Adaptation models, barriers, and facilitators for cultural safety in telepsychiatry: A systematic scoping review

Introduction: Indigenous peoples, and racial and ethnic minorities around the world experience significant mental health inequities. Telepsychiatry can contribute to addressing these inequities among these populations. However, it is first crucial to ensure the cultural safety of this tool as a critical step toward health equity. This review aimed to collate evidence regarding cultural adaptations, barriers, opportunities, and facilitators for telepsychiatry services supporting minority groups. Method: Using the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline, we conducted a systematic scoping review and thematic analysis. Six databases were searched using the PICO framework, i.e., population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes.. Additional literature was identified through reference lists screening. We developed a table for data extraction, and the extracted data were further analyzed following Braun and Clarke's approach for thematic analysis. Results: A total of 1514 citations were screened with a final total of 58 articles included in the review. The themes related to telepsychiatry cultural adaptations emphasize the crucial role of community involvement and quality service delivery. Identified barriers were associated with service and infrastructure, and service users' socioeconomic and cultural contexts. Opportunities and facilitators for telepsychiatry were enhanced access and rapport, and multi-organizational collaborations and partnerships. Discussion: This review identified factors that can guide the adaptation of telepsychiatry evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of Indigenous peoples and racial and ethnic minorities. Telepsychiatry programs must be specifically designed for the population they seek to serve, and this review offers emerging insights into critical factors to consider in their development.

Implementation of a Web-Based Educational Intervention for Promoting Flipped Classroom Pedagogy: A Mixed-Methods Study

Introduction

Flipped classroom pedagogy (FCP) is recognised as an effective and efficient teaching-learning method. However, nursing students and teachers may be hesitant to adopt FCP due to technophobia and time constraints linked to academic and clinical responsibilities. This necessitates the provision of promotional training for adopting FCP. However, there is a dearth of research regarding how the practice of FCP could be promoted and in demonstrating its efficacy in developing countries. Thus, this study aimed to examine the educational impact of a web-based education intervention, branded as the Flipped Classroom Navigator (FCN), for promoting FCP in nursing education in Sri Lanka.

Methods

This mixed-methods study employed pre- and post-training knowledge tests, the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS), the Perceived Transfer of Learning Questionnaire survey, and collected students' and teachers' open-ended responses to evaluate the impact of the FCN. Fifty-five undergraduate nursing students and 15 university teachers participated in the study from two state universities in Sri Lanka. Repeated-measures ANOVA, t-tests, Levene's test of homogeneity, Cohen's d, and an inductive thematic approach were employed in the data analysis.

Results

Post-training knowledge test scores were significantly higher than the pre-training knowledge test scores indicating improved understanding of FCP. Participants were also highly motivated to learn in the FCN instructional materials. Participants exhibited positive attitudes towards FCN training with transfer of learning to their teaching-learning practice. The inductive thematic analysis identified the following themes: user experiences, FCN learning content, behaviour changes, and suggested improvements.

Conclusion

Overall, the FCN enhanced both students' and teachers' knowledge and understanding of FCP in undergraduate nursing education.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01706-7.

Prioritising a culturally safe e-Mental Health research agenda in Aotearoa New Zealand: A sector survey report

OBJECTIVE

To collect mental health and addiction service providers' opinions about priorities for an e-Mental Health (eMH) research agenda focused on delivering culturally safe eMH in Aotearoa New Zealand.

METHOD

Service providers were recruited to participate in an anonymous online survey, which asked participants to rate the importance of potential research domains and items on a continuous scale from 1 to 10. The mean values of each item were normalised to develop a priority index.

RESULTS

48 participants rated at least one of the listed research items. The highest-rated items were (i) identifying strategies to improve access; co-developing eMH with the community (ii) a set of competencies required for delivering culturally safe care, (iii) a set of meaningful clinical outcomes that can be achieved via eMH, (iv) guidelines for the delivery of eMH services and (v) investigating the extent to which eMH could meet the mental health needs of these communities. 'Standards and guidelines' was the domain with the highest priority index.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental health and addiction service providers in Aotearoa New Zealand prioritised an eMH research agenda that is focused on pro-equity outcomes and incorporating the voices and experiences of the communities they seek to serve.

Developing and evaluating an educational web-based tool for health professions education: the Flipped Classroom Navigator

BACKGROUND

Flipped classroom pedagogy is a blended learning approach applied in undergraduate health professions education. However, teachers and students may require training to effectively engage in flipped classroom pedagogy. Thus, this study aimed to design, develop, and evaluate a web-based tool for fostering flipped classroom pedagogy in undergraduate health professions education.

METHODS

This is an educational design-based research with a descriptive evaluation component which was conducted in two steps: (i) design & development and (ii) evaluation of an educational website. An expert panel was formed to evaluate the website by using a website evaluation questionnaire (WEQ). Descriptive statistics were employed to calculate the experts' agreement level.

RESULTS

An innovative website design was used to provide access to a range of digital devices. The development process occurred concurrently in two steps: (i) website development and (ii) learning content development. The educational website was branded as the Flipped Classroom Navigator (FCN). Based on WEQ scores, the FCN obtained a good level of agreement (≥ 80%) for its' ease of use, hyperlinks, structure, relevance, comprehension, completeness, and layout.

