Perceptions of health professionals on the health impacts of climate change: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Greece.

Climate change threatens human health, yet healthcare professionals' knowledge, views, and advocacy roles remain largely underexplored. This study aimed to assess, for the first time in Greece, healthcare professionals' views on climate change's health impacts and their advocacy role in environmental mitigation. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 29-item online questionnaire, distributed nationwide to healthcare professionals in public healthcare facilities.

Screening for Cervical Cancer: A Comprehensive Review of Guidelines.

Cervical cancer remains one of the main causes of female mortality, especially in middle- and low-income countries, despite efforts towards the implementation of global vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV). The aim of this study was to review and compare the most recently published international guidelines providing recommendations on cervical cancer screening strategies among average and high-risk women. Thus, a comparative review of guidelines by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC), the Cancer Council Australia (CCA), and the European Guidelines (EG) was conducted.

What Do We Know About Contemporary Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Training Curricula in Health Workers? A Rapid Scoping Review.

Background And Objective: Despite growing emphasis on quality and safety in healthcare, there remains a limited understanding of how Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QI/PS) training for health workers has evolved in response to global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the WHO Global Patient Safety Action Plan. This rapid scoping review aimed to not only identify existing curricula but also uncover trends, innovation gaps, and global inequities in QI/PS education-providing timely insights for reshaping future training strategies.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Scopus for English-language studies published between January 2020 and April 2024, describing QI and/or PS curricula across graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education levels.

The Impact of ISO Certification Procedures on Patient Safety Culture in Public Hospital Departments.

ISO certification is widely implemented as a quality assurance tool in healthcare services; however, its impact on patient safety culture (PSC) in public hospitals remains insufficiently explored. This study aims to assess the effect of ISO certification procedures on different dimensions of PSC in public hospital departments by comparing ISO-certified and non-certified departments across two phases (Phase A: pre-certification; Phase B: 18 months post-certification). A two-phase cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary public hospital in Greece.

Patient Safety Culture Among Nurses in Hospital Settings Worldwide: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Assessment of patient safety culture (PSC) is critical for health care organizations worldwide to recognize areas that require urgent attention, promote patient safety, and improve quality of care. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the overall PSC score among nurses worldwide and identify the dimensions of PSC that score the highest and the lowest, as well as any geographical differentiations.

Methods: Literature research was conducted in PubMed and Scopus search engines and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Research Reference List to identify studies published in English between January 2004 and May 2023 that used the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, version 1, to measure hospital nurses' assessment of PSC.

European general practitioners' attitudes towards person-centred care and factors that influence its implementation in everyday practice: The protocol of the cross-sectional PACE GP/FP study in 24 European countries.

Background: Person-centred care (PCC) is a fundamental principle in general practice, emphasising practices tailored to individual patient preferences, needs, and values. Despite the importance of PCC, general practitioners (GPs) face obstacles in effectively implementing it, with associated factors remaining unclear.

Objectives: The PACE GP/FP study aims to explore GPs' attitudes towards PCC and the factors facilitating or hindering its implementation in daily practice across European countries.

Screening on distress in fertility treatment (SCREENIVF): A systematic review.

Objective: In recent years, several questionnaires have been developed to assess the quality of life of patients involved in assisted reproductive treatments, the degree of patient engagement and the outcome of assisted reproductive efforts. This review aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SCREENIVF questionnaire.

Methods: Studies were searched in PubMed, Google Scholar, Epistemonikos.

Predictors of willingness to uptake orthodontic treatment and qualitative insights into the reasons for its postponement in young adults.

Objectives: To investigate the predictors of willingness to uptake orthodontic treatment and to explore the reasons for postponing its initiation in young adults.

Materials And Methods: Students, aged 18-30 years old, were randomly approached at the Central Library of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Campus and invited to complete the study tool anonymously and voluntarily. The Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) and the esthetic component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN-AC) were used to evaluate students' psychosocial impact of dental esthetics and severity of malocclusion, whereas the rationale for postponing the initiation of orthodontic treatment was recorded through an open-ended question, analyzed using thematic content analysis.

Adaption and Validation of the Greek Version of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III Scale as a Screening Tool for Perioperative Cognitive Impairment Detection.

Introduction: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction constitutes an extremely prevalent implication in individuals subjected to cardiac or noncardiac surgery. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of a culturally adapted Greek version of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III) scale as a screening tool for perioperative neurocognitive status determination in elderly surgical patients.

Methods: A cross-cultural adaptation and validation of instruments throughout the cross-sectional study was conducted.

Microbiological water quality assessment of swimming pools and jacuzzis in Northern Greece: a retrospective study.

Swimming pools and jacuzzis can pose significant public health risks as potential sources of infections. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and concentration of microbiological indicators in recreational water facilities in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece, focusing on their hygiene status before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Between January 2018 and December 2022, 1114 water samples were analyzed by the regional Water Hygiene Laboratory at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, using standardized ISO methods.

Association of Chronic Periodontitis with Hemorrhagic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Periodontitis is a chronic, multifactorial inflammatory condition linked to dysbiotic plaque biofilms and characterized by the gradual destruction of the structures supporting the teeth owing to compromised immune system function. Hemorrhagic stroke, which primarily occurs within the brain tissue or in the subarachnoid space as a blood leak of ruptured vessels, is a sudden neurological impairment caused by vascular damage in the central nervous system, resulting in focal neurological deficits. Chronic periodontitis (CP) and hemorrhagic stroke may share common pathogenic features involving inflammation and immune system activation, prompting researchers to investigate their potential connection.

