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To identify physiotherapy students' preferences about their prospective area of practice and the reasons for their choices. Tel-Aviv University physiotherapy students participated in a cross-sectional survey and three open-ended questions that comprise the qualitative component of the study. At the very beginning of their studies, and at the end of the first to fourth years, participants were asked about their area of preference, the factors that shaped their choice, and the reasons for prospective changes in their preference. In total, 289 students filled out the survey. Response rate was 68%. Interest in some areas of practice such as pediatrics remained stable throughout years of physiotherapy studies. In contrast, interest in other areas such as sports declined and interest in others such as rehabilitation increased. The open-ended questions yielded 1,616 codes sorted into five categories that shaped the students' preferences: "I/Me /My" the largest category, followed by "the physiotherapy studies program" and then the relational focused "physiotherapy practice." The number of codes for "working conditions" and "work-life balance" increased steeply with the progression of the studies and the age of the students. The choice for areas of practice of physiotherapy students vary during their professional formation. During their professional development, their preferences are shaped by their personal feelings, interest in and past experience with the specific areas of practice, as well as their practical exposure, experiences in practicums, and theoretical studies. Millennial physiotherapists prefer areas of practice in which personal as well as relational considerations are core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Considerable health inequities documented in Israel between communities, populations and regions, undermine the rights of all citizens to optimal health. The first step towards health equity is agreement on a set of national indicators, reflecting equity in healthcare provision and health outcomes, and allowing monitoring of the impact of interventions on the reduction of disparities. We describe the process of reaching a consensus on a defined set of national equity indicators. Methods: The study was conducted between January 2019 and June 2020, in a multistage design: (A) Identifying appropriate and available inequity measures via interviews with stakeholders. (B) Agreement on the screening criteria (public health importance; gap characteristics; potential for change; public interest) and relative weighting. (C) Constructing the consultation framework as an online, 3-round Delphi technique, with a range of experts recruited from the health, welfare and education sectors. Results: Participants were of diverse age, gender, geographic location, religion and ethnicity, and came from academia, healthcare provision, government ministries and patient representative groups. Thirty measures of inequity, presented to participants, represented the following domains: Health promotion (11 indicators), acute and chronic morbidity (11), life expectancy and mortality (2), health infrastructures and affordability of care (4), education and employment (2). Of the 77 individuals contacted, 75 (97%) expressed willingness to participate, and 55 (73%) completed all three scoring rounds. The leading ten indicators were: Diabetes care, childhood obesity, adult obesity, distribution of healthcare personnel, fatal childhood injuries, cigarette smoking, infant mortality, ability to afford care, access to psychotherapy and distribution of hospital beds. Agreement among raters, measured as intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), was 0.75. Conclusion: A diverse range of consultants reached a consensus on the most important national equity indicators, including both clinical and system indicators. Results should be used to guide governmental decision-making and inter-sectoral strategies, furthering the pursuit of a more equitable healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the scarce therapeutic options for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), aggressive interventions are implemented to limit its spread among hospitalized patients. One such option is contact isolation by cohorting patients in designated units.Aim: To describe the experiences in a cohort isolation unit (CIU) due to CPE from the perspectives of patients admitted to this unit and their families, and those of healthcare workers (HCWs) who served in the same unit.Methods: Qualitative study. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted in a large tertiary hospital. Twenty-four participants were interviewed, including 15 HCWs, three patients and six family members. Data were coded using thematic analysis.Findings: The CIU provoked negative feelings such as fear, risk, loneliness, distrust and unfairness. They also created a sense of conflict with the curative assumptions of hospital care. The poor CIU infrastructure was echoed in perceptions of crowdedness in the site. Moreover, family members described HCWs' inconsistent protective behaviours that led them to a state of vigilance. The hospital infection control unit imparted and refreshed HCWs' knowledge and expected behaviours regarding the CIU. However, patients and families expressed dissatisfaction with the information, guidance and education regarding the 'why and how' of the CIU. They were not guided consistently about recommended behaviours after discharge. In retrospect, HCWs found that the CIU took a psychological, physical and professional toll.Conclusion: The CIU was planned as a temporary containment mechanism. It needs to develop into a permanent system, capable of addressing the various needs of all involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To provide a detailed, up‐to‐date account of the job description and practice areas of current public health nurses. Design and Sample: A cross‐sectional study. A sample of 824 public health nurses, 80% of public health nurses in Israel, participated in a national structured survey. Measures: A structured questionnaire eliciting self‐reported public health nursing activities, priorities, perceived deficiencies, and job satisfaction was compiled. Results: Nearly 70% of surveyed public health nurses provided individual‐level interventions and less population‐health‐focused activities such as community needs assessments and development and implementation of community‐based projects. Conclusions: Advanced training should be required in several areas of practice and the scope of public health nurses' practice should be expanded, with greater emphasis on