Journal of Health Science and Alternative Medicine

Identifying the Components of Patient Registration Team Effectiveness: An Exploratory Factor Analysis at Mahasarakham Provincial Hospital

Ntapat Worapongpat — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Patient registration is a critical entry point in hospital service delivery, directly influencing service efficiency, continuity of care, and patient satisfaction. Despite its importance, limited empirical evidence is available regarding the organizational factors that contribute to the effectiveness of patient registration teams in provincial hospitals. This study aimed (i) to identify the components of patient registration team effectiveness in the General Administration Division of Mahasarakham Provincial Hospital and (ii) to propose guidelines for improving team performance based on quantitative and qualitative findings. A mixed-methods study was conducted using a sequential explanatory design. Quantitative data were collected from 278 personnel using a 50-item questionnaire. The instrument demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.983). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed to identify the underlying components of team performance. The suitability of the data for factor analysis was confirmed by the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity. Qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interviews with key informants and analyzed using thematic analysis to complement and explain the quantitative findings. The quantitative analysis identified five components of patient registration team effectiveness: (i) team structure and staff competency, (ii) management system and staff motivation, (iii) patient registration process and operational efficiency, (iv) performance evaluation and feedback system, and (v) organizational support and health information systems. These five components explained 74.4% of the total variance, indicating a robust factor structure. The KMO value and Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity confirmed the appropriateness of the data for factor analysis. Qualitative findings supported these components and highlighted the importance of continuous competency development, effective communication, leadership support, standardized work processes, and integrated health information systems. Based on these findings, practical guidelines were proposed, including staff capacity building, strengthening performance management systems, improving workflow efficiency, establishing continuous feedback mechanisms, and enhancing information technology support. Patient registration team effectiveness is determined by five interrelated organizational components. The qualitative findings reinforced the quantitative results and informed practical improvement strategies. These findings provide an empirical basis for hospital administrators to strengthen patient registration services through integrated organizational, managerial, and technological development.

Traditional Asian Fermented Foods and Neuroprotection: A Narrative Review of Evidence on Neuroinflammation, Oxidative Stress, and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Introduction: Neuroinflammation and oxidative stress contribute to the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. Traditional Asian fermented foods may influence these processes through microorganisms and fermentation-derived compounds acting along the microbiota–gut–brain axis (MGBA), although their clinical relevance remains uncertain. This review critically synthesised evidence concerning the potential effects of kimchi, miso, natto, and tempeh on neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and MGBA-related pathways.

Methods: A structured narrative review was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar. Peer-reviewed publications from January 2010 to June 2025 were considered. Twenty-seven publications were included, comprising 10 primary studies and 17 reviews. Mechanistic, animal, observational, and human-intervention evidence was synthesized thematically. Evidence from whole foods was distinguished from that concerning food-derived microorganisms and isolated bioactive components.

Results: Fermented-food-associated microorganisms, short-chain fatty acids, isoflavone aglycones, GABA, and bioactive peptides may influence intestinal-barrier function, inflammatory signaling, antioxidant responses, and neurotrophic pathways. However, evidence varied substantially among foods and was derived mainly from experimental models or isolated components. Human findings were limited, heterogeneous, and largely observational. Current evidence therefore supports biological plausibility more strongly than clinical neuroprotection.

Conclusion: Future research should evaluate standardized whole-food interventions using adequate sample sizes, longer follow-up, and clinically meaningful neurological outcomes. Current evidence is insufficient to recommend these foods specifically for preventing or treating neurodegenerative disease.

Factors Associated with E-Cigarette Use among Undergraduate Students in Phetchabun Province, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study

Sunit Soytong, Thanach Kanokthet — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Introduction: E-cigarette use among young people is a growing public health concern. Undergraduate students are particularly vulnerable to initiation, yet evidence on the individual and interpersonal factors associated with use in provincial Thai contexts remains limited. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and identify individual- and interpersonal-level factors associated with e-cigarette use among undergraduate students in Phetchabun Province, informed by the socio-ecological model.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 548 undergraduate students from five higher education institutions in Phetchabun Province, selected using stratified random sampling with proportional allocation by institution. Data were collected between October 2025 and March 2026 via an online questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression.

Results: Of 548 participants, most were female (60.95%) and first-year students (38.14%). The 30-day prevalence of e-cigarette use was 9.85%. Binary logistic regression identified four factors significantly associated with use (p-value < 0.050): positive attitude toward e-cigarettes (AOR = 11.40 and 5.04 for moderate and high attitude, respectively), low perception of related laws (AOR = 3.83), low and moderate self-efficacy (AOR = 5.03 and 4.04, respectively), and influence from close persons, for which the absence of such influence was protective (AOR = 0.016). Several estimates, including this last one, had wide confidence intervals and should be interpreted with caution.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that e-cigarette use among undergraduate students is associated with individual- and interpersonal-level factors, including attitude, legal awareness, self-efficacy, and peer influence. Prevention strategies addressing these factors may be worth considering, although the cross-sectional design limits causal inference and generalizability beyond this setting.

