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2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 September 2024) | Viewed by 19134

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Prof. Dr. Mosad Zineldin

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Department of Medicine and Optometry, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, SE-35195 Växjö, Sweden
Interests: medical science; psychology; psychiatry; brain research; medical errors; medical and health care quality and patient safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Patient safety and a good quality of care are considered to be a right for all patients and the responsibility of all staff within hospitals. They are all related to quality of life.

Human error is almost unavoidable, even for the most experienced, trained and qualified physicians and other healthcare providers. Medical errors (MEs) are one of the leading causes of death and injury in many countries.

More people die and are injured as a result of MEs than as a result of AIDS, breast cancer or car accidents. In total, 23% of Europeans argue that they have been directly affected by an ME, either personally or in the family. A total of 18% indicate that they or their family members have experienced a serious ME in a hospital, while 11% report being prescribed the wrong medication. The Johns Hopkins patient safety experts’ index (2015) shows that more than 250,000 deaths per year are due to medical errors in the U.S. (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/study_suggests_medical_errors_now_third_leading_cause_of_death_in_the_us). In Sweden, over 3000 people die each year as a result of MEs and adverse events. In Canada, 185,000 MEs were associated with adverse events, 70,000 of which were potentially preventable, in 2004.

Many studies have found that poor medical care, or even the rude treatment of patients by providers, dissatisfies patients, discourages them from seeking care and returning for services, and prompts them to switch physicians. Healthcare staff members derive greater personal and professional satisfaction from their jobs when they can offer good-quality care and feel that their work is valuable.

In addition, the healthcare system (HCS) is facing challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and crisis. To respond to this crisis, the HCS had to instantly reorganize, with little time to reflect on the roles of patient safety (PS) and quality improvement (QI).

Systematic methods to ensure patient safety, quality of care, patient satisfaction and overall quality of life are still evolving in both developed and developing countries. The medical and healthcare sectors have to cope with environmental pressures, such as demographic changes and the ageing of populations, as well as the novel COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of new treatments and technologies, and an increased insistence on better medical and healthcare, in order to remain competitive.

This Special Issue reflects an effort to capture current developments in patient safety, healthcare quality and overall quality of life, and to provide a forum for cutting-edge contributions to the literature.

The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Tools for preventing inaccurate diagnoses;
Measuring misdiagnosis;
Healthcare-associated infections and patient safety;
Healthcare disparities;
COVID-19: patient safety and quality improvement;
Best practices in clinical and operational processes;
Post-operative care, patient safety and satisfaction after critical surgeries;
Patient satisfaction: recent indicators of the quality of primary care;
The relationship between patient safety and satisfaction and care and clinical outcomes;
Illness behaviour and patent safety;
Methods for reducing medical errors and increasing patient safety and quality of life;
The measurement of patient safety and quality of life;
Key factors affecting the quality of life in patients with chronic illnesses;
The Care Act, standards, safety and patient satisfaction in hospitals;
Self-efficacy and patient safety;
Physician and patient satisfaction;
The promotion of staff and patient wellbeing and psychological safety.

Prof. Dr. Mosad Zineldin
Guest Editor

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Keywords

best clinical practice
medical errors
medication errors
quality improvement
COVID-19
quality and safety
e-health and patient safety
satisfaction
infection and medical errors
IT 5Qs model
innovation
e-health
sustaining improvement
clinical practice guidelines

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

It Is Time to Take Complaints Seriously? An Exploratory Analysis of Communications Sent by Users to a Public Healthcare Agency before, during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Claudia Venuleo, Tiziana Marinaci, Camilla Cucugliato and Sonia Giausa

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(10), 1299; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21101299 - 28 Sep 2024

Viewed by 913

Abstract

Taking due account of users’ perspectives is crucial for improving the quality of healthcare services. This study aimed to analyse the representations and evaluation criteria that users of a public health agency express towards care and treatment services and to explore whether and how the content and meaning of their communications varied according to pre-pandemic, pandemic or post-pandemic periods. A total of 501 communications sent to the public relations office of an Italian health agency were collected. An automatic content analysis procedure was applied to the textual corpus. Four main thematic cores were identified concerning the request for care and respect, the value of the doctor–patient relationship and the difficulties in contacting services and accessing care. Two main latent dimensions of meaning were identified, which capture the dialectic between the demand for relationships and the demand for access to care, and between attention to the relational competence of health workers and attention to the needs and rights of users. Communications collected during the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods mainly concern the difficulty of access to care; those collected during the pandemic period mainly concern the doctor–patient relationship. Interpersonal aspects and timely access to care appear to be crucial in users’ assessment of the quality of care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

