bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bigdata is breaking new grounds
Authors: Le Meur-Rouillard N 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Health services research (HSR) must now integrate the technological and methodological developments of ‘Big Data’ that are transforming health research as a whole. E-health devices, social networks, and electronic medical records (EHR) are all sources that can enrich HSR. For example, social networks have become tools for hospital evaluation (ranking) and patient experience, as well as strategies for the dissemination of prevention messages by health authorities. Electronic medical records make it possible to carry out ‘real-life’ longitudinal studies on the entire population of a territory, offering a vision of the health care pathways in health care services. This cross-sectional view of the use of healthcare services renders possible the description and analysis of the evolution of healthcare networks in space and time. These sources also make offer a better understanding of the disparities in access to and use of healthcare services on various geographical scales. Finally, E-health devices can be used to help organize and optimize care. However, we must remain cautious in the face of this acceleration of information flows and the mass of data that are only of interest if they bring value to our research and do not endanger the users of healthcare services: respect for ethical rules, respect for the rights of individuals, or rights, duties and responsibilities in the use of artificial intelligence tools that can be used in big data.
Health Services Research: an Irish perspective
Authors: Perrotta C 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Tapping into her rich experience of health services research in Argentina, Ireland and as a consultant for UNICEF, the World Bank and the Iberoamerican Fund Bank, Carla Perrota will provide an insightful perspective on the elements presented during the workshop. She will conclude by presenting her vision of the challenges and opportunities facing Health Services Research in Europe.
Barriers to resilience among healthcare staff in Ireland in the post-austerity period
Authors: Almirall Sanchez A 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
The health workforce is the motor of any health system. Although the focus of health systems has been on increasing the availability of health workers, less attention has been devoted to exploring the factors associated with the satisfaction/dissatisfaction of the existing workforce or how to improve it. Objective: To assess job satisfaction among Irish healthcare workers and to model the association between psychological, sociodemographic, and work-related factors and the satisfaction of the health staff.

Methodology
A secondary data analysis and subgroup analysis were carried out utilising the data collected in the waves (2016, 2018) of the Irish Staff Survey “Your Opinion Counts”. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the baseline characteristics of the participants. Post-stratification weights were generated to decrease the bias associated with the representativeness of the sample. Ordinal logistic regression was utilised for determining associations between job satisfaction and work-related, sociodemographic, and psychological state variables.

Results
Just over half of the health staff were satisfied with their organisation (52.1%). At country and organisational levels, the communication within the organisation and the possibilities of training and career progression showed the greatest percentage of dissatisfaction within the participants. At the individual level, being a woman, experiencing bullying or discrimination, working in the National Ambulance Service or being a doctor/dentist were the variables highly correlated with dissatisfaction of health staff.

Conclusions
The results highlighted the dissatisfaction experienced by many healthcare workers. Therefore, understanding and addressing their concerns is crucial for policy makers developing national strategies and knowledge-based interventions.
1.O. Workshop: Caesarean section in Europe: Are women and babies receiving evidence-based obstetric care?
Authors:   Organised by: Euro-Peristat Network,   Chair persons: Serena Donati (Italy), Michael Robson (Ireland)
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Every year in Europe, over 1.5 million women have a caesarean section (CS). The use of this surgical procedure is increasing globally, leading to concerns about a caesarean “epidemic”. While CS is a lifesaving procedure for mothers and babies with complications during pregnancy or labour, national variations in CS rates suggest the absence of standardised indications: in Europe rates vary from lows of 16% (Nordic countries, the Netherlands) to over 40% (Poland, Romania, Greece, Cyprus). Worldwide, the gap between low and high CS countries is even greater. To assess the magnitude of the variations in CS in terms of numbers of women experiencing the procedure in Europe, the Euro-Peristat network calculated that there would be 500,000 fewer CS if all countries had the rates in the lowest CS country. There is uncertainty about what the “optimal” CS rate should be and how this might differ in relation to the health of the childbearing population. CS risk is associated with characteristics of the childbearing population, such as older maternal age, nulliparity, higher body mass index and maternal chronic conditions. The optimal CS rate may also differ depending on the organisation and capacity of the health system. European countries provide a unique context for exploring these questions they have similar standards of living and access to advanced medicine, but differ greatly in the organisation of their health systems and CS practices. In this session, we will present three studies reporting recent data on CS variations and trends in Europe from the Euro-Peristat network to shed light on these questions. The presentations will be followed by a round table discussion about the next steps for evaluating the reasons as well as the health impact of varying practices in order to ensure that European women receive evidence-based obstetric care.

