Multicultural Counseling Skills Evaluation Form: A Tool for Clinical Supervision

BACKGROUND Oral health is a significant indicator of general health, well-being, and quality of life. The prevention of oral health problems requires periodic inspection of the oral cavity. Routine oral health examinations at the individual level appears to be one way to deliver quality oral health care but are too often missed as an opportunity for improved oral health in the nondental health care setting in India. This is because of limited training and inaccessible or lack of specialized oral health assessment tools. OBJECTIVE This study will focus on the development, validation, and implementation of the Basic Oral Health Assessment Tool (BOHAT) to improve the oral health assessment capabilities of nondental health care professionals and thus contribute to improved overall health outcomes of the Indian adult population. METHODS This study will be a mixed methods, multistage study conducted in 3 stages. The study will be conducted with 708 nondental health care professionals in 33 Primary Health Centers (PHCs) of Mangalore Taluk, Karnataka. Ethical approval was sought from the institutional ethics committee of Manipal College of Dental Sciences Mangalore. Informed consent will be obtained from every participant prior to the study. A literature review and qualitative interviews will be used for item and domain generation with respect to BOHAT, and an expert panel review and pilot testing will be used to refine the items and domains. Finally, statistical analyses will be conducted to validate the reliability and consistency. The second phase will involve capacity building and user experience exploration through comprehensive training for nondental health professionals using audio and visual aids, with hands-on learning methodologies including relevant feedback processes in the form of focus group discussions. The third stage will check the effectiveness of BOHAT regarding the changes in knowledge, attitudes, and practices through pre- and posttraining questionnaires, which will then be followed by a retention analysis 3 months later. RESULTS As of January 20, 2025, the study is in its preliminary phase: “Substage A: Item and Domain Development.” We have received institutional ethics committee and Institutional Protocol Approval Committee approval for the study. Data collection procedures have not started yet. The study is progressing as per the planned timeline. CONCLUSIONS The BOHAT study holds considerable potential to promote oral health care through collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches. It will facilitate early diagnosis, timely referrals, and comprehensive care by integrating assessment actions for oral health into routine practices of nondental primary health care professionals. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT PRR1-10.2196/63480

Research evidence suggests that both mental health professionals and people with severe mental health illness such as schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder find it difficult to communicate with each other effectively about symptoms, treatments and their side effects so that they reach a shared understanding about diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Effective use of communication skills in mental health interactions could be associated with increased patient satisfaction and adherence to treatment. To review the effectiveness of communication skills training for mental health professionals who work with people with severe mental illness. We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Trials Register (latest search 17 February, 2016) which is compiled by systematic searches of major resources (including AMED, BIOSIS, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and registries of clinical trials) and their monthly updates, handsearches, grey literature, and conference proceedings. There are no language, date, document type, or publication status limitations for inclusion of records into the register. All relevant randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that focused on communication skills training (CST) for mental health professionals who work with people with severe mental illness compared with those who received standard or no training. We sought a number of primary (patient adherence to treatment and attendance at scheduled appointments as well as mental health professionals' satisfaction with the training programme) and secondary outcomes (patients' global state, service use, mental state, patient satisfaction, social functioning, quality of life). RCTs where the unit of randomisation was by cluster (e.g. healthcare facility) were also eligible for inclusion. We included one trial that met our inclusion criteria and reported useable data. We independently selected studies, quality assessed them and extracted data. For binary outcomes, we planned to calculate standard estimates of the risk ratio (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a fixed-effect model. For continuous outcomes, we planned to estimate the mean difference (MD) between groups, or obtain the adjusted mean difference (aMD) where available for cluster-randomised trials. If heterogeneity had been identified, we would have explored this using a random-effects model. We used GRADE to create a 'Summary of findings' table and we assessed risk of bias for the one included study. We included one pilot cluster-RCT that recruited a total of 21 psychiatrists and 97 patients. The psychiatrists were randomised to a training programme in communication skills, compared to a no specific training (NST) programme. The trial provided useable data for only one of our prestated outcomes of interest, patient satisfaction. The trial did not report global state but did report mental state and, as global state data were not available, we included these mental state data in the 'Summary of findings' table. There was high risk of bias from attrition because of substantial losses to follow-up and incomplete outcome data.Patient satisfaction was measured as satisfaction with treatment and 'experience of therapeutic relationship' at medium term (five months). Satisfaction with treatment was similar between the CST and NST group using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) (1 RCT, n = 66/97*, aMD 1.77 95% CI - 0.13 to 3.68, low-quality evidence). When comparing patient experience of the therapeutic relationship using the STAR-P scale, participants in the CST group rated the therapeutic relationship more positively than participants in the NST group (1 RCT, n = 63/97, aMD 0.21 95% CI 0.01 to 0.41, low-quality evidence).Mental state scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were similar between treatment groups for general symptoms (1 RCT, n = 59/97, aMD 4.48 95% CI -2.10 to 11.06, low-quality evidence), positive symptoms (1 RCT, n = 59/97, aMD -0.23, 95% CI -2.91 to 2.45, low-quality evidence) and negative symptoms (1 RCT, n = 59/97, aMD 3.42, 95%C CI -0.24 to 7.09, low-quality evidence).No data were available for adherence to treatment, service use or quality of life.* Of the total of 97 randomised participants, 66 provided data. The evidence available is from one pilot cluster-randomised controlled trial, it is not adequate enough to draw any robust conclusions. There were relatively few good quality data and the trial is too small to highlight differences in most outcome measures. Adding a CST programme appears to have a modest positive effect on patients' experiences of the therapeutic relationship. More high-quality research is needed in this area.

