Background: COVID-19 phobia in nurses may increase the incidence of negative events that threaten the culture of patient safety. Especially due to the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic, there is concern that nurses may engage in practices that may threaten patient safety against a possible pandemic. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship and impact of nurses' COVID-19 phobia levels with patient safety culture. Methods: The study was conducted using a descriptive and cross-sectional design. Data was collected from 165 nurses in Turkey using the descriptive characteristics form, COVID-19 phobia (C19P-S) and patient safety culture scale (PSC-S) between August and November 2022 via online responses. Results: The mean score of C19P-S of the nurses was 47,85±19,29, and the mean score of PSC-S was determined as 2,75±0,57. There was a significant correlation between psychological and the employee behavior subscales (r=0,174; p<0,05). The impact value of nurses' COVID-19 phobia on patient safety culture was found to be β=,153, p=,050. Conclusions: Nurses have low COVID-19 phobias and moderate patient safety culture perceptions. A positive and low level significant relationship was found between psychological and employee behavior subscales. There was no significant impact of nurses' COVID-19 phobias on patient safety culture.

Objective: This study was conducted in Iran to explore the hesitancy of COVID-19vaccinations from the perspective of opponents of the COVID-19vaccination in Iranian society. Design: Qualitative design, using the conventional content analysis approach, has been used to collect and analyze data. 29 in-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with those individuals who held a stance against receiving the COVID-19vaccine. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. The data analysis process was based on the Landman and Grenheim method with the aid of MAXQDA (20) software. In addition, Lincoln and Guba's criteria were followed to ensure the trustworthiness of the study findings. Setting: The study was conducted in Tehran, Iran, from April 2022 to March 2023. Results: During the data analysis,16 sub-categories were formed from 1273 codes and after merging similar sub-categories in terms of similarities, 7 main categories including (a."Distrust", b."Beliefs", c."Emotions", d."Ambiguity", e."Alternative ways", f."Attention to people's freedom of choice", and g."The impact of politics on health") were extracted. These categories cover and reflect the participants' experiences of the phenomenon of opposition to COVID-19vaccination. Conclusion: To promote vaccine acceptance, comprehensive and accurate information, trust in healthcare, proper information management, effective vaccine selection methods, and guidance from successful experiences should be implemented.

The debate over universal healthcare in the United States remains a deeply polarizing issue, with advocates and critics presenting compelling arguments. This article explores the readiness of the U.S. for universal healthcare by examining its current healthcare system—an intricate mix of private and public insurance—alongside the challenges of high costs, inequitable access, and administrative inefficiencies. Drawing comparisons with healthcare models in countries like Australia, the UK, Canada, and Sweden, the article highlights global best practices, including universal coverage, equity-focused policies, and cost control mechanisms. While the U.S. excels in medical innovation, advanced technology, and patient choice, it struggles with fragmented care and systemic inefficiencies, leaving room for significant improvement. The article presents actionable steps, such as expanding affordable access, simplifying administrative processes, addressing health disparities, and prioritizing preventive care. It also explores the feasibility of hybrid models that blend universal coverage with private-sector innovation. Ultimately, the path to universal healthcare in the U.S. depends on balancing equity, cost, and choice while addressing the unique cultural and systemic challenges of a diverse nation. This article serves as a call to action for meaningful reforms to create a healthcare system that is fair, accessible, and sustainable for all Americans.

Objective: This paper focuses on the multifaceted dimension of customer satisfaction in health insurance within Bengaluru city. Bengaluru city is a metropolis in India with a diversified population with diverse insurance preferences, and healthcare requirements. Through this comprehensive study, we strove to analyze the impact of demographic features and health insurance benefits on customer satisfaction. Methods: We have gathered data using a structured questionnaire. Chi–square and logistic regression tests were conducted using R – Program to understand which factors influence consumer satisfaction in Health Insurance (HI). Summary: This research investigates the factors influencing customer satisfaction in health insurance (HI) in Bengaluru, India, a city with diverse healthcare needs and insurance preferences. Using statistical tools like Chi-square and Logistic Regression in R, the study identifies key demographic and policy-related factors affecting satisfaction. Results: Occupation (p<0.01), family income (p<0.001), health insurance type (p<0.05), and ‘Is affected by COVID-19 previously’ (p<0.05) features are statistically significant. Claim settlement ratio (p=0.004), co-payment percentage (p=0.034), network hospitals coverage (p=0.018), tax benefits (p=0.015), and waiting periods (p=0.020) were found to be influencing factors of HI customer satisfaction. Conclusion: This customer satisfaction study enables policymakers and insurance service providers to understand the dynamics of the customer. The government, HI providers and researchers can use these results to plan new HI policies and improve customer satisfaction in HI.