Key messages
• The persisting variation in the use of caesarean section between European countries raises questions about whether pregnant women and babies are receiving evidence-based care.
• Europe provides a unique context for exploring these variations because despite high standards of living and access to medical care, marked differences persist between countries.
1.Q. Workshop: Work, health, and migration: understanding the health impacts of precarious and exploitative work
Authors:   Organised by: St George's University of London (UK), Lancet Migration European Regional Hub (UK), EUPHA-MIG,   Chair persons: Sally Hargreaves (UK), Cathy Zimmerman (UK)
Published: October 2023

Abstract

The ILO estimates that of the 169 international migrant workers globally, the largest share resides in Europe, where increasing numbers are at substantial risk of precarious, exploitative, and hazardous work conditions. While the right to health and decent work of migrants is recognised by European member states, COVID-19 has exposed how some low-wage migrant workers are compelled to accept exploitative and precarious employment terms and conditions, with implications for their health. The vulnerability of migrants to labour exploitation is influenced by both personal factors (such as age and gender) as well as situational factors (such as risk environments across the migration journey and national legislation). Hazardous, precarious, and exploitative work is an entrenched driver of poor health. Data show that low-wage migrant workers have higher injury and mortality rates compared to host workers and face barriers to occupational and mainstream health and vaccination systems. In this workshop, we will discuss the patterns of precarious work and labour exploitation in migrants residing in Europe, physical and mental health effects of labour exploitation, research and policy gaps, and models of good practice to ensure that the health and rights of migrant workers are protected.

Workshop plan
The workshop will start with 10-minute presentations by each of the 4 speakers (including a short Q&A after each talk). This will then move into a 20-minute audience discussion centred around exploring how to foster intersectoral collaboration across the work, migration, and health research communities to begin addressing some of the evidence and policy gaps in the European region.

Key messages
• Migrant workers have worse health outcomes than native workers, including higher rates of occupational injury and deaths.
• Labour exploitation is an important social determinant of health among migrants which requires greater recognition in research and practice.
Do migrant workers have a higher risk of death and injury than the host population in high-income settings?
Authors: Lau K 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Karen Lau will describe the current situation in European policy and practice with respect to migrant workers in precious, exploitative or hazardous occupations. She will presenting findings from a recent systematic review on the mortality risk of migrant workers and previous work exploring health and wellbeing of migrant workers in high-income settings and the link between exploitative work and health. Given that existing research on the mortality of migrant workers remains limited and inconclusive, the aim of this study was to review and synthesise available mortality data on international migrant workers. This presentation will focus on findings relevant to migrant workers at risk of labour exploitation in the European region, including migrant worker characteristics and mortality risk estimates. The presentation will define challenges and opportunities in the study of comparative mortality of migrant workers in Europe and beyond.
Too influential to be overlooked: How a Social Practice View of Health Literacy and Health Promotion is Transforming Research and Intervention
Authors: Harsch S 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Introduction
The history of public health shows that our conceptualization of a study object (e.g. sustainability) influences how researchers perceive, explore, assess, and derive insights from it. Thus, a sound conceptualization is essential. Much debate has raged about the proper conceptualization of health literacy (HL). With the increasing focus on HL intervention research, a conceptualization grounded in practice is irreplaceable and needs to be reflected theoretically. This presentation will discuss the conceptualization of HL as situational social practice and the implications for HL research and interventions, based on ethnographic data of an educational settings, language courses. These courses are well suited to explore practices around HL, as their purpose is not to impart information but to promote competences and communicative skills in the life domain of health.

Methods
Ethnographic research including textbook analysis and participant observation in two second language courses in Germany (100 hours) explored the role, manifestation, and promotion of health and HL. Then practice-oriented evidence-informed interventions were developed and general insights derived.

Results
We identified more than 500 events for engaging with health information, utterly rich and complex and characterized by specific linguistic, situational, social, practice-related, and contextual features. Despite the same cultural portrayal and contextual influences, the learners’ and teachers’ practices proved to be diverse, varied from imitating to changing to creating. We developed complex interventions that provided teachers with both a social-practice-view on HL, the skills to purposefully promote it, and materials.

