STUDY TYPE: Mixed methods.
METHODS: A desk review was conducted relating to HPSR funding, followed by in-depth interviews. Eight countries and areas were selected to represent characteristics of different health systems. Literature reviews included an analysis of available data relating to HPSR funding and national research and development (R&D) budgets, between 2010 and 2019 (inclusive). In-depth interviews were conducted with 23 stakeholders using an approved interview guide, to assess the attitudes of HPSR funding decision makers towards HPSR, determinants for HPSR and health research funding decisions, and proposals to strengthen HPSR funding and output.
RESULTS: There are four main characteristics of HPSR funding in the WPRO: 1) a general absence of studies on HPSR funding and its determinants; 2) no universally accepted understanding of HPSR; 3) an absence of granular health research funding data in general and for HPSR in particular; and 4) HPSR funding is generally perceived to be minimal. In-depth interviews show that HPSR has different interpretations and emphases across WPRO countries, leading to a fragmented landscape where decision makers generally favour biomedical or clinical research. Participants indicate that political involvement increases overall research funding, especially if there is a clear connection between funders, producers and HPSR users. Suggestions from participants to strengthen HPSR include: appropriately using central agencies to generate demand and raise HPSR as a national priority; adopting interdisciplinary HPSR; and building HPSR capacity and organisational structures.
CONCLUSIONS: HPSR in the Western Pacific region is generally not well funded, with biomedical and public health research often perceived as a higher priority. Although funding is a crucial component of the quality, quantity and relevance of HPSR outputs, HPSR practitioners and organisations must also generate demand for HPSR, build capacity for increasing the quantity and quality of HPSR outputs, and build pathways to translate HPSR outputs into real-world policies.
METHOD: A content analysis was conducted on the anonymous posts retrieved from the WSIF platform between 8th March 2020 and 7th July 2022. Around 1457 posts were initially selected for analysis which was reduced to 1006 after removing duplicates and non-relevant posts, such as queries about the addresses of the doctors and other non-mental health-related issues. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted using an inductive approach.
RESULT: The 1006 posts generated four themes and nine sub-themes. All the women mentioned mental health symptoms (n = 1006; 100%). Most also mentioned reasons for seeking mental healthcare (n = 818; 81.31%), healthcare-seeking behavior (n = 667; 66.30%), and barriers to seeking mental healthcare (n = 552; 54.87%). The majority of women described symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety-like symptoms, which were aggregated under common mental health conditions. Mental health symptoms were ascribed to various external influences, including marital relationship, intrafamilial abuse, and insecurities related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A large proportion of posts were related to women seeking information about mental healthcare services and service providers (psychologists or psychiatrists). The analysis found that most women did not obtain mental healthcare services despite their externalized mental health symptoms. The posts identified clear barriers to women accessing mental health services, including low mental health literacy, the stigma associated with mental healthcare-seeking behavior, and the poor availability of mental health care services.
CONCLUSION: The study revealed that raising mass awareness and designing culturally acceptable evidence-based interventions with multisectoral collaborations are crucial to ensuring better mental healthcare coverage for women in Bangladesh.
METHODS: We Searched China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wan fang Database, CQVIP Journal Database、Web of Science Core Collection, Elsevier SD, Springer Online Journals, Medline, EBSCO-ERIC, SAGE Online Journals, PsycINFO, PsycArticles and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses。85 studies (90 independent effect size) were included from 2016 to 2023。The pooled correlation coefficient of the association between fear of missing out and mobile phone addiction was calculated by a random effects model using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis(Version 3.3).
RESULTS: The main effect analysis revealed a high positive correlation between fear of missing out and mobile phone addiction (r = 0.47, 95%CI [0.44, 0.50]). Furthermore, the measurements of mobile phone addiction moderated the strength of the association between fear of missing out and mobile phone addiction, with the highest correlation measured using MPATS and the lowest correlation measured using MPDQ. The age, gender, year of publication, cultural background, and the measurements of fear of missing out had no significant effect on the correlation between fear of missing out and mobile phone addiction.
CONCLUSION: The results indicated that fear of missing out was closely related to mobile phone addiction, which complied with the I-PACE model. Psychological services and mental health services should be developed to reduce the emergence of fear of missing out in the digital age and thus alleviate dependence on devices.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online, anonymous, voluntary survey was conducted to assess the level of knowledge and understanding about EAPs among Malaysian oncologists using SurveyMonkey® between April 2020 and June 2020. Oncologists who had enquired about EAP in the past, were invited at random to participate in the survey. Participants who did not provide consent or failed to complete the survey were excluded.
RESULTS: A total of 15 oncologists participated in the survey, from both public (46.6%) and private (46.6%) practices. Most respondents (80%) had filed between 1 to 10 EAP applications in the past 12 months. For 73.3% respondents, resources or training were not provided for EAPs from institutions. Around 53% of the respondents reported that their knowledge of EAPs and application processes including country regulations is 'good'. The majority of respondents (73.3%) reported that the educational modules on an overview of EAPs, country regulations and the EAP application process will be beneficial. Most participants received information about the existing EAPs either by reaching out to a pharmaceutical sponsor or through another health care provider and some received information about the existing EAPs through their institutions or patients/caregivers. Most of the respondents recommended that pharmaceutical companies should have readily available information related to the availability and application of EAPs for all pipeline products on their websites.
DISCUSSION: EAPs are crucial treatment access pathways to provide investigational drugs to patients who have exhausted their treatment options and are not eligible for participation in clinical trials. Malaysian oncologists have a fair understanding about the EAPs and the application processes.
CONCLUSION: Additional training and awareness are needed for Malaysian oncologists to upscale the utilisation of EAPs.
METHODS: All new pharmaceutical products approved between January 2015 and March 2021 were examined (n = 136) using publicly available information. Factors associated with drug approval lag were determined using multiple linear regression.
RESULTS: The median drug approval lag was 855 days. Drug approval lag was associated with drug characteristics and regulatory factors. Median submission lag and median review time for products which fulfilled the requirement for the new regulations (Conditional Registration/ Facilitated Registration Pathway) were shorter compared to products which did not fulfil the requirement.
CONCLUSION: Drug approval lag may delay the access of innovative medicine to patients, and this may lead to an increase in morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Good Regulatory Practices ensure efficient and transparent regulatory system which support the public health policy objectives in the most efficient way. The new regulations in Malaysia reduced the median submission lag and review time. The findings may be useful for regulators to consider for future policy development for medication access.