Promoting mental health and well‐being among adolescent young carers in Europe: A randomized controlled trial protocol

It is estimated that 4–8% of youth in Europe carry out substantial care for a family member or significant other. To prevent adverse psychosocial outcomes in young carers (YCs), primary prevention resilience building interventions have been recommended. We describe the study protocol of an international randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an innovative group intervention designed to promote the mental health and well‐being of adolescent YCs (AYCs) aged 15–17. The RCT will be conducted in six European countries in the context of the Horizon 2020 European funded research and innovation project “Psychosocial support for promoting mental health and well‐being among adolescent young caregivers in Europe” (“ME‐WE”). The ME‐WE intervention is based on Hayes and Ciarrochi’s psychoeducational model for adolescents and will consist of seven 2‐h sessions in a group format, aimed to help AYCs build psychological flexibility and live according to their values. The control group will be a waitlist. Primary and secondary outcomes and control variables will be measured at baseline (T0), post‐intervention (T1) and 3 months follow‐up (T2). The COVID‐19 pandemic has made amendments necessary to the original study protocol methodology, which we describe in detail. This study will contribute to building an evidence‐based manualized program that educators and health and social care professionals can use to support AYCs in their transition to adulthood. From a research perspective, the outcomes of this study will contribute to evidence‐based practices in primary prevention of psychosocial difficulties in AYCs and will gather novel knowledge on the effectiveness of Hayes and Ciarrochi’s model for use with middle adolescents with caring responsibilities. The trial has been preregistered (registration number: NCT04114864)

Slovenian midwifery professionalisation: Perception of midwives and related health professions

Introduction: This article presents research into the professionalisation of midwifery in Slovenia. Since recognition by related occupations is important for professions, this comparative study asked doctors and nurses in Slovenia about their perceptions of the status of midwifery. Method: A questionnaire survey was conducted with 300 Slovenian midwives, 666 nurses and 416 obstetricians. The questionnaire included statements covering traditional sociological notions of the profession (ethics, theory, power), and three notions based on new elements of professionalism (reflective practice, interdisciplinary working and partnership with clients). Results: Results suggest that nurses perceived themselves to be less autonomous than midwives, and this partly explains why most nurses thought that midwifery should be a specialised course of study, after the general nursing diploma. Obstetricians claimed to support midwives, however they did not give midwives credit for basic midwifery competencies and did not feel midwifery to be equal to their profession. Midwives revealed not to feel autonomous; they felt that nursing and obstetrics is jeopardizing independent midwifery practice. Discussion with conclusion: Slovenian midwifery was poorly evaluated in some attributes of professionalism, especially knowledge and autonomy. Even midwives themselves consider midwifery more occupation than profession. The autonomy of midwifery will be hard to achieve in the institutions of medical dominance. The study revealed that participants of all three groups are in a competitive relation and are poorly aware of the roles and competencies of other two professions. Therefore, partially joined education might be beneficial in order to promote interprofessional collaboration in the future

My Employer’s Prestige, My Prestige

Employer branding is an essential component that attracts potential candidates to companies. Social media, particularly employer rating platforms, provide many opportunities to present a company’s employer brand. Individuals use these platforms to collect information and evaluations about potential employers and companies could utilise these platforms to present themselves favourably. Based on social capital theory, this study examined the variables of support and benefit as reasons why individuals share information about their employers on employer rating platforms. The influence of demographic factors on the use of these platforms was also investigated. Data was collected from 309 respondents via an online survey, and analysed using the t-test, Spearman’s correlation, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the least significant difference (LSD) method. Only descriptive statistics, distribution of responses, and statistically significant results are presented

The impact of social networks on knowledge transfer in long-term care facilities: Protocol for a study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Social networks are theorized as significant influences in the innovation adoption and behavior change processes. Our understanding of how social networks operate within healthcare settings is limited. As a result, our ability to design optimal interventions that employ social networks as a method of fostering planned behavior change is also limited. Through this proposed project, we expect to contribute new knowledge about factors influencing uptake of knowledge translation interventions.</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>Our specific aims include: To collect social network data among staff in two long-term care (LTC) facilities; to characterize social networks in these units; and to describe how social networks influence uptake and use of feedback reports.</p> <p>Methods and design</p> <p>In this prospective study, we will collect data on social networks in nursing units in two LTC facilities, and use social network analysis techniques to characterize and describe the networks. These data will be combined with data from a funded project to explore the impact of social networks on uptake and use of feedback reports. In this parent study, feedback reports using standardized resident assessment data are distributed on a monthly basis. Surveys are administered to assess report uptake. In the proposed project, we will collect data on social networks, analyzing the data using graphical and quantitative techniques. We will combine the social network data with survey data to assess the influence of social networks on uptake of feedback reports.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study will contribute to understanding mechanisms for knowledge sharing among staff on units to permit more efficient and effective intervention design. A growing number of studies in the social network literature suggest that social networks can be studied not only as influences on knowledge translation, but also as possible mechanisms for fostering knowledge translation. This study will contribute to building theory to design such interventions.</p

Meta-analysis as a tool for barriers identification during haccp implementation to improve food safety

The objectives of the study were twofold, i.e. to evaluate methodological approaches of analyzed papers and to identify, cluster, and classify barriers to HACCP system implementation using meta-analysis as methodological tool. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is a science-based system of risk management designed to control food safety. HACCP is based on seven basic principles, which present an important tool in combating food borne disease. Articles for analysis were initially selected in the major on-line database for the field, namely “Food Science and Technology Abstract”. Other databases were also used, including Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau and Co-operative Online Bibliographic System and Services. Selection was based on scientific excellence of the journal as well as on the method applied within the study. Main keywords to select appropriate scientific and technical articles were “HACCP”, “barrier” and “implementation”. Main results of methodological inquiry revealed that the most frequent methods used in scientific articles were quantitative ones. Among qualitative methods, the “narrative interview” was used most often, while among quantitative methods survey was used most frequently. Whereas narrative interview enables in-depth analysis of implicit role of individual actor in HACCP system, survey methods estimate frequency distributions of particular behaviours or attitudes in observed population. Lately, when analyzing implicit role of an individual in ensuring food safety, a psychological approach became important. The main goal of methodological analysis is to propose advances in research models that would tackle both qualitative and quantitative issues at the same time and offer new insights into barriers in HACCP system implementation. After analyzing the barriers to efficiency of the system, we identified elements that enabled us to cluster barriers into groups and identify the influence of specific elements on HACCP system efficiency. This paper is offering a novel approach to terminological classification of identified barriers, which will open new dimensions in assuring common language among food safety professionals in the future

Consumer interpretation of the term food safety

The meaning of the term “food safety” is well-known and defined in expert circles. But in researching how the term is interpreted by consumers, new dimensions are opening, which can be used as a guide in preparation of educational material for consumers. In the paper the authors analyse statements made by consumers when answering the question, “How do you interpret the term food safety?” The results are part of an extensive research titled “Consumers and Food Safety”, which took place from January to March in 2006 involving 1030 respondents from different places in Slovenia. Findings of quota sample show considerable terminological diversity among statements made by respondents regarding a description of the term “safe food”. Based upon the code assignment, five single-meaning thematic categories were identified: A: Harmless for health, B: Healthy food, C: Production method, D: Technological procedure, E: Surveillance. The answers with extensive content included more onetheme categories and were classified in category F. This category indicates the complex comprehension of the term food safety and the need to understand the relations between the answers. The results show a connection between 38.4% of consumers’ statements in category A (harmless for health), and a definition of food safety which mentions the term “without hazards”