Discussion
Any use of HL is a situational social practice, and consciously taking this perspective allows us to better understand, explore the spaces and constraints for action, and develop more targeted interventions towards sustainability.
Public Health, Health Promotion and the Problem of Positivism
Authors: Bittlingmayer U H , Bitzer E 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Introduction
Even though in public health and health promotion (HP) the most fundamental concepts refer to philosophical notions like equality, equity, fairness, justice or well-being, the practice of empirical research in HP is dominated by quantitative and standardized measures (seen widely on Health Literacy studies). Most of the quantitative empirical research has hardly any contact to these notions above referred. Public health and HP concepts shared by the WHO, UNESCO, UNHCR (asf. charters and declarations) deserve to be better explored.

Development
It is argued that there are several reasons that reproduce the domination of numbers in the field of public health and HP, rather than the insightful and transformative thoughts of theoretical developments. One reason is the power from medicine and similar disciplines that use their statistical and evidence-based methods as standard rules of evaluation. A second reason is the promise of public health and HP to make things better. A third reason is that in public health-related study programs very little attention is given to philosophy or sociological insights, although these are basic foundations of public health and HP. Explore some problems and shortages of a positivistic understanding of public health and HP, i.e. the scientific practice that overwhelms the reality by its methods and sees only what can be seen through the lens of the used methods, is needed to reflect on sustainability of human action.

Discussion
Public health and HP both refer immanently to - although contested - concepts and theories of democracy, freedom and justice. These concepts and theories are resistant against a pure mathematization and cannot be operationalized fully by quantitative numbers. There is a normative surplus in the subject of public health and HP that needs to be addressed differently. Finally, the relationship between empirical research and theory building in public health and HP is a quest yet to be firmly rooted.
Symptom patterns and triggers of Long Covid: findings from a longitudinal online survey
Authors: Ziauddeen N A , Pantelic M , O'hara M E , Hastie C , Alwan N A 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
Long Covid (LC) is a multi-system often disabling condition that develops following a SARSCoV2 infection. We aimed to characterise the pattern and triggers of LC symptoms.

Methods
Data from a one-year follow-up of an online survey originally conducted in November 2020 were used. Respondents were adults with LC following confirmed or probable COVID-19 who were not hospitalised in the first two weeks of illness. The baseline survey recruited mostly from support groups using convenience non-probability sampling. The content of both the baseline and follow-up surveys was co-produced with people living with LC.

Results
1153 participants described their current health in the 1-year follow-up survey in November 2021 (530 with established clinical diagnosis of LC). The mean age was 47.7 years (standard deviation 10.6) with 84% females, 83% UK-based, 78% university-qualified and 90% reporting good to excellent health before SARSCoV2 infection. Only 5% of participants reported full recovery, and 45% reported a constant pattern of illness compared to 17% at baseline.
Out of 637 participants reporting fluctuating or relapsing pattern, 40% reported that their illness was usually triggered by an identifiable factor. A further 30% reported that their illness generally followed a set/cyclical pattern but was occasionally triggered by something, and 10% reported that they had been unable to identify a trigger. Common triggers were physical activity (44%), stress (40%), cognitive effort (27%), social effort (25%), and work (22%). 96% of participants reported getting vaccinated, with 22% reporting improvement, 17% worsening, and 50% no change in illness after vaccination.

Conclusions
Needing to avoid activities that trigger symptoms means that individuals will have to adapt life routines. This has the potential to widen health inequalities and increase hardship in individuals whose life circumstances and job types may not allow them to make necessary adaptations.

Key messages
• Symptoms pattern in Long Covid can be constant or fluctuating/relapsing triggered by certain activities.
• Having LC often means adapting daily activities to reduce the chance of triggering symptoms.
Long-term health consequences in persons with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection in Germany
Authors: Heidemann C , Sarganas G , Du Y , Gaertner B , Poethko-Müller C , Cohrdes C , Schmidt S , Schlaud M , Scheidt-Nave C 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
So far, few population-based studies comprehensively examined health consequences of COVID-19 including a control group not exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection and a long-term follow-up. This cohort study of 4817 adults from four municipalities in Germany examined health consequences among individuals more than one year after SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with non-infected individuals.

Methods
Exposure was the SARS-CoV-2 infection status (based on IgG antibodies, PCR test, or physician-diagnosis of COVID-19) at baseline (04/2020 to 12/2020). Outcomes assessed at follow-up (10/2021 to 01/2022) included recurrent or persistent health complaints, incident diseases, health-related quality of life (PROMIS-29), subjective health and subjective memory impairment. Regression models were adjusted for socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics, pre-existing health conditions and follow-up time.

