Search Results (290)

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a worldwide challenge. There are an estimated 17–24 million patients worldwide, with an estimated 60 percent or more who have not been diagnosed. Without a known cure, no specific curative medication, disability lasting years to being life-long, and disagreement among healthcare providers as to how to most appropriately treat these patients, ME/CFS patients are in need of assistance. Appropriate healthcare provider education would increase the percentage of patients diagnosed and treated; however, in-school healthcare provider education is limited. To address the latter issue, the New Jersey Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Association (NJME/CFSA) has developed an independent, incentive-driven, learning program for students of the health professions. NJME/CFSA offers a yearly scholarship program in which applicants write a scholarly paper on an ME/CFS-related topic. The efficacy of the program is demonstrated by the 2024–2025 first place scholarship winner’s essay, which addresses the biological basis of ME/CFS and how the healthcare provider can improve the quality of life of ME/CFS patients. For the reader, the essay provides an update on what is known regarding the biological underpinnings of ME/CFS, as well as a medical student’s perspective as to how the clinician can provide care and support for ME/CFS patients. The original essay has been slightly modified to demonstrate that ME/CFS is a worldwide problem and for publication. Full article

Early-career teachers (ECTs) entered the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic, a period that introduced unique stressors to an already-demanding career phase. This systematic review examines empirical studies published between 2020 and February 2025 to explore how the pandemic influenced ECT wellbeing, with particular attention to stressors and protective factors impacting long-term retention and professional sustainability. Guided by PRISMA protocols, databases including Web of Science, ERIC, Google Scholar, and Scopus were searched, screening 470 records and identifying 30 studies that met inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed, empirical, focused on early-career teachers (within the first five years), and situated in or explicitly addressing the pandemic and its ongoing impacts. The results of Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis (2006) revealed that pandemic-related challenges such as increased workload, professional isolation, disrupted induction processes, and emotional strain have persisted into the post-pandemic era, contributing to sustained risks of burnout and attrition. Regardless, protective factors identified during the pandemic—including high-quality mentoring, structured induction programmes, collegial support, professional autonomy, and effective individual coping strategies—continue to offer essential support, enhancing resilience and professional wellbeing. These findings underscore the necessity of institutionalising targeted supports to address the enduring effects of pandemic-related stressors on ECT wellbeing. By prioritising sustained mental health initiatives and structural supports, education systems can effectively mitigate long-term impacts and improve retention outcomes for early-career teachers in a post-pandemic educational landscape. Full article

Retrieval practice, or the active recall of information from memory, is a highly effective learning strategy that strengthens memory and comprehension. This effect is robust and strongly backed by research in cognitive psychology. The health professions—including medicine, nursing, and dentistry—have widely embraced retrieval practice as a learning and study tool, particularly for course exams and high-stakes licensing exams. This state-of-the-art review examines the historical development, current applications, and future directions for the use of retrieval practice in health professions education. While retrieval-based learning has long been used informally in these fields, its formal recognition as a scientifically supported study method gained momentum in the early 2000s and then saw a surge in both research interest and curricular adoption between 2010 and 2025. This historical review explores the key factors driving this growth, such as its alignment with assessment-driven education and the increasing availability of third-party study resources that rely on retrieval practice as a guiding principle. Despite its proven benefits for learning, however, barriers persist to its adoption by students, including in the health professions. This article discusses strategies for overcoming these challenges and for enhancing retrieval practice integration into health professions curricula. Full article

Background: Burnout syndrome (BS) is an occupational condition resulting from chronic stress, characterized by three dimensions, emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DE), and diminished personal accomplishment (PA), particularly prevalent in caregiving professions such as healthcare. The aim of this study is to analyse the prevalence of BS among Spanish dental implantology specialists, along with the impact of demographic, educational, and professional aspects. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study based on the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines and was open to respondents from May to December 2024. An electronic survey based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory—Human Services Survey (MBI–HSS) was sent to members of the Spanish Society of Implants. The data were analysed using descriptive analysis. Results: A total of 305 participants (20.9%) (31.5% females and 68.5% males) completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of BS was 4.3%; however, 61.0% of the dentists showed signs of suffering from the syndrome. The mean values of EE were “average” (20.3 ± 13.8) and of DE and EE “low” (5.1 ± 5.9, and 32.5 ± 14.5, respectively). The factors significantly associated with suffering from BS were being female and having more than 20 years of experience in dental implant treatments. Conclusions: It is advisable to conduct instructive and awareness-raising initiatives among dental professionals to promote an awareness of their mental health, ultimately aiming at preserving their physical and emotional well-being while delivering optimal care to their patients. Full article