Background: Counseling skills are essential for students in psychology, guidance counseling, and social work, as they are crucial for addressing psychological, emotional, and social issues effectively. Objective: This study aims to identify and analyze the factors influencing the development of counseling skills among university students, with particular emphasis on self-efficacy, cultural context, and the challenges encountered during training. Method: A systematic literature review was employed to gather, evaluate, and synthesize findings from empirical studies on counseling skills training for university students. This method enabled a structured and transparent collection of data from sources indexed in reputable academic databases. Results: The findings reveal that experiential learning methods, such as role-playing, internships, and case simulations, significantly improve students' empathy and interviewing skills. The use of technology, such as virtual reality (VR) simulations, also enhances non-verbal communication skills. Group supervision and feedback from peers and instructors accelerate the mastery of practical counseling skills. However, cultural differences and emotional stress during practice remain significant challenges. Conclusion: The study concludes that effective development of counseling skills requires a multimodal approach that integrates theory, practice, reflection, and feedback. It also emphasizes the need for adaptive curricula that take into account local and cultural contexts. Contribution: This research contributes to the design of more effective counseling training strategies, providing insights into how counseling programs can be adapted to meet the diverse needs of students from various cultural backgrounds.

Background The Study discusses education through health work in Brazil through socio-historical and political-economic analysis to face the movement for reorienting professional training in health. Workforce planning, successful experiences and alternatives in inter-ministerial programs show a policy of professional training in health with an international influence on the health paradigm for tackling social inequalities (WHO, 2006). Importance of the research lies in the analysis of the health needs of the population with no answers. Guiding question inserts the dissociated character between the professional training model of higher education schools in health and the work redefined by the Unified Health System (SUS). Methods Integrative Bibliographic Review of documents related to the model of training through health work in the database of the Virtual Health Library (VHL), Mapping of Interministerial Programs to design the model for reorienting the National Policy for Permanent Education in Health (PNEPS) and National Curricular Guidelines (DCN's). The selected information sources with inclusion criteria used studies in the form of articles, ministerial documents and professional training. Results Brazil portrays the replacement of the health care model by SUS and by the political ordering of professional health education curricula, however, higher education institutions, still remain resistant. Conclusions The curricular reorientation is identified in successful experiences of higher education courses and practices, creation of the Secretariat for Management through Health Work (SGTES), insertion of inter-ministerial education programs through health work that promote change through alternative curricula within health schools. Key messages Education through health work. Professional training in health. Interministerial education / health programs.

