Vaccine hesitancy among health care workers poses significant challenges to public health, particularly during times of crisis. This study investigates the factors influencing vaccine hesitancy among health care workers at Montefiore Medical Center, NY, with the aim of providing valuable insights to help shape and enhance future public health vaccination campaigns.

Utilizing Montefiore’s HER (Epic system) data from 2021–2023, linear logistic and multiple regression analyses were performed to assess correlations between demographic variables—such as age, race/ethnicity, job category, and county of residence—and vaccine uptake for both influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. Data were sourced from EPIC and Cority employee datasets. Missing demographic data were imputed where possible. The study population comprises a diverse workforce of 21 331 health care workers, encompassing a wide range of clinical and non-clinical roles.

Key predictors of vaccine hesitancy included prior influenza vaccination status, age, race/ethnicity, job title, and county of residence. Workers vaccinated against influenza were 6.2% more likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Younger health care workers and racial groups like Black and biracial employees demonstrated higher levels of hesitancy, while Asian workers exhibited higher rates of vaccine acceptance.

Tailored communication strategies and educational programs are critical for addressing vaccine hesitancy, particularly among younger health care workers and specific racial groups. Building trust and improving transparency will be essential to increasing vaccine uptake and achieving broader public health objectives.

To reach a European consensus about terminology, criteria, and cutoffs regarding the reverse triage selection process in Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) and crowding.

An e-Delphi study with a 2-part design was set up. Part 1a aimed to develop a theoretical framework of a Patient Disposition Classification Model (PDCM). Part 1b facilitated a European expert panel review of the original critical interventions and a consensus regarding their definitions and terminology. In part 2, the final critical interventions needed to be ranked on a 10-point linear numeric scale to what extent withholding or withdrawing them would lead to a Consequential Medical Event (CME). Finally, an upper limit of risk tolerance needed to be assigned to each PDCM category.

A 5-category PDCM and a universal list of 18 critical interventions, applicable for both MCI and daily crowding situations. Furthermore, an upper limit of acceptable CME risk was assigned to each PDCM category and a 10-point linear numeric scale ranking of the 18 critical interventions was achieved.

The Delphi study achieved its objectives with a European consensus on terminology, criteria, and cutoffs regarding the reverse triage selection process in MCI and crowding.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life of individuals who received psychological treatment compared to those who did not.

The survey method was used to collect data. The questionnaire consisted of questions that elicit the personal characteristics of the participants and the COVID-19–Impact on Quality of Life Scale (COV19-QoL). A total of 480 individuals aged 18 years or older were administered the questionnaires in Türkiye. The data obtained from the survey was analyzed using the SPSS 26 software package.

The results showed that the effect of COVID-19 on quality of life differed significantly depending on whether the participants received psychological treatment or not.

It was concluded that individuals who received psychological treatment had a higher impact of COVID-19 on their quality of life. The findings are discussed concerning the relevant literature on theoretical and practical implications.

The aim was to deeply examine the opinions of volunteers who took part in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye on February 6, 2023, regarding the use of social media during the disaster period.

The study was designed as qualitative research. Because it was planned to examine the participant experiences in depth, the phenomenological design was employed in the study. Study data were collected from individuals who had earthquake experience through a semi-structured interview form between May 2023 and July 2023.

In line with the data obtained, 2 themes were created: “social media content and communication analysis” and “social media impact analysis and results.” It was found that for information seeking, information sharing, or interaction during disasters, Twitter (X), Instagram, and WhatsApp were the most preferred social media platforms, respectively. Participants mentioned that posts related to disaster during times of disasters have an impact on their emotions. It was determined that the proper use and correct management of social media tools in times of earthquakes affect coordination and relief efforts.

It was concluded that the type of content shared during earthquake times affects both disaster victims and other individuals of the society positively or negatively.

Disaster management strategies often emphasize technical and structural solutions, overlooking the sociocultural factors that shape community resilience and disaster response. In Malaysia, a multiethnic and multireligious country frequently affected by floods and monsoon storms, cultural beliefs, social networks, and traditional practices play a pivotal role in shaping disaster preparedness and recovery. This study examines how religious beliefs, community cohesion, gender roles, and traditional knowledge influence disaster management in Malaysia.

A qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 15 stakeholders from diverse ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds. Participants, represented various religious groups and geographic areas. Their roles included local leaders, government officials, NGO workers, and community members, providing insights into how sociocultural factors influence disaster response and policy.

Religious beliefs serve as both a source of resilience and a potential barrier, shaping community attitudes toward disaster preparedness. Community cohesion, particularly through gotong-royong (mutual aid), plays a crucial role in mobilizing resources and support, though it often excludes marginalized groups. Gender roles significantly influence disaster response, with women taking on caregiving responsibilities yet remaining underrepresented in decision-making processes. Traditional knowledge remains valuable, particularly in rural communities, but faces challenges as younger generations increasingly rely on modern technologies.

This study highlights the need for culturally sensitive, gender-inclusive, and community-driven disaster management policies in Malaysia.Integrating sociocultural dimensions into formal frameworks can foster more adaptive and inclusive strategies. Enhancing community participation and gender inclusivity will be key to improving disaster resilience in Malaysia.

This study examined the association between willingness-to-respond (WTR) and behavioral factors among emergency department health care workers (HCWs) during a pandemic situation in Pakistan.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and September 2022, involving health care workers from 2 hospitals located in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants were recruited using a non-probability purposive sampling method. The survey instrument was designed based on Witte’s Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between WTR and HCWs’ attitudes, beliefs, and EPPM profiles.

Health workers’ overall willingness to respond was 52.57% if required and 52.26% if asked. Female health workers showed 1.78 greater odds of WTR if required, compared to male health workers. Health workers who reported high efficacy were 21 times more likely to report to work during pandemics when required and 6 times more likely to report if asked compared to those with low efficacy.

This study explored health care workers’ willingness to respond during a pandemic. Female health care workers and those in clinical roles were more likely to be willing to respond during an influenza pandemic. Enhancing self-efficacy, knowledge, and addressing perceived risks can significantly improve workforce preparedness for future pandemics.

Increase bleeding control knowledge and self-efficacy among middle school students and determine efficacy of health care student-led Stop the Bleed (STB) training.

An interprofessional group of health care students led STB trainings at 6 Texas middle schools. Trainings included a presentation plus hands-on skills training and were evaluated using pre- and post-training surveys focused on bleeding control knowledge, self-efficacy, and willingness to assist in emergencies. Paired pre- and post-training survey responses were compared using McNemar’s test for knowledge-based questions and paired t tests for Likert scale responses.

Health care students (N = 103) trained 805 middle school students, aged 10-16 years, of which 447 (55.5%) completed pre- and post-surveys. There was significant improvement in all 7 knowledge-based questions from pre- to post-training. There were significant improvements in comfort using tourniquets (median [interquartile range]: 3 [2-4] vs. 4 [3-5]; P < 0.0001), confidence applying direct pressure (3 [2-4] vs. 4 [3-5]; P < 0.0001), and likeliness to assist someone bleeding (4 [3-5] vs. 4 [4-5]; P = 0.0096). Eighty-four percent of students found this training “useful.”

While previous studies have demonstrated STB training efficacy, this is among the first to provide evidence that health care student-led STB training significantly increased bleeding control knowledge and self-efficacy among middle school students.

Substate-level analysis reveals geographical variation in COVID-19 epidemiology and facilitates improvement of prevention efforts with greater granularity.

We analyzed daily confirmed COVID-19 case count in West Virginia and its 9 regions (March 19, 2020-March 9, 2023). Nonparametric bootstrapping and a Poisson-distributed multiplier of 4 were applied to account for irregular and under-reporting. We used the R package EpiEstim to estimate the time-varying reproduction number Rt with 7-day-sliding-windows (2020-2023) and non-overlapping-time-windows between 5 policy changes (2020 only). Poisson regression was used to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) between each region and West Virginia (2020, 2021, and 2022).

Statewide Rt fluctuated over the study period, with the highest in March 2020 (close to 2) and the lowest Rt (<1) seen in June 2020. The Stay-at-home Order, Face Mask Mandate, and Virtual Learning Resumes saw 38.7% (95% credible interval [CrI]: 21.9%-57.5%), 10.6% (95% CrI, 3.2%-18.9%), and 9.4% (95% CrI, 3.2%-15.4%) corresponding decreases in Rt statewide. All regions experienced incidence rates different from the state. The IRRs ranged from 0.32 (95% CI, 0.32-0.33) (Northern region) to 1.90 (95% CI, 1.87-1.94) (Wood-Jackson region) in 2020.