Background: Diabetes is a silent disorder leading to disabling and fatal complications. The long-term complications of diabetes affect almost every system in the body. Balance impairment and postural instability is also observed in people having chronic diabetes which is a result of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and vestibular dysfunctions. Objective: The objective of this study is to find out the effect of chronic diabetes on postural sway by Romberg’s test and thereby finding effects of diabetes on balance and stability. Method: 60 participants both male and female between 40 to 60 years of age were included. The participants were divided into diabetic and non-diabetic group (n=30). All the participants performed Romberg’s test. Their postural sway was observed and subsequently Romberg’s sign was noted. The procedure is repeated again two more times to find out average Romberg’s sign. Results: The data shows a significant difference in postural sway between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. The chi-square value computed for this comparison was 5.406, yielding a p-value of 0.020. The p-value was below the conventional significance threshold of 0.05, indicating a statistically significant association between diabetes status and the presence of postural sway. Diabetic individuals were significantly more likely to exhibit signs of impaired balance compared to non-diabetic individuals, as evidenced by the highly significant chi-square test result. This finding highlights the impact of diabetes on balance and stability. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that postural sway and instability was more common in diabetic subjects as compare to non-diabetic subjects between 40 to 60 years of age. Additionally, this study suggested that patients having diabetes should take measures to prevent postural instability, balance impairments and other complications of diabetes.

Objective: This study investigates the potential of technology entrepreneurship to address critical challenges within the Indian healthcare landscape. Leveraging existing literature, we develop a novel theoretical framework examining how patients, medical professionals, and the healthcare industry interact with three key elements of technology entrepreneurship: technology innovation, technology proactivity, and technology risk-taking. Analysing these interactions across three tiers – patients, medical professionals, and the industry itself – reveals practical implications for fostering positive change. Design / Methodology: The authors have conducted an extensive review of literature focusing on technological growth in the healthcare industry and its effect on entrepreneurship development in this area. The review is primarily focused on developments in the last two decades. Consequently, the authors have proposed a framework for technology entrepreneurship development (i.e., technological innovation, technological proactivity, and technological risk-taking), which is the foundation of value creation. This concept will be dealt with at three levels, namely, patients, medical professionals and hospitals, and the entire healthcare industry. Results: Many researchers have identified that innovation, proactivity, and risk-taking are the key characteristics of the entrepreneurial journey. Each of these characteristics (innovation, proactivity, and risk-taking) has been explained with supporting examples from the healthcare industry. The paper's practical implications can be separated into three categories: those for patients (support for patients and technology-based engagement techniques), organizations (digital health solutions and collaborative motivation), and the healthcare industry (infrastructure and trust building). Conclusion: The paper has outlined the challenges and opportunities for technology entrepreneurs at three levels, namely, patients, medical professionals and hospitals, and the entire industry. Prospects for research in the near future have been also identified.

Aim: Many people, particularly those from low-income and marginalised communities, face barriers when accessing healthcare services. Therefore, this study examined the influence of household characteristics and perceived access barriers on the utilisation of outpatient services among low-income households living in urban and rural areas. Methods: This cross-sectional study employed 454 university students as proxies for low-income households. Data on household characteristics, perceived household medical needs and perceived access barriers were collected using online and printed questionnaire forms. The measure of perceived access barriers included items that represented various dimensions, including personal barriers, structural barriers, financial barriers, perceived triviality, accessibility, and time limitations. Main findings: The distance between household dwellings and public healthcare facilities as well as perceived household medical needs significantly influenced the use of outpatient care for urban and rural households. However, the influence of employment status and household size was only significant among urban households. In terms of perceived access barriers, financial barriers were found to have a negative influence on the use of outpatient services among urban households, while time limitations were strongly associated with reduced outpatient use among rural households. Perceived triviality and accessibility also exhibited statistical significance in influencing the use of outpatient services among urban and rural households, with moderate to large effect sizes. Conclusion: The findings of this study provided valuable insights into the use of outpatient services, accessibility and barriers encountered by low-income households living in urban and rural areas. Efforts to improve access are crucial in addressing health inequities and promoting a more just and equitable society.