ABSTRACTAs Indigenous mental health professionals, we need to articulate and differentiate between uncolonizing spaces, and moving toward decolonization and indigenization in the training of mental health professionals. While these terms are frequently used, the processes involved remain to be clearly articulated. Too often practices that are intended to be decolonizing center the settler-colonizer narrative. Representation of Indigenous peoples as active agents in their own healing matters and their knowledge systems must be included in mental health training. Three necessary elements are required to create these spaces: a) centering Indigenous epistemologies in theory, practice, and research; b) co-constructing learning spaces where Indigenous peoples’ lived experiences are heard, validated, and honored and conducted with cultural humility; and c) practicing ceremonies/rituals to create healing and connectedness within these sacred spaces. Finally, we provide a case study of the creation of a Hui (group in Hawaiian) among Indigenous practitioners, scholars, and students demonstrating transformation of pedagogy and praxis for mental health professionals in training (Barnhardt, 1992; Fellner, 2018a; hook, 2013).

The case for interprofessional learning and collaborative practice in graduate medical education.

Aligning Healthcare Safety and Quality Competencies: Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN), The Joint Commission, and American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet® Standards Crosswalk

The central place of psychiatry in health care worldwide.

BackgroundThere is a vast body of literature on deliberative, participative, or engaged democracy. In the area of health care there is a rapidly expanding literature on deliberative democracy as embodied in various notions of public engagement, shared decision-making (SDM), patient-centered care, and patient/care provider autonomy over the past few decades. It is useful to review such literature to get a sense of the challenges and prospects of introducing deliberative democracy in health care.ObjectiveThis paper reviews the key literature on deliberative democracy and SDM in health care settings with a focus on identifying the main challenges of promoting this approach in health care, and recognizing its progress so far for mapping out its future prospects in the context of advanced countries.MethodSeveral databases were searched to identify the literature pertinent to the subject of this study. A total of 56 key studies in English were identified and reviewed carefully for indications and evidence of challenges and/or promising avenues of promoting deliberative democracy in health care.ResultsTime pressure, lack of financial motivation, entrenched professional interests, informational imbalance, practical feasibility, cost, diversity of decisions, and contextual factors are noted as the main challenges. As for the prospects, greater clarity on conception of public engagement and policy objectives, real commitment of the authorities to public input, documenting evidence of the effectiveness of public involvement, development of patient decision supports, training of health professionals in SDM, and use of multiple and flexible methods of engagement leadership suited to specific contexts are the main findings in the reviewed literature.ConclusionSeeking deliberative democracy in health care is both challenging and rewarding. The challenges have been more or less identified. However, its prospects are potentially significant. Such prospects are more likely to materialize if deliberative democracy is pursued more systematically in the broader sociopolitical domains.

Cultural competence in health care is designed to ensure that health professionals are able to provide quality health care to culturally and ethnically diverse populations. Cultural competence can be effective for improving health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and skills and patient satisfaction. The impact of cultural competence education and training included in university-based professional training of health professionals is relatively unclear. This study aims to describe the characteristics and assess the methodological quality of published evaluations of cultural competence education and training interventions targeting university based health professionals in training. A systematic search of the cultural competence literature identified 16 published evaluations of cultural competence education and training interventions included in university based professional training of health professionals. Information on the characteristics and methodological quality of included studies was extracted using standardized assessment tools. Nine studies evaluated the integration of cultural competence into health or medical curriculum, four evaluated a cultural immersion experience, and three evaluated cultural awareness education and training. Positive outcomes commonly reported were improvements in students' knowledge of cultural competence and attitudes towards Indigenous and culturally diverse peoples. The methodological quality of evaluations and the reporting of key methodological criteria were variable. Eleven studies conducted a quantitative and five studies a qualitative evaluation. Strengths of quantitative evaluations included adequate study designs and valid and reliable measurement instruments. Selection bias and poor attrition were the main limitations of quantitative evaluations. Qualitative evaluations were adequate on most methodological criteria but the reporting of ethical and some methodological issues was less than adequate. There is insufficient evidence to provide a strong basis for recommending the inclusion of specific cultural competence education and training strategies in the professional training of university based health professionals. Future evaluations should compare similar types of strategies, and extend their measurement of outcomes beyond those relating to the knowledge, attitudes and skills of health professionals, to those relating to health care outcomes of ethnically diverse peoples.