Mechanism of 6-Gingerol against Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and In Vitro Validation

Xinyue Yang, Li Chenlu, Zeng Yueqin, Chen Liang — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Introduction: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a prevalent non-melanoma skin cancer with increasing global morbidity. Conventional therapies are limited by high recurrence rates and adverse reactions, creating an urgent demand for innovative therapeutic agents. 6-Gingerol, the primary bioactive constituent of ginger, exhibits broad antitumor activity across multiple malignancies, yet its functional mechanism against cSCC remains poorly defined. The study aimed to predict potential molecular mechanisms underlying the anti‑cSCC activity of 6‑gingerol via network pharmacology, molecular docking, and preliminary in‑vitro morphological assays.

Methods: Compound targets of 6-gingerol and disease-related targets of cSCC were retrieved from multiple databases. Intersected targets were applied to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted to predict functional biological processes and key signaling cascades. Molecular docking was performed to assess binding affinity between 6-gingerol and hub targets. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe morphological alterations in A431 human cSCC cells.

Results: Sixty-one overlapping targets were screened. The PPI network consisted of 61 nodes and 1173 edges, with TP53, AKT1, BCL2, CASP3, and EGFR identified as core hub genes. A total of 522 enriched GO biological processes were obtained, while KEGG enrichment highlighted apoptosis, PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways. Molecular docking verified strong binding capacity between 6-gingerol and core targets (binding energy ≤ −7.0 kcal/mol). In vitro staining revealed that 6‑gingerol induced morphological changes reminiscent of apoptosis‑like phenotypes in A431 cells. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses predicted that 6-gingerol may exert anti-cSCC effects through the regulation of TP53, AKT1, BCL2, and the PI3K-Akt/MAPK pathways.

Conclusion: HE staining provided preliminary morphological evidence of apoptosis-like changes in A431 cells, but the predicted pathway interactions require further experimental validation at the protein and gene expression levels.

Wound Healing Activity of Tanzanian-Sourced Centella asiatica on Second-Degree Burn Wounds in Wistar Rats

Frida Mgonja, Mvulla E T, Mshamu SA, Lusekelo MM — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0700

Introduction: Burn wounds heal slowly, often with complications. Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. (Apiaceae) has traditional uses in wound management, but region-specific evidence from Tanzania is lacking. The study aimed to evaluate the burn wound healing effect of topically applied C. asiatica leaf extract in a rat model of second-degree thermal injury, using complete epithelialization time as the primary outcome. This study was designed as a pilot/exploratory investigation to generate preliminary data on locally sourced plant material.

Methods: Fifteen male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups: negative control (no treatment), positive control (1.0% silver sulfadiazine cream), 0.5% w/v C. asiatica ethanol extract dispersed in distilled water, and 1.0% w/v C. asiatica ethanol extract dispersed in distilled water. Standardized second-degree burns were induced on the dorsal skin under diethyl ether anesthesia. Treatments were applied once daily. Two rats died from inter-animal aggression during acclimatization and were excluded from analysis, leaving final group sizes of n=3 for three groups and n=4 for one group. Epithelialization time was recorded daily. Group comparisons used one-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD post hoc test (significance at p-value < 0.05).

Results: The 1.0% w/v C. asiatica group showed the shortest mean epithelialization time (12.7 ± 0.6 days), followed by 0.5% w/v (14.0 ± 0.8 days), silver sulfadiazine (16.0 ± 0.8 days), and negative control (23.0 ± 1.0 days). ANOVA revealed significant differences among groups (F(3,9) = 68.67, p-value < 0.001). Post hoc analysis confirmed faster healing with both C. asiatica concentrations compared to silver sulfadiazine (p-value < 0.001) and untreated controls (p-value < 0.001). The difference between 0.5% and 1.0% C. asiatica was not statistically significant (p-value = 0.065), representing a non-significant trend rather than confirmed dose-dependence.

Conclusion: Topical C. asiatica ethanol extract (aqueous dispersion) significantly accelerates burn wound epithelialization in rats, with the higher concentration showing the fastest healing. These preliminary findings support further investigation of locally sourced C. asiatica as a potential low-cost intervention for burn care. However, due to substantial methodological limitations including small sample size, lack of vehicle control, unblinded assessment, and suboptimal anesthesia/analgesia protocols these results should be interpreted as hypothesis generating. Histological and phytochemical studies are needed before clinical translation.