Policies reducing human contacts, e.g., Stay-at-home Order and Virtual Learning Resumes, effectively reduced transmission statewide.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergency Programme funded three systematic reviews to inform development of guidance for emergency preparedness in health emergencies. The current review investigated the type of learning interventions that have been developed and used during health emergencies, and how they were developed.

We searched PubMed, CINAHL, Communication and Mass Media Complete (EBSCO), and Web of Science. Study quality was appraised by WHO-recommended method-specific checklists. Findings were extracted using a narrative summary approach.

187 studies were included. Studies were split between online, in-person, and hybrid modalities, conducted mostly by hospitals and universities, and most frequently training nurses and doctors. Studies emphasized experiential learning to develop and reinforce skills; online learning for knowledge dissemination; multi-sectoral partnerships, institutional support and carefully constructed planning task forces, rapid training development and dissemination, and use of training models.

It Most studies evaluated only knowledge or self-confidence of trainees. Relatively few assessed skills; evaluations of long-term outcomes were rare. Little evidence is available about comparative effectiveness of different approaches, or optimum frequency and length of training programming. Based on principles induced, six recommendations for future JIT training are presented.

This study aimed to examine health care workers’ (HCWs) perceptions of hospital disaster planning and preparedness within the context of building resilient health care systems. It also evaluated HCWs’ involvement in the planning process.

Thirteen HCWs from 2 Queensland hospitals participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. These interviews were audio-recorded with participant consent and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts, recordings, and participant details were coded for confidentiality. Thematic analysis was used to identify essential patterns in the data and make sense of them.

HCWs’ perspectives on disaster planning underscored the importance of comprehensive planning, business continuity, proactive approaches emphasizing anticipation and risk mitigation, and implementation of established plans through training, resource management, and operational readiness. HCWs’ participation in planning ranged from high engagement through collaboration and continuous improvement to moderate or lower levels focusing on regulatory compliance and resource allocation.

This study highlights HCWs’ views regarding disaster planning and preparedness for building resilient health care systems. HCWs emphasised comprehensive planning and proactive preparedness, aligning with global priorities for disaster risk reduction. They stress the importance of education, training, operational readiness, and continuous improvement. This study underlines the vital role of HCWs’ participation in disaster planning and the need for comprehensive training initiatives.

Earthquakes deeply affect people’s lives and cause significant psychological damage. This study was conducted to determine the trauma level of midwifery students after the devastating earthquake in Turkey.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 252 students enrolled in the midwifery department of the Faculty of Health Sciences of a state university in Turkey. Data were collected using the participant information form and the Scale for Determining the Level of Post-Earthquake Trauma. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for data analysis.

This study found that post-earthquake, students had trauma levels and sub-dimension scores related to behavioral problems, excitement limitation, affective and cognitive structuring, and sleep problems that were above average. The research revealed that students who were present in one of the earthquake-affected provinces, experienced house destruction, suffered the loss of relatives, had previous traumatic events, or received disaster management training had significantly higher levels of trauma.

In this direction, it is of utmost importance for university students in midwifery departments to be prepared for natural disasters like earthquakes. This preparedness will enable them to effectively cope with the physical and psychological issues caused by such disasters, benefiting both their own health and public health.

Simulation materials for layperson first responder (LFR) trainings used in high-resource settings are prohibitively expensive for use in low- and low-middle income countries. To date, no structured approach to community-engaged design in identifying accessible and acceptable simulation materials for LFR trainings has been developed.

We conducted 2 workshops with male (18) and female participants (10) in a rural village in the Centre-Est region of Burkina Faso using principles of community-engaged research to define solutions for improvised LFR training materials.

Participants reported a range of reactions to the use of live trainees and animal models for LFR training including considerations around gender sensitivity, use of animals for training purposes in regions of food insecurity, and religious and cultural barriers to consumption of meat after use for training purposes. A range of locally available options for training materials was identified by participants.

Significant sociocultural variability exists across low-resource environments with implications for the acceptability and availability of improvised materials for LFR training. Affected communities should be engaged in the selection and design of improvisation strategies to ensure context-appropriate adaptation.