Digital health interventions (DHIs) are increasingly used to address the health of migrants and ethnic minorities, some of whom have reduced access to health services and worse health outcomes than majority populations. This study aims to give an overview of digital health interventions developed for ethnic or cultural minority and migrant populations, the health problems they address, their effectiveness at the individual level and the degree of participation of target populations during development. We used the methodological approach of the scoping review outlined by Tricco. We found a total of 2248 studies, of which 57 were included, mostly using mobile health technologies, followed by websites, informational videos, text messages and telehealth. Most interventions focused on illness self-management, mental health and wellbeing, followed by pregnancy and overall lifestyle habits. About half did not involve the target population in development and only a minority involved them consistently. The studies we found indicate that the increased involvement of the target population in the development of digital health tools leads to a greater acceptance of their use.

In all, 39 % of people living in Swiss nursing homes suffer from dementia. Detailed data about type and course of symptoms displayed by these patients in their terminal phase are lacking. This descriptive, retrospective study analysed 65 nursing documents from deceased people with dementia in four nursing homes in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland. Difficulties with mobility (81 %), pain (71 %) and sleep disturbance (63 %) were the most frequent of the 10 identified symptoms. Towards the end of life, difficulties with mobility, sleep disturbance, agitation and other neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as episodes of depression, decreased (decrescent pattern), while pain, feeding problems, breathing abnormalities, apathy and anxiety increased (crescent pattern). Courses of pain were documented in 17 % of the nursing records. In addition, 76 % of the residents had been visited on a daily basis by next of kin in their last 7 days, compared with only one third of residents previously. Furthermore, daily communication between healthcare professionals and next of kin tripled during this period. The documented prevalence of a high and increasing level of pain towards the end of life, combined with the lack of documented courses of pain, shows potential for improvement in pain relief and pain identification for patients with dementia in their terminal phase. The increasing number of visits by next of kin and the increasingly intensive contact between healthcare professionals and next of kin in the last 7 days are a strong indicator that the end of life can be predicted relatively well by the involved participants and appropriate reactions follow. In Schweizer Pflegeheimen leben etwa 39 % demenzerkrankte Personen. Es fehlen konkrete Daten über Symptome und Symptomverläufe dieser Personen in der Terminalphase. Mit einem deskriptiv-retrospektiven Design wurden im Rahmen der Pallhome-Studie 65 Pflegedokumente von verstorbenen demenzerkrankten Personen aus 4 Heimen im Kanton Zürich, Schweiz analysiert. Mobilitätsschwierigkeiten (81 %), Schmerzen (71 %) und Schlafstörungen (63 %) waren die häufigsten der insgesamt 10 identifizierten Symptome. Zum Lebensende hin nahmen Mobilitätsschwierigkeiten, Schlafstörungen, Agitation und andere Verhaltensauffälligkeiten sowie depressive Episoden ab (Decrescendomuster), während Schmerzen, Ernährungsschwierigkeiten, Atemauffälligkeiten, Apathie sowie Angst häufiger wurden (Crescendomuster). Schmerzverläufe waren bei 17 % der Personen in den Pflegeakten dokumentiert. In den letzten 7 Lebenstagen waren 76 % der untersuchten Verstorbenen von ihren Angehörigen täglich besucht worden, was vorher in weniger als einem Drittel der Fall war. Der tägliche Austausch zwischen Pflegepersonen und Angehörigen verdreifachte sich. Die dokumentierte hohe und gegen das Lebensende hin noch ansteigende Schmerzprävalenz im Zusammenhang mit dem Fehlen von dokumentierten Schmerzverläufen zeigt ein mögliches Verbesserungspotenzial im Bereich der systematischen Schmerzerkennung und -bekämpfung bei demenzerkrankten Personen am Lebensende. Die steigende Zahl an Besuchen und der zunehmend intensive Kontakt zwischen Pflege und Angehörigen in den letzten 7 Lebenstagen sind ein starker Hinweis, dass das Lebensende von allen Beteiligten gut prognostiziert werden kann und entsprechende Reaktionen erfolgen.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected global healthcare access and exacerbated pre-pandemic structural barriers. Literature on disabled people’s experiences accessing healthcare is limited, with even less framing healthcare access as a human rights issue. This study documents and critically analyses Deaf people’s healthcare access experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eleven self-identified Deaf individuals participated in semi-structured videoconferencing interviews. Discourse analysis was applied to participant narratives with discourses juxtaposed against a human rights analysis. Barriers influencing healthcare access included: (1) the inability of healthcare providers to communicate appropriately, including a rigid adherence to face mask use; (2) cultural insensitivity and limited awareness of Deaf people’s unique needs; and (3) the impact of ableist assumptions and healthcare delaying care. Barriers to healthcare access represent consecutive breaches of rights guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Such breaches delay appropriate healthcare access and risk creating future compounding effects. Action is required to address identified breaches: (1) The CRPD should also underpin all health policy and practice development, inclusive of pandemic and disaster management responsiveness. (2) Health professionals and support staff should be trained, and demonstrate competency, in Deaf cultural awareness and sensitivity.

