Dialogues in health最新文献

{"title":"Strengthening cancer care for the LGBTQIA+ population in Nepal: A narrative review to set priorities for equitable oncology services","authors":"Sunil Shrestha ,&nbsp;Nabin Pathak ,&nbsp;Simit Sapkota ,&nbsp;Sudip Thapa ,&nbsp;Subhas Pandit ,&nbsp;Jeebana Bhandari ,&nbsp;Pankaj Barman ,&nbsp;Pratik Khanal ,&nbsp;Kamal Ranabhat ,&nbsp;Vibhu Paudyal ,&nbsp;Deependra Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100229","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100229","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cancer epidemiology and care services in low- and middle-income countries, has traditionally overlooked the specific needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual community, including people who identify with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations (LGBTQIA+). This narrative review examines the intersection of LGBTQIA+ individual's health and oncology cases in Nepal, highlighting disparities in cancer risk factors, delayed diagnosis, limited screening access and the compounding effects of social stigma and discrimination. Drawing from regional data and global insights, we identify systemic barriersincluding heteronormative healthcare environments, lack of provider training in LGBTQIA+-inclusive oncology, and policy gaps that hinder equitable cancer care access. We also outline targeted strategies to improve cancer outcomes for LGBTQIA+ individuals, including stakeholder engagement, culturally competent oncology training for healthcare providers and students, and community-led education and advocacy. This review underscores the urgent need to integrate LGBTQIA+-specific priorities into Nepal's national cancer strategies to advance equity in oncology care delivery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100229"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Erratum regarding Missing Ethical / Consent statement in previously published articles","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100257","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100257"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145693504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond technical skills: How communication shapes patient satisfaction in Ghana's healthcare system","authors":"Mohammed Saani Abdulai,&nbsp;Eliasu Mumuni,&nbsp;Muhammed Abdulai","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Effective healthcare delivery depends not only on clinical expertise but also on the quality of communication and interpersonal relationships between healthcare providers and patients. Despite the recognized importance of these human-centered factors, limited research has explored their impact on patient satisfaction and service quality within the Ghanaian context. This study aims to examine the influence of communication competence and interpersonal relationships on patient satisfaction. This study examines how healthcare providers' communication competence and interpersonal relationships influence their perceived patient satisfaction with service delivery, thereby shifting attention from technical skills to the relational aspects of care.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A sequential mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative phase involved a survey of 250 healthcare professionals. The qualitative phase comprised in-depth interviews with 20 participants,10 patients, and 10 healthcare staff. Data was analyzed using multiple regression techniques for the quantitative component and thematic analysis for the qualitative component.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Verbal communication emerged as the most used method (70.4 %), followed by a combination of verbal and non-verbal strategies (19.6 %). Regression analysis revealed that both communication competence and interpersonal relationships had a significant impact on service quality and patient satisfaction. While interpersonal relationships displayed a negative coefficient in the regression model (B = −0.098) due to overlap with communication competence, qualitative findings confirmed that positive interpersonal interactions enhanced patient satisfaction. While technical skills contributed a smaller increase of 0.029. The Qualitative findings revealed that patients highly value empathetic communication, timely interactions, and non-verbal cues, such as physical touch and facial expressions, which enhance trust and satisfaction.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The findings highlight the importance of integrating communication and interpersonal skills development into healthcare training and professional practice in Ghana. Strengthening these competencies can enhance patient experiences, improve health outcomes, and contribute to the overall quality of care delivery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of thyroid disorders in a tertiary care hospital in Al Batinah North Governorate, Oman","authors":"Vijaya Marakala ,&nbsp;Gulam Saidunnisa Begum ,&nbsp;Salima Al Maqbali ,&nbsp;Elham Said Ahmed Al Risi","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100246","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100246","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To assess the prevalence and demographic distribution of thyroid dysfunction in the Al Batinah North Governorate, Oman, and to examine associations between thyroid hormone levels and lipid profiles.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This retrospective observational study was conducted at Sohar Hospital, a major referral centre in Al Batinah North. Electronic medical records of 40,390 patients who underwent thyroid function testing between 2020 and 2024 were reviewed. The prevalence of subclinical and overt hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, demographic distribution (age, gender), and associations between thyroid hormone levels and lipid profiles were analyzed. Only the first thyroid panel per patient was included to avoid duplication.