Andreas Pavlakis - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Andreas Pavlakis
6Th Icodl 2011, Jun 11, 2011
Ανοικτή Εκπαίδευση: το περιοδικό για την Ανοικτή και εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση και την Εκπαιδευτική Τεχνολογία, 2016
... και αυτό αναδεικνύεται και επιβεβαιώνεται από τις πολλές και διάσπαρτες επισημάνσεις αρκετών ... more ... και αυτό αναδεικνύεται και επιβεβαιώνεται από τις πολλές και διάσπαρτες επισημάνσεις αρκετών φοιτητών, τόσο στα μηνιαία ημερολόγια όσο ... Τα βιώματα της φοιτητικής ζωής με τη μέθοδο της εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης αποτελούν πλέον μια πραγματικότητα η οποία με γεμίζει με ...
Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonom... more Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonomy of nurses has been proposed as a barrier to collaboration. This study aims to explore nurse-physician collaboration and potential associations with nurses' autonomy and pertinent nurses' characteristics in adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Cyprus. Descriptive correlational study with sampling of the entire adult ICU nurses' population in Cyprus (five ICUs in four public hospitals, n = 163, response rate 88·58%). Nurse-physician collaboration was assessed by the Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions Scale (CSACD), and autonomy by the Varjus et al. scale. The average CSACD score was 36·36 ± 13·30 (range: 7-70), implying low levels of collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions. Male participants reported significantly lower CSACD scores (t = 2·056, p = 0·04). CSACD correlated positively with years of ICU nursing experience (r = 0·332, p < 0·0001) and professional satisfaction (r = 0·455, p < 0·0001). The mean autonomy score was 76·15 ± 16·84 (range: 18-108). Higher degree of perceived collaboration (CSACD scores) associated with higher autonomy scores (r = 0·508, p <0·0001). Our findings imply low levels of nurse-physician collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions and moderate levels of autonomy in ICU nurses in Cyprus. The results provide insight into the association between nurse-physician collaboration and nurses' autonomy and the correlating factors.
International Journal of Mental Health, Dec 10, 2014
Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization h... more Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization have failed to achieve their targets for a number of reasons including lack of appropriate community psychiatric services and lack of knowledge of new approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the attitudes, beliefs, and mental health literacy of mental health professionals and the general population toward mental illness. Method: The Attitudes toward the Severe Mental Illness (ASMI) scale was administered in both mental health professionals (n = 311) and to the general population (n = 933) to compare stereotypes and optimism with regard to mental health patients and their abilities to integrate into the society. Results: The results indicate that the general population holds less negative stereotypes (M = 2.55, SD = 0.61) than mental health professionals (M = 1.93, SD = 0.59), t(734) = 13.34, p < .001, d = 1.04. However, mental health professionals are less optimistic about the competences of a patient with a mental illness (M = 1.92, SD = 0.61) than the general population (M = 2.2, SD = .37), t(854) = 8.1,
International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, 2015
Background: Medical errors have been highlighted in recent years by different agencies, scientifi... more Background: Medical errors have been highlighted in recent years by different agencies, scientific bodies and research teams alike. We sought to explore the issue of medical errors in Cyprus using data from the Eurobarometer survey. Methods: Data from the special Eurobarometer survey conducted in 2005 across all European Union countries (EU-25) and the acceding countries were obtained from the corresponding EU office. Statistical analyses including logistic regression models were performed using SPSS. Results: A total of 502 individuals participated in the Cyprus survey. About 90% reported that they had often or sometimes heard about medical errors, while 22% reported that a family member or they had suffered a serious medical error in a local hospital. In addition, 9.4% reported a serious problem from a prescribed medicine. We also found statistically significant differences across different ages and gender and in rural versus urban residents. Finally, using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, we found that residents in rural areas were more likely to have suffered a serious medical error in a local hospital or from a prescribed medicine. Conclusion: Our study shows that the vast majority of residents in Cyprus in parallel with the other Europeans worry about medical errors and a significant percentage report having suffered a serious medical error at a local hospital or from a prescribed medicine. The results of our study could help the medical community in Cyprus and the society at large to enhance its vigilance with respect to medical errors in order to improve medical care.
