Perceived difficulties in maintaining menstrual hygiene practices among indigenous adolescents during seasonal water scarcity periods in Bandarban hill district of Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Access to clean water is important for menstrual hygiene practices, an important aspect of health for adolescent girls. In Bangladesh, adolescent girls represent poor menstrual hygiene practices, whereas the practice is worse among vulnerable population groups living in areas experiencing seasonal water scarcity. This study portrays perceived difficulties in menstrual hygiene practices among indigenous adolescent girls during the period of seasonal water scarcity in Bandarban Hill District, Bangladesh.

Assessment of a novel scanner-supported system for processing of child health and immunization data in Uganda.

Background: Electronic data capturing has the potential to improve data quality and user-friendliness compared to manually processed, paper-based documentation systems. The MyChild system uses an innovative approach to process immunization data by employing detachable vouchers integrated into a vaccination booklet which are then scanned and converted into individual-level health data. The aim was to evaluate the MyChild data capturing system by assessing the proportion of correctly processed vouchers and to compare the user-friendliness in term of time spent on documentation and health worker experiences with the standard health information system at health facilities in Uganda.

Validation of the patient activation measure in patients at discharge from hospitals and at distance from hospital care in Sweden.

Background: The Patient Activation Measure (PAM) is a recognized measure of how active patients are in their care, and has been translated into several languages and cultural contexts. Patient activity, self-care, and health literacy have become increasingly important aspects of health care, and thus reliable measures of these are needed. However, a Swedish translation of PAM is currently lacking.

Ready for the Triple Aim? Perspectives on organizational readiness for implementing change from a Danish obstetrics and gynecology department.

Background: As health care strives towards the Triple Aim of improved population health, patient experience, and reduced costs, an organization's readiness for change may be a key factor. The concept refers to the collective commitment of organizational members to a change and belief in their shared ability to make that change happen (efficacy). This study aims to assess the organizational readiness for implementing large-scale change at a clinical department in pursuit of the Triple Aim and to determine key associated factors.

Tasks, multitasking and interruptions among the surgical team in an operating room: a prospective observational study.

Objectives: The work context of the operating room (OR) is considered complex and dynamic with high cognitive demands. A multidimensional view of the complete preoperative and intraoperative work process of the surgical team in the OR has been sparsely described. The aim of this study was to describe the type and frequency of tasks, multitasking, interruptions and their causes during surgical procedures from a multidimensional perspective on the surgical team in the OR.

Assessing the reliability and validity of the Danish version of Organizational Readiness for Implementing Change (ORIC).

Background: Organizational change initiatives in health care frequently achieve only partial implementation success. Understanding an organizational readiness for change (ORC) may be a way to develop more effective and efficient change strategies. Denmark, like many countries, has begun a major system-wide structural reform which involves considerable changes in service delivery.

As time goes by: Stakeholder opinions on the implementation and use of a virtual patient simulation system.

Background: Stakeholder opinions on the implementation of a particular virtual patient application might prove important for decision-making and implementation efforts in general. This study aimed to capitalize on experiences originated from two post-implementation settings of Web-based Simulation of Patients (Web-SP).

Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of stakeholder opinions (39 students, teachers, course directors, and university leaders) on the implementation and use of Web-SP in Colombia and Sweden, using a mixed method approach.

Virtual patient simulation for learning and assessment: Superior results in comparison with regular course exams.

Background: Our study aimed to observe the differences in assessment results between virtual patient simulation (VPS) and regular course exams in an Internal Medicine course for undergraduate medical students.

Methods: Four cohorts of students (n = 216) used: a VPS or lectures for learning (terms 1 and 2); VPS and lectures or only lectures (term 3); and a paired set-up with both VPS and lectures (term 4). The assessment results, measured with both a VPS-based exam and a paper-based exam, were compared.

Virtual patient simulation: knowledge gain or knowledge loss?

Background: Virtual patients (VPs), high-fidelity simulators and standardized patients are powerful educational interventions leading to effective learning and supporting knowledge retention.

Aim: This study explored the variations in retention with VP versus regular learning activities.

Method: We conducted a randomized controlled study on early and delayed assessment results of 49 students using VP for learning and examination of haematology and cardiology topics in an Internal Medicine course, by means of a 0-10 scoring rubric.

Measuring social alienation in adolescence: translation and validation of the Jessor and Jessor Social Alienation Scale.

The objective of the study is to translate and examine the reliability and validity of the Jessor and Jessor Social Alienation Scale for use in a Swedish context. The study involved four phases of testing: (1) Translation and back-translation; (2) a pilot test to evaluate the translation; (3) reliability testing; and (4) a validity test. Main participants of this study were 446 students (Age = 15-19, SD = 1.

Gender specific variations in the description, intensity and location of angina pectoris: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Some research suggests that men and women may experience Angina Pectoris (AP) differently. More research is needed to characterize AP symptoms by gender and to familiarize health care providers with them, to enable proper education, diagnostic evaluation and timely management.

Objective: This study examines gender differences in the description, intensity and location of AP in patients with CHD.