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Healthcare
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Developing People, Improving Processes, and including New Technologies for Better...
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Developing People, Improving Processes, and including New Technologies for Better Public Health

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 3889

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gabriela Topa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Social and Organizational Psychology Department, The National Distance Education University, 28015 Madrid, Spain
Interests: public health; occupational health; psychosocial factors; nursing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental health. The factors that contribute most to a life of good health are a decent job, an adequate home, and a support network, as stated by Duncan Selbie (PHE, 2020). Since public health strategies, both at the local and national levels, have several objectives, such as keeping people safe, preventing ill health, and reducing the health gap, among others, joint efforts from different disciplines will contribute to broadening our understanding of the factors affecting health and disease. Hence, knowledge building can, in turn, be used to create real changes in policies and services to promote public health.

First, investments in the development of people, both citizens and health professionals, would equip them with the skills and strengths needed to meet present and future health-related challenges. Second, process improvement would improve the quality of decision-making and the delivery of healthcare services. Third, the inclusion of new technologies would increase the efficiency of public health systems, as well as the empowerment of patients and families. Finally, to adequately evaluate the effectiveness of public health services and interventions, the development of high-quality measures would be recommended, as well as the rigorous testing of existing tools.

New research papers, reviews, meta-analyses, case reports, and conference proceedings are welcome in this issue. Other types of manuscripts accepted include empirical investigations, methodological papers, position papers, short reports, and commentaries.

Manuscripts will be accepted from a variety of disciplines, including psychology, medicine, nursing, sociology, epidemiology, occupational health and safety studies, and social sciences.

Prof. Dr. Gabriela Topa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • public health
  • mental health
  • health promotion
  • health gap
  • health disparities
  • digital health
  • AI in healthcare services
  • lifestyle
  • vulnerable groups
  • data acquisition and analysis in public health
  • social network
  • nursing
  • primary healthcare
  • personal wellbeing
  • gender
  • healthcare professional values
  • gender issues
  • public health interventions
  • public health program
  • corporate social responsibility
  • organizational change
  • the psychological and social environment
  • smart learning and working environments
  • occupational health promotion
  • prevention of risk factors at work
  • employees’ wellbeing
  • positive attitudes at work
  • prosocial behavior in groups and organizations
  • healthy organizations
  • decent and flexible work
  • quality of working life
  • psychological and social capital
  • new management styles
  • psychological and physical workability
  • work–health balance
  • work–life interface