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the 40,390 patients, 78.7 % were euthyroid, 13.9 % had subclinical hypothyroidism, 3.4 % had subclinical hyperthyroidism, 2.1 % had overt hyperthyroidism, and 2.0 % had overt hypothyroidism. Thyroid dysfunction was more prevalent among females (67.5 %) than males (32.5 %). Hypothyroidism was most frequent in individuals aged 0–17 years, while hyperthyroidism was more common in adults aged 36–50 years. A statistically significant inverse correlation was observed between free thyroxine (FT4) and serum lipid levels (cholesterol: <em>r</em> = −0.12, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001; triglycerides: <em>r</em> = −0.10, p &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Thyroid dysfunction, particularly subclinical hypothyroidism, was common in this hospital-based Omani cohort and disproportionately affected females. Associations with lipid abnormalities were statistically significant but weak. Findings should be interpreted with caution due to the retrospective design, hospital-based sampling, and incomplete adjustment for confounders. Population-based studies are required to establish true prevalence and long-term metabolic outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100246"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145264738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The medical community must not remain silent about healthcare and water access denial in Palestine","authors":"Jade Pagkas-Bather ,&nbsp;Sabrina Imam ,&nbsp;Rachel Bender Ignacio ,&nbsp;Asim Farooq ,&nbsp;Baddr Shakhsheer ,&nbsp;Feroze Sidhwa ,&nbsp;Omar Al-Heeti ,&nbsp;Thaer Ahmad ,&nbsp;Tamathor Abughnaim ,&nbsp;John Schneider","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100251","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100251","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Physicians have a duty to oppose the human suffering and human rights abuses occurring in Gaza, particularly the violations of international humanitarian law (IHL). We especially call attention to the scarcity of potable water in Gaza, which has fueled outbreaks of hepatitis A, polio, and skin infections and has created a public health crisis that is further exacerbated by the destruction of healthcare infrastructure and targeting of healthcare workers. The time is long overdue for physicians to affirm that IHL, including guaranteed access to healthcare and potable water, must be upheld to protect the health and safety of all Palestinians. Moreover, as violence against Palestinians and mass displacement campaigns are escalating in the West Bank, this is a pivotal moment for action to prevent further harms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100251"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coping strategies and resilient behavior among frontline healthcare workers: A scoping review","authors":"Bilal Ahmad ,&nbsp;Khalid Rehman ,&nbsp;Shawana Bangash ,&nbsp;Rida Zarkaish ,&nbsp;Mahdia Babak ,&nbsp;Sana Rehman ,&nbsp;Samina Ihsan ,&nbsp;Farhad Ali Khattak ,&nbsp;Muhammad Irfan ,&nbsp;Asif Rehman ,&nbsp;Abdul Jalil Khan ,&nbsp;Zohaib Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100252","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100252","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This scoping review aimed to examine coping strategies and resilient behaviours for stress management among frontline healthcare workers as per the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all). Five major databases (APA PsychInfo, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library) were searched from their inception until December 2024, including peer-reviewed articles and the first three hundred results on Google Scholar. The review followed the JBI methodology for scoping reviews and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The inclusion criteria were experimental and observational studies examining coping strategies and stress management interventions for frontline healthcare workers in any healthcare setting. Non-empirical studies, those without a clear methodology, and non-English-language studies were excluded. Data screening and selection were conducted using Rayyan software by two independent teams, with disagreements resolved through consensus with a third reviewer. Data extraction captured the study characteristics, population demographics, settings, and key findings. The cumulative sample size across all studies was 33,889 healthcare professionals, with significant gender disparity favouring female participants. This study spanned thirty countries across multiple continents, with the United States contributing the largest subset.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100252"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145528219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of philanthropic investment on integrating social determinants of health into diabetes care at US federally qualified health centers","authors":"Sonak D. Pastakia ,&nbsp;Alycia Clark ,&nbsp;Katie Lewis ,&nbsp;Damon Taugher ,&nbsp;Omolola Adeoye-Olatunde ,&nbsp;Kourtney Byrd ,&nbsp;Kay Johnson ,&nbsp;Andrew M. Gonzales ,&nbsp;Nader Tossoun ,&nbsp;Danielle Cortez ,&nbsp;Alejandra Mata ,&nbsp;Christy Ward ,&nbsp;Pua Akana ,&nbsp;Rachel Randall ,&nbsp;Rina Ramirez","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100248","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100248","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Study objective</h3><div>Assess the impact of a change in a philanthropic funding strategy toward focusing on the inclusion of responses to the social determinants of health (SDOH) in diabetes care.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>Retrospective analysis of routinely collected clinical and social determinants of health data.</div></div><div><h3>Setting</h3><div>Federally Qualified Health Centers Across the United States who were selected to receive funding after applying.</div></div><div><h3>Participants</h3><div>People living with diabetes who received care support that was partially or wholly supported from philanthropic funding provided by Direct Relief.</div></div><div><h3>Interventions</h3><div>The primary intervention was the injection of funding from Direct Relief to support the integration of interventions responsive to the SDOH. Example interventions include referral to SDOH support, home based monitoring, inclusion of community health workers, virtual care, and community-based care.</div></div><div><h3>Main outcome measures</h3><div>The primary outcome measure was the change in HbA1c from baseline to two to four months for all patients contributing data.