International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 2011
Nursing in critical care, Jan 16, 2015
Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonom... more Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonomy of nurses has been proposed as a barrier to collaboration. This study aims to explore nurse-physician collaboration and potential associations with nurses' autonomy and pertinent nurses' characteristics in adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Cyprus. Descriptive correlational study with sampling of the entire adult ICU nurses' population in Cyprus (five ICUs in four public hospitals, n = 163, response rate 88·58%). Nurse-physician collaboration was assessed by the Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions Scale (CSACD), and autonomy by the Varjus et al. scale. The average CSACD score was 36·36 ± 13·30 (range: 7-70), implying low levels of collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions. Male participants reported significantly lower CSACD scores (t = 2·056, p = 0·04). CSACD correlated positively with years of ICU nursing experience (r = 0·332, p < 0·0001) an...
Hellenic journal of cardiology : HJC = Hellēnikē kardiologikē epitheōrēsē
The Greek public is currently not represented at any level of the healthcare system's organis... more The Greek public is currently not represented at any level of the healthcare system's organisational structure. This study aimed to investigate the opinions of Greek citizens as well as doctors regarding their representation in priority setting and to compare these two groups' preferences when prioritising competing resources. A sample of 300 citizens and 100 doctors were asked by means of a standardised questionnaire: (a) whether their views should inform healthcare decisions; (b) to rank in terms of importance other groups that should participate in the process; and (c) to allocate competing resources to a series of alternative prevention programmes, medical procedures or across different population groups. As many as 83% of the citizens stated that their opinions should inform decisions regarding prevention and population-group programmes, while a slightly lower 70% believed their opinions should also be heard regarding medical procedures. However, when asked to rank six ...
Journal of Critical Care, 2013
Background: Patient safety is considered an antecedent of quality of hospital care. The explicit ... more Background: Patient safety is considered an antecedent of quality of hospital care. The explicit need to focus on quality of care underpins the aim of the study to evaluate the safety culture and teamwork climate in the public intensive care units (ICUs) of the 5 regional public hospitals in Cyprus as measured by a validated safety attitudes tool. Methods: A questionnaire that included the Greek version of the generic version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire has been used in all public ICUs across Cyprus. Results: There were 132 (76.7%) fully completed questionnaires of 172 registered nurses who are currently positioned in Cyprus ICUs. The mean age of the participants was 33.09 ± 08.16 years. The mean of the total working years as a nurse was 10.82 ± 8.47 years, whereas the mean of the total work experience in the ICU units was 6.05 ± 5.16 years. The sample's age strongly correlated with teamwork, nurses with more years of experience rated higher teamwork (P = .02), and their perceptions of management were better than those of the inexperienced nurses. Conclusions: Considerable safety climate variations between the ICUs of the regional hospitals of Cyprus have been verified. Age, infrastructure, the severity of cases, and the nurse skill mix are variables that affect the patient safety culture in an ICU environment.
International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 2013
Background: The shift from asylum to community care for mental health patients has burdened the p... more Background: The shift from asylum to community care for mental health patients has burdened the providers of primary health care and, more than all, families. As a result, numerous studies [Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 31:345-348, 1995, J Health Socisl Behav 36:138-150, 1995 have focused on the burden of care experienced by family members living with individuals with severe mental disorders. This kind of provision, also extols a significant cost to the society at large in terms of significant direct and indirect costs. A cost that may be even higher in times of severe socio-economic crisis. Methodology: This study, firstly, aims to examine the burden that the family members experience by caring for individuals with schizophrenia and the identification of the parameters, in a micro and macro level, that affect family burden. Secondly, this study aims to investigate whether the welfare state will be fit to help vulnerable groups as the one studied, especially during economic crisis periods when austerity measures are being implemented into welfare systems. For data collection purposes this study employed the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire [Schizophr Bull 1998, 24 :609-618]. The sample consisted of caregivers either living in rural or urban areas of the district of Nicosia, the capital of the Republic of Cyprus. These people were attending regular meetings with their allocated Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPN) in Community Mental Health Centres (CMHC).
