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Mental health professionals ’ awareness of the parental functioning of persons with severe mental disorders: a retrospective chart study
Conclusion:Lack of awareness among MHPs to their patients ’ parental functioning is not specific to a certain profession and may be attributed to patients (e.g., reluctance to disclose relevant information) or to MHPs (e.g., lack of training). Awareness of family and parental functioning by MHPs working with persons with SMI should be part of a standard procedure, integrated into policy and training. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - October 21, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

The role of models in the covid-19 pandemic
This article describes the types of models that were used by research teams in Israel, presents their assumptions and basic elements, and illustrates how they were used, and how they influenced decisions. The article grew out of a “modelists’ dialog” organized by the Israel National Institute for Health Policy Research with participation from some of the leaders in the local modeling effort. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - October 20, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Psychiatrists ’ awareness of the cost of medication, rates of social disability pension, and their attitudes regarding knowledge of treatment costs
ConclusionsPsychiatrists in Israel are not sufficiently informed of the costs of psychotropic medications, despite their awareness of the relevance of affordability to treatment compliance. Awareness of economic issues relating to treatment should be included in residency programs, and access to relevant information of medication cost and disability pensions should be more accessible to physicians both on national and local levels, by the government and  health maintenance ogranizations (HMOs). (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - October 10, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care physicians in Israel, with comparison to an international cohort: a cross-sectional study
ConclusionsThe findings of this study raise concerns regarding the PCPs experience and may form the basis for an improved process of care. Guidelines for proper usage of telemedicine, substitutes for the physical examination and procedures for minimizing delayed patient examination for urgent conditions should be developed. Government directives and clinical guidelines should be communicated in a timely manner, with secured timeslots for physicians ’ self-learning or updating. Ensuring physicians’ well-being in general should be an organization priority. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - September 20, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

The median age of a city ’s residents and population density influence COVID 19 mortality growth rates: policy implications
ConclusionsIn crowded cities, where the median age is high, two perspectives of early and intensive public policy interventions are clearly required. The first perspective is extensive medical treatment, namely, extension of availability of medical physical and online services; dispensing designated medications; expansion of hospitalization facilities and information services particularly to susceptible populations. All measures will be taken with attention to age accessibility of these means. The second perspective is prevention via establishment of testing and vaccination complexes; elevation of dedicated health services...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - September 12, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

People with serious mental illness are at higher risk for acute care hospitalization in Israel, 2000 –2019
ConclusionThis study showed higher hospitalization rates in people with SMI compared to the total population. These differences increased between 2000 and 2019 following the opening of alternative services in the community, possibly due to a higher likelihood of psychiatric hospitalization only for those with more severe mental disease. We recommend that general practitioners and mental health professionals in the community be made aware of the essential importance of good physical healthcare, and collaborate on health promotion and disease prevention in the SMI population. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - September 8, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Breastfeeding challenges and support in a high initiation population
ConclusionsEven in a population with high initiation rates of breastfeeding, breastfeeding duration, both exclusive and partial, is less than recommended. As much of this drop-off occurs during maternity leave, it is likely related to breastfeeding challenges other than employment. Breastfeeding support needs of women are currently not adequately met; staffing and time for both in-hospital and community-based counseling needs to be funded as well as mandated. Counseling hours should be tailored to assure adequate coverage of high-risk groups such as women after cesarean delivery and newborns requiring intensive care. (Sour...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - September 7, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Emergency medicine physician burnout before and during the COVID-19 pandemic
ConclusionsPhysician burnout is a major global problem, and it is now being aggravated by the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare administrators should be alerted to pandemic-specific stress factors in order to help teams cope better and to prevent further worsening of the burnout. Further research is warranted to determine the lasting effect of the pandemic on EM physician burnout and the best means for reducing it. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - August 24, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Establishing priorities for diabetes action goals according to key opinion leaders and health professionals
ConclusionsA national prioritization process of action areas in diabetes prevention and care is attainable. The resulting item list is affected by professional considerations. These priorities may direct efforts in the implementation of interventions to improve national-level diabetes management. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - August 19, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Enhancing the primary care pediatrician's role in managing psychosocial issues: a cross sectional study of pediatricians and parents in Israel
ConclusionsParents tend to avoid the discussion of psychosocial concerns in pediatric settings due to their perception that it's irrelevant to the pediatrician's role. Trained pediatricians feel unconfident in their ability to manage psychosocial issues and report on a lack of suitable resources. These findings suggest current pediatric mental-health training is insufficient to equip pediatricians with the knowledge and skills required to their involvement in psychosocial problems, and imply necessary changes to environment of community-based pediatrics. In order to change the practice of pediatricians in the community to ...
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - August 4, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

How to boost the boosters? A survey-experiment on the effectiveness of different policies aimed at enhancing acceptance of a “Seasonal” vaccination against COVID-19
ConclusionsPandemic-containing vaccines may be perceived as less effective and beneficial than pandemic-preventing vaccines. Individuals with different levels of motivation for periodical vaccination during a pandemic may be affected by different factors. While strongly opinionated individuals are affected by the type of vaccination-promoting policy, hesitators are affected by a larger number of factors, which provide policy makers with greater opportunities to enhance their vaccination intentions. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - July 4, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Party keepers: a significant community-based intervention for harm reduction
ConclusionsThe PK initiative —a harm-reduction intervention led by peers, aimed at fighting drug overdosing at gay venues—was useful in reducing drug use and sexual risk behaviours among the course participants. Most course participants also responded to drug-related emergency situations at gay parties, as a result. This ev aluation of community health intervention within a sexual minority community can help health policy makers design more community based interventions and allocate resources to include community participants in harm-reduction policies. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - June 3, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Machine-learning based routing of callers in an Israeli mental health hotline
ConclusionThe proposed routing policy has the potential to significantly improve the performance of mental health contact centers, especially in peak hours. Leveraging artificial intelligence techniques, such as machine learning algorithms, combined with real-world data can bring about a significant and necessary leap forward in the way mental health hotlines operate and consequently reduce the burden of mental illnesses on health systems. However, implementation and evaluation in an operational contact center is necessary in order to verify that the results replicate in practice. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - June 3, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Mortality during the first four waves of COVID-19 pandemic in Israel: March 2020 –October 2021
ConclusionIsrael has seen significant excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the Arab sector. Following lockdowns and administration of vaccinations excess mortality was reduced, and no excess mortality was seen amongst the vaccinated in the months after the vaccination campaign. These findings highlight the importance of public health measures such as mandating mask wearing and population vaccinations to control infection and reduce mortality. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - May 31, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research

Medical student lifestyle counselling for non-communicable disease: impact on students ’ competence and patients’ health behaviors
ConclusionsThe course successfully enhanced students ’ counselling skills, with beneficial effects for patients. This model for teaching experience-based lifestyle medicine has potential policy implications in terms of promoting effective lifestyle counselling by future physicians. (Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research)
Source: Israel Journal of Health Policy Research - May 24, 2022 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research