Abstract

The rising incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among UK adolescents—particularly those aged 15–24—highlights critical shortcomings in traditional sexual health education. This study explores how digital health communication tools, such as mobile applications, AI-based platforms, and gamified interventions, can enhance sexual health awareness and engagement among UK teenagers. Through a qualitative systematic literature review, the research synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed studies conducted between 2013 and 2024 that focus on UK-based digital sexual health interventions targeting teenagers aged 13–19.

Key databases including PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO were searched using a carefully constructed Boolean strategy. Studies were selected based on rigorous inclusion criteria and assessed using the CASP qualitative checklist to ensure methodological validity. Thematic synthesis revealed recurring themes such as usability, privacy concerns, inclusivity, stigma, and digital accessibility, all of which significantly influence how teenagers perceive and engage with digital platforms for sexual health.

Findings suggest that when thoughtfully designed, digital interventions not only improve knowledge retention and address gaps in inclusivity but also offer a more private and engaging alternative to traditional sex education. However, barriers such as outdated content, limited digital literacy, and stigma continue to hinder access and impact.

This research provides valuable insights to inform public health policy and the development of youth-friendly digital tools, with the goal of improving sexual health outcomes and equity in adolescent care across the UK.

Biography

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INTRODUCTION: Service-learning (SL) programs in medical schools illustrate one of the number of adult learning principles and practices now used in today’s accredited curriculum that better prepares medical students for working with a variety of patients. AIM: The research aim was to assess medical students’ learning experiences while participating with nonprofit organizations during an SL curricula-designed program. METHOD: Analysis of 60 reflective essays over a three-year period from 192 medical students placed in teams of 2-4. A case study research design was employed. This iterative approach allowed the identification of themes and interpret meaning. RESULTS: Four major themes and one overarching theme emerged that illuminated adult learning theories including: (1) transferring learning of one’s skills and knowledge to community and practice; (2) articulating a variety of ways to communicate with multiple, diverse community audiences; (3) employing creative process for quality improvement strategies; (4) creating positive, trusting, and rewarding relationships; and an overarching theme: collaboration emerging almost without forethought. Medical educators may find that replicating this SL program into the curriculum infrastructure provides agency and student buy-in. A multi-prong process bringing reward to students and to the community. Reflection provides for meaningfulness from SL programs and helps student identify how experiential learning affects their professional development. CONCLUSION: Implementing an SL program into any medical school curriculum strengthens the adult learning theoretical delivery approach. Disseminating projects and lessons learned to and from the community also showcases experiential learning opportunities for medical students and other professionals. Many aspects of awareness from the medical students during the SL program emerged. They learned about specific aspects of community engagement. They found it a privilege to give and take many lessons from the experiences and opportunities.

Biography

Dr. Peter Averkiou is a pediatrician and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University. He is the Co-Director of the four Foundations of Medicine Courses, the Director of the Service Learning Projects, the Director of the Newborn Nursery Clinical Rotation and the Director of the Synthesis and Transition Course at the medical school.

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Biography

Dr. Reynolds began toying with the idea of fictional writing back in early 2008, after having spent years writing scientific and nonfiction pieces during the process of obtaining his doctorate. Then, one Sunday morning in March, he simply sat down and started writing and writing – and the rest is history. He was (and still is) heavily inspired by Santa Clarita’s year-round fire seasons. After witnessing three simultaneous wildfires in the valley in October of 2007, the gears started to turn in his head.

Abstract

If the mother is anxious, depressed or suffers from a variety of stresses during pregnancy, her child is twice as likely to have a mental health problem, ADHD or lower cognitive function, as they grow up. They are also at increased risk of schizophrenia.  Although both maternal and paternal postnatal depression can add to most of these risks,  with psychosis  it is only associated with the prenatal maternal state.   All this  contributes to significant clinical problems, and it is even greater in low income countries, where there can be additional stress due to high rates of domestic violence, poverty, food insufficiency and the effects of climate change.

