Search Results (21)

Objectives: The present scoping review aims to map the existing evidence on psychological and behavioral interventions targeting patients with narcolepsy type 1 and type 2. Methods: A literature search was performed using the databases Scopus, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Studies were included if they (1) employed randomized controlled trials, non-randomized trials, or quasi-experimental studies; (2) were published in English; (3) were published in peer-reviewed journals; (4) examined the impact of psychological interventions on psychopathological (primary outcomes) and narcolepsy-related symptoms (secondary outcomes); and (5) involved patients with a diagnosis of narcolepsy using recognized diagnostic criteria regardless of whether they were receiving pharmacological treatment or were untreated. No restrictions were imposed on the publication date to comprehensively map the available evidence. Data were extracted to address the review aims and presented as a narrative synthesis. Results: The database search yielded six studies. Treatment options for individuals with narcolepsy encompass psychological and behavioral interventions, such as telehealth interventions, meditation/relaxation therapy, and scheduled napping. The primary outcomes were daytime sleepiness, wakefulness maintenance, sleep attacks, the severity of symptoms of narcolepsy, sleep paralysis episodes, depression, and psychological functioning. The secondary outcomes were sleep-problem-related quality of life, sleep inertia, and sleep quality. The psychological and behavioral interventions exhibited variability in terms of the intervention type, personnel involved, number of sessions, and duration. Most of the contributions also lack details regarding the training of professionals and the specifics of the interventions. Additionally, the evidence quality was deemed low based on the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool. Conclusions: Although the importance of nonpharmacological approaches is well recognized, there is limited evidence to support the efficacy of psychological and behavioral interventions in narcolepsy. This is further complicated by the wide range of psychological and behavioral interventions available. Full article

Background/Objectives: Although newborn hearing screening (NHS) programs have been successfully implemented in many countries worldwide, challenges to these programs have been reported in the literature, such as a lack of awareness among families and healthcare professionals and limited funding. Challenges to the NHS programs in Saudi Arabia have not been systematically reported. This study aimed to assess the level and quality of evidence supporting the existing challenges of the NHS programs in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A systematic review of all peer-reviewed literature on Saudi NHS programs published between 2016 and 2024 was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Search strategies were executed in seven databases. Data were collected from studies that met the inclusion criteria. Results: A total of 37 records were reviewed, and 13 peer-reviewed publications met the inclusion criteria. Characteristics of included studies were classified by study language, study sample, sample size, location of the study sample, study purpose, and study method via evidence tables. Each study was critically appraised according to the quality. Results revealed that cross-sectional prospective description was the main research design with low strength of evidence. Six main challenges were identified and described: lack of awareness and gaps in knowledge, lost to follow-up, inadequate data entry, management, and tracking system, limited or absence of services in some residential areas, insufficient training and frequent changes of NHS personnel, and absence of a standardized NHS protocol. Conclusions: This review may assist in overcoming these challenges and improving the NHS programs in Saudi Arabia. There is a need to establish national education campaigns about the NHS programs, improve documentation by using database management and tracking systems, and expand the early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) services for children in all Saudi regions. Full article

Personnel appraisal and promotion are fundamental processes in Human Resource Management (HRM), requiring advanced methodologies that adeptly combine objective data with subjective assessments. This paper introduces ES-MADM II, an enhanced iteration of the Entropy Synergy Multi-Attribute Decision-Making model, designed to strengthen decision-making robustness and stability. The model incorporates key entropy-based indices such as Normalized Mutual Information (NMI), Criteria Effectiveness Score (CES), Conditional Stability Factor (CSF), and the newly introduced Alternatives Distinction Index (ADI). Together, these indices offer a comprehensive framework for assessing not only decision accuracy but also the overall resilience and clarity of the evaluation process. The effectiveness of ES-MADM II is showcased through military HRM case studies, illustrating how the model enhances personnel performance appraisals and promotion decisions by harmonizing subjective judgments with objective metrics. A detailed sensitivity analysis further demonstrates the model’s adaptability to variations in input data while preserving decision integrity. ES-MADM II ultimately fosters a more transparent, balanced, and equitable decision-making process, making it an indispensable tool for HR decision makers in complex organizational settings. This refined approach underscores the model’s capacity to navigate the complexities of HR evaluations with rigor and fairness. Full article

