Improving Antibiotic Use in Argentine Pediatric Hospitals: A Process Evaluation Using Normalization Process Theory.

Introduction: In the pediatric setting, overprescribing of antibiotics contributes to the rise of multidrug-resistant organisms. Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are recommended to optimize antibiotic use and combat resistance. However, the implementation of ASPs in low- and middle-income countries faces several challenges.

Contextual barriers to infection prevention and control program implementation in hospitals in Latin America: a mixed methods evaluation.

Background: Infection prevention and control (IPC) programs are essential to prevent and control the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms in healthcare facilities (HCFs). The current implementation of these programs in Latin America remains largely unknown.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods evaluation of IPC program implementation in HCFs from Guatemala, Panama, Ecuador, and Argentina, March-July 2022.

Contextualizing experiences of cultural stress: A qualitative exploration among Hispanic/Latinx youth in Miami and Los Angeles.

Objectives: Hispanic/Latinx youth vary in their immigration heritage (e.g., country of origin, familial migration history, etc.

Improvement in antibacterial use in intensive care units from Argentina: A quality improvement collaborative process evaluation using Normalization Process Theory.

Background: Healthcare-associated infections and antibiotic resistance worsen globally. Antibiotic stewardship programs (ASP) aim to optimise infection treatment and curb resistance, yet implementation hurdles persist. This study examined ASP challenges in ICUs.

Optimising antibacterial utilisation in Argentine intensive care units: a quality improvement collaborative.

Background: There is limited evidence from antimicrobial stewardship programmes in less-resourced settings. This study aimed to improve the quality of antibacterial prescriptions by mitigating overuse and promoting the use of narrow-spectrum agents in intensive care units (ICUs) in a middle-income country.

Methods: We established a quality improvement collaborative (QIC) model involving nine Argentine ICUs over 11 months with a 16-week baseline period (BP) and a 32-week implementation period (IP).

Quality improvement collaborative for improving patient care delivery in Argentine public health sector intensive care units.

Background: The demand for healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was excessive for less-resourced settings, with intensive care units (ICUs) taking the heaviest toll.

Objective: The aim was to achieve adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) use in 90% of patient encounters, to reach 90% compliance with objectives of patient flow (OPF) and to provide emotional support tools to 90% of healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental study with an interrupted time-series design in 14 ICUs in Argentina.

Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Latin American healthcare workers relating to antibiotic stewardship and antibiotic use: a cross-sectional multi-country study.

Background: The burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Latin America is high. Little is known about healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship (AS), AMR, and antibiotic use (AU) in the region.

Methods: HCWs from 42 hospitals from 5 Latin American countries were invited to take an electronic, voluntary, anonymous survey regarding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of AS, AMR, and AU between March-April 2023.

Spanish-Language Tobacco-Related Posts on Twitter: Content Analysis.

Introduction: Twitter data have been used to surveil public sentiment about tobacco products; however, most tobacco-related Twitter research has been conducted with English-language posts. There is a gap in the literature on tobacco-related discussions on Twitter in languages other than English. This study summarized tobacco-related discussions in Spanish on Twitter.

Clinical leadership and coping strategies in times of COVID-19: observational study with health managers in Mendoza.

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic required an immediate response to the healthcare challenges it posed. This study was conducted to identify actions that helped healthcare professionals to overcome the initial impact in Mendoza (Argentina).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a non-random sample of managers and staff of the public health system of Mendoza (Argentina) (n = 134).

Application of Protection Motivation Theory to COVID-19 vaccination among a predominantly Hispanic sample of adolescents.

Despite the efficacy and widespread availability of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine uptake has been relatively low in U.S. Hispanic communities, especially among adolescents.

Impact of the multiplex molecular FilmArray Respiratory Panel on antibiotic prescription and clinical management of immunocompromised adults with suspected acute respiratory tract infections: A retrospective before-after study.

This study aimed to assess the impact of the implementation of a rapid multiplex molecular FilmArray Respiratory Panel (FRP) on the medical management of immunocompromised patients from a community general hospital. We conducted a single-center, retrospective, and before-after study. Two periods were evaluated: before the implementation of the FRP (pre-FRP) from April 2017 to May 2018 and after the implementation of the FRP (post-FRP) from January to July 2019.

[Antimicrobial stewardship program during the COVID-19 pandemic].

In spite of the low frequency of COVID-19 associated bacterial coinfections, the rate of empiric antibiotic use varies between 70% and 90%. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) on COVID-19 patients. The study design was an interrupted time series, assessing prevalence of antibiotic use, adequacy of treatment and antimicrobial consumption in adult patients hospitalized with COVID before the COVID-ASP implementation in June 2020, and on three subsequent periods (P2 in August 2020, P3 in October 2020 and P4 in June 2021).

[Multicenter study of COVID-19 incidence and determinants in Argentinian physicians].

Background: Information about COVID infection in physicians is limited. This knowledge would allow the implementation of actions to reduce its impact. The objective was determining the incidence of SARSCoV-2 infection in physicians from health institutions in Argentina, its characteristics, and associated factors.

[Healthcare-associated harm in adult patients hospitalized in two tertiary care centers in Argentina].

The damage associated with health care is relevant and highly preventable. The Global Trigger Tool is a leading methodology in use for its quantification. Our study aimed to quantify, through this tool, the damage associated with care during hospitalization, characterize the types of damage involved, identify the associated factors and describe the use of the information collected.

[Thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized patients: implementation of a multifacetical program].

Venous thromboembolic disease is the most common preventable cause of hospital death. Despite the existence of evidence of the usefulness of thromboprophylaxis and recommendations, adherence by physicians to them is highly variable, and frequently suboptimal. The objective was to evaluate the change in the adequacy of thromboprophylaxis before and after an intervention on thromboprophylaxis with multifaceted strategies for physicians.

Adaptation and implementation of the Batz guide for bedside advocacy in two hospitals.

Background: The patients' guide by the Batz Patient Safety Foundation promotes patients' active participation in healthcare and a safe hospital experience.

Objective: The aim was to adapt the Spanish version of the guide to the local context and evaluate its acceptability from healthcare professionals' and patients' perspectives in two hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Methods: This implementation study had a formative research phase to adapt the guide with input from individual interviews and focus group discussions.

Evaluation of prehospital hydroxocobalamin use in the setting of smoke inhalation.

Background: The indications for prehospital hydroxocobalamin are not well defined. The aim of this study was to evaluate prehospital signs and symptoms in patients who received hydroxocobalamin to improve future use.

Methods: In this retrospective study, all patients who received prehospital Hydroxocobalamin at a tertiary care burn center from December 2012 to March 2018 were reviewed.

Theory-driven, rapid formative research on quality improvement intervention for critical care of patients with COVID-19 in Argentina.

The challenges of implementing interventions in healthcare settings have been more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. This pre-implementation evaluation used a rapid qualitative approach to explore barriers and facilitators to an intervention in intensive care units in Argentina, aimed to promote the use of personal protection equipment, provide emotional support for professionals, and achieve patient flow goals. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with health professionals of 15 public hospitals in Argentina.

Incorporating professional recommendations into a graduate-level statistical consulting laboratory: A case study.

Introduction: There has been a recent trend in medical research towards a more collaborative relationship between statisticians and clinical investigators. This has led to an increased focus on the most efficient and effective ways to structure, conduct, and measure the impact of organizations that provide statistical services to clinical investigators. Several recent guidelines and recommendations on the conduct of statistical consulting services(SCSs) have been made in response to this need, focusing on larger SCSs consisting primarily of faculty and staff statisticians.