Gender, migration and violence among third country nationals accessing the sexual health clinic in Malta.

Background: In 2020, the number of displaced people worldwide reached 41.3 million (IOM, 2020). Among them, are many migrants and refugees at risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Post-surgery length of stay using multi-criteria decision-making tool.

Purpose Length of stay (LOS) in hospital after surgery varies for each patient depending on surgeon's decision that considers criticality of the surgery, patient's conditions before and after surgery, expected time to recovery and experience of the surgeon involved. Decision on patients' LOS at hospital post-surgery affects overall healthcare performance as it affects both cost and quality of care. The purpose of this paper is to develop a model for deriving the most appropriate LOS after surgical interventions.

Methylphenidate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents - assessment of adverse events in non-randomised studies.

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood. The psychostimulant methylphenidate is the most frequently used medication to treat it. Several studies have investigated the benefits of methylphenidate, showing possible favourable effects on ADHD symptoms, but the true magnitude of the effect is unknown.

Schoolbags and back pain in children between 8 and 13 years: a national study.

Schoolbag weight in schoolchildren is a recurrent and contentious issue within the educational and health sphere. Excessive schoolbag weight can lead to back pain in children, which increases the risk of chronic back pain in adulthood. There is limited research regarding this among the Maltese paediatric population.

Continuous quality improvement in a Maltese hospital using logical framework analysis.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the application of logical framework analysis (LFA) for implementing continuous quality improvement (CQI) across multiple settings in a tertiary care hospital. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a multiple case study approach. LFA is implemented within three diverse settings, namely, intensive care unit, surgical ward, and acute in-patient psychiatric ward.

Population-level cure of colorectal cancer in Malta: An analysis of patients diagnosed between 1995 and 2004.

Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the population-level 'cure' of Maltese colorectal cancer patients diagnosed between 1995 and 2004, and to estimate the median survival time for the 'uncured' patients.

Methods And Study Population: Analysis was conducted on 1470 cases registered by the Malta National Cancer Register between 1995 and 2004 and followed up to end of 2010. The mean age of the patients was 66.

Self-stigma, empowerment and perceived discrimination among people with bipolar disorder or depression in 13 European countries: the GAMIAN-Europe study.

Background: There is little information on the degree to which self-stigma is experienced by individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or depression across Europe. This study describes the levels of self-stigma, stigma resistance, empowerment and perceived discrimination reported in these groups.

Methods: Data were collected from 1182 people with bipolar disorder or depression using a mail survey with members of national mental health non-governmental organisations.