Health & Social Care in the Community最新文献

{"title":"The Digital Divide of Older People in Communities: Urban-Rural, Gender, and Health Disparities and Inequities","authors":"Kai Zhang,&nbsp;Xiaoting Cheng,&nbsp;Dan Li,&nbsp;Xueling Meng","doi":"10.1155/hsc/1361214","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/1361214","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>The digital divide (DD) of older people is widening due to the rapid adoption of information and communication technologies (ICT) and the effects of COVID-19. This study aims to explore the impact of urban-rural, gender, and health inequalities on the DD of older people. First, the survey collected data on the use of ICT and the DD of older people (<i>N</i> = 624) in urban-rural communities. Then, an evaluation index system for the DD of older people was constructed. The DD indices for older people and the weights of indicators can be calculated via the entropy weight method (EWM). Next, linear and hierarchical regressions were applied to analyze the disparities in the DD of older people in urban-rural areas, gender, and health. Finally, the heterogeneity of the access divide (AD), use divide (UD), and knowledge divide (KD) were analyzed. The results indicated that the DD and KD of older people in rural communities are significantly higher than those in urban communities, mainly because of the poor infrastructure conditions in rural areas. Moreover, the migration of youth to work also reduced opportunities for intergenerational support. DD, AD, and UD were higher for older females than for older males because older females are more restricted by access to and use of digital technology. In addition, the poorer the health of older people is, the higher the AD and UD. Focusing on urban-rural, gender, and health disparities helps bridge the DD among older people and is critical to the sustainable development of digitally inclusive aging societies.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/1361214","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143939169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responding to the Global Pandemic: Delivering Social Prescribing in an Ever-Shifting Landscape","authors":"Susan Potter,&nbsp;Sarah Hotham,&nbsp;Simon Bailey","doi":"10.1155/hsc/6761255","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/6761255","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Background:&lt;/b&gt; Social prescribing programmes across the United Kingdom were obliged to adapt and change as a result of COVID-19. However, as we emerge from the pandemic and only now begin to witness the extent to which service users and providers continue to be affected, is it realistic to expect social prescribing services to meet the increasing demands placed upon them? How might schemes manage to deliver effectively against a backlog of referrals, escalating mental health issues and growing health inequalities across the population? This paper explores the challenges faced by service providers and service users of social prescribing programmes during the global pandemic. Drawing from primary and secondary research, the discussion considers how the implementation of one social prescribing programme was impacted by COVID-19, how service providers responded, how service users were affected and, finally, what questions have been raised for the development and delivery of social prescribing in a postpandemic landscape.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Using the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, this discrete qualitative case study sits within the wider evaluation of &lt;i&gt;Community Connect,&lt;/i&gt; London Borough of Bexley’s social prescribing programme. To investigate the impacts upon the programme through the key domains of implementation, maintenance and effectiveness, data were collected between April 2020 and November 2022. One reflexive discussion group and 26 semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of stakeholders, including social prescribers (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 6), service users (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 12), service provider organisations (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 6), volunteer telephone befrienders (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 6) and service commissioners (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 2). Framework analysis was subsequently used to code and analyse the resulting qualitative data.&lt;/p&gt;\u0000 &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Following a period of programme interruption, &lt;i&gt;Community Connect&lt;/i&gt; adapted to remote delivery in support of both existing and new service users. Service users experiencing multimorbidity, combined with mental health problems, loneliness and isolation were adversely affected physically, emotionally and socially. Volunteers likewise reported feelings of isolation and uselessness, motivating them to support those in need. An interim ‘telephone befriending’ intervention engendered feelings of self-worth and reduced social isolation, having a positive impact on mental wellbeing. However, social prescribers experienced challenges in working from home, while attempting to build relationships with new referrals and/or providing meaningful support to digitally excluded individuals. Limited capacity meant many service users experienced intermittent contact with social prescribers, while few were offered consistent support in managing worsening health and/or mental health conditions. In addition, restricted acce","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/6761255","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Fear of Crime on Social Acceptance Under Social Conflict Perceptions Toward Ex-Prisoners: A Cross-Sectional Study","authors":"Chun Xia,&nbsp;Jia Xu,&nbsp;Lu Ma","doi":"10.1155/hsc/7964639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/7964639","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Fear of crime (FOC) decreases a person’s social acceptance of ex-prisoners (SAX). However, the extent to