In health professions education, the hidden curriculum is a set of implicit rules and expectations about how clinicians act and what they value. In fields that are very homogenous, such as rehabilitation professions, these expectations may have outsized impacts on students from minoritized backgrounds. This qualitative study examined the hidden curriculum in rehabilitation graduate programs—speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy—through the perspectives and experiences of 21 students from minoritized backgrounds. Semi-structured interviews explored their experiences with their programs’ hidden curricula. These revealed expectations about ways of being, interacting, and relating. Three overarching themes emerged, each reflecting tensions between conflicting values: (i) blend in but stand out; (ii) success lies in individualism, while de-prioritizing the individual; and (iii) fix the field, using your identities as a tool. When the expectations aligned with students’ expectations for themselves, meeting them was a source of pride. However, when the social expectations clashed with their own culture, dis/ability, gender, or neurotype, these tensions became an additional cognitive burden, and they rarely received mentorship for navigating it. Health professions programs might benefit from fostering students’ critical reflection on their hidden curricula and their fields’ cultural norms to foster greater belonging, agency, and identity retention. Full article

Background: Remote interprofessional education (IPE) often fails to reflect cognitive differences across disciplines, limiting students’ ability to form collaborative identities and clarify professional roles. Prior research has focused on attitudinal change, with less attention to reflective and epistemological learning. Objective: This study aimed to examine whether making profession-specific reasoning patterns visible through structured comparison and guided reflection in a brief, remote IPE intervention could enhance students’ understanding of disciplinary perspectives and their interprofessional competence. Methods: Final-year Japanese university students in OT and MHSW participated in a two-session remote IPE intervention. In the first session, the students independently assessed a video case using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core sets. In the second, the profession-specific results were aggregated, visualized, and shared as feedback to prompt guided reflection. A convergent mixed-methods design was used, combining pre-/post-surveys using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS), with qualitative analysis of the written reflections. Results: Significant improvement was observed in the IEPS Competence and Autonomy subscale among the MHSW students with low baseline scores. No significant changes were found in the RIPLS scores. Thematic analysis indicated increased awareness of disciplinary perspectives and recognition of complementary roles. Conclusions: A structured comparison approach can promote role clarity, reflective learning, and interprofessional identity in brief, remote IPE settings. Full article

As the US population ages, the number of prescriptions managed by patients and healthcare teams is increasing. Thus, discontinuing or reducing medications that are considered to pose more risks than benefits can be achieved through deprescribing. Despite increasing calls for a stronger focus on deprescribing in healthcare education, current discussions highlight the lack of training on this topic within healthcare curricula. This is a significant barrier to effectively implementing the deprescribing process. This study aimed to characterize healthcare professional students (HPSs)’s perspectives on deprescribing within an interprofessional healthcare team, particularly regarding the motivations and roles of these future practitioners. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with HPSs at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. The data collection, guided by a conceptual model, took place over three months in 2022. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis, during which themes were identified through inductive coding. Results: Participants (n = 36) represented various faculties, including medicine, pharmacy, health professions, nursing, and dentistry. Two themes emerged: (1) Healthcare Team Members’ Roles and Responsibilities (2) “Put Me in, Coach”: Patient Safety Motivates Deprescribing. Conclusion: Data from HPSs highlighted the importance of an interprofessional healthcare team approach to deprescribing. Based on these insights, educators and practitioners should focus on establishing strong interprofessional healthcare teams that privilege open communication. Teams should consider deprescribing as a patient safety concern, as this may galvanize the team and provide additional motivation for performing the necessary work of deprescribing. Full article

The integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) into health professions education (HPE) is rapidly transforming learning environments, raising questions about its impact on teaching and learning. This mixed methods study explores clinical educators’ and undergraduate students’ perceptions and attitudes about using GenAI tools in HPE at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as theoretical frameworks, we designed and administered a survey and conducted interviews to assess participants’ perceived usefulness, ease of use, and concerns related to GenAI adoption. Quantitative survey data were analyzed for frequencies and percentages, while qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis. Results showed that students demonstrated higher GenAI adoption rates (68.7%) compared to educators (38.5%), with GenAI perceived as valuable for efficiency, research, and personalized learning. However, concerns included over-reliance on GenAI, diminished critical thinking, and ethical implications. Educators emphasized the need for institutional guidelines and training to support responsible GenAI integration. Our findings suggest that while GenAI holds great potential for enhancing education, structured institutional policies and ethical oversight are crucial for its effective use. These insights contribute to the ongoing discourse on GenAI adoption in HPE. Full article

