Israel Journal of Health Policy Research This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Trust in public health policy in the time of the COVID-19 epidemic in Israel
AbstractThe government of Israel provides universal health care through four health care organizations ( “sick funds”) that enjoy general public trust. In hindsight, the response of the government to the COVID-19 epidemic seems reasonable. In the first year of the epidemic, tests and vaccines were developed and other measures were taken, including social distancing, focusing on risk factors for inf ection and disease severity, and improving treatment. The COVID-19 mortality rate between January 2000 and June 2021 was around 750 per million inhabitants, well below the OECD average of 1300. Still, although the control me...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 25, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Pfizer COVID19 vaccine is not associated with acute cardiovascular events excluding myocarditis – a national self-controlled case series study
ConclusionsThere was no increased risk for acute cardiovascular events (excluding myocarditis) in the risk period compared to the control period following administration of the second dose of Pfizer COVID19 vaccine. Mortality data raised no concerns either, but may have been biased. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 24, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Association of quality of nursing care with violence load, burnout, and listening climate
ConclusionsThe results of this study highlight the impact of violence load among nurses and the ward listening climate on the development of burnout and on providing quality care. The findings call upon policymakers to monitor violence load and allocate resources to foster supportive work environments to enhance nurse well-being and improve patient care outcomes. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 24, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Meeting the challenges of the 21st century: the fundamental importance of trust for transformation
ConclusionTrust is essential if health systems are to meet the challenges of the 21st century but it is too often overlooked or, in some cases, undermined. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 22, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Severity of gambling behaviors: exploring associations with venues, legality, and substance use
ConclusionThough more research attention should be paid to gambling behaviors, harm reduction gambling interventions should be made available to all categories on the continuum of severity of gambling behaviors. The present study provides evidence-based information to promote health policies that aim to prevent and reduce harm for Israeli gamblers. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 16, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

The Hamas massacre of Oct 7, 2023, and its aftermath, medical crimes, and the Lancet commission report on medicine, Nazism, and the Holocaust
ConclusionsThe report ofthe Lancet Commission on medicine, Nazism, and the Holocaust has striking relevance to the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023 and its aftermath. This is further conveyed in an accompanying Statement, that describes the report ’s implications for contemporary medicine, including: 1) provision of skills required to detect and prevent crimes against humanity and genocide; (2) care for victims of atrocities; (3) upholding the healing ethos central to the practice of medicine; and (4) fostering history-informed morally cour ageous health professionals who speak up when necessary. (Source: Israel Journal...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 12, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Risks for re-hospitalization of persons with severe mental illness living in rehabilitation care settings
ConclusionFindings revealed that among the three Health Behavior Model factors, theneed factor best predicted re-hospitalization. Theenabling factor, comprised of personal relationships and social/vocational activities facilitated by interventions and services representing many of psychiatric rehabilitation ’s key goals, had the weakest association with reduced rates of re-hospitalization. Possible explanations may be inaccurate assessments of consumers' personal relationships and social/vocational activities by the mental healthcare professionals, problematic provider-consumer communication on the c onsumers' involvemen...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 3, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Receipt of prescription opioid medication is associated with increased mortality in an Israeli population
ConclusionIncreased opioid use is independently associated with increased all-cause mortality among non-oncological patients. This result is most notable among young adults with little or no known comorbidities. These findings are consistent with results in other countries and seem more credible than previous Israeli reports. Healthcare regulators and providers should, therefore, act to curtail the increasing opioid prescriptions and devise and enhance controls in the healthcare system, which, until 2020, had very limited mechanisms in place. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 3, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Delirium screening in the emergency department: evaluation and intervention
ConclusionsThis study underscores that a significant majority of older adult delirium cases remain undetected by ED staff. Despite efforts to increase awareness, the rate of diagnosis did not significantly improve. While the presence of dedicated delirium evaluators slightly increased the diagnosis rate among patients assessed by ED staff, this rate reverted to pre-intervention levels after the evaluators left. These findings emphasize the necessity of implementing mandatory delirium screening during ED triage and throughout the patient ’s stay. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 2, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Arab male physicians ’ perceptions about their own smoking behaviors: a qualitative study
ConclusionsThis study provides an in-depth understanding of the personal, socio-cultural, and professional aspects of the phenomenon of Arab male smoking physicians from their perspective. Based on this information, we recommend developing programs that support and empower all physicians to cope better with their personal and professional stress as well as instituting programs that will provide all physicians with specific knowledge and skills related to smoking cessation. These programs should improve the ability of physicians to serve as positive role models for their patients for preventing and ceasing smoking, thus enh...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 2, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Exploring pre-MRI imaging tests: patient survey reveals potential implications for healthcare efficiency in Israel
ConclusionsThese findings highlight the high prevalence of preliminary imaging tests prior to MRI, with many patients undergoing multiple tests for the same problem. The health system may need to evaluate whether current clinical guidelines defining the use of various imaging tests are cost-effective. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - April 1, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Drug shortages in Israel, revisited: a bitter pill to swallow
ConclusionDespite routine monitoring by the Israeli MOH and updating the DS policy throughout this period, DS persist, intensifying annually and posing serious health risks. This trend mirrors international patterns, affecting countries globally. In Israel's uniquely structured healthcare system, with its swift stakeholder cooperation and implementation capabilities, more effective DS management is conceivable. We propose ten universally applicable rules to address DS challenges. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - March 18, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Disclosure following a medical error: lessons learned from a national initiative of workshops with patients, healthcare teams, and executives
ConclusionThe study shows the moral, human, and educational values of open discourse in a protective setting after the occurrence of a medical error. We believe that workshops like these may help foster a culture of institutional disclosure following medical errors.  We recommend that the Ministry of Health extend such workshops to all healthcare facilities, establish guidelines and mandate training for skills in disclosure for all providers. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - March 11, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Use of prescription opioids in Israel and socio-economic correlations between 2010 and 2020
ConclusionsThis study highlights that the primary concern in the increase of opioid use is the increasing dosages. The increase in the number of patients using opioids is also significant but to a minor extent. These phenomena disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. Education programs should be offered to physicians regarding the possible harms of long-term use of opioids. These programs should emphasize the risk factors associated with the development of opioid use disorder (OUD) and the caution needed when increasing dosages or switching to higher-potency drugs. Pain clinics and centers for rehabilitation for p...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - March 7, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

The Israeli health system ’s rapid responses during the COVID-19 pandemic
ConclusionsBased on our findings, we encourage leaders in the Israeli government to ensure that its emergency response system will continue to have the capacity to respond rapidly to large-scale challenges, whether of a military or civilian nature. At the same time, the emergency response systems should develop mechanisms to include more stakeholders in the fast-paced decision-making process and should improve communication with the public. In addition, they should put into place mechanisms for timely reconsideration, adjustment, and —when warranted—reversal of decisions which, while reasonable when reached, turn out t...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - March 4, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research