Background: The nursing role significantly changed following reforms in the nurse training process. Nowadays, nurses are increasingly trained to promote and improve the quality of clinical practice and to provide support in the assistance of patients and communities. Opportunities and threats are emerging as a consequence of the introduction of new disruptive technologies in public health, which requires the health care staff to develop new digital skills. Objective: The aim of this paper is to review and define the role of nurses and the skills they are asked to master in terms of new methodological approaches and digital knowledge in a continuously evolving health care scenario that relies increasingly more on technology and digital solutions. Methods: This scoping review was conducted using a thematic summary of previous studies. Authors collected publications through a cross-database search (PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar) related to new telemedicine approaches impacting the nurses’ role, considering the time span of 2011-2021 and therefore including experiences and publications related to the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: The assessment was completed between April and July 2021. After a cross-database search, authors reviewed a selection of 60 studies. The results obtained were organized into 5 emerging macro areas: (1) leadership (nurses are expected to show leadership capabilities when introducing new technologies in health care practices, considering their pivotal role in coordinating various professional figures and the patient), (2) soft skills (new communication skills, adaptiveness, and problem solving are needed to adapt the interaction to the level of digital skills and digital knowledge of the patient), (3) training (specific subjects need to be added to nursing training to boost the adoption of new communication and technological skills, enabling health care professionals to largely and effectively use new digital tools), (4) remote management of COVID-19 or chronic patients during the pandemic (a role that has proved to be fundamental is the community and family nurse and health care systems are adopting novel assistance models to support patients at home and to enable decentralization of services from hospitals to the territory), and (5) management of interpersonal relationships with patients through telemedicine (a person-centered approach with an open and sensitive attitude seems to be even more important in the framework of telemedicine where a face-to-face session is not possible and therefore nonverbal indicators are more problematic to be noticed). Conclusions: Further advancing nurses’ readiness in adopting telemedicine requires an integrated approach, including combination of technical knowledge, management abilities, soft skills, and communication skills. This scoping review provides a wide-ranging and general—albeit valuable—starting point to identify these core competences and better understand their implications in terms of present and future health care professionals’ roles.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer people and minority gender identities and sexualities (LGBTIQ+) are often stigmatized and experience discrimination in health care settings, leading to poorer mental health outcomes and unmet needs compared to heterosexual and cisgendered peers. It is thus imperative that mental health providers consider and address structural challenges in order to reduce mental health inequalities of this population. This narrative review assessed the barriers that may prevent access to care and the pathways for care in LGBTIQ + communities. PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase, and Scopus were searched for papers published between December 2021 and February 2022. A total of 107 papers were included with studies reflecting five themes: (1) Unmet mental health needs; (2) Young people; (3) Substance abuse and addiction; (4) Barriers and pathways to care; and (5) Interventions. Findings demonstrate that LGBTIQ + people experience stigmatization and higher rates of substance misuse and mental ill health, which may lead to barriers in accessing health care services, and fewer tailored interventions being provided. These findings have implications for policy, health care screening, and how specialist services are structured. Substantial gaps in the evidence-base exist, and future research should examine how mental health care providers can challenge social issues that maintain discriminatory and stigmatizing practices, and support LGBTIQ + individuals to sustain their resilience.