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14 pages, 1351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing EQ-5D-5L Sensitivity in Capturing the Most Common Symptoms in Post-COVID-19 Patients: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study with a Focus on Fatigue, Memory/Concentration Problems and Dyspnea Dimensions

by Helena Janols, Carl Wadsten, Christoffer Forssell, Elena Raffeti, Christer Janson, Xingwu Zhou and Marta A Kisiel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(5), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050591 - 3 May 2024

Viewed by 1715

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether the EQ-5D-5L tool captures the most common persistent symptoms, such as fatigue, memory/concentration problems and dyspnea, in patients with post-COVID-19 conditions while also investigating if adding these symptoms improves the explained variance of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In this exploratory cross-sectional study, two cohorts of Swedish patients (n = 177) with a history of COVID-19 infection answered a questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics and clinical factors, and their HRQoL was assessed using EQ-5D-5L with the Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS). Spearman rank correlation and multiple regression analyses were employed to investigate the extent to which the most common persistent symptoms, such as fatigue, memory/concentration problems and dyspnea, were explained by the EQ-5D-5L. The explanatory power of EQ-5D-5L for EQ-VAS was also analyzed, both with and without including symptom(s). We found that the EQ-5D-5L dimensions partly captured fatigue and memory/concentration problems but performed poorly in regard to capturing dyspnea. Specifically, the EQ-5D-5L explained 55% of the variance in memory/concentration problems, 47% in regard to fatigue and only 14% in regard to dyspnea. Adding fatigue to the EQ-5D-5L increased the explained variance of the EQ-VAS by 5.7%, while adding memory/concentration problems and dyspnea had a comparatively smaller impact on the explained variance. Our study highlights the EQ-5D-5L’s strength in capturing fatigue and memory/concentration problems in post-COVID-19 patients. However, it also underscores the challenges in assessing dyspnea in this group. Fatigue emerged as a notably influential symptom, significantly enhancing the EQ-5D-5L’s predictive ability for these patients’ EQ-VAS scores. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

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15 pages, 713 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Risk Perception of the Chinese Diaspora during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Targeting Cognitive Dissonance through Storytelling

by Doris Yuet Lan Leung, Shoilee Khan, Hilary Hwu, Aaida Mamuji, Jack Rozdilsky, Terri Chu and Charlotte Lee

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(5), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21050556 - 27 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1406

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 required risk communications to mitigate the virus’ spread. However, social media not only conveyed health information to minimize the contagion, but also distracted from the threat by linking it to an externalized ‘other’—primarily those appearing to be of Chinese descent. This disinformation caused the attribution of blame to Chinese people worldwide. In Canada’s Greater Toronto Area, Chinese individuals reported widespread public stigma that compounded their risk of contagion; to the degree that it was driven by cognitive dissonance, it generated experiences of social and cultural vulnerability. In this paper, we draw on the aforementioned study’s findings to explain how the risk perception and threat appraisal of Chinese diaspora individuals were impacted by different cognitive dissonance pathways. These findings explore how storytelling is a viable intervention with which to target and mitigate cognitive dissonance. Indeed, the mechanisms of cognitive dissonance can modify risk perception and mitigate social and cultural vulnerability, thereby averting potential long-term negative consequences for one’s mental health and well-being. We hope our guidance, training educators to target pathways of cognitive dissonance by drawing on storytelling (with humour), can assist them to better convey information in ways that are more inclusive during public health emergencies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

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12 pages, 313 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Community Actions and Insights in the Battle against COVID-19 at the Start of the Pandemic: A District Study Observation from Medan, Indonesia

by Nadya Keumala Fitri, Meliani Meliani, Kartini Marpaung, Raden Andika Dwi Cahyadi, Ranti Permatasari, Cut Meliza Zainumi and Inke Nadia Diniyanti Lubis

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(4), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040444 - 4 Apr 2024

Viewed by 1742

Abstract

Background: As of 17 June 2020, the WHO confirmed 8,061,550 COVID-19 cases globally, with Indonesia reporting 40,400 cases and North Sumatra over 932 cases. The rising infection rates have led to increased deaths, highlighting the urgency for public understanding of virus transmission. Despite information dissemination efforts, North Sumatra has not seen a reduction in cases, emphasizing the need for a unified approach to combat the pandemic. Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between public perception and practices regarding COVID-19 prevention in Medan, North Sumatra. Methods: A cross-sectional study will be conducted using a combined questionnaire from two previous studies conducted at the start of the pandemic. Results: Among 200 participants, social media was the favored source for prevention information. Participants exhibited above-average knowledge (67.5%) but predominantly below-average attitudes toward prevention (64.5%). However, most residents practiced correct prevention measures (75.5%). Conclusions: Despite possessing adequate knowledge, negative attitudes toward prevention suggest a need for educational interventions to address misconceptions and promote positive behaviors. Such interventions could enhance the community’s response to COVID-19 transmission during the pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

