湖南省医学科技信息需求与信息服务对策研究

采用分层抽样调查法,以访谈和发放问卷的方式,对湖南省各级医疗卫生机构医学科技信息需求情况进行调查,指出当前医学信息用户需求的新特点和信息服务机构存在的问题,并针对性地提出改变信息服务方式、加强信息服务深度、建立专家保障系统、搭建资源共享与服务平台等对策.     

Consumer knowledge and attitudes to salt intake and labelled salt information

The objective of this study was to investigate consumers’ knowledge of health risks of high salt intake and frequency of use and understanding of labelled salt information. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in shopping centres within Metropolitan Melbourne. A sample of 493 subjects was recruited. The questionnaire assessed salt related shopping behaviours, attitudes to salt intake and health and their ability to interpret labelled sodium information. Four hundred and seventy four valid surveys were collected (65% female, 64% being the main shopper). Most participants knew of the relationship between salt intake and high blood pressure (88%). Sixty five percent of participants were unable to correctly identify the relationship between salt and sodium. Sixty nine percent reported reading the salt content of food products when shopping. Salt label usage was significantly related to shoppers concern about the amount of salt in their diet and the belief that their health could improve by lowering salt intake. Approximately half of the sample was unable to accurately use labelled sodium information to pick low salt options. Raising consumer awareness of the health risks associated with high salt consumption may increase salt label usage and purchases of low salt foods. However, for food labels to be effective in helping consumers select low salt foods a more ‘user friendly’ labelling format is needed.     

Expectations influence sensory experience in a wine tasting

Information about a product may shape consumers’ taste experience. In a wine tasting experiment, participants received (positive or negative) information about the wine prior to or after the tasting. When the information was given prior to the tasting, negative information about the wine resulted in lower ratings compared to the group that received positive information. No such effect was observed when participants received the information after the tasting but before they evaluated the wine. Results suggest that the information about the wine affected the experience itself and not only participants’ overall assessment of the wine after the tasting.     

Interest in treatments to stop smoking

We surveyed 884 Vermont (VT) tobacco smokers by random digit dialing to determine past and future use of treatment. Among those who had recently attempted to quit, 61% had ever used a treatment, 21% had ever used a psychosocial treatment, and 57% had used a medication. Among those who planned to quit in the next month, 68% stated they would use a treatment, 35% would use a psychosocial treatment, and 62% would use a medication. The major predictors of past or future use of treatment were greater cigarettes per day, older age, being a woman, and seeing a health professional. Although this survey suggests many smokers have used or plan to use a smoking cessation treatment, program data indicate less than 10% of VT smokers who try to quit use the state quitline, counseling, or free medication provision. Why smokers do not use these treatments needs to be determined.     

Development of a taxonomy of interventions to organise the evidence on consumers' medicines use

Objective

Safe, effective (quality) medicines use remains problematic worldwide, yet consumers’ medicines use research is not well organised. This creates difficulties for decision makers in identifying evidence or research gaps and in understanding how or why interventions work. Developing a conceptual framework for this evidence helps to organise the evidence for application and raise awareness of the range of possible interventions.

Methods

To scope the aims of interventions to improve consumers’ medicines use we searched for and iteratively analysed policy documents, systematic reviews, and an existing consumer-oriented communication intervention taxonomy.

Results

We identified eight recurrent themes associated with the purpose of the interventions: to inform and educate; to support behaviour change; to teach skills; to facilitate communication and/or decision making; to support; to minimise risk and harms; to involve consumers at the system level; and to improve health care quality.

Conclusion

The taxonomy accommodates the complexity and diversity of interventions in this field, by focussing on the purposes of interventions, rather than the intervention type.

Practice implications

Currently used to organise the evidence on consumers’ medicines use, the taxonomy provides a conceptual and practical map of the evidence which will aid decision making and future research investment in the area.     

Engaging with ethnic minority consumers to improve safety in cancer services: A national stakeholder analysis

ObjectiveEthnic minority populations are often exposed to healthcare-associated harm. There is little evidence about whether current patient engagement interventions are relevant. We conducted a national analysis of existing approaches amongst stakeholders in cancer care.MethodsFive online focus groups were conducted with 24 participants from consumer and health organisations across the Australian cancer system. Case studies depicting common methods of healthcare engagement to improve patient safety were developed and used to explore the suitability of current methods. Data were analysed thematically using the framework method.ResultsThree themes were identified: 1) sociocultural foundations of consumer engagement; 2) principles for adaptation; and 3) integration and implementation into cancer services. Sociocultural beliefs about cancer were considered to influence suitability. Adaptation may include multichannel methods, visual modalities and culturally specific content. Health system capacity, cultural competence of health service providers and consumer-led co-development were identified as critical to successful implementation.ConclusionsExisting engagement strategies are not completely suitable for ethnic minority populations nor feasible for implementation within cancer services.Practice ImplicationsHealthcare services must work with ethnic minority populations to understand if and how underpinning beliefs influence engagement with cancer services. A range of tangible techniques may enhance the suitability of existing interventions.     

Information needs of informal caregivers of older adults with chronic health conditions

Objective

To systematically examine current evidence pertaining to information needs of informal caregivers of older adults with chronic health conditions.

Methods

Structured search of MEDLINE, MEDLINE IN-PROCESS, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases to identify studies of caregiver information needs, followed by data extraction and syntheses.

Results

The 62 articles that met the stated inclusion criteria highlighted extensive needs among informal caregivers for practical, accessible, timely information.

Conclusion

The identified information needs of informal caregivers can inform organizations and agencies that seek to provide disease and illness-related information.

Practice implications

Existing evidence supports the implementation of a health information delivery system designed to meet the needs of informal caregivers of older adults with chronic health conditions.