Maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by acute hepatitis E and the impact of HIV status: a cross‐sectional study in Namibia

Objective: To identify the maternofetal outcomes of Acute Hepatitis E in Pregnancy Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore. It included 41 women with gestational age >32 weeks, singleton pregnancy, presenting with Hepatitis E infection. Their demographic and pregnancy-related characteristics were included. Maternal and fetal outcomes were assessed. Data was entered and analyzed using SPSS v.25. Results: Mean age of the participatns was 27.12 ± 3.85 years; the mean gestational age was 31.00 ± 6.15 weeks. Thirty one patients (75.6%) were admitted through the emergency. Twenty four (58.5%) needed packed cell transfusion and 32 (78%) needed fresh frozen plasma transfusion. Eleven patients (26.8%) developed hepatic encephalopathy and all of them required intensive care admission. The maternal mortality rate was 4 (9.8%). Thirty eight (92.1%) pregnancies were viable at the time of arrival. The fetal mortality rate was 7 (17.1%). Conclusion: HEV infections significantly contribute to materno-fetal morbidity and mortality. Screening for and monitoring HEV infection earlier during the pregnancy should be of primary public health importance. Improving awareness in women of childbearing age regarding HEV transmission and its adverse fetal effects should be prioritized. Key words: Hepatitis E virus, Maternofetal Outcomes, pregnancy, Childbearing age

Download Full-text

Rationale, design and protocol of a cross-sectional study on pregnancy-related cardiovascular diseases in Tanzania (PRECARDT): burden, characterisation and prognostic significance at delivery

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049979 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. e049979

Author(s):

Abel Makubi ◽

Pilly Chillo ◽

Reuben Mutagaywa ◽

Belinda Balandya ◽

Peter Kisenge ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Subjects ◽

Prognostic Significance ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Ethics Committees ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Fetal Outcomes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Reference Number ◽

The Impact

IntroductionThe paucity of data describing cardiovascular disease (CVD) in pregnancy in many parts of Africa including Tanzania has given rise to challenges in proper management by the healthcare providers. This study is set out to (1) determine the prevalence of a range of CVDs during pregnancy in women attending antenatal clinics in Tanzania and (2) determine the impact of these CVDs on maternal and fetal outcomes at delivery.Methods and analysisThis is a cross-sectional study with a prospective component to be conducted in two referral hospitals in Tanzania. Pregnant women aged ≥18 years diagnosed with a CVD during the antenatal period are being identified and extensively characterised by performing clinical assessment, modified WHO staging, electrocardiography, echocardiography and laboratory tests. Patients identified with CVDs (exposed) and a subset without (unexposed) will be followed up to determine maternal and fetal outcomes at delivery. A minimum sample of 1560 will be sufficient to estimate the prevalence of CVDs with a 95% CI of 2.75% to 5.25%.Ethics and disseminationThe study is being conducted in accordance with the Helsinki declaration on studies involving human subjects. Ethical approvals have been obtained from Muhimbili University (reference number DA.282/298/01.C/) and Bugando Medical Centre (reference number CREC/330/2019) Ethics Committees. Informed consent is sought from all potential participants before any interview or investigations are performed. Study findings will be disseminated to the scientific community through different methods. Results will also be communicated to policymakers and to the public, as appropriate.

Download Full-text

The impact of the use of a footrest on the quality of chest compressions. A prospective, randomized, cross-sectional study

Postępy Nauk Medycznych ◽

10.25121/pnm.2018.31.3.133 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Jolanta Majer ◽

Sandra Pyda ◽

Jerzy Robert Ladny ◽

Antonio Rodriguez-Nunez ◽

Lukasz Szarpak

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Chest Compressions ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

Impact of Community-Led Total Sanitation and Hygiene on Prevalence of Diarrheal Disease and Associated Factors among Under-Five Children: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study in Selected Woredas of Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Advances in Public Health ◽

10.1155/2020/8237101 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Agune Ashole Alto ◽