International Journal of Mental Health, 2012
Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization h... more Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization have failed to achieve their targets for a number of reasons including lack of appropriate community psychiatric services and lack of knowledge of new approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the attitudes, beliefs, and mental health literacy of mental health professionals and the general population toward mental illness. Method: The Attitudes toward the Severe Mental Illness (ASMI) scale was administered in both mental health professionals (n = 311) and to the general population (n = 933) to compare stereotypes and optimism with regard to mental health patients and their abilities to integrate into the society. Results: The results indicate that the general population holds less negative stereotypes (M = 2.55, SD = 0.61) than mental health professionals (M = 1.93, SD = 0.59), t(734) = 13.34, p < .001, d = 1.04. However, mental health professionals are less optimistic about the competences of a patient with a mental illness (M = 1.92, SD = 0.61) than the general population (M = 2.2, SD = .37), t(854) = 8.1,
Educational Media International, 2008
International …, 2011
Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the epidemiological profile of the spinal c... more Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the epidemiological profile of the spinal cord injured population living on the Greek island Chios. Methods: We interviewed the regional spinal cord injured population. Participants were recruited from the island's capital and its 52 villages. The target population was all the SCI individuals living on Chios Island (n=38), out of which 34 (response rate was 89%) patients were interviewed in their homes using an especially designed questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the subjects at the time of the injury was 43 and the majority (n=23, 67.6%) were male. The employment status of the participants changed after the injury from 64.7% (n=22) to 32.4% (n=11). Traffic accidents were the cause of the SCI for 44.8%, with a significant difference from the other causes of injury (p<0.004). The most common level of injury was thoracic-lumbar (23.5%, n=8). The duration of hospitalization was on average 4.6 ± 3.9 months followed by treatment in rehabilitation centres. Most participants faced secondary complications which correlated significantly with age (r=0.372 p=0.03). Conclusions: The findings revealed that traffic accidents were the main reason for SCI. More research is needed on SCIs in Greece and the development of a surveillance system for SCIs is suggested.
BMC Health Services Research, 2009
Over the past few decades, drug and overall healthcare expenditure have risen rapidly in most cou... more Over the past few decades, drug and overall healthcare expenditure have risen rapidly in most countries. The present study investigates the attitudes and the factors which influence physician prescribing decisions and practice in Greece and Cyprus.
BMC Health Services Research, 2013
Background: The concept of organizational culture is important in understanding the behaviour of ... more Background: The concept of organizational culture is important in understanding the behaviour of individuals in organizations as they manage external demands and internal social changes. Cyprus healthcare system is under restructuring and soon a new healthcare scheme will be implemented starting at the Primary Healthcare (PHC) level. The aim of the study was to investigate the underlying culture encountered in the PHC setting of Cyprus and to identify possible differences in desired and prevailing cultures among healthcare professionals.
BMC Health Services Research, 2010
Background: Burnout in the healthcare workers is formally defined as a state of physical, emotion... more Background: Burnout in the healthcare workers is formally defined as a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in situations that are emotionally demanding. Methods: Using a random stratified sampling method and taking into account geographical location, specialty and type of employment, 172 physiotherapists working both in the private and public sectors completed an anonymous questionnaire that included several aspects related to burnout; the MBI scale, questions related to occupational stress, and questions pertaining to self image. Results: Almost half (46%) of the 172 participants believed that their job is stressful. Approximately 57% of the physiotherapists who worked in the public sector and 40% of those who worked in the private sector (p = 0.038) reported that their job is stressful. In total, 21.1% of participants met Maslach's criteria for burnout. The point prevalence of burnout was as follows: (1) 13.8% of those who worked in the public sector and 25.5% of those in the private sector (2) 22.2% of males and 20% of females (3) 21.6% who were married, 18% who were single and 33.3% who were separated. Gender was found to be associated with the level of personal accomplishment (chisquared test; p = 0.049), as 17.8% of men compared with 24.3% of women reported high personal accomplishment. The number of years of working as a physiotherapist correlated negatively (r = -0.229, p = 0.004) with the total depersonalization score. Regression analysis showed that the perception that the job is stressful (p < 0.001) and the low salary (p = 0.016) were significant predictors of high emotional exhaustion scores, while age group (p = 0.027) predicted high scores of depersonalization and the employment sector (p = 0.050) as well as the low salary predicted high personal accomplishment scores. Conclusions: Burnout levels in physiotherapists in Cyprus ranged from low to moderate.