Background: The management of chronic pain is inherently multidisciplinary, requiring collaboration across health and care professions because pain is multidimensional, involving psychological, social, biomedical, cultural, and environmental factors. However, pain education has often focused more on biomedical aspects, limiting the capacity of professionals to deliver integrated, person-centred care. Shifting pain education away from biomedically driven curricula may better prepare graduates for meaningful consultations and biopsychosocial care. Objective: This manuscript reports the development and pilot evaluation of a virtual patient simulation designed to help physiotherapy students develop person-centred pain assessment skills. Methods: We developed and piloted a virtual patient with complex pain scenarios for physiotherapy students. To evaluate the simulation, students completed a self-reported questionnaire assessing their ability, self-confidence in person-centred assessment skills, and their attitudes and beliefs regarding the simulation. Results: Frequency and confidence in person-centred inquiry ranged from 100% to 16.3%, depending on the complexity of information. Inductive thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) Environmental factors & preferences—students’ preference for the learning environment; (2) Learning experience—including engagement, feedback, discussions, and a ‘safe’ space for building confidence; (3) Professional development—insights into person-centred inquiry, personal biases, and emotional challenges; (4) Limitations—including the desire for more complexity, and technical challenges noted. Conclusions: The development of this virtual patient simulation enabled healthcare students to engage with a multidimensional perspective on pain, fostering skills essential for biopsychosocial pain assessment and patient-centred care. Although designed and piloted with physiotherapy students, this model holds potential for broader application across healthcare disciplines. Full article

Introduction: In 2021, 10.5% of people aged 20–79 had diabetes, projected to rise to 12.2% by 2045, causing early deaths and straining healthcare systems. Musculoskeletal (MS) pain is common, affecting many workers and the general population. Prediabetes, notably impaired fasting glucose (IFG), is linked to increased MS pain risk. Objective: This study aims to assess IFG’s impact on MS pain and specific pain sites to aid prevention strategies. Methods: This cross-sectional study used the ‘2023 Employee Occupational Safety and Health Management Database’ from a Taichung hospital. It included health checks, demographics, living and work data, and MS pain surveys. Out of 2369 staff members contacted, 1039 valid responses were analyzed, excluding incomplete data, diabetes history, or fasting blood glucose levels above 125 mg/dL. Data on sex, age, marital status, coffee and alcohol consumption, sleep duration, exercise habits, height, weight, chronic diseases, profession, work hours, shift work, and education level were collected. Fasting blood glucose was verified using American Diabetes Association criteria (100–125 mg/dL). The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) measured MS pain frequency and severity, creating a pain degree index. Results: Overall, 21.17% had IFG. Participants were mostly female (85.18%), averaging 37.50 years. Neck and shoulder pain risk was linked to sex, coffee and alcohol consumption, sleep, exercise, chronic diseases, work hours, and IFG. Ankle pain risk was linked to coffee and alcohol consumption. IFG, coffee, alcohol, sleep under 6 h, chronic diseases, and work hours were independent risk factors for neck and shoulder pain. IFG was a risk factor for those without overweight or obesity. A mediation model tested IFG’s indirect effect on neck and shoulder pain among overweight or obese individuals, showing that IFG mediates the relationship between being overweight or obese and increased neck and shoulder pain risk. Conclusions: Among female-dominated healthcare workers, IFG, daily coffee, recent alcohol consumption, less than 6 h of sleep, chronic diseases (excluding diabetes), and longer work hours are independent risk factors for neck and shoulder pain. IFG mainly affects these areas, increasing pain risk regardless of body weight. Healthy blood glucose levels are associated with a lack of musculoskeletal pain, suggesting a novel prevention approach needing further study. Full article

Background: Health-related programs frequently integrate interprofessional education (IPE) into their training. The COVID-19 pandemic transitioned many IPE programs online, making it essential to assess student expectations and perceived learning outcomes across virtual simulations and in-person settings. Methods: This qualitative study compared student expectations and self-reported outcomes across in-person and virtual case scenarios at a Texas health science center. Responses to open-ended questions from two data collection periods were analyzed using inductive coding and thematic analysis. Results: Students from nursing, medicine, dentistry, public health, and informatics participated in each group. Three major themes emerged from this study: communication, teamwork, and role identification, with self-development and professionalism as major subthemes. For communication, students often described a desire for increased simulations to “practice with interprofessional communication”. Teamwork was the second theme identified, with students discussing the significance of effective teamwork, such as, “It is a good practice to work together, listen to each other, and achieve a common goal of patients getting better”. Additionally, students expressed a desire to better understand the roles of other healthcare professionals across different settings. Conclusions: Realistic IPE simulations may help students build confidence in their team roles while understanding other health professions. To strengthen curriculum design, faculty should include student expectations and perceived outcomes from IPE activities. A limitation of this study is the reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce response bias and the potential variability in student experiences. Full article