Wanzahun Godana ◽

Genet Gedamu

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Diarrheal Disease ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Under Five ◽

Under Five Children ◽

Sanitation And Hygiene ◽

The Impact ◽

Gamo Gofa

Background. Diarrheal diseases are still one of the major causes of morbidity in under-five children in sub-Saharan Africa. In Ethiopia, diarrhea is responsible for 9% of all deaths and is the major cause of under-five mortality. Objective. To assess the impact of community-led total sanitation and hygiene on the prevalence of diarrheal disease and factors associated among under-five children in Gamo Gofa Zone. Methods. Community-based comparative cross-sectional study design was used to compare the impact of community-led total sanitation and hygiene intervention on under-five diarrheal disease. Multistage sampling method was employed. The data were collected by using pretested structured questionnaires. Data quality was ensured by daily supervision completeness and consistency. The data were coded, entered, and cleaned by using Epi Info version 7 and were analyzed by using SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were carried out by using binary logistic regression. Significance was declared by using p value of <0.05 and AOR with 95% confidence intervals. Results. The response rate of this study was 93.3%. The overall diarrhea prevalence was 27.5% (CI = (24.06, 30.97)) which was 18.9% (CI = (14.94, 23.2)) in implemented and 36.2%. (CI = (30.41, 41.59)) in nonimplemented woredas. Children whose age was between 12 and 23 months (AOR = 1.6) and greater than 24 months (AOR = 5), availability of handwashing facilities (AOR = 4), disposal of waste in open field (AOR = 9.7), unimproved source of drinking water (AOR = 6.5), using only water for handwashing (AOR = 6), children who started complementary feeding less than 6 months (AOR = 5.6) and greater than 6 months (AOR = 5.2), and utensils used to feed children such as bottle (AOR = 3.9) were the factors positively associated with diarrhea. Conclusion. The overall prevalence of under-five diarrhea was 27.5%. The prevalence was low in CLTSH woredas as compared with non-CLTSH woredas. The study showed that handwashing facility, using only water for handwashing, open refuse disposal, and unimproved source of drinking water among under-five had a statistically significant association with diarrhea occurrence in CLTSH nonimplemented areas. Integrated efforts are needed from the Ministry of Health together with the WASH Project in improving drinking water, handwashing facilities, and solid waste disposal practices.

Download Full-text

The impact of health literacy on health outcomes in individuals with chronic pain: a cross-sectional study

Physiotherapy ◽

10.1016/j.physio.2018.11.006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 105 (3) ◽

pp. 346-353

Author(s):

Laura M. Mackey ◽

Catherine Blake ◽

Maire-Brid Casey ◽

Camillus K. Power ◽

Ray Victory ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Download Full-text

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on training and mental health of residents: a cross-sectional study

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-021-02655-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eman Alshdaifat ◽

Amer Sindiani ◽

Wasim Khasawneh ◽

Omar Abu-Azzam ◽

Aref Qarqash ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Residency Training ◽

Training Programs ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Surgical Residents ◽