which FOC impacts SAX is unclear. Using a national sample, this study aimed to explore the extent to which (1) FOC impacts SAX by elevating social conflict perception and (2) social equality moderates the association between FOC and social conflict perception. Using bootstrapping, a moderated mediation effect model was constructed to analyze the extent to which FOC impacts SAX and the potential mediating and possible moderating effects of social conflict perception and social equality, respectively. The findings reveal that FOC significantly and negatively impacts SAX after controlling for sex, age, educational level, marital and subjective socioeconomic statuses, Internet utilization, and victimization experience factors. The results indicate that people with high FOC are less willing to accept ex-prisoners, an effect partly explained by the mediation of social conflict perception, and that social equality plays a moderating role between FOC and social conflict perception. This study contributes to the literature by extending research on the social effects of FOC, as to date, most research has focused on the FOC attitude that favors the punishment of offenders, and there is hardly any research on whether a hostile FOC attitude could spill over toward ex-prisoners in society. In addition, this study explains the association between FOC and the social acceptance of targeted social groups and provides an innovative explanation for a precondition based on the inner relationship between FOC and SAX, supported by empirical evidence.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/7964639","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143930393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanisms to Support Interventions Involving the Police When Responding to Persons Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis: A Realist Review","authors":"Sam Redgate,&nbsp;Nicola Clibbens,&nbsp;Catherine Haighton,&nbsp;Sonia Dalkin,&nbsp;Angela Bate,&nbsp;Melissa Girling,&nbsp;Stephen McCarthy,&nbsp;Tobyn Eagles,&nbsp;Joanne Gray,&nbsp;Iain McKinnon","doi":"10.1155/hsc/7445445","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/7445445","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Mental health crisis interventions involving police originated in the United States. In England and Wales, street triage services (a UK term used to describe urgent mental health and police interventions) were piloted in 2013. These models involve police and mental health services working together to ensure individuals receive the required support. Evaluation findings have shown inconsistent outcomes based on studies predominately limited to single sites. Evaluations to date have lacked theoretical consideration of the contexts and mechanisms triggering outcomes for service users. This review used a realist approach to develop an explanatory understanding of what happens in interventions involving the police responding to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis (underlying mechanisms), the contextual conditions surrounding the implementation of these interventions (context) and the outcomes produced as a result. The review was conducted using a two-stage process. Stage one generated initial programme theories, which informed a systematic literature search (stage two), which further developed, tested theories. From 6461 potentially relevant papers identified in stage two, 19 papers were included. Extracted data were themed, prior to developing narrative and formulating programme theories. In six programme theories, spanning four themes were developed: role legitimacy of police as responders to mental health crises, using technology, complex decision-making and responding to distress. Findings indicate that central to successful interventions involving the police in mental health crisis responses is the requirement of social relationships and joint working between police and mental health services to foster trust. Presented findings contribute to a more detailed understanding of mechanisms within interventions involving the police in mental health crisis responses. By generating evidence-based understandings of the effective components of these support interventions, this research has potential to inform development of future such support at a time of significant policy changes impacting on the role of police as responders to mental health crises.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/7445445","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143930391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How Children and Young People Disclose That They Have Been Sexually Abused: Perspectives From Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse","authors":"Lynne McPherson,&nbsp;Kathomi Gatwiri,&nbsp;Antonia Canosa,&nbsp;Darlene Rotumah,&nbsp;Corina Modderman,&nbsp;Jaime Chubb,&nbsp;Anne Graham","doi":"10.1155/hsc/8831616","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/8831616","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Child sexual abuse is a pervasive social and public health concern with high social and economic costs. Children and young people who experience this form of abuse are in danger of serious, ongoing impacts on their development, functioning and overall life trajectory as a result of the lasting influence of complex trauma. The recent research, drawing from young adult self-reports, has found that more than one in three girls and almost one in five boys have experienced child sexual abuse. These alarming figures are not, however, matched by official data reporting rates of substantiated child sexual abuse cases. It is possible that a sizeable proportion of children who have experienced sexual abuse may not be coming to the attention of authorities and, consequently, may not have their needs being met in a timely way, including their need for safety. A question about the disclosure of child sexual abuse emerges, specifically whether, how and to whom children can tell about what has happened or is happening to them. This paper reports on a study focussing on the disclosure of child sexual abuse, based on in-depth individual interviews with 51 adult victim survivors of child sexual abuse. Findings revealed that most interview participants disclosed a multitude of times before being heard and having their disclosures acted upon. Some were never heard. A thematic inductive analysis is presented and discussed, and recommendations are made for policy and practice reform.