Addiction, 2003
This study seeks to establish (1) if different types of non-traditional family structures are rel... more This study seeks to establish (1) if different types of non-traditional family structures are related equally to adolescent cigarette smoking; (2) if each type of family structure is related equally to adolescent smoking in different countries and (3) if differences in such patterns can be explained by the prevalence of such family structures in each country. Self-reported cigarette smoking among 33 978 students in Cyprus, France, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom is analysed with multi-level hierarchical regression models. Adolescents living with both biological parents smoke less than those living with single mothers, who in turn smoke less than those living with single fathers, mothers-stepfathers, or with neither biological parent. Living with fathers-stepmothers is associated with less smoking than living with single fathers, mother-stepfathers, or with neither biological parent, but does not differ from living with both biological parents or single mothers. The effects of living with single mothers, single fathers, or with neither biological parent are stronger in countries where such family types are less common. Differences in the strength of effects between countries become non-significant once the prevalence of each family type has been taken into account. Adolescents living with both biological parents smoke less than their counterparts in most other family types, and adolescents living with single mothers or fathers-stepmothers smoke less than those living in other non-traditional family structures. The strength of this pattern varies inversely with the prevalence of such households in each country.
Aim To assess the major causes of conflict and to identify choices of strategy in handling confli... more Aim To assess the major causes of conflict and to identify choices of strategy in handling conflicts. Background Conflict is inherent to hospitals as in all complex organizations, and health personnel deal with internal and external conflicts daily. Methods The sample consisted of 286 participants. A five-part questionnaire, specific for conflicts in hospitals, was administered to health personnel. Results Of the participants 37% were physicians and 63% were nurses and nursing assistants. As far as choice of strategy in conflict management is concerned, avoidance was found to be the most frequent mode chosen while accommodation was the least frequent mode. Organizational problems were the main issue creating conflicts since 52% of nurses and 45% of physicians agreed that receiving direction from more than one manager may lead to conflicts (P = 0.02). Educational differences and communication gaps were reported as another cause of conflicts, with nurses supporting this statement more than the other groups (P = 0.006). Conclusion To become effective in conflict management nurses and physicians must understand causes and strategies in handling conflicts. Implications for nursing management Major changes are needed regarding human resource management, work incentives and dynamics of teamwork in order to improve working conditions in Greek public hospitals.
6Th Icodl 2011, Jun 11, 2011
Ανοικτή Εκπαίδευση: το περιοδικό για την Ανοικτή και εξ Αποστάσεως Εκπαίδευση και την Εκπαιδευτική Τεχνολογία, 2016
... και αυτό αναδεικνύεται και επιβεβαιώνεται από τις πολλές και διάσπαρτες επισημάνσεις αρκετών ... more ... και αυτό αναδεικνύεται και επιβεβαιώνεται από τις πολλές και διάσπαρτες επισημάνσεις αρκετών φοιτητών, τόσο στα μηνιαία ημερολόγια όσο ... Τα βιώματα της φοιτητικής ζωής με τη μέθοδο της εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης αποτελούν πλέον μια πραγματικότητα η οποία με γεμίζει με ...
Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonom... more Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonomy of nurses has been proposed as a barrier to collaboration. This study aims to explore nurse-physician collaboration and potential associations with nurses&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; autonomy and pertinent nurses&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; characteristics in adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Cyprus. Descriptive correlational study with sampling of the entire adult ICU nurses&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; population in Cyprus (five ICUs in four public hospitals, n = 163, response rate 88·58%). Nurse-physician collaboration was assessed by the Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions Scale (CSACD), and autonomy by the Varjus et al. scale. The average CSACD score was 36·36 ± 13·30 (range: 7-70), implying low levels of collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions. Male participants reported significantly lower CSACD scores (t = 2·056, p = 0·04). CSACD correlated positively with years of ICU nursing experience (r = 0·332, p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0·0001) and professional satisfaction (r = 0·455, p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0·0001). The mean autonomy score was 76·15 ± 16·84 (range: 18-108). Higher degree of perceived collaboration (CSACD scores) associated with higher autonomy scores (r = 0·508, p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0·0001). Our findings imply low levels of nurse-physician collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions and moderate levels of autonomy in ICU nurses in Cyprus. The results provide insight into the association between nurse-physician collaboration and nurses&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; autonomy and the correlating factors.