Introduction: Under the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness has become a major public health concern worldwide. This study is conducted to systematically evaluate existing literature on loneliness during the pandemic to identify research trends and knowledge gaps for future studies and policy developments. Methods: Original articles and reviews related to COVID-19 loneliness, published from 2020 to 2023, were retrieved from the Web of Science database. Research collaboration and keyword co-occurrence analyses were performed using VOSviewer software. Latent Dirichlet Allocation algorithm from STATA was used to analyze common topics and research trends. Results: From 2020 to 2023, a total of 3,817 publications on COVID-19 loneliness were extracted. Regarding international collaboration, the United States and England produced the largest research output and had the most extensive network collaboration with other countries in the field. Main research topics included the risk factors for loneliness during the pandemic, its impacts on people’s well-being, and social support interventions. However, there is a lack of research on adolescents, children, and behavioral changes such as increased smoking, unhealthy alcohol consumption, and substance use due to loneliness during the pandemic. Conclusions: Our study highlights an increasing interest in research on loneliness during the pandemic and suggests the need for enhanced global cooperation between developed and developing countries. Moreover, researchers and policymakers should focus more on the long-term effects of COVID-19 loneliness on adolescents and children, behavioral lifestyle changes, as well as targeted social support programs using family-based interventions and communication technologies.

The healthcare sector framework highlights the importance of organizational justice in shaping employee attitudes and behaviors within healthcare settings. It emphasizes that perceptions of fairness—encompassing distributive, procedural, and interactional justice—are crucial for fostering (OCB) and enhancing employee engagement, ultimately impacting the quality of patient care and organizational effectiveness. This research aims to examine the impact of organizational justice on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and employee engagement among healthcare professionals. The study emphasizes the critical role that perceptions of fairness play in enhancing employee morale and productivity within healthcare settings. The study utilizes a comprehensive literature review to analyze existing theories and empirical findings related to organizational justice, OCB, and employee engagement. It synthesizes insights from various studies to develop a theoretical framework that illustrates the relationships between these constructs. Specifically, when healthcare employees feel that they are treated fairly with respect to resource distribution, decision-making processes, and interpersonal interactions, they are more likely to exhibit behaviors that support their organization and engage actively in their roles. The research concludes that fostering a culture of organizational justice is essential for promoting OCB and enhancing employee engagement in healthcare environments. Its originality lies in its focus on the healthcare sector, providing a unique perspective on how justice perceptions can drive positive organizational outcomes. This study lays the groundwork for future empirical research to validate these proposed relationships in practical settings, especially within the healthcare sector, and the dedication and willingness of employees are vital for success.

Background: Stress and depression have been increasing among undergraduates in India. The psychological wellbeing of undergraduates in India has become a critical focus of attention for the education community. Evidence shows that positive psychology interventions can be effective in enhancing psychological wellbeing and may help prevent stress and depression in undergraduates. In this study, we aimed to explore the potential effect of positive psychology educational interventions on improving the psychological health of Indian undergraduates. Methods: A 10-week classroom-based positive psychology educational intervention was conducted at the Bhopal School of Social Sciences, Undergraduate Institute (MP), India. Institute undergraduates in their second and third years participated . The participants’ self-reported data on psychological health and self-efficacy were collected and analyzed at pre-intervention (n= 45) and post-intervention (n=45) times. The instrument's reliability and validity were checked with the help of SEM (Structural Equation Model) software. The same software was used for data analysis. Results: The analysis showed that the psychological health of the undergraduates improved after the intervention. Their mean scores on psychological health and self-efficacy were significantly improved, while the symptoms of stress and depression were significantly reduced. Conclusions The study highlighted that a positive psychological intervention improves the psychological health and self-efficacy of undergraduates, even mitigating digital fatigue challenges.