Results
Overall, 350 participants had a SARS-CoV-2 infection at baseline and 4467 had no infection at baseline or during follow-up. Individuals with an infection reported more often 7 out of 18 recurrent or persistent health complaints at follow-up: smell/taste disorders (OR 4.1, 95%−CI 2.8-6.0), shortness of breath (3.5, 2.6-4.7), pain when breathing (2.4, 1.3-4.2), fatigue (1.8, 1.4-2.2), weakness in legs (1.9, 1.3-2.8), myalgia/joint pain (1.5, 1.2-2.0) and cough (1.3, 1.0-1.7) and 3 out of 6 groups of incident diseases: liver/kidney (3.7, 1.7-8.1), lung (3.5, 1.7-7.1) and cardiovascular/metabolic (1.7, 1.0-2.7) diseases. Participants with an infection were significantly more likely to report poor subjective health, memory impairment and worse mean scores on fatigue and physical function domains of PROMIS-29 than non-infected.

Conclusions
Results of this population-based controlled study point to a considerable impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on health and well-being among adults with a mainly mild course of acute infection even more than one year after infection.

Key messages
• After one year, individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection showed increased risks of various health complaints, functional limitations and worse subjective health compared to those without an infection.
• Long-term health consequences after a SARS-CoV-2 infection is a relevant public health concern.
2.F. Workshop: Innovations for chronic diseases management: complementing usual care with digital therapeutics
Authors:   Organised by: EUPHA-CHR, EUPHA-DH,   Chair persons: Saverio Stranges (EUPHA-CHR), Stefan Buttigieg (EUPHA-DH)
Published: October 2023

Abstract

The management of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including both physical and mental disorders, remains a pressing global health challenge in high-income countries and low-resource settings. Digital health technology, also known as eHealth, could help improve the management of chronic diseases, in the post-pandemic era, by facilitating data exchange between patients and health professionals. Specifically, digital therapeutics, which utilize technology to deliver evidence-based interventions, have demonstrated potential to complement traditional care approaches and improve outcomes for patients with chronic NCDs. The proposed joint workshop, organized by two EPH sections (chronic disease and digital health and communication), will provide four presentations on innovative approaches to improve the management of major chronic disease, with focus on digital health technologies, which can provide alternative cost-effective options in both high-income countries and low-resource settings. The workshop will explore how digital therapeutics can enhance the management of chronic NCDs, such as diabetes and common mental disorders among others, by complementing existing healthcare practices. The selected speakers are international leaders in the field and will represent different geographic contexts within Europe (Malta, Italy, and Switzerland) and North America (Canada).

Key messages
• Digital health technologies can provide alternative cost-effective options in chronic disease management.
• Digital therapeutics can enhance the management of chronic NCDs by complementing existing healthcare practices.
Evaluating Gamification of Antimicrobial Resistance as an Educational Tool: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nowbuth A A , Asombang A W , Alaboud K , Souque C , Dahu B M , Pather K , Mwanza M M , Lotfi S , Parmar V 
Published: October 2023

Abstract

Background
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious threat to global healthcare, and inadequate education has been identified as a major challenge by the World Health Organization. Gamification has emerged as an innovative tool to improve knowledge and change behaviours at the grassroots level. This scoping review provides an overview of existing games in prescribers’ education across the One Health sectors, with a particular focus on the impact of gamification in learning.

Methods
Using the PRISMA guidelines, we searched Cochrane, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for articles related to gamification for future prescribers’ of AMR until March 28, 2023. Retrieval and screening of articles was done using a structured search protocol with strict inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Results
A total of 120 articles were retrieved, of which 6 articles met the inclusion criteria for final analysis. Brazil, UK and France were the sites of almost all the gamification trials, with an additional global study incorporating low-middle income countries. All studies were tested in the human healthcare sector only. Board and card games were the most common types of games, with scoring and point systems as the most common game elements. All games focused on improving knowledge and prescribing behaviours of undergraduate students, with bacteria or antibiotics being the only content. Many studies highlight the significant role gamification can play in mitigating AMR, promoting antimicrobial stewardship (AMS), and improving retention of information compared to conventional lectures.

Conclusions
Our review highlights a lack of standardised content and gameplay across games addressing AMR for future prescribers of antibiotics, and a gap in assessing gamification of AMR as a tool to promote AMS across all three sectors. Our findings will guide the development of a game in the next phase of the project, as a longitudinal study across Norway and Zambia, focused on the One Health approach.

Key messages
• Tackling AMR requires improved education and awareness of healthcare workers, veterinarians, and agriculture workers around AMR stewardship issues.
• The One Health approach is necessary to mitigate AMR, and the foundation of future prescribers’ is vital. Innovative learning tools like gamification can play a pivotal role in this fight.