We are starting to understand some of the underlying biological mechanisms for these effects. If the mother is stressed her placenta becomes more permeable to cortisol, and increased exposure to cortisol alters the development of the fetal brain. Several imaging studies have shown relevant altered child brain structure even from birth, showing effects independent of postnatal care.  Although genetic vulnerabilities certainly contribute to these outcomes, we have shown effects independent of polygenic risk scores also. 

 Many interventions are known to reduce perinatal depression, anxiety and stress and some of these are being carried out in low income countries. These include antenatal singing and dancing classes in The Gambia, and a clinic with specially trained nurses in Zimbabwe. We now need follow up studies of the children after these interventions.

Biography

Vivette Glover is Visiting Professor of Perinatal Psychobiology at Imperial College London. Her research has shown how the emotional state of the mother during pregnancy can have adverse effects on the developing fetus and longer term on the child, especially on neurodevelopment. Her group has also shown some of the underlying biological mechanisms. She has published over 320 papers in peer reviewed journals. This work has contributed to changes in UK government policy, including more funding for perinatal mental health. She is currently also carrying out collaborative research in Africa and India about how music can help reduce perinatal stress.

Abstract

Hospital Diagnostic-Admission departments in Bulgarian hospital system are the hospital’s triage and entry point. These departments include extent capabilities for dicision making process regarding the required medical activities for treatment and monitoring of the patiens looking for medical assistance – laboratories, X-ray, CT-scan, MRI, ultrasound, consultants from all specialties hospital is specialized in. The COVID-19 pandemic has signifficant impact on the Hospital Diagnosti-Admission departments resulting in sharp and profound changes in the workflow ad applied algorithms.

The objective of this study is to present and analyze some of the most significant challenges Hospital Diagnostic-Admission departments have to solve and the related changes in the daily departments’ workflow.

The means of the descriptive and comparative methods were applied for presenting the and grouping the most common challenges and the measures applied for mitigating their adverse effects. Both pre-hospital and hospital systems were overstreched by the the enoumous number of the patients looking for diagnosing and treatment. The Hospital Diagnostic-Admission departments were overwhelmed and a lot of patients were heading to the Emergency departments, therefore in the study forced changes in both departments are analyzed.

Results and Discussion Setting up of the pre-hospital triage area, selecting medical personnel for triage activities, managing the personal protective equipment and other resourses shortages, modifying patients intrahospital transfer, adjustment of the work shifts, destinguishing areas for infected, suspected and non-infected patients, mitigating the psychological burden are thouroughly examined and their impact is presented.

Biography

Prof. Colonel Rostislav Stefanov Kostadinov is Organizing and leading the educational process for Medical University of Plovdiv and Medical College of Plovdiv students. Delivering lectures, leading seminars and the students examine. Monitoring, organizing, and facilitating the International relations and Project activities of the Public Health Faculty academic staff. Organizing and leading Ph.D. and resident programs on Disaster Medicine and Disaster Medical Support at the Medical University of Plovdiv Planning, organizing, and managing courses for improvement of the population skills for healthy behavior in case of disasters and catastrophes. Leading and managing courses for disaster medical support (for medical professionals) and advance medical training for search and rescue team members.

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Abstract:

The WHO has defined community engagement as “a process of developing relationships that enable stakeholders to work together to address health related issues and promote well being to achieve positive health impact and outcomes” and it underlines the “Community and civil society engagement” as a pillar of its “Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All”. 

On December 5, 2023, on the occasion of the adoption by the European Commission of the EU4Health 2024 work program  to implement key health policy priorities within the European Health Union, Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said that "Civil society has a crucial role to play in reaching out to our citizens".