CONCLUSIONS

The FCN is an effective method for providing training to promote flipped classroom pedagogy in health professions education. The FCN achieved good evaluation scores and comments from experts. However, it is also necessary to obtain acceptance from the end-users, which could be the focus of future research. Nonetheless, the expert panel pinpointed areas for further development before introducing the FCN to end-users.

Burnout, quality of life, motivation, and academic achievement among medical students: A person-oriented approach

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to identify burnout and quality of life profiles of medical students and determine their associations with academic motivation and achievement on progress tests using a person-oriented approach.

METHODS

Medical students (n = 670) in Year 3 to Year 5 at the University of Auckland were classified into three different profiles as derived from a two-step cluster analysis using World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF scores and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory scores. The profiles were used as independent variables to assess differences in academic motivation and achievement on progress tests using a multivariate analysis of co-variance and repeated measures analysis of co-variance methods.

RESULTS

The response rate was 47%. Three clusters were obtained: Higher Burnout Lower Quality of Life (n = 62, 20%), Moderate Burnout Moderate Quality of Life (n = 131, 41%), and Lower Burnout Higher Quality of Life (n = 124, 39%). After controlling for gender and year level, Higher Burnout Lower Quality of Life students had significantly higher test anxiety (p < 0.0001) and amotivation scores (p < 0.0001); and lower intrinsic motivation (p < 0.005), self-efficacy (p < 0.001), and progress test scores (p = 0.03) compared with the other profiles.

CONCLUSION

Burnout and Quality of Life profiles of medical students are associated with differences in academic motivation and achievement over time.

The Impact of a Revised Curriculum on Academic Motivation, Burnout, and Quality of Life Among Medical Students

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of a revised curriculum on medical student academic motivation, burnout, and quality of life.

METHODS

This cross-sectional comparative study involved 2 medical school cohorts of second year and fourth year medical students at The University of Auckland: a cohort under a traditional curriculum (n = 437) and a cohort under a revised curriculum (n = 446). Participants completed self-reported questionnaires measuring academic motivation, burnout, and quality of life. Two multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVAs) were conducted.

RESULTS

The response rate was 48%. No statistically significant differences were found between curriculum cohorts for mean scores of academic motivation, personal burnout, and quality of life. However, differences were found when comparing preclinical medical students and students in their clinical years of training. In comparison with Year 2 medical students, the MANCOVA for Year 4 students showed a significant main effect for the revised curriculum with respect to both physical and environmental quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

A revised medical curriculum had a differential effect on quality of life for Year 4 students in the latter years of medical school who are based in a clinical learning environment.

Enhancing suicide risk assessment: a novel visual metaphor learning tool

OBJECTIVE

Suicide risk assessment is variably taught and learnt by health professionals. The literature indicates that training programs of this fundamental competency need to be enhanced. To facilitate teaching and learning of this core clinical skill, we propose a novel visual metaphor in order to conceptualize suicide risk factors. The design of the proposed visual metaphor was informed by the Cognitive Load Theory to enhance deep learning of the various suicide risk factors.

CONCLUSION

The visual metaphor depicting suicide risk factors can potentially improve memory and recall. It activates prior knowledge and is based on educational theory informed design principles.

The relationship between academic assessment and psychological distress among medical students: a systematic review

A systematic review was conducted to determine the relationship between academic assessment and medical student psychological distress with the aim of informing assessment practices. A systematic literature search of six electronic databases (Medline, Medline IN PROCESS, PubMed, EMBASE, Psychinfo, ERIC) from 1991 to May 2014 was completed. Articles focusing on academic assessment and its relation to stress or anxiety of medical students were included. From 3,986 potential titles, 82 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 23 studies met review inclusion criteria. Studies focused on assessment stress or anxiety, and assessment performance. Consistent among the studies was the finding that assessment invokes stress or anxiety, perhaps more so for female medical students. A relationship may exist between assessment stress or anxiety and impaired performance. Significant risks of bias were common in study methodologies. There is evidence to suggest academic assessment is associated with psychological distress among medical students. However, differences in the types of measures used by researchers limited our ability to draw conclusions about which methods of assessment invoke greater distress. More rigorous study designs and the use of standardized measures are required. Future research should consider differences in students' perceived significance of assessments, the psychological effects of constant exposure to assessment, and the role of assessment in preparing students for clinical practice.

Junior doctors in their first year: mental health, quality of life, burnout and heart rate variability

There is a burgeoning interest in, and evidence of, quality of life and burnout issues among doctors. It was hypothesized that the junior doctors in this study would experience psychosocial and physiological changes over time, and that the obtained measures would indicate psychosocial and physiological anomalies. In addition, it was hypothesized that their psychosocial perceptions would be significantly associated with their physiological measures. A total sample of 17 junior doctors in their first year of training volunteered for this study. Over four time periods separated by 6 week phases, the doctors completed a set of quality of life and psychosocial inventories and wore a Polar RS800 Heart Rate Monitor over a day and night time interval. The findings showed that this sample of doctors did not report any problems associated with depression, anxiety, stress, burnout or quality of life (psychosocial measures). In addition, their heart rate variability scores (physiological measures) did not show any significant fluctuations. Furthermore, the responses from the self-report instruments measuring stress, anxiety, depression, quality of life and burnout did not consistently correlate with the HRV information suggesting a mind-body disconnection. More work needs to be done on larger samples to investigate these findings further given that the literature shows that junior doctors are likely to be stressed and working in stress-provoking environments.