Knowledge and Anxiety among Bank Clerks during the COVID-19 Pandemic Before and After Educational Intervention via Mobile Health Technology

Objective: Bank clerks were among the high risk groups in experiencing physiologic and psychological symptoms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. This present study aims to investigate the changes in the knowledge and anxiety of bank clerks during the COVID-19 pandemic, before and after the educational intervention via mobile health technology in the south of Fars province, Iran in 2020.  Material and Methods: This present study is a quasi-experimental work with a pretest-posttest design. The participants were recruited according to the lists provided by the bank authorities, and then assigned, through non-random sampling, into a control group from three banks (45 subjects) and 48 subjects from three other banks into intervention group. The intervention group received education via mobile phones, and the control group received the routine information broadcasted by social media. Data were collected using a demographics questionnaire, a researcher-made COVID-19 knowledge questionnaire, and Spielberger’s Anxiety Inventory at baseline (before) and follow-up (two weeks after intervention). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics in Statistical Package for the Social Science version 23.  Results: There were no drop-outs of participants during the study phase. The results showed that the mean knowledge score of the participants were improved in the both control and intervention groups, significantly (p-value<0.001), and there were significant differences between the two groups regarding the knowledge scores in pretest and posttest (p-value<0.001 and p-value=0.001, respectively). The results of the t-test also showed that the mean scores of state and trait anxiety levels were increased in the control group (p-value<0.001 and p-value=0.932, respectively), while decreased significantly in the intervention group (p-value<0.001). However, there were significant differences between the two groups regarding the state and trait anxiety levels in pretest and posttest (p-value<0.001).  Conclusion: The results show that e-education via mobile phones can help to increase the knowledge, and decrease the anxiety of bank clerks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, it is suggested that this method of education be employed to raise the COVID-19 awareness of the employees in other organizations. Indeed, limitations; such as, low sample size and long-term outcomes should be considered in future studies

The effect of a smartphone-based pain management application on pain intensity and quality of life in adolescents with chronic pain

AbstractThe development, implementation, and qualitative evaluation of smartphone-based pain management applications may provide an opportunity for more optimal management of pediatric pain in the homesetting. The present mixed-method study was conducted to assess a smartphone-based pain management application regarding the feasibility, adherence, participant satisfaction, and effectiveness on pain intensity and quality of life in adolescents with chronic pain. The study was carried out in the quantitative and qualitative stages using a mixed-method approach. The quantitative stage included 128 adolescents who met the ICD-11 criteria of chronic pain. After random allocation, adolescents allocated to the intervention group received a pain management program through a smartphone-based application. No education was given to the adolescents in the control group. The adolescents were assessed regarding pain intensity and different dimensions of quality of life at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and three-month follow-up. The findings in the quantitative stage were explained by qualitative interviews. The findings of the quantitative stage showed significant improvements in the pain intensity, emotional, social, and school functioning but not in the physical functioning of the adolescents. A high level of adherence (78.12%) and satisfaction (Mean = 26.45, SD = 6.45) with thes martphone-based pain management program was found. Based on the qualitative interviews, adolescents’ pain management strategies can be classified in three main categories: physical management, psychological management, and interpersonal resources. The results confirm the positive effect of a smartphone-based pain management program on the pain intensity and different dimensions of quality of life of adolescents with chronic pain. Within the context of chronic pain management, a mobile application incorporating both the psychological and physical management of pain may help adolescents with chronic pain to reduce the negative impacts of pain on their life.</jats:p

The prevalence of using complementary and alternative medicine products among patients with pressure ulcer

Abstract Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies has increased in recent years throughout the world and in Iran. Nonetheless, there are limited data about the prevalence of their use. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of using CAM therapies among patients with pressure ulcer (PU). Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019–2020. Participants were 299 patients with PU conveniently selected from wound clinics and healthcare settings in Shiraz, Iran. A demographic questionnaire and the International Questionnaire to Measure Use of CAM were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software (v. 22.0). Results All 299 participants completed the study. Their mean age was 59.56 ± 18.76 years. The most common CAM therapies used for PU management were herbal products (100%), vitamin supplementation therapy (45.2%), spiritual therapies (21.7%), wet cupping therapy (16.4%), leech therapy (9.4%), acupuncture (1.7%), dry cupping therapy (1.3%), and massage therapy (1.3%). The most common herbal product used for PU management was Pistacia atlantica gum either alone or in combination with other herbal products (15.5%). The use of CAM therapies had significant relationship with participants’ age, underlying conditions, and PU stage (P &lt; 0.05) and the most significant predictor of using herbal products for PU was educational level (P &lt; 0.05, OR = 5.098). Conclusions The use of CAM therapies, particularly herbal products, for PU management is high in Iran. Quality public education and close professional supervision are needed for the safe use of these products. </jats:sec