Recently, on the occasion of the G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Health held on 9/11 Oct. 2024 in Ancona (Italy), global leaders emphasis that “vaccination is an essential preventive measure and reiterate the crucial role of routine immunisation and campaigns”, higlihting “the importance of raising awareness and involving the general population by providing evidence-based information through campaigns aimed at citizens’ empowerment and increasing health literacy regarding prevention, research and care”. In concrete way, the aim of the presentation is to show how the so-called intermediated bodies of the society, when recognized as a stakeholder, can play an active role in support of public policy on vaccionation. Around this goal, the Vaccination Informal Platform (V.I.P.) for life-course immunization promotion, a collective of leaders of patient and citizen organizations across Europe promoted by Active Citizenship Network, has united with the desire to strengthen the exchange of experiences among the many expressions of active citizenship working to support public vaccination policies. The ultimate goal is to update a narrative that, when it comes to vaccination, almost never refers to the active role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Patient Advocacy Groups (PAGs), instead focusing mainly on hesitant or even hostile attitudes toward vaccines, which, though present, do not represent the whole picture. There are many of actors from the intermediated bodies of the society that can play a constructive role with institutional and non-institutional stakeholders, as well as act as a driving force for other organizations, and there are different typologies of initiatives to testify their activist on vaccination arena.

Biography

Mariano Votta is responsible for EU Affairs at the Italian NGO Cittadinanzattiva and Director of its EU branch “Active Citizenship Network”. Passionate about health & consumer issues, Mariano has 25 years of experience in advocacy, stakeholder engagement, communication, European Public Affairs & EU funded-projects.

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In the current environment, the potential risk of medical errors is potentially much more likely. Prior to COVID-19, medical errors were considered a global priority, which prompted the WHO to hold the first “World Patient Safety Day” on September 17, 2019. The goal is to make healthcare safer, raise global awareness of patient safety, and encourage people to demonstrate their commitment (“representing patient safety”). Several interrelated factors have been identified that affect the quality and timely delivery of care in emergencies. These include organizational systems, workloads, time constraints, teamwork, individual human factors, and case complexity . The remainder of this article provides an overview of specific individual human factors (HF) and working within hierarchies during an epidemic do.PRELIMINARY CLINICAL PREPARATION What can you do? Simulation Training is a well-established training tool used in the military, aerospace and civilian sectors. It facilitates kinesthetic learning, but it is also a very effective way to learn from mistakes and mistakes in a safe environment. There is evidence that the simulator is effective in improving clinical skills as well as non-technical skills. The courses, including HF training, are: NOTSS (Non-technical skill for surgeons). START (Acute Disease Recognition and Systematic Training in Surgical Treatment) Course. Training exercises in the military context reduce the risk of “invalidation”. Candidates for the 2015 LIVEX (Live Training in Exercise) pilot project have proved to be a good way to stay ready for operation . This is especially true in the military medical environment where HOSPEX (hospital movement simulation) is deployed . This can be reminiscent of certain threats such as the crisis of Ebola and many lessons at B. Op GRITROCK are related to COVID 19 .CONCLUSION The current situation has created challenges for the workforce in terms of adapting to new ways of working, relocating clinically, and managing our own health and the health of our loved ones. Many front-line colleagues are separated from their families for fears of spreading the virus. All official evaluations, such as the MRCS and FRCS exams, have been discontinued. There is also intense exposure to politics and politicians every day. For example, there is a certain degree of skepticism and distrust about resolving the situation, given previous responses to contracts with junior doctors. COVID19  is affecting all us, our extended families and all those we serve. We must continue to adapt to these new ways of working: within our levels of competency, to deliver safe patient care, and, to minimise the potential for error

Biography

Abstract

Abstract This plenary session explores the critical role of mental health in fostering resilience, prevention, and empowerment. Emeneka Chisom, founder of The Wellness Corner by Kendra, will share practical insights on integrating mental health with fitness, nutrition, and holistic well-being. Participants will gain simple strategies to build resilience and understand how mental health advocacy can drive sustainable societal development. 

Biography

Emeneka Chisom is a health educator and wellness advocate with a background in public health and community engagement. She holds a degree in Health Education from Delta State University, Abraka, and a diploma in Health, Safety, and Environmental Education. As founder of The Wellness Corner by Kendra, she promotes mental health, fitness, nutrition, and holistic well-being, inspiring individuals and communities to live healthier, balanced lives.