Uncovering the barriers and facilitators of antibiotic prescribing is crucial in order to develop effective strategies for promoting responsible and evidence-based antibiotic use, thereby combating antibiotic resistance and enhancing patient care. This qualitative study, informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) - specifically designed to understand and analyze the factors that influence human behavior, with a focus on identifying barriers and facilitators to behavior change, was aimed to explore the determinants (barriers and facilitators) of antibiotic prescribing behaviors from the perspective of doctors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals, and data analysis followed a theory-driven approach guided by the TDF. The analysis identified eight TDF domains influencing antibiotic prescribing, including memory, attention, and decision processes; knowledge; skills; belief about capabilities; goals; belief about consequences; emotions; and environmental context and resources. These domains were clustered into three overarching themes according to a bottom-up logic: the decision-making prescribing process itself, intrinsic factors related to the physician, and extrinsic factors influencing the decision. This research provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between these determinants in antibiotic prescribing. The evidence gained from the study valuable information for developing targeted interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing practices and combat antimicrobial resistance considering psychosocial and environmental variables impacting on antibiotic prescription decision making.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of job demands and resources on burnout risk among Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2023 and February 2024 and involved Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists. The study applied the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model to assess the impact of job demands (such as work–family conflict, time pressure, and job uncertainty) and job resources (like organizational support and perceived job meaning) on burnout. Burnout was measured through emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment subscales. Demographic data, including gender and career stage, were analyzed for their association with burnout. Results: High job demands were significantly associated with increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, while greater job resources correlated with lower burnout levels and higher personal accomplishment. Gender differences emerged, with female neuropsychiatrists reporting significantly higher emotional exhaustion and lower personal accomplishment than male neuropsychiatrists. Seniority was not a strong predictor, but early-career professionals, particularly residents, exhibited higher susceptibility to emotional exhaustion. Perceived job meaning and organizational support were protective factors across all burnout subscales, buffering the effects of job demands. Conclusions: Burnout risk in Italian pediatric neuropsychiatrists is shaped by both job demands and resources. Addressing work–family conflict, job uncertainty, and time pressure alongside enhancing organizational support and fostering job meaning is crucial to mitigate burnout. Special attention should be given to early-career professionals and female neuropsychiatrists to reduce their emotional exhaustion and improve their well-being. These findings provide valuable insights for developing targeted strategies to improve well-being in this field, ultimately enhancing patient care.

Nurses play an active role in fostering engagement of oncological patients, and, therefore, adopting effective communication and interpersonal skills is crucial. However, the nurse–patient relationship and communication strategies are frequently undervalued. This scoping review aims to address this gap with a twofold objective: (1) to explore the existing literature to identify communication strategies and relational styles employed by nurses to promote patient engagement in non-pediatric oncology patients; (2) to assess current knowledge on this topic to determine the need for future research. The search was conducted on different scientific databases and grey literature. The review was conducted following the methodology outlined in the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for scoping reviews and the updated version of the PRISMA-ScR Checklist. Thirteen articles were included in the study. The studies in total enrolled 863 participants. Four clusters of nursing interventions were identified, encompassing communication strategies and relational styles of varying complexity, along with ten categories of general outcomes emerging from their implementation. This study summarizes the current knowledge regarding nursing communication strategies and relational styles used to promote patient engagement in oncological patients. Further research is needed, to evaluate and integrate the researched techniques, tools, and interventions for future clinical nursing practice.

In multicultural contexts, health promotion can be challenging due to people’s differences in beliefs, values, and practices regarding health and healthcare. Using the prototypical case scenario offered by the “Health without Borders” program, this study was generally aimed at summarizing the lessons learned and suggesting implications that are hopefully relevant to future culturally competent health promotion programs. This exploratory study used in-depth interviews, focus groups, and document analyses as primary methodological tools to gather data. A qualitative approach was chosen because it has the potential to explore, in depth, the main characteristics (values, operational domains, and action strategies) behind this prototypical case. The study findings suggest that the multicultural health promotion program under study is characterized by four main intertwined core values (i.e., empowerment; peer education; social embeddedness; tailor-made). In turn, these values are expressed in the ten main operational domains (i.e., proactive approach to health promotion; fostering interculturality in health promotion; fostering multidisciplinarity in health promotion; measuring the impact of initiatives; identifying, training, and activating key community members in the role of peer educators; promoting community engagement; fostering a “domino effect”; building institutional links with the organization of the territory; continuous training of the professionals involved in the initiatives; flexibility and a constant focus on projects’ continuous redesign) that orient specific strategies of action. This program is based on a tailor-made principle for intervention design and delivery. This feature allows intervention providers to flexibly incorporate the target population’s values in delivering health promotion activities. Therefore, the value of this prototypical case lies in the design of “adjustable” initiatives that fit the “program-as-designed” with the cultural characteristics of target populations involved in the intervention.

Innovative farming practices to mitigate environmental impacts are critical. Participatory approaches, which actively involve farmers in co-developing solutions, are vital for overcoming resistance and enabling successful, context-specific agricultural innovations. This scoping review maps participatory methodologies in agricultural innovation, identifying their key characteristics and factors contributing to their success. We used PRISMA-ScR guidelines and conducted a systematic search on the databases Scopus and Web of Science, out of 807 studies published between 1994 and 2022, 34 met our criteria. Data extraction involved coding theoretical frameworks, project phases, duration, participant types, barriers, facilitators, innovations, and modes of participation into categories: contributory, collaborative, and co-created. We used Atlas.ti for coding transparency and analysis. Projects spanned 26 countries, primarily in Europe and Africa, with an average duration of 5 years. Innovative practices were grouped into the following themes: climate change, crop choice, irrigation, pest management, and technical improvements. Most projects involved farmers in defining research questions. Participants included farmers, experts, NGOs, private companies, and public organizations. Successful projects actively involve stakeholders, especially farmers, from idea generation to implementation, and benefit from strong relationships and informal, flexible interactions. Intermediaries, like extension agents, are effective in bridging gaps and fostering trust. Our review indicates the need for clearer reporting guidelines to enhance comparability and effectiveness across participatory research.