Knowledge and Anxiety among Bank Clerks during the COVID-19 Pandemic Before and After Educational Intervention via Mobile Health Technology

Objective: Bank clerks were among the high risk groups in experiencing physiologic and psychological symptoms during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. This present study aims to investigate the changes in the knowledge and anxiety of bank clerks during the COVID-19 pandemic, before and after the educational intervention via mobile health technology in the south of Fars province, Iran in 2020. Material and Methods: This present study is a quasi-experimental work with a pretest-posttest design. The participants were recruited according to the lists provided by the bank authorities, and then assigned, through non-random sampling, into a control group from three banks (45 subjects) and 48 subjects from three other banks into intervention group. The intervention group received education via mobile phones, and the control group received the routine information broadcasted by social media. Data were collected using a demographics questionnaire, a researcher-made COVID-19 knowledge questionnaire, and Spielberger’s Anxiety Inventory at baseline (before) and follow-up (two weeks after intervention). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics in Statistical Package for the Social Science version 23. Results: There were no drop-outs of participants during the study phase. The results showed that the mean knowledge score of the participants were improved in the both control and intervention groups, significantly (p-value&lt;0.001), and there were significant differences between the two groups regarding the knowledge scores in pretest and posttest (p-value&lt;0.001 and p-value=0.001, respectively). The results of the t-test also showed that the mean scores of state and trait anxiety levels were increased in the control group (p-value&lt;0.001 and p-value=0.932, respectively), while decreased significantly in the intervention group (p-value&lt;0.001). However, there were significant differences between the two groups regarding the state and trait anxiety levels in pretest and posttest (p-value&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The results show that e-education via mobile phones can help to increase the knowledge, and decrease the anxiety of bank clerks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, it is suggested that this method of education be employed to raise the COVID-19 awareness of the employees in other organizations. Indeed, limitations; such as, low sample size and long-term outcomes should be considered in future studies.</jats:p

Nurses’ perception of workplace discrimination

Background: Discrimination and injustice are big obstacles in nurses’ way to socialization and are among the major clinical challenges faced by nurses. Workplace discrimination is associated with such negative consequences as stress, fatigue, demoralization, loss of professional commitment, tension and conflicts at work, and resignation. A review of literature shows that not much research has been dedicated to workplace discrimination in nursing. Objective: This study aims to investigate nurses’ perception of workplace discrimination. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the hospitals affiliated with a university of medical sciences in the largest city in the south of Iran in 2019. The participants consisted of 597 nurses who were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-made workplace discrimination questionnaire and analyzed in SPSS v. 21. Findings: The mean of the nurses’ workplace discrimination scores was found to be 102.57 ± 14.5, which is considered as moderate. The nurses’ mean scores for the dimensions of vertical and horizontal discrimination (44.53 ± 6.8), consequences of discrimination (20.52 ± 5.55), and unfair promotion (12.38 ± 2.44) were moderate. As for the two other dimensions of workplace discrimination, namely, gender discrimination (14.41 ± 3.28) and cultural-organizational discrimination (11.88 ± 2.99), the participants’ mean scores were low. There was a significant relationship between the nurses’ workplace discrimination mean score on the one hand and their employment status (p = 0.016) and work experience (p = 0.002) on the other. However, the nurses’ workplace discrimination mean score was not found to correlate with their level of education (p = 0.65), marital status (p = 0.274), and gender (p = 0.479). Ethical consideration: This study has been approved by the ethics committee of the university. All the participants had signed the written informed consent form before participation. Conclusion: Hospital managers should take measures to reduce discrimination and establish organizational justice to raise nurses’ morale and improve the quality of their performance as caregivers. </jats:sec