International Journal of Mental Health, Dec 10, 2014
Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization h... more Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization have failed to achieve their targets for a number of reasons including lack of appropriate community psychiatric services and lack of knowledge of new approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the attitudes, beliefs, and mental health literacy of mental health professionals and the general population toward mental illness. Method: The Attitudes toward the Severe Mental Illness (ASMI) scale was administered in both mental health professionals (n = 311) and to the general population (n = 933) to compare stereotypes and optimism with regard to mental health patients and their abilities to integrate into the society. Results: The results indicate that the general population holds less negative stereotypes (M = 2.55, SD = 0.61) than mental health professionals (M = 1.93, SD = 0.59), t(734) = 13.34, p < .001, d = 1.04. However, mental health professionals are less optimistic about the competences of a patient with a mental illness (M = 1.92, SD = 0.61) than the general population (M = 2.2, SD = .37), t(854) = 8.1,
International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, 2015
Background: Medical errors have been highlighted in recent years by different agencies, scientifi... more Background: Medical errors have been highlighted in recent years by different agencies, scientific bodies and research teams alike. We sought to explore the issue of medical errors in Cyprus using data from the Eurobarometer survey. Methods: Data from the special Eurobarometer survey conducted in 2005 across all European Union countries (EU-25) and the acceding countries were obtained from the corresponding EU office. Statistical analyses including logistic regression models were performed using SPSS. Results: A total of 502 individuals participated in the Cyprus survey. About 90% reported that they had often or sometimes heard about medical errors, while 22% reported that a family member or they had suffered a serious medical error in a local hospital. In addition, 9.4% reported a serious problem from a prescribed medicine. We also found statistically significant differences across different ages and gender and in rural versus urban residents. Finally, using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, we found that residents in rural areas were more likely to have suffered a serious medical error in a local hospital or from a prescribed medicine. Conclusion: Our study shows that the vast majority of residents in Cyprus in parallel with the other Europeans worry about medical errors and a significant percentage report having suffered a serious medical error at a local hospital or from a prescribed medicine. The results of our study could help the medical community in Cyprus and the society at large to enhance its vigilance with respect to medical errors in order to improve medical care.
International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 2011
Nursing in critical care, Jan 16, 2015
Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonom... more Increased nurse-physician collaboration is a factor in improved patient outcomes. Limited autonomy of nurses has been proposed as a barrier to collaboration. This study aims to explore nurse-physician collaboration and potential associations with nurses' autonomy and pertinent nurses' characteristics in adult intensive care units (ICUs) in Cyprus. Descriptive correlational study with sampling of the entire adult ICU nurses' population in Cyprus (five ICUs in four public hospitals, n = 163, response rate 88·58%). Nurse-physician collaboration was assessed by the Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions Scale (CSACD), and autonomy by the Varjus et al. scale. The average CSACD score was 36·36 ± 13·30 (range: 7-70), implying low levels of collaboration and satisfaction with care decisions. Male participants reported significantly lower CSACD scores (t = 2·056, p = 0·04). CSACD correlated positively with years of ICU nursing experience (r = 0·332, p < 0·0001) an...
Hellenic journal of cardiology : HJC = Hellēnikē kardiologikē epitheōrēsē
The Greek public is currently not represented at any level of the healthcare system's organis... more The Greek public is currently not represented at any level of the healthcare system's organisational structure. This study aimed to investigate the opinions of Greek citizens as well as doctors regarding their representation in priority setting and to compare these two groups' preferences when prioritising competing resources. A sample of 300 citizens and 100 doctors were asked by means of a standardised questionnaire: (a) whether their views should inform healthcare decisions; (b) to rank in terms of importance other groups that should participate in the process; and (c) to allocate competing resources to a series of alternative prevention programmes, medical procedures or across different population groups. As many as 83% of the citizens stated that their opinions should inform decisions regarding prevention and population-group programmes, while a slightly lower 70% believed their opinions should also be heard regarding medical procedures. However, when asked to rank six ...
Journal of Critical Care, 2013
Background: Patient safety is considered an antecedent of quality of hospital care. The explicit ... more Background: Patient safety is considered an antecedent of quality of hospital care. The explicit need to focus on quality of care underpins the aim of the study to evaluate the safety culture and teamwork climate in the public intensive care units (ICUs) of the 5 regional public hospitals in Cyprus as measured by a validated safety attitudes tool. Methods: A questionnaire that included the Greek version of the generic version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire has been used in all public ICUs across Cyprus. Results: There were 132 (76.7%) fully completed questionnaires of 172 registered nurses who are currently positioned in Cyprus ICUs. The mean age of the participants was 33.09 ± 08.16 years. The mean of the total working years as a nurse was 10.82 ± 8.47 years, whereas the mean of the total work experience in the ICU units was 6.05 ± 5.16 years. The sample's age strongly correlated with teamwork, nurses with more years of experience rated higher teamwork (P = .02), and their perceptions of management were better than those of the inexperienced nurses. Conclusions: Considerable safety climate variations between the ICUs of the regional hospitals of Cyprus have been verified. Age, infrastructure, the severity of cases, and the nurse skill mix are variables that affect the patient safety culture in an ICU environment.