The performance of sustainability in infrastructure projects continues to face challenges in its implementation and attainment in developing countries, one of which is the lack of appraisal tools and indicators for the assessment of sustainability. Studies indicate that there are no formal indicators for sustainability assessment on road infrastructure projects in Tanzania, the lack of which limits the determination of whether projects implemented are sustainable or not. Therefore, this study aimed at determining the key sustainability assessment indicators used for road infrastructure projects in Tanzania. A concurrent mixed research approach was adopted in which the sample was purposively selected. A content analysis and descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 20.0) were used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The findings indicate that 24 indicators are applicable to Tanzania. Among the highly ranked include “health and safety training to workers”, “health and safety personnel in the project team”, “site barriers and safety warning signs”, “personal protective equipment (PPE) provision”, and “waste collection”. The qualitative results further support the identified sustainability assessment indicators on road infrastructure projects in Tanzania, with one new indicator of “air quality” emerging. The findings inform the government and other relevant stakeholders in the construction industry including planners, designers, and project managers of the key sustainability assessment indicators for roads, which would influence regulation as well as policies to improve the sustainability performance of road projects in Tanzania. Full article

Persons working in tactical occupations are often exposed to high-stress situations. If this stress is to be measured, an understanding of the stress outcomes used in these occupations is needed. The aim of this review was to capture and critically appraise research investigating subjective and objective outcome measures of physiological stress in tactical occupations. Several literature databases (PubMed, EMBASE, EBsco) were searched using key search words and terms. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were critically evaluated and scored by two authors using the Joanne Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tool. Of 17,171 articles, 42 studies were retained. The Cohen’s Kappa agreement between authors was 0.829 with a mean JBI Score of included studies of 8.1/9 ± 0.37 points. Multiple subjective and objective measures were assessed during a variety of high-stress tasks and environments across different occupations, including police officers, emergency service personnel, firefighters, and soldiers in the military. Common objective outcomes measures were heart rate, cortisol, and body temperature, and subjective measures were ratings of perceived exertion, and the Self Trait Anxiety Inventory. Often used in combination (i.e., subjective and objective), these outcome measures can be used to monitor stressors faced by tactical personnel undergoing on-the-job training. Full article

Rare Diseases (RDs) in adolescents are characterized by low frequency and clinical heterogeneity, are chronic and deliberating and demand a multidisciplinary approach as well as costly and specialized treatments. Comprehending patients’ and parents’ needs through a mixed systematic review is essential for healthcare system planning. This mixed systematic review explored barriers to and facilitators of effective care for adolescents with RDs as perceived by patients and their parents. Three databases (2008–2023) were searched and twenty-five articles were selected and critically appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT; version 2018). The review followed a convergent integrated approach for data extraction according to Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI) mixed method systematic review (MMSR) methodology. Subsequent reflexive thematic analysis categorized the barriers and facilitators into five levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community and public policy) following the conceptual framework of the socio-ecological model for healthcare promotion. Barriers on the institutional and public policy level stood out as the most frequently reported, resulting in unmet care needs and frustrating family dynamics. National and regional healthcare policies are rarely actually linked to pragmatic intervention programs with a measurable impact on patients’ welfare. Targeted strategies involving primary care infrastructure and personnel for better coordination and management of the disease are discussed. Full article

Arboviruses are most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, where arthropods are widespread. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that the mortality burden of arbovirus diseases, such as yellow fever in Africa, was 84,000–170,000 severe cases and 29,000–60,000 deaths in 2013. These epidemics emphasize the urgent need for integrated control and prevention of arboviral diseases. Challenges in managing and controlling arboviral diseases in Africa are mainly attributed to poor insect vector control, insecticide resistance, and poor sanitation and solid waste management. The removal or reduction of mosquito populations amongst susceptible individuals is identified as the most effective measure to control many vector-borne diseases. Current public health needs call for efficient vector control programs and maintenance of adequate surveillance systems through the availability of trained personnel and rapid diagnostic facilities, providing an interdisciplinary response to control and mitigate the threats of emerging and re-emerging arboviruses. Furthermore, research priorities should focus on understanding the factors responsible for adaptation to other vectors, determinants of infection and transmission, and the development of high efficiency antiviral molecules or candidate vaccines. Here, we explore and review our current understanding of arboviruses of public health importance in Africa, with a focus on emerging arboviruses, their arthropod vectors, and the epidemiology of major arboviruses. Finally, we appraise the role of planetary health in addressing the threat of arboviruses and identify other priority areas of research for effective control. Full article