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 5626 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Quality of YouTube’s Incontinence Information after Cancer Surgery: An Innovative Graphical Analysis
by Alvaro Manuel Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Marta De la Fuente-Costa, Mario Escalera-de la Riva, Fernando Domínguez-Navarro, Borja Perez-Dominguez, Gustavo Paseiro-Ares, Jose Casaña-Granell and María Blanco-Diaz
Healthcare 2024, 12(2), 243; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12020243 - 18 Jan 2024
Viewed by 886
Abstract
Background: Prostate and colorectum cancers rank among the most common cancers, and incontinence is a significant postsurgical issue affecting the physical and psychological well-being of cancer survivors. Social media, particularly YouTube, has emerged as a vital source of health information. While YouTube offers [...] Read more.
Background: Prostate and colorectum cancers rank among the most common cancers, and incontinence is a significant postsurgical issue affecting the physical and psychological well-being of cancer survivors. Social media, particularly YouTube, has emerged as a vital source of health information. While YouTube offers valuable content, users must exercise caution due to potential misinformation. Objective: This study aims to assess the quality of publicly available YouTube videos related to incontinence after pelvic cancer surgery. Methods: A search on YouTube related to “Incontinence after cancer surgery” was performed, and 108 videos were analyzed. Multiple quality assessment tools (DISCERN, GQS, JAMA, PEMAT, and MQ-VET) and statistical analyses (descriptive statistics and intercorrelation tests) were used to evaluate the characteristics and popularity, educational value, quality, and reliability of these videos, relying on novel graphical representation techniques such as Sankey and Chord diagrams. Results: Strong positive correlations were found among quality rating scales, emphasizing agreement. The performed graphical analysis reinforced the reliability and validity of quality assessments. Conclusions: This study found strong correlations among five quality scales, suggesting their effectiveness in assessing health information quality. The evaluation of YouTube videos consistently revealed “high” quality content. Considering the source is mandatory when assessing quality, healthcare and academic institutions are reliable sources. Caution is advised with ad-containing videos. Future research should focus on policy improvements and tools to aid patients in finding high-quality health content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developing People, Improving Processes, and including New Technologies for Better Public Health)
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20 pages, 2321 KiB  
Article
Use of the Therapy App Prescinde for Increasing Adherence to Smoking Cessation Treatment
by Francisca López-Torrecillas, Isabel Ramírez-Uclés, María del Mar Rueda, Beatriz Cobo-Rodríguez, Luis Castro-Martín, Sabina Arantxa Urrea-Castaño and Lucas Muñoz-López
Healthcare 2023, 11(24), 3121; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243121 - 08 Dec 2023
Viewed by 974
Abstract
Tobacco use poses major health risks and is a major contributor to causes of death worldwide. Mobile phone-based cessation apps for this substance are gaining popularity, often used as a component of traditional interventions. This study aimed to analyze adherence to an intervention [...] Read more.
Tobacco use poses major health risks and is a major contributor to causes of death worldwide. Mobile phone-based cessation apps for this substance are gaining popularity, often used as a component of traditional interventions. This study aimed to analyze adherence to an intervention using a mobile phone application (App-therapy Prescinde (v1)) as a function of sociodemographic variables (age, gender, educational level, and profession) as well as the primary activities supported by the app (reducing tobacco or cannabis use and increasing physical exercise). The participants were recruited through the web pages of the Occupational Risk Prevention Service and the Psychology Clinic of the University of Granada during the COVID-19 confinement period. The application’s contents include three components (self-report, motivational phrases, and goal setting). Our findings indicate that being male, being aged between 26 and 62, having a high school education, and being unemployed increase the likelihood of adherence to the Prescinde therapy app three months after usage. Our findings highlight the importance of developing new therapeutic approaches and conducting in-depth studies on the factors associated with adherence to tobacco cessation and cannabis cessation treatments via mobile phone applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developing People, Improving Processes, and including New Technologies for Better Public Health)
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13 pages, 997 KiB  
Article
Health, Stress and Technologies: Integrating Technology Acceptance and Health Belief Models for Smartphone-Based Stress Intervention
by Giulia Paganin, Simona Margheritti, Naima Z. Farhane-Medina, Silvia Simbula and Greta Mazzetti
Healthcare 2023, 11(23), 3030; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11233030 - 23 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1273
Abstract
Work-related stress significantly jeopardizes employees’ physical and mental health due to the considerable time they spend at work. Smartphone-based interventions provide a promising solution, eliminating traditional face-to-face interventions’ barriers. However, the elements that influence workers’ intentions to use this still remain unexplored. This [...] Read more.
Work-related stress significantly jeopardizes employees’ physical and mental health due to the considerable time they spend at work. Smartphone-based interventions provide a promising solution, eliminating traditional face-to-face interventions’ barriers. However, the elements that influence workers’ intentions to use this still remain unexplored. This study explores the link between health belief model (HBM) and technology acceptance model (TAM) factors. In this study, 336 Italian workers (64% female) answered an online questionnaire. We employed a structural equation model (SEM) to analyze the data. The results unveiled an indirect relationship: individuals perceiving health risks were more inclined to use stress-management apps, mediated by perceived utility (PU). This study underscores the significant potential of integrating the HBM with the TAM in predicting users’ preparedness for smartphone-based health interventions. These findings not only hold substantial value but also illuminate a path forward for professionals and organizations, offering insights to tailor and optimize smartphone tools for stress management and the promotion of workplace well-being. Ultimately, this research paves the way for the cultivation of healthier work environments, marking a noteworthy contribution to the field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Developing People, Improving Processes, and including New Technologies for Better Public Health)
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