adecuados, el impacto positivo en la vida laboral y un ambiente de trabajo ético ­, predijeron negativamente la gravedad de la angustia moral, mientras que la percepción del riesgo de contraer la COVID-19 predijo positivamente la gravedad de la angustia moral. La angustia moral también predijo de manera significativa y positiva los síntomas de la depresión, la ansiedad, el TEPT y el burnout.Conclusiones: Nuestros hallazgos resaltan la urgente necesidad de que las organizaciones de trabajadores de salud implementen estrategias diseñadas para prevenir la angustia moral y psicológica a largo plazo en el lugar de trabajo. El asegurar la disponibilidad de los recursos adecuados, el reducir el riesgo de que los trabajadores de salud contraigan la COVID-19, el proveer un soporte organizacional adecuado según las prioridades individuales y el respetar las consideraciones éticas son fundamentales para reducir la gravedad de la angustia moral en los trabajadores de salud.

Academic Medicine's Journey Toward Racial Equity Must Be Grounded in History: Recommendations for Becoming an Antiracist Academic Medical Center.

The harsh realities of racial inequities related to COVID-19 and civil unrest following police killings of unarmed Black men and women in the United States in 2020 heightened awareness of racial injustices around the world. Racism is deeply embedded in academic medicine, yet the nobility of medicine and nursing has helped health care professionals distance themselves from racism. Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), like many U.S. academic medical centers, affirmed its commitment to racial equity in summer 2020. A Racial Equity Task Force was charged with identifying barriers to achieving racial equity at the medical center and medical school and recommending key actions to rectify long-standing racial inequities. The task force, composed of students, staff, and faculty, produced more than 60 recommendations, and its work brought to light critical areas that need to be addressed in academic medicine broadly. To dismantle structural racism, academic medicine must: (1) confront medicine's racist past, which has embedded racial inequities in the U.S. health care system; (2) develop and require health care professionals to possess core competencies in the health impacts of structural racism; (3) recognize race as a sociocultural and political construct, and commit to debiologizing its use; (4) invest in benefits and resources for health care workers in lower-paid roles, in which racial and ethnic minorities are often overrepresented; and (5) commit to antiracism at all levels, including changing institutional policies, starting at the executive leadership level with a vision, metrics, and accountability.

Project Inclusive Genetics: Exploring the impact of patient-centered counseling training on physical disability bias in the prenatal setting.

PURPOSE: There is robust research examining the negative impact of racial and socioeconomic implicit bias on healthcare provider clinical decision-making. However, other under-studied important biases are likely to impact clinical care as well. The goal of this study was to explore the presence of bias against people with physical disability among a heterogeneous group of healthcare workers and trainees and to evaluate the effect of implicit association testing and an educational module on this bias. METHOD: The study was composed of a one-hour web-based survey and educational module. The survey included an explicit disability bias assessment, disability Implicit Association Tests (IATs), demographic collection, and pre- and post- module clinical vignettes of prenatal patient scenarios. In addition to providing counseling to hypothetical patients, participants also indicated their personal preferences on genetic testing and termination. The educational module focused on the principles of patient-centered counseling. RESULTS: The collected data reflects responses from 335 participants. Within this sample, there were both explicit and implicit biases towards individuals with physical disabilities. Prior to the IAT and educational module, when respondents were tasked with providing genetic testing recommendations, implicit biases and personal preferences for genetic testing and termination influenced respondents' clinical recommendations. Importantly, having previous professional experience with individuals with disabilities diminished biased clinical recommendations prior to the intervention. In response to the IAT and educational intervention, the effect of implicit bias and personal preferences on clinical recommendations decreased. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates how bias against a marginalized group exists within the medical community and that personal opinions can impact clinical counseling. Importantly, our findings suggest that there are strategies that can be easily implemented into curricula to address disability bias, including formal educational interventions and the addition of professional experiences into healthcare professional training programs.

BNT162b2 vaccine uptake and effectiveness in UK healthcare workers - a single centre cohort study.

In this single centre cohort study we assessed BNT162B2 vaccine uptake and effectiveness among UK healthcare workers (HCWs) during a time of high community COVID-19 prevalence. Early uptake among HCWs was 62.3% (1409/2260), however there were significant differences in uptake between age groups, ethnic origins, and job roles. Uptake increased to 72.9% after a vaccine hesitancy working group implemented specific measures. In the 42 days after vaccination, 49 new cases of COVID-19 were identified, of which 7 (14.3%) occurred in HCWs who were beyond 10 days of vaccination. Kaplan-Meier curves for partially vaccinated and unvaccinated groups were congruent until day 14 and continued to diverge up to 42 days. Cox regression analysis showed a 70.0% (95%CI 6.0-91.0; p=0.04) risk reduction for COVID-19 infection in partially vaccinated HCWs. Here we report early vaccination rates among HCWs are generally high although uptake is lower in certain groups. It is possible to improve vaccine uptake and efforts should focus on this, however, significant resource is required. The BNT162B2 vaccine is effective from 14 days post-vaccination in a frontline clinical setting and protection continues beyond 21 days post 1st dose without a 2nd dose, being given.

Participating doctors' perspectives on the regulation of voluntary assisted dying in Victoria: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the perspectives of doctors involved with voluntary assisted dying in Victoria regarding the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 (Vic) and its operation. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative study; semi-structured interviews with 32 doctors who had participated in the voluntary assisted dying system during its first year of operation (commenced 19 June 2019). Doctors were interviewed during April-July 2020. RESULTS: Three major themes related to problems during the first year of operation of the Act were identified: the statutory prohibition of health professionals initiating discussions with their patients about voluntary assisted dying; the Department of Health and Human Services guidance requirement that all doctor-patient, doctor-pharmacist, and pharmacist-patient interactions be face-to-face; and aspects of implementation, including problems with the voluntary assisted dying online portal, obtaining documentary evidence to establish eligibility, and inadequate resourcing of the Statewide Pharmacy Service. CONCLUSIONS: Doctors reported only limited concerns about the Victorian voluntary assisted dying legislation, but have had some problems with its operation, including implications for the accessibility of voluntary assisted dying to eligible patients. While legislative change may resolve some of these concerns, most can be ameliorated by improving the processes and systems.

How Should Clinicians Execute Critical Force Interventions With Compassion, Not Just Harm Minimization, as a Clinical and Ethical Goal?

Responsibly determining whether and when to use potentially lifesaving force when caring for patients who are acutely mentally ill typically requires carefully applying 2 key ethical standards. First, short-term morbidity or mortality risk must be minimized. Second, potential long-term harm to a patient who is traumatized during a forcibly performed intervention and potential long-term consequences to a patient's trust in clinicians must be seriously considered. This article suggests these minimum standards in mental health care decision making are necessary but insufficient. It is proposed that clinicians' intentions and motivations should not be grounded merely in harm minimization; rather, they should be grounded in compassion maximization. The article then proposes criteria for what compassion maximization would look like in response to a case.