Little is known about how students in rehabilitation sciences accept and use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in their educational endeavors. We explored student perceptions, acceptance, and utilization of GenAI in school and their beliefs about its usefulness and ease of use. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted of adult students enrolled in rehabilitation sciences programs within a private urban academic university. The survey was based on the Technology Acceptance Model with questions specific to the use of GenAI in school. A total of 196 responses were included in the analysis (32.9% response rate), with responses received across all rehabilitation sciences programs. Half the respondents (50%) reported using GenAI “some of the time” in school, and 6.1% indicated frequent usage of “most of” or “all” the time. Users reported using GenAI to explain and review concepts (n = 49), to generate content or ideas (n = 20), and for grammatical support (n = 21). Users perceived GenAI as more useful and easier to use than non-users. Over half of rehabilitation sciences students use GenAI for school; however, only 6.1% report routine usage. Given the expected growth and potential of GenAI, faculty should explore strategies to facilitate the acceptance and appropriate use of this innovative technology. Full article

(1) Background: Each year, significant volumes of healthcare data are generated through both research and care. Since fundamental digital processes cannot function effectively without essential data competencies, the challenge lies in enhancing the quality of data management by establishing data literacy among professionals in outpatient healthcare and research. (2) Methods: Within the DIM.RUHR project (Data Competence Center for Interprofessional Use of Health Data in the Ruhr Metropolis), a didactic concept for interprofessional data literacy education is developed, structured as a learning objectives matrix. Initially conceived through a literature review, this concept has been continually developed through collaboration with interprofessional project partners. The study was conducted between February 2023 and June 2024. (3) Results: The foundational structure and content of the didactic concept are based on various scientific studies related to general data literacy and the outcomes of an interactive workshop with project partners. Eight distinct subject areas have been developed to encompass the data literacy required in healthcare professions: (1) Fundamentals and general concepts, (2) ethical, legal, and social considerations, (3) establishing a data culture, (4) acquiring data, (5) managing data, (6) analyzing data, (7) interpreting data, and (8) deriving actions. Within these, learners’ data literacy is assessed across the four competency areas: basic, intermediate, advanced, and highly specialized. (4) Conclusions: The learning objectives matrix is anticipated to serve as a solid foundation for the development of teaching and learning modules aimed at enhancing data literacy across healthcare professions, enabling them to effectively manage data processes while addressing the challenges associated with digital transformation. Full article

The teaching profession and its associated conditions are demanding, exposing teachers to significant stress that adversely impacts mental health and job satisfaction. Moreover, research indicates that mindfulness in teaching correlates with positive classroom emotions and work engagement, suggesting a potential link to job satisfaction. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain underexplored. Recognizing the critical role of affect regulation in teachers’ professional adaptation, this study examined the direct and indirect effects of mindfulness in teaching on job satisfaction via positive and negative affect. A sample of 1098 teachers (906 classroom teachers and 191 one-to-one instrumental/vocal teachers; M_age = 48.4 years; 77% women) completed self-report measures of mindfulness in teaching, positive and negative affect, and job satisfaction. Mediation analysis using SPSS Process macro demonstrated that mindfulness in teaching enhances job satisfaction by increasing positive affect and reducing negative affect. Moderated mediation analysis revealed these findings were consistent across both teaching modalities. These results suggest that lifelong education for teachers through mindfulness-based professional development programs within a broader affect regulation framework may effectively enhance job satisfaction in both classroom and one-to-one teaching contexts. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to enhance the understanding of factors influencing changes in binge drinking (BD) behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on its impact on the health of individuals aged 12 to 25 years. Methods: A systematic review was conducted, encompassing studies published between January 2020 and September 2024. Articles were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, following PRISMA guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) review protocols. Inclusion criteria targeted studies focusing on BD during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents or school-aged individuals without specific medical conditions. Exclusions included studies limited to a single gender, ethnicity, or profession, as well as doctoral theses and editorials. JBI tools were used to assess the quality of the selected studies. Results: From 33 studies (19 cross-sectional and 14 longitudinal), trends in BD during the pandemic varied: 2 studies reported an increase, while 21 indicated a decrease. Key factors linked to increased BD included pandemic stressors (e.g., isolation, social disconnection and non-compliance with restrictions), psychosocial issues (e.g., depression, anxiety, boredom, and low resilience), prior substance use, and sociodemographic variables (e.g., low education, economic extremes, living arrangements, and limited family support). Female gender and academic disengagement were also risk factors. Conversely, factors like stay-at-home orders, fear of contagion, family support, studying health sciences, and resilient coping strategies contributed to reduced BD. Other variables, such as pandemic stress and self-efficacy, had inconsistent effects. Conclusions: Factors contributing to increased BD included pandemic-related stress, mental health conditions, and unhealthy habits, while protective factors included stay-at-home orders, social support, and resilient coping. The study highlights the need for effective prevention and intervention strategies, emphasizing a holistic approach in healthcare, early detection, and tailored interventions, particularly for vulnerable groups such as adolescents. Full article