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/8831616","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143908970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Typologies of Informal Care Networks for Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Functional Difficulties in China: A Multidimensional Perspective","authors":"Jia-Jia Zhou,&nbsp;Rui Kang","doi":"10.1155/hsc/6649034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/6649034","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p><b>Introduction:</b> This study aims to examine informal care networks for aging adults with functional disabilities in China by exploring caregivers within broader social relationships. It further investigates the multifaceted determinants of care network typologies across individual, household, and policy dimensions.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Materials and Methods:</b> Data were derived from the nationally representative China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2020. The total sample comprised 3323 participants aged 50 years and older with functional difficulties. Latent class analysis was employed to identify the typologies of informal care networks. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the multifaceted determinants of these network typologies.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Results:</b> This study identified four distinct typologies of informal care networks: nonkinship care network (4.42%), children-centered care network (54.41%), mixed kinship care network (5.12%), and spouse-centered care network (36.05%). Findings revealed that care recipients with greater limitations in IADL were more likely to have children-centered, mixed kinship, or spouse-centered care networks, as opposed to nonkinship network. In addition, a larger family size was associated with a greater likelihood of having children-centered and mixed kinship networks. Moreover, household internet connectivity and enrollment in public pension schemes were linked to increased probability of receiving care from children-centered network.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Discussion and Conclusion:</b> This study investigates broader relationship patterns involved in informal caregiving for older adults with functional difficulties, extending beyond a dyadic perspective. By highlighting the complexity of care provision structures, this study offers insights for establishing more diverse and inclusive care networks. Adopting a multidimensional perspective, it examines the individual, household, and policy components associated with the typologies of informal care networks. These determinants enhance our understanding of the nuanced dynamics of caregiving, tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of care recipients.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/6649034","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143909302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring Effect of Psychological First Aid Education on Elementary School Teachers: A Quasiexperimental Study","authors":"Andaleeb M. Abu Kamel,&nbsp;Dua’a Al-Maghaireh,&nbsp;Najah Sami Shawish,&nbsp;Bushra Khaurullah Khanjar,&nbsp;Eman K. Alnazly","doi":"10.1155/hsc/8897061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/8897061","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p><b>Background:</b> Psychological first aid (PFA) is a supportive approach for children experiencing distress and in need of immediate assistance. It assists children in feeling safe, connected with others, and staying calm and hopeful. Furthermore, it also helps children gain access to social, physical, and emotional support and empowers them as individuals and part of the community. Teachers are the largest workforce in Jordan. However, they are rarely trained in PFA to handle critical events among children.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Aim:</b> This study examined the impact of a PFA training program on elementary school teachers’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Methods:</b> This quantitative, quasiexperimental, nonequivalent control group design utilized pre- and posttest results. A total of 80 elementary school teachers were divided into two groups, experimental (<i>n</i> = 40) and control (<i>n</i> = 40), assigned on a nonrandom basis to two elementary schools in Jordan. Teachers completed self-assessments that measured knowledge, skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy related to PFA.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Results:</b> The experimental group exhibited significantly higher mean scores across all domains compared with the control group postintervention. Furthermore, the experimental group had higher mean knowledge, skills, and attitude scores of 8.12, 7.97, and 8.05 compared with the control group, 5.83 (<i>t</i> = 9.17, <i>p ≤ </i>0.001), 5.05 (<i>t</i> = 10.34, <i>p</i> ≤ 0.001), and 4.90 (<i>t</i> = 9.91, <i>p ≤ </i>0.001), respectively. Additionally, self-efficacy scores were significantly higher in the experimental group, with a mean of 143.10 (±15.83) compared with the control group (85.55) (<i>t</i> = 2.17, <i>p ≤ </i>0.001).</p>\u0000 <p><b>Conclusion:</b> The PFA training program substantially improved teachers’ competencies in delivering psychological support during crises and enhanced knowledge, skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy across all variables.</p>\u0000 <p><b>Implications:</b> This study provides evidence that teachers’ PFA training can enhance their knowledge, skills, attitude, and self-efficacy. Teachers can be trained to support children experiencing distress and in need of immediate assistance during crises until they can be seen by professionals, such as psychiatric or social workers.