Educational Introspections of Medical Students Post Disability Competencies Training: A Qualitative Study

Background: Despite the substantial presence of persons with disabilities (PWD) in the population, they face many barriers in healthcare. Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) is increasingly used to address these gaps. Aims and Objective: This study assesses the impact of disability competencies training on medical students' attitudes towards PWD. It aims to explore new perspectives, identify attitudinal shifts, evaluate training effectiveness, and promote solution-oriented learning. Materials and Methods: Five Focus Group Discussions (FGD) with 8 participants each, a series of themes related to the understanding of disability and empathy were explored. The participants, who had undergone training in disability competencies. The FGDs were facilitated by trained moderators and analysed employing thematic analysis and generating tree maps. Results: Key themes evolved from the students' new perspectives towards PWD, which included Inclusion and Responsibility, Empathy and Understanding, Managing patients with disabilities, Equity and rights, and Acceptance. Themes also emerged regarding the impact of training, revealing an Attitudinal Shift, Engagement and Interaction, Personal Impact, and Solution-Oriented Learning. Conclusion: Disability competency training significantly transforms medical students' attitudes, fostering a more inclusive, empathetic approach in healthcare. This shift is crucial for integrating disability competencies into medical education, especially in developing countrie

Diabetic foot complications in a secondary hospital: A clinical audit

Background Previous studies conducted in Australian hospital settings suggest high variability in assessments, investigations, and management of diabetic foot infections and poor adherence to widely accessible evidence-based protocols and guidelines. Diabetic foot complications require a multidisciplinary approach and often involve both medical and surgical teams during inpatient care. Aims The aim of this clinical audit was to better understand the scope of diabetes-related foot complications, evaluate whether current assessment and management strategies are in line with best practice guidelines, and to formulate future models of care. Methods A retrospective review of patients was carried out between 12 July 2012 and 11 July 2013. Recorded assessments of inpatient care, including risk factors, surgery, and length of stay, interdepartmental referrals, and antibiotic administration were reviewed. Results There were 24 admissions in 12 months (total patients n=19). Fifty-eight per cent of patients were admitted to the medical ward. More than a quarter had evidence of osteomyelitis. While one patient required intensive care unit (ICU) management, there was no inpatient mortality. Two patients experienced significant delay to undergo initial surgical intervention presumably because of failed medical treatment. Clinical data was recorded poorly, especially regarding neuropathy, HbA1c, and clinical examination findings. Twelve per cent of patients did not undergo any follow-up. The average length of stay was 12 days. One-half of the cohort was not evaluated by the endocrinology department. Conclusion This audit highlights the need for improved care for patients with diabetic foot complications and better coordination among the multidisciplinary teams involved

Prostate cancer awareness, case-finding, and early diagnosis: Interviews with undiagnosed men in Australia.

Previous research in Victoria, Australia, found differences in prostate cancer outcomes in regional and metropolitan areas. This investigation of undiagnosed men in regional areas and a metropolitan area of South Australia sought their perspectives on prostate cancer. Our aim was to learn whether men who had not been diagnosed could shed light on why men outside metropolitan areas tended to have poorer outcomes than metropolitan men. Our goal was to build on evidence contributing to improving outcomes in prostate cancer care. Semi-structured interviews were designed to elicit explanation and meaning. 15 men (10 metropolitan, 5 regional) not diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited through widely-distributed flyers in medical and community settings. Interviews were recorded and transcribed; transcripts were analysed thematically. Five main themes were identified, four of which were prompted by the questions: Addressing prostate health, Experiences with and expectations of GPs, Differences in care between regional and metropolitan areas, and Achieving early diagnosis. The fifth theme arose spontaneously: Australian masculinity. Men identified as problematic the limited availability of GPs in regional areas, the lack of consistency in approaches to prostate cancer detection, and men's reluctance to seek medical care. Community-level strategies appear to be valued to encourage men to address prostate health. Maintaining and extending a systemic approach to prostate care may improve outcomes for men in Australia

Prostate care and prostate cancer from the perspectives of undiagnosed men:A systematic review of qualitative research

OBJECTIVES: To summarise and evaluate evidence from men who had not been diagnosed with prostate cancer about their perspectives on prostate care and prostate cancer. DESIGN: A systematic review of qualitative research, on the perspectives of non-cancerous men regarding prostate cancer prevention and care. SETTING: A wide range of settings including primary and secondary care. PARTICIPANTS: Men from varied demographic backgrounds ranging between 40 to 80 years of age. DATA SOURCES: Three databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Informit, PsychInfo) and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed papers in English reporting research using qualitative methods (in-depth or semistructured interviews and focus groups). REVIEW METHODS: Thematic analysis using inductive and deductive codes. Thematic synthesis was achieved through iterative open, axial and thematic coding. RESULTS: Eight papers (reporting seven studies conducted in Australia, UK and Germany) met inclusion criteria. Four major themes were identified: understanding prostate cancer, masculinity and prostate cancer, barriers to prostate healthcare and managing prostate health. It was reported that men often did not understand screening, prostate anatomy or their prostate cancer risk, and that concerns about masculinity could deter men from seeking health checks. There was evidence of a need to improve doctor-patient communication about case finding. CONCLUSION: Further investigation is required to identify and understand any differences in the perspectives and experiences of men who have not been diagnosed with prostate cancer in metropolitan and regional areas, especially where there may be variations in access to healthcare

Synergistic hepatoprotective effects of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from Indian flax and sesame seed oils against CCl4-induced oxidative stress-mediated liver damage in rats

Flaxseed (FS) and sesame seed (SS) are traditional and functional foods in traditional Indian medicine for treating various disorders. The present study investigated the hepatoprotective effects of bioactive-fatty acids (FAs) from FS and SS against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatic damage in rats. Pre and post-treatments for 28 consecutive days significantly increased the activities of in vivo antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POX), whereas, lipid peroxidation (LPO) activity was markedly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in liver and kidneys. A significant reduction was observed in the hematological parameters like aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total bilirubin in the serum of post-treated animals compared to the negative control. The results were confirmed histopathologically. The results suggested that the omega-3 and omega-6 FAs from flaxseed oil (FSO) and sesame seed oil (SSO), respectively, showed potential synergistic hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects that were mediated mainly by omega-3 and omega-6 FAs present in the respective seed oils. GRAPHICS] HIGHLIGHTS ALA and LA omega-3 and omega-6 FAs rich oils from FSO an SSO respectively, mitigated the hepatotoxicity induced by CCl4. The in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed that the combination of FSO+SSO significantly increased the hepatic antioxidant enzymes like CAT, SOD, POX, and decreased MDA levels in the liver and kidneys of CCl4 induced rats. Co-treatment of FSO+SSO shown more synergistic antioxidant potential compared to their individual treatments