Tertiary Center ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Residency programs have been impacted by the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study we aim to investigate and evaluate the impact of the pandemic on residents as well as residency training programs. Methods This was a cross-sectional study including a survey of 43 questions prepared on Google forms and electronically distributed among a convenience sample of residents training at a tertiary center in North Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in the period between October 30th and November 8th of 2020. The survey included questions that addressed the impact of the pandemic on residents’ health as well as training programs. The study participants included residents in training at KAUH in 2020 and were stratified according to the type of residency program (surgical residents (SRs) and non-surgical residents (NSRs)). Statistical methods included descriptive analysis, Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, Mann Whitney U test, and Cramer’s V and r statistics as measures of effect sizes. Results Of all 430 residents, 255 (59%) responded to the survey. A total of 17 (7%) of residents reported being infected with COVID-19 and a significant difference was reported between SRs and NSRs (10% vs 4%, V = .124 “small effect” (95% CI; .017–.229), p = 0.048). Approximately, 106 (42%) reported a decrease in the number of staff working at the clinic and 164 (64%) reported limited access to personal protective equipment during the pandemic. On a 4-point Likert scale for the feeling of anxiety, the median was 2 (2–3 IQR) in the NSRs group, vs 2 (1–2 IQR) in the SRs groups, with the NSRs being more likely to feel anxious (r = 0.13 “small effect” (95% CI; 0.007–0.249), p = .044). Similarly, the proportion of residents who reported feeling anxious about an inadequacy of protective equipment in the work area was significantly greater in the NSRs group (90.3% vs 75.2%; V = .201 “small effect” (95% CI; .078–.313), p = .001), as well as the proportion of residents who reported feeling increased stress and anxiety between colleagues being also significantly higher in the NSRs group (88.1% vs 76%; V = .158 “small effect” (95% CI; .032–.279), p = .012). Conclusion The burden of the ongoing pandemic on the mental health status of residents is very alarming and so providing residents with psychological counseling and support is needed. Also, critical implications on the flow of residency training programs have been noticed. This necessitates adapting and adopting smart educational techniques to compensate for such limitations.

Download Full-text

Factors associated with emotional exhaustion in healthcare professionals involved in the COVID-19 pandemic: an application of the job demands-resources model

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health ◽

10.1007/s00420-021-01669-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Serena Barello ◽

Rosario Caruso ◽

Lorenzo Palamenghi ◽

Tiziana Nania ◽

Federica Dellafiore ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotional Exhaustion ◽

Patient Engagement ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Job Demands ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Personal Resources ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Abstract Purpose The purpose of the present cross-sectional study is to investigate the role of perceived COVID-19-related organizational demands and threats in predicting emotional exhaustion, and the role of organizational support in reducing the negative influence of perceived COVID-19 work-related stressors on burnout. Moreover, the present study aims to add to the understanding of the role of personal resources in the Job Demands-Resources model (JD-R) by examining whether personal resources—such as the professionals’ orientation towards patient engagement—may also strengthen the impact of job resources and mitigate the impact of job demands. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 532 healthcare professionals working during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. It adopted the Job-Demands-Resource Model to study the determinants of professional’s burnout. An integrative model describing how increasing job demands experienced by this specific population are related to burnout and in particular to emotional exhaustion symptoms was developed. Results The results of the logistic regression models provided strong support for the proposed model, as both Job Demands and Resources are significant predictors (OR = 2.359 and 0.563 respectively, with p < 0.001). Moreover, healthcare professionals’ orientation towards patient engagement appears as a significant moderator of this relationship, as it reduces Demands’ effect (OR = 1.188) and increases Resources’ effect (OR = 0.501). Conclusions These findings integrate previous findings on the JD-R Model and suggest the relevance of personal resources and of relational factors in affecting professionals’ experience of burnout.

Download Full-text

A cross-sectional study on pelvic floor symptoms in women living with Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

Reproductive Health ◽

10.1186/s12978-021-01097-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alzbeta Binkova ◽

Marion Uebelhart ◽

Patrick Dällenbach ◽

Michel Boulvain ◽

Angèle Gayet-Ageron ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pelvic Floor ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Background Information ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Pelvic Floor Symptoms ◽

