Acceptability of Tele-mental Health Services Among Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mental disorders are currently a global public health concern, particularly after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Mental health services gradually transitioned to teleservices, employing various methods like texting and videoconferencing. This meta-analysis aimed mainly to quantify the acceptability of tele-mental health services among both beneficiaries and providers. Secondary objectives included quantifying the usability of and satisfaction with these services. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of the following databases PubMed Central, SAGE, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed Medline, and EBSCO according to Preferred Reporting Items of the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines until December 2022. RESULTS: Out of 3366 search results, 39 studies fully met the inclusion criteria. The pooled acceptability of tele-mental health services among beneficiaries was [71.0% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 63.0 - 78.5%, I2 = 98%]. Using meta-regression, four key factors contributed to this heterogeneity (R2 = 99.75%), namely, year of publication, type of mental disorder, participant category, and the quality of included studies. While acceptability among providers was [66.0% (95%CI, 52.0 - 78.0%), I2 = 95%]. The pooled usability of tele-mental health services among participants was [66.0% (95%CI, 50.0 - 80.0%), I2 = 83%]. Subgroup analysis revealed statistically significant results (p = 0.003), indicating that usability was higher among beneficiaries compared to providers. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlighted a high acceptability of tele-mental health services. These findings suggest a promising outlook for the integration and adoption of tele-mental health services and emphasize the importance of considering user perspectives and addressing provider-specific challenges to enhance overall service delivery and effectiveness.

Revealing the significance of early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: insights from healthy lung initiative data at COP27 conference.

BACKGROUND: Climate change poses a significant threat to respiratory health, exacerbating conditions like asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and respiratory infections increasing morbidity and mortality indirectly through exposure to greenhouse gases. During the 27th Climate Change Conference (COP27), the Healthy Lung Initiative (HLI) for the early detection of COPD among smokers was launched in Egypt. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to detect the prevalence and predictors of confirmed COPD among smokers and assess physicians' adherence to prescribing pulmonary function tests (PFTs) among the COP27 conference attendees. METHODS: This study utilized smokers' data from the HLI, employing a cross-sectional design with an interview-based questionnaire, supplemented by spirometry for lung function evaluation. Participants, comprising Egyptian and non-Egyptian residents in Sharm El-Sheikh city, were provided with educational materials and encouraged to seek further evaluation from a pulmonologist. RESULTS: The HLI study, conducted from November 6th to 20th, 2022, involved 1133 participants, 90% (1047) of whom were smokers. Most smokers were males (96.3%) and Egyptians (98.6%), with half aged 30-39 and the majority starting smoking within the last 20 years. Despite common respiratory symptoms, 47% suffered from dyspnea on exertion, and only 4.3% have undergone lung function tests, suggesting a potential underdiagnosis of COPD. Most participants (82.6%) had an FEV1/FVC ratio > 70%, indicating no spirometry-confirmed COPD diagnosis, while 147 participants (17% of them) exhibited all three cardinal COPD symptoms simultaneously. Male gender and daily cigarette consumption were significant predictors for confirmed COPD, while age showed no significance in regression analyses. CONCLUSION: The ongoing HLI focuses on early detection and education to combat smoking-related risks, particularly among middle-aged males, while also highlighting the need for comprehensive strategies to address the intersection of smoking and climate change.

How can imported monkeypox break the borders? A rapid systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Monkeypox was designated as an emerging illness in 2018 by the World Health Organization Research and Development Blueprint, necessitating expedited research, development, and public health action. In this review, we aim to shed the light on the imported cases of monkeypox in attempt to prevent the further spread of the disease. Methodology An electronic search in the relevant database (Web of Science, PubMed Medline, PubMed Central, Google scholar, and Embase) was conducted to identify eligible articles. In addition to searching the grey literature, manual searching was carried out using the reference chain approach. RESULTS: A total of 1886 articles were retrieved using the search strategy with 21 studies included in the systematic review. A total of 113 cases of imported monkeypox were confirmed worldwide. Nineteen patients mentioned a travel history from Nigeria, thirty-eight infected cases had travel destinations from Europe, fifty-four cases traveled from European countries such as; Spain, France, and the Netherlands, one case from Portugal, and another one from the United Kingdom (UK). All reported clades of the virus were West African clade. Nine studies showed the source of infection was sexual contact, especially with male partners. Six studies mentioned the cause of infection was contact with an individual with monkeypox symptoms. Two studies considered cases due to acquired nosocomial infection. Ingestion of barbecued bushmeat was the source of infection in three studies and rodent carcasses were the source of infection in the other two studies. CONCLUSION: The development of functioning surveillance systems and point-of-entry screening is essential for worldwide health security. This necessitates ongoing training of front-line health professionals to ensure that imported monkeypox is properly diagnosed and managed. In addition, implementing effective health communication about monkeypox prevention and control is mandatory to help individuals to make informed decisions to protect their own and their communities' health.