Emergency first responders (EFRs) such as police officers, firefighters, paramedics and logistics personnel often suffer high turnover due to work-related stress, high workloads, fatigue, and declining professional wellbeing. As attempts to counter this through resilience programmes tend to have limited success, there is a need for further research into how organisational policies could change to improve EFRs’ professional wellbeing. Aim: To identify the factors that may contribute to or affect EFRs’ professional wellbeing. Methods: A systematic literature review has been carried out. Three databases (Science Direct, ProQuest, and PubMed) were searched using keywords developed based on the PICo (population, interest, and context) framework. A total of 984 articles were extracted. These were then critically appraised for the quality of the evidence presented, leading to a total of five being ultimately included for review. Results: Thematic analysis revealed that although EFRs may be exposed daily to traumatic events, factors that contribute to a decline in professional wellbeing emerge from within the organisational environment, rather than from the event itself. Conclusion: The study concludes that organisational and team relations factors significantly impact EFRs ability to cope with stress. As such, organisational policy should evolve to emphasise team relations over resilience programmes. Full article

Background: Several studies have been undertaken regarding civilian and military nurses’ training, deployment, and experiences during missions in war and conflict areas. However, no review study regarding the experiences of nurses in serving in war and conflict areas has been published. Aim: This review aims to identify the views, experiences, and support needs of Registered Nurses when caring for patients in war and conflict areas. Method: Four electronic databases—MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and general BC PubMed—were searched in this systematic review. Study screening and selection, data extraction, quality appraisal, and narrative synthesis were conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 checklist. Results: Twenty-five studies were included in the final review. The findings were categorised based on four main themes: Challenges in nursing practice, Meaning of experience, Scope of practice, and Nursing support pre- and post-conflict. Conclusions: Registered Nurses play a critical role in prehospital care and have a significant impact on the survival of wounded military personnel and civilians and on their mortality. Registered Nurses play important roles in military deployment, with barriers to their successful implementation experienced due to a lack of information at the decision-making level, and the need for psychological supports and role-appropriate medical readiness training. Implications: Registered Nurses who are military-ready need to be effective in war and conflict areas. Using the experiences of military or civilian Registered Nurses to assess the pre-deployment preparation needs of these nurses will be beneficial to the effectiveness of the nursing workforce. There are elements that demand more attention during the pre-deployment preparation phase of nurses required to serve in war and conflict areas. Full article

We aimed to provide an overview of how work environment and occupational health are affected, and describe interventions designed to improve the work environment during epidemics and pandemics. The guidelines on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were followed. The databases Cinahl, Medline, PsycInfo, and Web of Science were searched for population: working population; exposure: coronavirus epidemic or pandemic; and outcome: work environment, in articles published until October 2020. Quality assessment was based on a modified version of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). After deduplication 3711 articles remained, of which 530 were selected for full-text screening and 119 for quality assessment. After the exclusion of studies that were low quality, 95 remained, of which 85 focused on healthcare personnel and 10 on employees in other industries; 73 used quantitative methods and 22 used qualitative or mixed methods; the majority were based on cross-sectional data. Healthcare staff experienced increased job demands, poor leadership, and lack of resources (personal protective equipment, personnel, and competence). High demands and work with infected patients were associated with negative mental health outcomes. There was a lack of studies assessing interventions, studies from industries other than healthcare, and studies of high quality. Full article

There are health professionals who are unaware of the ideal management of the intraosseous route, despite the fact that it has been scientifically considered an alternative to the peripheral venous route when the patient is in critical condition. Thanks to continuous development, there has been a need to provide emergency services with materials that manage to provide satisfactory care, despite the difficulties faced by health personnel. Objectives: The objective of this systematic bibliographic review is to update the theoretical and practical knowledge and strategies for the insertion and proper management of the intraosseous route as an emergency vascular access for nursing professionals. Data sources, study eligibility criteria: The search for the articles was carried out in various scientific databases with the help of a search string (January 2015 and May 2021), which combined the keywords and Boolean operators. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: Eighteen articles were chosen after a review of 1920 database articles, following the application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Intraosseous infusion is an effective and safe technique, which increases patient survival. Therefore, it is of crucial importance that all nursing professionals know how to handle the different intraosseous devices in situations in which it is not possible to achieve immediate peripheral venous access. Conclusions and implications of key findings: It is of great need to have devices or fast and effective alternatives that allow us to develop safe interventions by health professionals. Full article