Delphi definition of general practice/family medicine specialty for a post-COVID world: in-person and remote care delivery.

Introduction: The evolving landscape of general practice (GP)/family medicine (FM) in the post-COVID-19 era, focussing on integrating telemedicine and remote consultations requires a new definition for this specialty. Hence, a broader consensus-based definition of post-COVID-19 GP/FM is warranted.

Methods: This study involved a modified electronic Delphi technique involving 27 specialists working in primary care recruited via convenient and snowball sampling.

Assessment of communication skills in health professions education; Ottawa 2024 consensus statement.

Despite the increasing inclusion of communication skills in accreditation standards and an increase in time dedicated to teaching these skills, communication is often regarded as a separate skill and is therefore, not consistently represented in overall systems of assessment in Health Professions Education (HPE). The ascendence of competency-based medical education, programmatic assessment, artificial intelligence, and widespread use of telehealth, alongside changing patient expectations warrant an update in thinking about the assessment of communication skills in health professions education. This consensus statement draws on existing literature, expert pinion, and emerging challenges to situate the assessment of communication skills in the contemporary health professions education context.

Qualitative Insights Into Healthcare Professionals' Perceived Barriers in Providing Equitable and Patient-Centered Care to Members of the LGBTQI+ Community in Greece.

LGBTQI+ individuals often face health disparities, with encumbered outcomes. We investigated the perspectives of a wide range of Greek health professionals using a battery of questionnaires examining LGBTQI+ health-related knowledge, attitudes, and clinical preparedness, while exploring the potential challenges they face when providing care for LGBTQI+ patients via qualitative analysis of their free text answers. In total, 220 health professionals participated, including physicians, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, social workers, nutritionists, medical laboratory professionals, pharmacists, radiographers, and health promotion specialists.

Mapping Adult Vaccine Confidence in Future Health Professionals: A Pilot Study among Undergraduate Students at Two Universities in Greece.

Health professionals' recommendations increase vaccine uptake. We aimed to document stances, practices regarding adult vaccination, and their predictors among undergraduate medical and biomedical science students, as well as their perspectives on increasing vaccine confidence. Among the 430 participants, third-year students from two universities in Greece, only 25.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Primary Health Care through 'health providers' eyes': Α qualitative study of focus groups and individual interviews in Greece.

Background: Primary Health Care (PHC) was the cornerstone of the pandemic response.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the positive and negative impact of the pandemic, during its final wave, through 'PHC providers' eyes', as well as their recommendations towards restructuring and enhancing PHC services.

Methods: A two-phase qualitative study was conducted, pursuing data triangulation from Focus Groups (FGs) and individual, semi-structured interviews for the purposes of data completeness and confirmation (summer 2022 and spring 2023, respectively).

Exploring Perceptions and Practices Regarding Adult Vaccination against Seasonal Influenza, Tetanus, Pneumococcal Disease, Herpes Zoster and COVID-19: A Mixed-Methods Study in Greece.

We aimed to document vaccination coverage for five vaccines, predictors of each vaccine's uptake and attitudes regarding adult vaccination. Adults visiting four pharmacies were randomly invited to participate during summer 2022. Among 395 participants (mean age 51.

Association of chronic periodontitis with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a multifactorial, chronic inflammatory disease of microbial etiology that manifests as a result of the dysfunction of the immune mechanism, culminating in the destruction of the alveolar bone of the jaws. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system (CNS), leads to demyelination and degeneration of nerve axons and often causes severe physical and/or cognitive impairment. As CP and MS involve inflammatory mechanisms and immune dysfunction, researchers have attempted to study the association between them.

Does it make sense to use written instruments to assess communication skills? Systematic review on the concurrent and predictive value of written assessment for performance.

Objectives: To evaluate possible associations between learners' results in written and performance-based assessments of communication skills (CS), either in concurrent or predictive study designs.

Methods: Search included four databases for peer-reviewed studies containing both written and performance-based CS assessment. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria.

Under-Vaccination in Adults: Qualitative Insights Into Perceived Barriers Reported by Vaccine Supporters, Undecided and Refuters.

Although vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways of preventing disease, vaccine hesitancy has been included among the ten threats of global health. Addressing low adult vaccination rates requires an adequate understanding of people's views. We explored perceived barriers to immunization among under-vaccinated adults to identify potential differences among vaccine supporters, refuters, and those who are undecided.

What do we know about written assessment of health professionals' communication skills? A scoping review.

Objective: The aim of this scoping review was to investigate the published literature on written assessment of communication skills in health professionals' education.

Methods: Pubmed, Embase, Cinahl and Psychnfo were screened for the period 1/1995-7/2020. Selection was conducted by four pairs of reviewers.

Understanding what people think and feel about adult vaccinations and the associated barriers in Greece: Development and validation of the attitude towards adult vaccination (ATAVAC) scale.

Despite the unequivocal value of vaccination in reducing the global burden of infectious diseases, the anti-vaccination movement thrives. The vast majority of the existing validated tools explore attitudes regarding vaccination in children. The aim of our study was to develop and validate a scale assessing attitudes towards adult immunisation.

Identifying patient-related barriers in hypertension control: a multi-centered, mixed-method study in Greek rural practices.

Introduction: Treated but uncontrolled hypertension is a worldwide challenge. Exploring patient perspectives in different cultures and contexts could contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of poor blood pressure (BP) control. This study aimed to investigate patients' knowledge and attitudes towards BP management in order to identify possible barriers to achieving effective control.