The Impact ◽

Female Genital

Abstract Background Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) concerns over 200 million women and girls worldwide and is associated with obstetric trauma and long-term urogynaecological and psychosexual complications that are often under-investigated and undertreated. The aim of this study was to assess the pelvic floor distress and the impact of pelvic floor and psychosexual symptoms among migrant women with different types of FGM/C. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2016 and January 2019 at the Division of Gynaecology of the Geneva University Hospitals. The participants were interviewed on socio-demographic and background information, underwent a systematic gynaecological examination to assess the presence and type of FGM/C and eventual Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP), and completed six validated questionnaires on pelvic floor and psychosexual symptoms (PFDI-20 and PFIQ7 on pelvic floor distress and impact, FISI and WCS on faecal incontinence and constipation, PISQ-IR and FGSIS on sexual function and genital self-image). The participants’ scores were compared with scores of uncut women available from the literature. The association between selected variables and higher scores for distress and impact of pelvic floor symptoms was assessed using univariate and multivariable linear regression models. Results 124 women with a mean age of 31.5 (± 7.5), mostly with a normal BMI, and with no significant POP were included. PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 mean (± SD) scores were of 49.5 (± 52.0) and 40.7 (± 53.6) respectively. In comparison with the available literature, the participants’ scores were lower than those of uncut women with pelvic floor dysfunction but higher than those of uncut women without such disorders. Past violent events other than FGM/C and forced or arranged marriage, age at FGM/C of more than 10, a period of staying in Switzerland of less than 6 months, and nulliparity were significantly associated with higher scores for distress and impact of pelvic floor symptoms, independently of known risk factors such as age, weight, ongoing pregnancy and history of episiotomy. Conclusions Women with various types of FGM/C, without POP, can suffer from pelvic floor symptoms responsible for distress and impact on their daily life. Trial registration. The study protocol was approved by the Swiss Ethics Committee on research involving humans (protocol n°15-224).

Download Full-text

Impact of COVID-19 Home Confinement in Children’s Refractive Errors

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105347 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5347

Author(s):

Cristina Alvarez-Peregrina ◽

Clara Martinez-Perez ◽

Cesar Villa-Collar ◽

Cristina Andreu-Vázquez ◽

Alicia Ruiz-Pomeda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health Problem ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

World Population ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Digital Devices ◽

Visual Screening ◽

Near Work ◽

The Impact

Background: Myopia is a public health problem, with estimations that 50% of the world population will be myopic by 2050. Some environmental factors, such as time spent outdoors, doing near work, and using digital devices, influence the development of myopia in children. Home confinement in Spain has increased these risk factors, so this study aims to investigate the impact of home confinement during the COVID-19 outbreak in the vision of school-aged children; Methods: A cross-sectional study in children between 5 and 7 years old that completed a visual screening and a questionnaire about their lifestyles at opticians in Spain in September and October of 2019 and 2020. Statistical analysis to compare lifestyles pre and post confinement, and vision in 2020 versus a similar cohort examined at the same opticians in 2019, was conducted; Results: Spanish children spent less time outdoors and more time doing near work in 2020 than in 2019 (p ≤ 0.001). There was a significant decrease of the spherical equivalent (mean ± standard deviation; 0.66 ± 2.03 D in 2019 vs. 0.48 ± 1.81 D in 2020; p ≤ 0.001); Conclusions: Lifestyles of Spanish children changed during the home confinement at the beginning of 2020. Together with changes in their lifestyles, spherical equivalents have decreased, which implies higher figures of myopia for children aged between 5 and 7.

Download Full-text

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Impacts of Perceived Job Value, Job Maintenance, and Social Support on Burnout among Long-Term Care Staff in Hawaii

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020476 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 476

Author(s):

Bum Jung Kim ◽

Sun-young Lee

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Long Term Care ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Care Staff ◽

Hierarchical Regression ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Term Care ◽

The Impact

Extensive research has demonstrated the factors that influence burnout among social service employees, yet few studies have explored burnout among long-term care staff in Hawaii. This study aimed to examine the impact of job value, job maintenance, and social support on burnout of staff in long-term care settings in Hawaii, USA. This cross-sectional study included 170 long-term care staff, aged 20 to 75 years, in Hawaii. Hierarchical regression was employed to explore the relationships between the key independent variables and burnout. The results indicate that staff with a higher level of perceived job value, those who expressed a willingness to continue working in the same job, and those with strong social support from supervisors or peers are less likely to experience burnout. Interventions aimed at decreasing the level of burnout among long-term care staff in Hawaii may be more effective through culturally tailored programs aimed to increase the levels of job value, job maintenance, and social support.

Download Full-text