15 pages, 334 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of an Interprofessional Psychosocial Interventions Framework

by Grace Branjerdporn, Kerri Marie Gillespie, Alex Dymond, Neil Josen Delos Reyes, Julia Robertson, Alice Almeida-Crasto and Shailendhra Bethi

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(8), 5495; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085495 - 13 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2329

Abstract

To meet the increasingly complex needs of mental health consumers, it is essential for multidisciplinary clinicians to have capabilities across a range of psychosocial interventions. Despite this, there is scant evidence investigating the existing levels of knowledge and skills of specialties within multidisciplinary mental health teams. The purpose of this paper was to describe the self-reported capabilities of mental health clinicians, and to provide a rationale for the Psychosocial Interventions Framework Assessment (PIFA), which aims to enhance the access to, and quality of, evidence-informed practice for consumers of mental health services (MHSs) by strengthening workforce capabilities and leadership for psychosocial therapies. Using the Delphi method, the team developed a 75-item survey based on the 10-point Mental Health Recovery Star (MHRS). Participants completed a self-administered survey indicating their perceived capabilities in the PIFA items. The findings revealed lower-than-expected average scores between ‘novice’ and ‘proficient’, highlighting the need for further development of specific training and education modules for individual teams. This is the first framework of its nature to use the Recovery Star^TM to determine the psychosocial areas and domains for the assessment of practitioners’ strengths and needs for skill development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

12 pages, 1248 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Availability of Medical Services and Teleconsultation during COVID-19 Pandemic in the Opinion of Patients of Hematology Clinics—A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study (Silesia, Poland)

by Kamila Jaroń, Angelika Jastrzębska, Kamil Mąkosza, Mateusz Grajek, Karolina Krupa-Kotara and Joanna Kobza

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4264; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054264 - 27 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3378

Abstract

Summary: A new virus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in December 2019, triggering the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 due to the rapid spread and severity of cases worldwide. In Poland, the first case of COVID-19 was reported on 4 March 2020. The aim of the prevention efforts was primarily to stop the spread of the infection to prevent overburdening the health care system. Many illnesses were treated by telemedicine, primarily using teleconsultation. Telemedicine has reduced personal contact between doctors and patients and reduced the risk of exposure to disease for patients and medical personnel. The survey aimed to gather patients’ opinions on the quality and availability of specialized medical services during the pandemic. Based on the data collected regarding patients’ opinions on services provided via telephone systems, a picture was created of patients’ opinions on teleconsultation, and attention was drawn to emerging problems. The study included a 200-person group of patients, realizing their appointments at a multispecialty outpatient clinic in Bytom, aged over 18 years, with various levels of education. The study was conducted among patients of Specialized Hospital No. 1 in Bytom. A proprietary survey questionnaire was developed for the study, which was conducted on paper and used face-to-face interaction with patients. Results: 17.5% of women and 17.5% of men rated the availability of services during the pandemic as good. In contrast, among those aged 60 and over, 14.5% of respondents rated the availability of services during the pandemic as poor. In contrast, among those in the labor force, as many as 20% of respondents rated the accessibility of services provided during the pandemic as being well. The same answer was marked by those on a pension (15%). Overwhelmingly, women in the age group of 60 and over showed a reluctance toward teleconsultation. Conclusions: Patients’ attitudes toward the use of teleconsultation services during the COVID-19 pandemic varied, primarily due to attitudes toward the new situation, the age of the patient, or the need to adapt to specific solutions not always understood by the public. Telemedicine cannot completely replace inpatient services, especially among the elderly. It is necessary to refine remote visits to convince the public of this type of service. Remote visits should be refined and adapted to the needs of patients in such a way as to remove any barriers and problems arising from this type of service. This system should also be introduced as a target, providing an alternative method of inpatient services even after the pandemic ends. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

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11 pages, 1163 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Social Isolation Due to COVID-19 on Daily Life Activities and Independence of People over 65: A Cross-Sectional Study

by María Laura Frutos, David Pérez Cruzado, Dianna Lunsford, Santiago García Orza and Raquel Cantero-Téllez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4177; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054177 - 26 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2004