Background: The elderly represents the fastest growing group in our population. Since there is a close relationship between the number of older people and health care expenditure, promoting healthy aging has become an important topic. However, it is essential to understand first the needs of this population in order to create suitable programs and activities. Methods: A qualitative design was used in this study to explore the subjective views of elderly people and to learn more about their health-related needs. A total of 12 participants were recruited using a consecutive sampling strategy. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed by employing a summarizing content analysis. Results: This study has identified 4 areas of health-related needs: Independence and autonomy, social security, structure in daily life and community and belonging, where all categories are interrelated and interact with one other. Conclusion: Focusing more on community-based approaches would support creating a conducive environment. Also, home visits undertaken by a specialized nurse focused on health risks and disabilities could be an adequate approach to support the elderly population in an efficient way and to offer targeted programs and activities.

There is an increase in hearing and visual impairments worldwide. Those affected have a reduced ability to participate in social contacts, mobility, and access to information. Until now, there have been no recommendations for Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) in Switzerland to support this group of people in the autonomous organization of everyday life in their own homes. The aim of the study was to understand how people integrate their dual hearing and visual impairments into everyday life to derive recommendations for APNs to support individuals to manage their daily lives. Following the constructivist approach of grounded theory, guided interviews and a questionnaire survey with hearing and visually impaired persons (n = 46) over 70 years of age on independent daily living were conducted (concurrent embedded strategy). In addition, demographic data on age, gender, living situation, and use of assistive devices were analyzed. Based on the results, a communication-based dynamic resilience model (CoRes) was developed. This article represents the third phase of the three-stage-model. Integration of altered hearing depends on resources and risk factors. Advanced practice nurses can use recommendations from this research to actively help individuals and their families build resilience.

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: Treatment and mental health care in familiar environments are beneficial for older people experiencing mental health issues. But there are not enough qualified and specialized nurses who can meet the complex needs of nursing home residents experiencing mental health issues. The University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, Switzerland, established an outreach interprofessional mental health service to foster the care for residents experiencing mental health issues in nursing homes. Based on existing studies, little can be said about whether nurses in nursing homes find these types of services helpful. What does this paper add to existing knowledge?: Nurses in nursing homes caring for residents experiencing mental health issues felt relieved by having inclusive support from the interprofessional mental health service. Nurses appreciated the mental health team and felt accompanied and more confident in their daily work. Results showed that nurses wanted to be included in the care and treatment processes and to work as partners on an equal footing with the mental health team. What are the implications for practice?: Outreach interprofessional mental health services for nursing homes should take into account nurses' views and professional experience, and value and respect their role as nurses. Outreach interprofessional mental health services for nursing homes should offer further training in psychiatric nursing, include an accessible contact person in the team, and develop clear processes and responsibilities. Introduction: Outreach interprofessional mental health services for nursing homes can increase the quality of care for residents experiencing mental health issues but research on how nurses in nursing homes experience such a service is lacking worldwide.Aim: To describe how nurses experience the involvement of an outreach interprofessional mental health team in the care for older people experiencing mental health issues in nursing homes and to identify barriers to and facilitators of interprofessional collaboration.Method: Qualitative descriptive analysis based on 13 semi‐structured interviews. Framework analysis and complex adaptive systems theory were applied.Results: One core theme with two main categories: Nurses experienced relief from burden through inclusive support provided by the mental health team. Main categories were feeling accompanied and confident as a nurse and partnership‐based collaboration.Discussion: Results showed for the first time that nurses felt supported by the mental health team and were encouraged to find new ways of coping with challenging situations.Implications for Practice: To empower nurses, mental health teams should take into account nurses' perceptions in the treatment process, value and respect their role as nurses, transfer knowledge in both formal and informal settings, establish a steady and reliable contact person, and define processes and responsibilities.