International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 2013
Background: The shift from asylum to community care for mental health patients has burdened the p... more Background: The shift from asylum to community care for mental health patients has burdened the providers of primary health care and, more than all, families. As a result, numerous studies [Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 31:345-348, 1995, J Health Socisl Behav 36:138-150, 1995 have focused on the burden of care experienced by family members living with individuals with severe mental disorders. This kind of provision, also extols a significant cost to the society at large in terms of significant direct and indirect costs. A cost that may be even higher in times of severe socio-economic crisis. Methodology: This study, firstly, aims to examine the burden that the family members experience by caring for individuals with schizophrenia and the identification of the parameters, in a micro and macro level, that affect family burden. Secondly, this study aims to investigate whether the welfare state will be fit to help vulnerable groups as the one studied, especially during economic crisis periods when austerity measures are being implemented into welfare systems. For data collection purposes this study employed the Involvement Evaluation Questionnaire [Schizophr Bull 1998, 24 :609-618]. The sample consisted of caregivers either living in rural or urban areas of the district of Nicosia, the capital of the Republic of Cyprus. These people were attending regular meetings with their allocated Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPN) in Community Mental Health Centres (CMHC).
International Journal of Mental Health, 2012
Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization h... more Despite the magnitude of mental health problems worldwide, many cases of deinstitutionalization have failed to achieve their targets for a number of reasons including lack of appropriate community psychiatric services and lack of knowledge of new approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the attitudes, beliefs, and mental health literacy of mental health professionals and the general population toward mental illness. Method: The Attitudes toward the Severe Mental Illness (ASMI) scale was administered in both mental health professionals (n = 311) and to the general population (n = 933) to compare stereotypes and optimism with regard to mental health patients and their abilities to integrate into the society. Results: The results indicate that the general population holds less negative stereotypes (M = 2.55, SD = 0.61) than mental health professionals (M = 1.93, SD = 0.59), t(734) = 13.34, p < .001, d = 1.04. However, mental health professionals are less optimistic about the competences of a patient with a mental illness (M = 1.92, SD = 0.61) than the general population (M = 2.2, SD = .37), t(854) = 8.1,
Educational Media International, 2008
International …, 2011
Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the epidemiological profile of the spinal c... more Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the epidemiological profile of the spinal cord injured population living on the Greek island Chios. Methods: We interviewed the regional spinal cord injured population. Participants were recruited from the island's capital and its 52 villages. The target population was all the SCI individuals living on Chios Island (n=38), out of which 34 (response rate was 89%) patients were interviewed in their homes using an especially designed questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the subjects at the time of the injury was 43 and the majority (n=23, 67.6%) were male. The employment status of the participants changed after the injury from 64.7% (n=22) to 32.4% (n=11). Traffic accidents were the cause of the SCI for 44.8%, with a significant difference from the other causes of injury (p<0.004). The most common level of injury was thoracic-lumbar (23.5%, n=8). The duration of hospitalization was on average 4.6 ± 3.9 months followed by treatment in rehabilitation centres. Most participants faced secondary complications which correlated significantly with age (r=0.372 p=0.03). Conclusions: The findings revealed that traffic accidents were the main reason for SCI. More research is needed on SCIs in Greece and the development of a surveillance system for SCIs is suggested.
BMC Health Services Research, 2009
Over the past few decades, drug and overall healthcare expenditure have risen rapidly in most cou... more Over the past few decades, drug and overall healthcare expenditure have risen rapidly in most countries. The present study investigates the attitudes and the factors which influence physician prescribing decisions and practice in Greece and Cyprus.
