Situation Analysis of HIV/AIDS in Albania: Case-study

Albania today is still a low HIV prevalence country, but major concerns exist that since the 1990s there has been an uncontrollable increase in the risk-behaviours coupled with spontaneous massive internal and external migration, and a lack of information about the causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS. By the end of 2004, there were 149 HIV cases in Albania, of which 48 cases of AIDS (with 25 deaths). Sexual transmission, both homosexual and heterosexual, accounts for over 90% of HIV cases in Albania and the age-group most affected is 30-40 years old. The majority of reported HIV cases were acquired outside Albania. According to projections of the National HIV/AIDS Program, in 2010, the number of HIV cases might reach 10,000-15,000 if the necessary prevention measures would not be taken. Thus, after 2000, there was an emerging need for a national strategy of control and prevention of HIV/AIDS in Albania. This was due to the increasing number of new cases every year as a consequence of risky behaviors especially among the risk-sexually active population. By the end of 2003, the Ministry of Health approved the National Strategy of Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS in Albania: 2004-2010. As Albania has signed the Millennium Declaration, the approval of the National Strategy on HIV/AIDS confirms the commitment of the government to achieve the Millennium Development Goals

Vprašalnik za samooceno kompetenc zdravnika družinske medicine na področju izboljševanja kakovosti

Aim: To perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Quality Improvement Competency Self Assessment (QICS) questionnaire for family physicians into the Slovenian language and to validate it in a representative sample of Slovenian FPs. Methods: This cross-sectional observational postal survey was conducted in a random sample of 398 Slovenian FPs. We used the QICS questionnaire that was developed on the basis of the new Quality Improvement Competency Framework for family medicine. The QICS questionnaire consists of 37 items included in six domains. The questions can be answered on a five-point Likert scale. The validity of the translation was provided by the backward translation from Slovenian to the English language and by the reference group consisting of experienced FPs in the consensus process. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and Spearman rho to determine the test-retest reliability (the questionnaire was sent to the physicians in the sample twice in a period of two weeks). Results: The final sample consisted of 100 (25.1%) family physicians, out of which 71 (71.0%) were women. Mean age of the sample was 43.3 ± 9.6 years. Mean score of the QICS questionnaire was 127.0 ± 30.1 points (first round) and 127.8 ± 30.6 points (second round). Cronbach’s alpha scores were 0.984 (first round) and 0.988 (second round). Spearman’s rho for the summary score of the whole scale was 0.829 with p < 0.001. Conclusion: The Slovenian version of the QICS questionnaire proved to be a valid and reliable tool for selfassessment of quality improvement competencies by FPs in terms of continuous professional development.Namen: Izvesti medkulturno prilagoditev vprašalnika o samoocenjevanju kompetenc zdravnika družinske medicina na področju izboljševanju kakovosti (vprašalnik QICS) in ga validirati na reprezentativnem vzorcu slovenskih zdravnikov družinske medicine. Metode: Ta presečna opazovalna raziskava je bila izvedena v naključnem vzorcu 398 slovenskih zdravnikov družinske medicine. Uporabili smo vprašalnik QICS, ki je bil razvit na podlagi novega teoretičnega okvira izboljševanja kakovosti v družinski medicini. Vprašalnik QICS je sestavljen iz 37 vprašanj, vključenih v šest področij. Na vprašanja je mogoče odgovoriti po petstopenjski Likertovi lestvici. Veljavnost prevoda je bila zagotovljena z dvosmernim prevodom in s pomočjo referenčne skupine, ki so jo sestavljali izkušeni zdravniki družinske medicine. Zanesljivost vprašalnika smo ocenjevali s pomočjo koeficienta Cronbach alfa in koeficienta Spearman rho za ugotavljanje časovne stabilnosti (vprašalnik je bil poslan zdravnikom v vzorcu dvakrat v razmiku dveh tednov). Rezultati: Končni vzorec je bil sestavljen iz 100 (25,1 %) zdravnikov družinske medicine, od katerih je bilo 71 (71,0 %) žensk. Povprečna starost vzorca je bila 43,3 ± 9,6 leta. Povprečno število točk na vprašalniku QICS je bilo 127,0 ± 30,1 (prvo pošiljanje) in 127,8 ± 30,6 (drugo pošiljanje). Cronbach alfa je bil 0,984 (prvo pošiljanje) in 0,988 (drugo pošiljanje). Spearman rho je bil 0,829 s p < 0,001. Zaključki: Slovenska različica vprašalnika QICS je zanesljivo in veljavno orodje za samooceno kompetenc zdravnikov družinske medicine na področju izboljševanja kakovosti v sklopu stalnega podiplomskega izobraževanja oz. stalnega strokovnega dograjevanja