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/8897061","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143900903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Communication Experiences of Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Patients During Healthcare Access and Consultation: A Systematic Narrative Review","authors":"G. Wilson-Menzfeld,&nbsp;J. R. Gates,&nbsp;C. Jackson-Corbett,&nbsp;G. Erfani","doi":"10.1155/hsc/8867224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/8867224","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals face significant communication barriers in accessing healthcare services, leading to misunderstandings, misdiagnoses and experiences of marginalisation and discrimination. This study aims to explore these challenges and identify areas for improvement. A systematic narrative review was conducted, involving a comprehensive search and thematic synthesis of data from six electronic databases, including studies up to November 2023. Twenty-two studies were identified (15 qualitative, four quantitative and three mixed methods). Two main themes were generated: <i>challenges related to the role of the interpreter</i> and the need to <i>shift cultural competence</i>. These themes are composed of six subcategories: <i>preferred style of communication, lack of access and continuity of care, trust, disconnected language, disempowerment and misinformation leading to health consequences</i>. The study highlights the importance of considering the unique needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing patients in healthcare environments and promoting cultural competence and effective communication to improve healthcare accessibility and outcomes.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/8867224","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143884053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digital Literacy, Intergenerational Relationships, and Future Care Preparation in Aging Chinese Adults in Hong Kong: Does the Gender of Adult Children Make a Difference?","authors":"Xue Bai,&nbsp;Rita W. L. Yu,&nbsp;Chang Liu,&nbsp;Silvia Sörensen","doi":"10.1155/hsc/6198111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/6198111","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>As populations continue to age, the demand for future care is expected to increase. Future care preparation is a form of proactive coping that can prevent or offset potential stressors related to the changing needs of older adults. Acquisition and preservation of resources are essential for effective proactive coping. Integrating social convoy theory, intergenerational solidarity theory, and proactive coping theory, this study assessed the level of digital literacy, quality of intergenerational relationships, and future care preparation in son-dominant, daughter-dominant, and gender-balanced families. The direct and indirect effects of digital literacy on future care preparation through intergenerational relationships were also examined. Data from 3,626 participants with at least one adult child were drawn from the Panel Study of Active Aging and Society conducted in 2022, which was designed to be a biennial study conducted with a representative sample of individuals aged 50 years and older in Hong Kong. Aging parents in son-dominant families had the highest levels of digital literacy; those in daughter-dominant families had the highest levels of intergenerational relationship quality and future care preparedness. Intergenerational relationship quality mediated the relationship between digital literacy and future care preparation in all three types of families, but the effect sizes differed. These findings suggest a need to enhance the digital literacy of aging adults and improve their intergenerational relationships, thereby assisting them to prepare in advance for their future care needs.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/6198111","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143884054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Implications of Occupational Stress and Burnout on Patient Safety at Public Hospitals in Malawi","authors":"Paliani Chinguwo","doi":"10.1155/hsc/4625173","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/hsc/4625173","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 <p>Due to an acute shortage of medical doctors, clinical officers (COs) in Malawi are tasked with duties that conventionally fall within the purview of the former. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that excessive workload and long hours of work are psychosocial hazards that contribute to occupational stress (OS) and burnout among COs at public hospitals. The study used a qualitative research approach. The study sites comprised five state-owned hospitals: Mulanje District Hospital, Chikwawa District Hospital, Balaka District Hospital, Nkhata Bay District Hospital, and Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre. Three methods of data collection were used: semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. Thematic analysis was employed as a method of data analysis. The study found that the cognitive effects of OS and burnout among COs are eventually externalized to the general public through medical errors and mistakes. The study concluded that the medical errors and mistakes associated with the cognitive effects of OS and burnout among COs pose negative impacts on patient safety. The medical errors and mistakes associated with OS and burnout are ultimately impediments to patient satisfaction. Hence, this paper coins the term ‘impact shifting’ to refer to the externalization of the consequences of OS and burnout among COs to the general public through poor patient safety and ultimately low patient satisfaction.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":48195,"journal":{"name":"Health & Social Care in the Community","volume":"2025 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1155/hsc/4625173","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143880160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}