BMC Health Services Research, 2013
Background: The concept of organizational culture is important in understanding the behaviour of ... more Background: The concept of organizational culture is important in understanding the behaviour of individuals in organizations as they manage external demands and internal social changes. Cyprus healthcare system is under restructuring and soon a new healthcare scheme will be implemented starting at the Primary Healthcare (PHC) level. The aim of the study was to investigate the underlying culture encountered in the PHC setting of Cyprus and to identify possible differences in desired and prevailing cultures among healthcare professionals.
BMC Health Services Research, 2010
Background: Burnout in the healthcare workers is formally defined as a state of physical, emotion... more Background: Burnout in the healthcare workers is formally defined as a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion caused by long-term involvement in situations that are emotionally demanding. Methods: Using a random stratified sampling method and taking into account geographical location, specialty and type of employment, 172 physiotherapists working both in the private and public sectors completed an anonymous questionnaire that included several aspects related to burnout; the MBI scale, questions related to occupational stress, and questions pertaining to self image. Results: Almost half (46%) of the 172 participants believed that their job is stressful. Approximately 57% of the physiotherapists who worked in the public sector and 40% of those who worked in the private sector (p = 0.038) reported that their job is stressful. In total, 21.1% of participants met Maslach's criteria for burnout. The point prevalence of burnout was as follows: (1) 13.8% of those who worked in the public sector and 25.5% of those in the private sector (2) 22.2% of males and 20% of females (3) 21.6% who were married, 18% who were single and 33.3% who were separated. Gender was found to be associated with the level of personal accomplishment (chisquared test; p = 0.049), as 17.8% of men compared with 24.3% of women reported high personal accomplishment. The number of years of working as a physiotherapist correlated negatively (r = -0.229, p = 0.004) with the total depersonalization score. Regression analysis showed that the perception that the job is stressful (p < 0.001) and the low salary (p = 0.016) were significant predictors of high emotional exhaustion scores, while age group (p = 0.027) predicted high scores of depersonalization and the employment sector (p = 0.050) as well as the low salary predicted high personal accomplishment scores. Conclusions: Burnout levels in physiotherapists in Cyprus ranged from low to moderate.
Addiction, 2003
This study seeks to establish (1) if different types of non-traditional family structures are rel... more This study seeks to establish (1) if different types of non-traditional family structures are related equally to adolescent cigarette smoking; (2) if each type of family structure is related equally to adolescent smoking in different countries and (3) if differences in such patterns can be explained by the prevalence of such family structures in each country. Self-reported cigarette smoking among 33 978 students in Cyprus, France, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania, Malta, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden and the United Kingdom is analysed with multi-level hierarchical regression models. Adolescents living with both biological parents smoke less than those living with single mothers, who in turn smoke less than those living with single fathers, mothers-stepfathers, or with neither biological parent. Living with fathers-stepmothers is associated with less smoking than living with single fathers, mother-stepfathers, or with neither biological parent, but does not differ from living with both biological parents or single mothers. The effects of living with single mothers, single fathers, or with neither biological parent are stronger in countries where such family types are less common. Differences in the strength of effects between countries become non-significant once the prevalence of each family type has been taken into account. Adolescents living with both biological parents smoke less than their counterparts in most other family types, and adolescents living with single mothers or fathers-stepmothers smoke less than those living in other non-traditional family structures. The strength of this pattern varies inversely with the prevalence of such households in each country.
Aim To assess the major causes of conflict and to identify choices of strategy in handling confli... more Aim To assess the major causes of conflict and to identify choices of strategy in handling conflicts. Background Conflict is inherent to hospitals as in all complex organizations, and health personnel deal with internal and external conflicts daily. Methods The sample consisted of 286 participants. A five-part questionnaire, specific for conflicts in hospitals, was administered to health personnel. Results Of the participants 37% were physicians and 63% were nurses and nursing assistants. As far as choice of strategy in conflict management is concerned, avoidance was found to be the most frequent mode chosen while accommodation was the least frequent mode. Organizational problems were the main issue creating conflicts since 52% of nurses and 45% of physicians agreed that receiving direction from more than one manager may lead to conflicts (P = 0.02). Educational differences and communication gaps were reported as another cause of conflicts, with nurses supporting this statement more than the other groups (P = 0.006). Conclusion To become effective in conflict management nurses and physicians must understand causes and strategies in handling conflicts. Implications for nursing management Major changes are needed regarding human resource management, work incentives and dynamics of teamwork in order to improve working conditions in Greek public hospitals.