Globally, the HIV epidemic continues to represent a pressing public health issue in Europe and elsewhere. There is an emerging and progressively urgent need to harmonise HIV and STI behavioural surveillance among MSM across European countries through the adoption of common indicators, as well as the development of trend analysis in order to monitor the HIV-STI epidemic over time. The Sialon II project protocols have been elaborated for the purpose of implementing a large-scale bio-behavioural survey among MSM in Europe in line with a Second Generation Surveillance System (SGSS) approach. Sialon II is a multi-centre biological and behavioural cross-sectional survey carried out across 13 European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the UK) in community settings. A total of 4,966 MSM were enrolled in the study (3,661 participants in the TLS survey, 1,305 participants in the RDS survey). Three distinct components are foreseen in the study protocols: first, a preliminary formative research in each participating country. Second, collection of primary data using two sampling methods designed specifically for ‘hard-to-reach’ populations, namely Time Location Sampling (TLS) and Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS). Third, implementation of a targeted HIV/STI prevention campaign in the broader context of the data collection. Through the implementation of combined and targeted prevention complemented by meaningful surveillance among MSM, Sialon II represents a unique opportunity to pilot a bio-behavioural survey in community settings in line with the SGSS approach in a large number of EU countries. Data generated through this survey will not only provide a valuable snapshot of the HIV epidemic in MSM but will also offer an important trend analysis of the epidemiology of HIV and other STIs over time across Europe. Therefore, the Sialon II protocol and findings are likely to contribute significantly to increasing the comparability of data in EU countries through the use of common indicators and in contributing to the development of effective public health strategies and policies in areas of high need.

Introduction: The HIV epidemic represents an important public health issue in Europe particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). Global AIDS Monitoring indicators (GAM) have been widely and jointly promoted as a set of crucial standardised items to be adopted for monitoring and responding to the epidemic. Methods: The Sialon II study, implemented in 13 European cities (2013-14), was a complex multi-centre integrated bio-behavioural cross-sectional survey targeted at MSM, with a concomitant collection of behavioural and biological (oral fluid or blood specimens) data. Rigorous sampling approaches for hard-to-reach populations were used (time-location sampling and respondent-driven sampling) and GAM indicators were calculated; sampling frames were adapted to allow weighted estimates of GAM indicators. Results: 4,901 MSM were enrolled. HIV prevalence estimates ranged from 2.4% in Stockholm to 18.0% in Bucharest. When exploring city-level correlations between GAM indicators, prevention campaigns significantly correlated with levels of condom use and level of HIV testing among MSM. Conclusion: The Sialon II project has made an important contribution to the monitoring and evaluation of the HIV epidemic across Europe, integrating the use of GAM indicators within a second generation HIV surveillance systems approach and in participatory collaboration with MSM communities. It influenced the harmonisation of European data collection procedures and indicators via GAM country reporting and contributed essential knowledge informing the development and implementation of strategic, evidence-based HIV prevention campaigns for MSM.

Data for MSM continue to show a high risk of acquiring HIV-STIs. Within this population, outness seems to have an impact on both risk-taking and on health seeking behaviors. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between socio-demographic, behavioral characteristics, testing behaviors, and outness level among MSM using data from a multi-center bio-behavioral cross-sectional study carried out in 13 EU cities. A multilevel analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with being open (“out”) versus not being open (“in”). A total of 4,901 MSM were enrolled in the study and were classified as “out” in 71% of the cases. MSM “out” were more likely to report HIV testing and being reached by HIV prevention programs compared to MSM who were “in.” The results confirm the key role of outness in relation to different healthy and risky behavior, ranging from testing to party-drug use.

Background: Advancements in technology offer new opportunities to support vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and women diagnosed with breast cancer, during physiologically and psychologically stressful periods. Objective: This study aims to adapt and co-design the World Health Organization’s Self-Help Plus intervention into a mobile health intervention for these target groups. Methods: On the basis of the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trials and Center for eHealth Research and Disease Management models, low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes were developed. Prototypes were evaluated by 13 domain experts from diverse sectors and 15 participants from the target groups to assess usability, attractiveness, and functionality through semantic differential scales, the User Version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale questionnaire, and semistructured interviews. Results: Feedback from participants indicated positive perceptions of the mobile health intervention, highlighting its ease of use, appropriate language, and attractive multimedia content. Areas identified for improvement included enhancing user engagement through reminders, monitoring features, and increased personalization. The quality of the content and adherence to initial protocols were positively evaluated. Conclusions: This research provides valuable insights for future studies aiming to enhance the usability, efficacy, and effectiveness of the app, suggesting the potential role of a chatbot-delivered Self-Help Plus intervention as a supportive tool for pregnant women and women with a breast cancer diagnosis.