23 research outputs found
Patientsâ satisfaction towards medical services at the emergency department of European Gaza Hospital- Gaza Strip
Objective: Patientsâ satisfaction (PS) is recognized as an important emergency department service design and it has received a high interest and attention in the health management where many studies have focused on determining factors affecting PS in health-related circumstances. In this study, we aimed to examine PS in emergency department (ED) of the European Gaza Hospital (EGH) in the Gaza Strip (GS).
Methods: A descriptive-analytical cross sectional study was performed at ED-EGH between March, 15 and June 20, 2015. Press Ganey questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. For each patient, a self-administered questionnaire including 22 questions was filled based on a Likert scale. Results were analyzed using SPSS version 22.
Results: Overall, 200 respondents were included in the study. About 73% of respondents were satisfied with overall medical services. The term of nursesâ concern provided to patients elicited the highest score (83.1%), followed by physiciansâ concern with patients (72.0%) and communication skills with patients (71.4%), while the lowest score was reported in waiting time and security staff. Furthermore, our findings show an association between PS and level of education, gender differences, living area, and work shifts.
Conclusion: The study results conclude that areas of medical and nursing care, respects of staff, physical comfort and waiting time ED-EGH is highly acceptable and offer in appropriate manners
Bactericidal effects of snake venom phospholipases A2: a systematic review and analysis of minimum inhibitory concentration
Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the good death inventory (GDI-A) questionnaire tested on Palestinian family members of deceased adult cancer patients
Background
Despite the importance of understanding the concept of good death (GD) from different cultural perspectives, it has not been assessed in Arab communities because of the unavailability of validated instruments. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Good Death Inventory (GDI-A) questionnaire used among Palestinian bereaved family members of cancer patients.
Methods
A cross-sectional methodological study was applied. An online survey was adopted as a data collection method. The online survey was delivered through Qualtrics and posted in cancer and health-related social media groups on Facebook, the most commonly utilized social media platform in Palestine. A convenient and snowball sampling of 285 family members of deceased adult cancer patients was adopted. The participants were asked to complete GDI online survey. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), content validity, and internal consistency reliability were assessed.
Results
Participants showed a good perspective about death (M = 300.01, SD = 31.09). Significant differences in GDI-A total score were reported with the âpatientâs relationship with familyâ (M = 303.02, SD = 31.42), F(2, 282) = 7.787, p = .001, âeducational levelâ (M = 305.97, SD = 28.38), F(4, 280) = 3.685, p = .006, and âmemberâs relationship with the patientâ (M = 311.74, SD = 16.57), F(5, 279) = 3.125, p = .009. The Arabic version scale-level content validity index and the scale-level content validity index-universal agreement were 0.96 and 0.85, respectively. Factor analysis with a varimax rotation matrix revealed that 16 factors explained 76.08% of the variance.
Conclusion
This study provides the literature with an Arabic questionnaire for understanding the concept of a GD from the perspective of bereaved families. The GDI Arabic translated version is a psychometrically robust instrument with satisfactory measurement, which can be used for evaluating a GD among bereaved families
The Symptom Burden and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients in the Gaza Strip, Palestine: A Cross-Sectional Study
Objectives
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the Gaza Strip, Palestine, but there is an absence of evidence systematically assessing symptom burden and quality of life (QoL) using validated tools. Our objective was to assess associations between socio-demographic and disease-related characteristics, symptom burden and QoL in a sample of cancer patients accessing outpatient services in the Gaza Strip.
Design
A cross-sectional, descriptive survey using interviews and medical record review involving patients with cancer accessing oncology outpatient services at Al Rantisi Hospital and European Gaza Hospital (EGH) in the Gaza Strip was employed. Socio-demographic and disease-related data, the Lebanese version of the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS-Leb), and the Arabic version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) were collected. Multiple linear regression was used to judge the relative influence of determinants of QoL.
Results
Of 414 cancer patients approached, 385 patients consented to participation. The majority were women (64.7%) with a mean age of 52 years (SD = 16.7). Common cancer diagnoses were breast (32.2%), haematological (17.9%) and colorectal (9.1%). The median number of symptoms was 10 (IQR 1.5â18.5). Mean overall QoL was 70.5 (SD 19.9) with common physical and psychological symptoms identified. A higher burden of symptoms was associated with marital status, education and income. Limited access to both opioids and psychological support were reported.
Conclusions
A high symptom burden was identified in outpatients with cancer. Increasing provision and access to supportive care for physical and psychological symptoms should be prioritised alongside exploring routine assessment of symptom burden and QoL
A distress thermometer with a cutoff score of â„ 6 is the optimal point to identify highly distressed patients with advanced cancer stages in resource-limited countries without palliative care services
PurposeAlthough the distress thermometer (DT) scale has been widely validated and used in different cancer types and settings, an optimal cutoff score of DT is not defined to screen advanced cancer patients. The study aimed to define the optimal DTâs cutoff score among advanced cancer patients in resource-limited countries without palliative care services and to assess the prevalence and factors associated with psychological distress among this population.MethodsA secondary analysis was performed. Three hundred seventy-nine patients were recruited from Palestine. Participants completed the DT and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) was used to define the optimal cutoff score for the DT against HADS-Total â„15. Multiple logistic regression was utilized for identifying the factors associated with psychological distress of the DT.ResultsA DT cutoff score â„ 6 correctly identified 74% of HADS distress cases and 77% of HADS non-distress cases, with a positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 97% and 18%, respectively. The prevalence of distress was found to be 70.7%, and the major sources of distress were related to physical (n = 373; 98.4%) and emotional problems (n = 359; 94.7%). Patients with colon (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.31 â 0.62) and lymphoid cancers (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.26 â 0.64) were less likely to have psychological distress than patients with other types of cancer, whereas patients with lung (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.20 â 2.70) and bone cancers (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.14 â 2.68) were more likely to experience it.ConclusionA cutoff DT score of 6 appeared acceptable and effective for screening distress in patients with advanced cancer stages. Palestinian patients exhibited a high level of distress, and the high prevalence supports the argument of using a DT within the standard delivery of cancer care to identify highly distressed patients. These highly distressed patients should then be involved in a psychological intervention programme
An exploration of the factors and needs associated with the development of a palliative care programme into the Palestinian healthcare system from different key stakeholdersâ perceptions
Analysis of the unmet needs of Palestinian advanced cancer patients and their relationship to emotional distress : results from a cross-sectional study
202309 bcvcVersion of RecordNot mentionPublishe
Global palliative care research (2002-2020) : bibliometric review and mapping analysis
202202 bcvcVersion of RecordNot mentionEarly releas
Palliative care knowledge and attitudes towards end-of-life care among undergraduate nursing students at Al-Quds university : implications for Palestinian education
202309 bcvcVersion of RecordNot mentionPublishe
A distress thermometer with a cutoff score of â„ 6 is the optimal point to identify highly distressed patients with advanced cancer stages in resource-limited countries without palliative care services
202307 bckwVersion of RecordSelf-fundedPublishe