Training of health professionals in adolescent health care: Study group report

BackgroundAlthough mental health promotion is a priority mental health action area for all European countries, high level training resources and high quality skills acquisition in mental health promotion are still relatively rare. The aim of the current paper is to present the results of the DG SANCO-funded PROMISE project concerning the development of European guidelines for training social and health care professionals in mental health promotion.MethodsThe PROMISE project brought together a multidisciplinary scientific committee from eight European sites representing a variety of institutions including universities, mental health service providers and public health organisations. The committee used thematic content analysis to filter and analyse European and international policy documents, scientific literature reviews on mental health promotion and existing mental health promotion programmes with regard to identifying quality criteria for training care professionals on this subject. The resulting PROMISE Guidelines quality criteria were then subjected to an iterative feedback procedure with local steering groups and training professionals at all sites with the aim of developing resource kits and evaluation tools for using the PROMISE Guidelines. Scientific committees also collected information from European, national and local stakeholder groups and professional organisations on existing training programmes, policies and projects.ResultsThe process identified ten quality criteria for training care professionals in mental health promotion: embracing the principle of positive mental health; empowering community stakeholders; adopting an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach; including people with mental health problems; advocating; consulting the knowledge base; adapting interventions to local contexts; identifying and evaluating risks; using the media; evaluating training, implementation processes and outcomes. The iterative feedback process produced resource kits and evaluation checklists linked with each of these quality criteria in all PROMISE languages.ConclusionsThe development of generic guidelines based on key quality criteria for training health and social care professionals in mental health promotion should contribute in a significant way to implementing policy in this important area.

Independent foundations' primary focus is grant making.In general, their assets come from the gift of an individual or family.Community foundations' assets usually come from many donors rather than a single source, and grant making is limited to a particular region.Community foundations are usually classified as private charities under the tax law and are subject to different rules and regulations than are other private foundations. Access To CareAccording to 1988 Census Bureau estimates, over thirty-one million Americans are without health insurance.The demographics of these people are diverse, and their ranks continue to grow as the service industry burgeons and as competition in health care increases.Regional disparities in access also exist.Foundation funding in this area ranges from economic analyses of the problem to direct provision of care.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Continuing Professional Development: Go Green and Go Home?

Background: There are people needing services on the one hand and on the other there are those entrusted to serve, both with the mission of wellness of people, a central point in health. Modern high technology is available to some; however others are not able to see health providers of modern medicine all through their life. Both are suffering, one because of fragmented overused services and the others because of underuse or not being able to use health providers. Various health systems have parallel training in their respective systems and different health systems run parallel. This leads to dissatisfied people which raises many questions that need right answers, not easy but essential. Objectives: To provide details on how to get information about health professionals training, health care systems, for sensitization about the need for change in teaching, learning and health care. Methodology: Literature was searched with various search engines; personal experiences were added. Results: Literature search revealed that lot needs to be changed in training of health providers, in various systems and health care in various systems. All run parallel with neither bridges between each system’s training and care nor in various health systems. There are situations with awakened users influenced by commercialized managed systems; however, other health seekers lack awareness and resources as they struggle for their daily livelihood. So gaps continue. Conclusion: It is essential to have institutional, instructional reforms for need-based training, coordination between education, health care systems in various health systems to have health professionals who provide efficient, effective care. For appropriate health delivery, clinicians need the training to provide bridged care, across systems, teams, in settings, time frames, responding to patients’ needs expectations for wellness.