population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Languages are dynamic and change over the years. Changes in sign languages have been usually initiated to accommodate the needs of the local Deaf community. With the increase in smartphone use, sign languages are influenced not only by the local Deaf community, but also by foreign Deaf people on the other side of the screen, regardless of their location. Smartphones influence the sign language itself and the Deaf community by connecting different communities of Deaf people through messages, shared information and experiences, and news delivery. The popularity of this technology among Deaf communities is a social phenomenon emerging from Deaf people themselves. Smartphones may promote the globalization of sign language, shortening distances between Deaf communities around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: People with hearing disabilities (PwHDs) often do not receive the warnings sent out to the general community during emergencies. Our goal was to identify the obstacles preventing PwHDs from accessing vital information in routine circumstances and during general emergencies. Method: This study was conducted from November 2018 through July 2020. We used a mixed-methods approach. The qualitative portion consisted of a standardized, open-ended interview with 19 PwHDs from various socio-economic backgrounds, religions, areas of residence and levels of hearing disability about coping with emergency situations in Israel. Grounded theory was used for analysis of the findings. The quantitative portion consisted of a cross-sectional survey of 288 PwHDs focused on perceptions of their self-efficacy in dealing with emergencies, methods of communication and accessibility of services. Using the Qualtrics survey platform with Israel sign language videoclips that included subtitles in straightforward Hebrew increased the participation. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS ver.23. Results: Most respondents explained that their responses differed depending on whether the emergency is collective or personal. 1. Collective emergencies: Events such as earthquakes or wars that affect everyone. Most solutions provided to the general population are not accessible to or suitable for PwHDs. 2. Private emergencies: PwHDs often encounter personal emergencies such as difficulty asking for help on the street, the inability to contact call centers or the difficulty in obtaining accessible information from organizations. Conclusion: The distinction between types of emergencies requires the development of different resources for dealing with routine issues and public emergencies. The latter affect PwHDs less than private emergencies. Standards of accessibility must be established for places providing services both during the day and at night, such as emergency rooms, telephone service centers, clinics, etc. These standards are the basis that which will allow for PWHDs to communicate independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: People with hearing disabilities (PwHDs) face many challenges in their everyday lives, as their environments were not designed to accommodate their needs. They may have a communication disability as well as a hearing disability. To cope, PwHDs rely on the assistance of others, their communities, technology, and personal resources. In emergency situations challenges become greater and resources scarcer. Method: This study was conducted from November 2018 through July 2020. A mixed-methods approach consisting of in-depth interviews and online quantitative surveys with PwHDs in Israel was used. The qualitative part enquired about the resources they used to cope during emergencies and the obstacles they faced. Grounded theory was used for the analysis of the findings. The quantitative part focused on their perceptions of self-efficacy, methods of communication, and accessibility of services in emergency situations. The participants were deaf or hard of hearing individuals, and those who used hearing aids and/or had a cochlear implant, as well as individuals who chose not to use them. The study excluded people over 60, because we focused on those who didn't suffer from hearing loss caused by age. The survey was accessible in Israeli sign language using Qualtrics survey platform. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS ver.23. Results: PwHDs' resources for coping with emergencies were identified and classified under four categories. 1. Characteristics of the PwHD: type, methods of communication (sign language, read lips, speech) and accessibility of services. 2. Personal resources: Independent communication and self-efficacy. 3. Time of event: Daytime or nighttime. 4. Characteristics of the emergency: Personal vs. collective. Conclusion: The study identified the resources PwHDs used to cope with emergencies. Results can help develop standards of accessibility for places providing services during both day and night that will allow PwHDs to communicate independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deaf people have unique characteristics and needs. There is a limited amount of research regarding the needs of deaf people, and no studies were found concerning deaf people in emergency situations. The absence of the sense of hearing in deaf people is only one component of the complexity of their world. Many factors contribute to this complexity, but the most striking is the means of communication between the deaf and the hearing person and vice versa. Changes during emergency situations present a challenge for hearing individuals, and even more so, for deaf people. Deaf individuals experience difficulty in obtaining and transmitting information, accessing care and more. These difficulties often result in the dependency of the deaf person on others. The State of Israel enacted laws targeted to facilitate the access of individuals with disabilities in general, and deaf people in particular, to public services. In emergencies, the Home Front Command and the Ministry of Social Welfare distribute pagers to the deaf population, as a device to communicate warning alerts. However, these devices do not fulfil the need for accessible care, bi-directional flow of information, and additional needs that arise during times of emergency. The deaf population is a cultural minority, whose needs in emergency situations are unknown. Familiarity with the deaf population is the first step towards improving treatment and communication that are apt for this population. This paper reviews what is known in the literature about this topic and presents an attempt to bridge the gap of knowledge and barriers to communication between the deaf population and