Abstract

The mandatory confinement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the older adult population. The main objective of this study is to assess independence in basic activities of daily living (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADDL) of people over 65 years of age during social, preventive, and compulsory isolation due to COVID-19, identifying and quantifying the activities of personal independence that present difficulties in their execution. Design: A cross-sectional study. Settings: Private’s health insurance Hospital, Córdoba, Argentina. Participants: A total of 193 participants with mean age of 76.56 years (121 women and 72 men) who met inclusion criteria were included in the study. Interventions: A personal interview was conducted between July and December 2020. Sociodemographic data were collected, and perceived independence was assessed. Outcomes measures: The Barthel index and the Lawton and Brody scale were used to assess independence of basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Results: Minimal limitations were noted with function. The activities that represented the greatest difficulties were going up and down stairs (22%) and moving around (18%), and the greatest difficulties in instrumental activities of daily living were shopping (22%) and preparing food (15%). Conclusions: COVID-19 has caused isolation, leading to functional limitations for many, especially older adults. Perceived declines in function and mobility may lead to decreased independence and safety for the older adult; therefore, preventative planning and programming should be considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

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13 pages, 359 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stigma, Sociodemographic Factors, and Clinical Factors Associated with Psychological Distress among COVID-19 Survivors during the Convalescence Period: A Multi-Centre Study in Malaysia

by Nur Iwana Abdul Taib, Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar, Nazirah Azman, Mohammad Farris Iman Leong Bin Abdullah, Nurul Ain Mohamad Kamal, Azlin Baharudin, Muhammad Najib Bin Abdullah, Suresh Kumar Chidambaram, Alif Adlan, Loong Hui Tan, Satya Tamilselvam, Mohd Shahrir Mohamed Said, Anuar Abd Samad and Siti Nordiana Binti Dollah

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 3795; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053795 - 21 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1848

Abstract

High rates of psychological distress among COVID-19 survivors and stigmatisation have been reported in both early and late convalescence. This study aimed to compare the severity of psychological distress and to determine the associations among sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, stigma, and psychological distress among COVID-19 survivors across two different cohorts at two different time points. Data were collected cross-sectionally in two groups at one month and six months post-hospitalisation among COVID-19 patient from three hospitals in Malaysia. This study assessed psychological distress and the level of stigma using the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6) and the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC) stigma scale, respectively. At one month after discharge, significantly lower psychological distress was found among retirees (B = −2.207, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = −4.139 to −0.068, p = 0.034), those who received up to primary education (B = −2.474, 95% CI = −4.500 to −0.521, p = 0.014), and those who had an income of more than RM 10,000 per month (B = −1.576, 95% CI = −2.714 to −0.505, p = 0.006). Moreover, those with a history of psychiatric illness [one month: (B = 6.363, 95% CI = 2.599 to 9.676, p = 0.002), six months: (B = 2.887, CI = 0.469–6.437, p = 0.038)] and sought counselling services [one month: (B = 1.737, 95% CI = 0.385 to 3.117, p = 0.016), six months: (B = 1.480, CI = 0.173–2.618, p = 0.032)] had a significantly higher severity of psychological distress at one month and six months after discharge from the hospital. The perceived stigma of being infected with COVID-19 contributed to greater severity of psychological distress. (B = 0.197, CI = 0.089–0.300, p = 0.002). Different factors may affect psychological distress at different periods of convalescence after a COVID-19 infection. A persistent stigma contributed to psychological distress later in the convalescence period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

13 pages, 1903 KiB

Open AccessArticle

No Causal Effects Detected in COVID-19 and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Two Sample Mendelian Randomization Study

by Wangzi Xu, Yu Cao and Lin Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2437; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032437 - 30 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2752

Abstract

New clinical observational studies suggest that Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a sequela of COVID-19 infection, but whether there is an exact causal relationship between COVID-19 and ME/CFS remains to be verified. To investigate whether infection with COVID-19 actually causes ME/CFS, this paper obtained pooled data from the Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) and analyzed the relationship between COVID susceptibility, hospitalization and severity of COVID and ME/CFS, respectively, using two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR). TSMR analysis was performed by inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median method, MR-Egger regression and weighted mode and simple mode methods, respectively, and then the causal relationship between COVID-19 and ME/CFS was further evaluated by odds ratio (OR). Eventually, we found that COVID-19 severity, hospitalization and susceptibility were all not significantly correlated with ME/CFS (OR:1.000,1.000,1.000; 95% CI:0.999–1.000, 0.999–1.001, 0.998–1.002; p = 0.333, 0.862, 0.998, respectively). We found the results to be reliable after sensitivity analysis. These results suggested that SARS-CoV-2 infection may not significantly contribute to the elevated risk of developing CFS, and therefore ME/CFS may not be a sequela of COVID-19, but may simply present with symptoms similar to those of CFS after COVID-19 infection, and thus should be judged and differentiated by physicians when diagnosing and treating the disease in clinical practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue 2nd Edition of COVID-19, Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety and Quality of Life)

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