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Participants in the HBHC program demonstrated a reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin of −1.25 points ([95 % CI, −1.45 - -1.06], <em>p &lt; 0.01</em>) after 60-to-119-days. Participants with family and housing needs, nutrition needs, and social and emotional health needs had statistically significantly higher baseline HbA1c's than patients without these needs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Future philanthropically supported efforts should encourage integration of SDOH interventions into clinical services for under-resourced patients living with diabetes. Additional prospective, controlled studies should be completed to more definitively determine the impact of investment on specific interventions designed to respond to the most frequently encountered SDOH needs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100248"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145324522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cracking the code: Pioneering early detection and management of breast cancer in the Brazilian public healthcare system","authors":"Arn Migowski ,&nbsp;Ruffo Freitas-Junior ,&nbsp;Jose Bines ,&nbsp;Angela Marie Jansen ,&nbsp;Angélica Nogueira-Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Maria del Pilar Estevez-Diz ,&nbsp;Mariana Rico-Restrepo ,&nbsp;Gayatri Sanku ,&nbsp;André Mattar","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Breast cancer (BC) remains a significant health concern in Brazil, particularly within its public healthcare system, the Unified Health System, known by its Portuguese acronym “SUS”, with early detection being one of the main challenges. A review of literature and policy documents was conducted to evaluate the performance and challenges of BC screening and early diagnosis in SUS. Brazilian experts in BC early detection attended a three-day meeting to discuss the challenges of SUS's existing early detection program and provide recommendations for surmounting them. The study identified that Brazil's current opportunistic BC screening model perpetuates issues with access to screening and regional disparities, while also generating low effectiveness and inefficiency. It also highlights several causes of delays in early diagnosis and treatment. The conclusions suggest an urgent need for an organized national BC screening program, in addition to the implementation of early diagnosis strategies, with multifaceted interventions, including urgent referral guidelines for suspected cases, training of key health professionals, patient navigation, and one-stop breast clinics. Implementing these changes could alleviate the economic strain on the healthcare system while improving patient outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100235"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144987926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pregnancy to postpartum: Analyzing dropouts and socioeconomic predictors of continuum of maternal healthcare in India","authors":"Pooja Singh ,&nbsp;Sanjiv Singh ,&nbsp;Kaushalendra Kumar Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100226","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100226","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Continuum of care (CoC) emphasizes the importance of establishing connections between maternal healthcare service provided at various stages throughout pregnancy, labour, and the postpartum period. The objective of this study was to investigate the CoC for maternal health, focusing on recent utilization and dropout pattern and to examine the underlying wealth inequality and its association with the dimensions of women's empowerment.</div></div><div><h3>Material and methods</h3><div>For our analysis, we focused on mothers who had given birth within the five years preceding the National family health survey (NFHS)-5 survey. Outcome variable, the CoC for maternal health was assessed at three distinct levels: CoC until 4+ antenatal care (ANC), CoC until skilled birth attendance (SBA), CoC until postnatal care (PNC) or complete CoC. Binary logistic regression, concentration curve and index were utilized to address the objectives of the study.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Our study found that 93.8 % of women initiated maternal healthcare with at least one ANC visit, but only 63.1 % completed the recommended 4+ visits. Among them, 94.6 % received SBA, yet only 62 % continued to PNC. A concerning dropout pattern was observed across all states, with even prosperous states like Chandigarh, West Bengal, Goa, Kerala, New Delhi, and Gujarat showing higher dropout rates before PNC than the national average of 38 %. Concentration curves revealed pro-rich inequality in CoC. Women's social independence positively influenced CoC adherence, along with parity, pregnancy intention, wealth index, and region of residence as key determinants.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings reveal significant gaps in the continuum of maternal healthcare, including high dropout rates before postnatal care and persistent wealth-based disparities. Addressing these issues requires targeted policies, greater women's empowerment, and equitable healthcare access. Future research should conduct a comprehensive analysis to understand why dropout rates remain high, even in relatively prosperous states, by examining health system inefficiencies, sociocultural barriers, and policy gaps.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100226"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Portrayals of suicide and suicide attempts among LGBTQ+ individuals in Indian digital news","authors":"Khuman Bhagirath Jetubhai","doi":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.dialog.2025.100230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the nature of Indian digital news reporting on suicides and suicide attempts within the LGBTQ+ community. The objective is to analyse how these incidents are framed by the media by identifying the dominant narratives, demographic characteristics highlighted, and attributed causes presented in news coverage. Following PRISMA guidelines, this study identified and analysed 164 unique digital news reports published between 2001 and 2022. The analysis reveals that news coverage most frequently focuses on individuals identified as trans women or lesbians, who are in the 19–24 and 25–44 age brackets, and are reported to be in a relationship. The most common narratives constructed in these reports attribute the suicides to family non-acceptance of their relationship or identity and partner separation. Furthermore, hanging and drug/poison ingestion are the most frequently reported methods of suicide, and joint/couple suicides are a significant feature of the media coverage. These findings demonstrate that the portrayal of LGBTQ+ suicide in Indian digital media is a curated narrative, likely shaped by journalistic news values rather than being a direct reflection of population-level trends. This research provides critical insights into the construction of media discourse on a sensitive public health issue and its implications for public perception and policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":72803,"journal":{"name":"Dialogues in health","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100230"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144703568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}