A fracture, being an acquired rupture or break of the bone, is a significant and debilitating injury commonly seen among athletes and military personnel. Stress fractures, which have a repetitive stress aetiology, are highly prevalent among military populations, especially those undergoing training. The primary aim of this review is to identify non-modifiable risk factors for stress fractures in military personnel undergoing training. A systematic search was conducted of three major databases to identify studies that explored risk factors for stress fractures in military trainees. Critical appraisal, data extraction, and a narrative synthesis were conducted. Sixteen articles met the eligibility criteria for the study. Key non-modifiable risk factors identified were prior stress fracture and menstrual dysfunction, while advancing age and race other than black race may be a risk factor. To reduce the incidence of stress fractures in military trainees, mitigating modifiable risk factors among individuals with non-modifiable risk factors (e.g., optimising conditioning for older trainees) or better accommodating non-modifiable factors (for example, extending training periods and reducing intensity to facilitate recovery and adaptation) are suggested, with focus on groups at increased risk identified in this review. Full article

Despite several guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and national authorities, there is a general increase in the number of healthcare workers (HCWs) contracting tuberculosis. This review sought to evaluate the compliance of the HCWs toward tuberculosis preventive measures (TPMs) in their workplace. Both electronic databases and manual searches were conducted to retrieve articles regarding the compliance of HCWs in the workplace published from 2010 onwards. Independent reviewers extracted, reviewed, and analyzed the data using the mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) 2018, comprising 15 studies, 1572 HCWs, and 249 health facilities. The results showed there was low compliance toward TPMs in the workplace among HCWs and health facilities from mostly high-burden tuberculosis countries. The failure to comply with control measures against tuberculosis was mainly reported at administrative levels, followed by engineering and personnel protective control measures. In addition, low managerial support and negative attitudes of the HCWs influenced the compliance. Further studies are needed to elucidate how to improve the compliance of HCWs toward the preventive measures against tuberculosis in order to reduce the disease burden among HCWs worldwide. Full article

The purpose of this experimental review was to detect acrylamide in French fries using methods most adaptable to the food process industry for quality control assessment of products. French fries were prepared at different cook times using the same fryer oil over a five-day period to assess the influence of oil degradation and monitor trends in acrylamide formation. Acrylamide detection was performed using LC-MS, GC-MS and FT-NIR. The low levels of acrylamide produced during frying, low molecular weight of the analyte, and complexity of the potato matrix make routine acrylamide measurement challenging in a well-outfitted analytical lab with trained personnel. The findings of this study are presented from the perspective of pros and cons of each acrylamide measurement method in enough detail for food processors to appraise the method that may work best for them based on their available instrumentation and extent of personnel training. Full article

Behavioral theory assumes that leaders can be identified by their daily behaviors. Social network analysis helps to understand behavioral patterns within their social networks. This work considers leaders as the managerial personnel of the organization and differentiates managements from non-managerial staff by their behavior with five different types of interactions with PageRank and their attributes in modern organizations. PageRank and word embedding using word2vec with phrases from features are adopted to extract new features for the identification of managerial staff. Both traditional machine learning methods and graph neural networks are utilized with real-world data from an Austrian IT company called Knapp System Integration. Our experimental results show that the proposed new features extracted using PageRank with different types of interactions and word2vec with phrases significantly improve the identification accuracy. We also propose to use graph neural networks as an effective learning algorithm to identify managers from organizations. Our approach can identify managerial staff with an accuracy of around 80%, which demonstrates that managers could be identified through social network analysis. By analyzing the behaviors of members, the proposed method is effective as a performance appraisal tool for organizations. The study facilitates sustainable management by helping organizations to retain managerial talents or to invite potential talents to join the management team. Full article