scholarly journals Prevalence of Asymptomatic Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Charcoal Producers: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kaase, Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kwame Senya ◽  
Nketiah Bernard Anim ◽  
Bright Segu Kobena Domson ◽  
Patrick Adu
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Fluorescent Microscopy ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Smoke Exposure ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Charcoal Production ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference

Background. Charcoal production is a significant economic activity in Ghana. However, there is scarcity of data on the risk of acquiring Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among charcoal producers in Ghana, even though persistent smoke exposure is a known predisposition factor. Methods. This cross-sectional study recruited 40 charcoal producers: 6 males and 34 females. Two sets of early morning sputum samples were collected from each participant and examined for the presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) using fluorescent microscopy. Structured questionnaires were used to retrieve demographic data from each participant. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 and presented as frequencies and proportions. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-square test. Significant difference was identified as p<0.05 at 95% confidence interval. Results. Overall, 2/40 (5%) of the participants demonstrated AFB in their sputum. All participants with AFB positive sputum were females and had 6–10 years of experience in charcoal production. Whereas coughing was the most self-reported symptom by the charcoal producers, none complained of blood in sputum. Also, only 9/40 (22.5%) had knowledge about the Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infection risk associated with charcoal production. Moreover, 62.5% (25/40) of participants had no formal education. Conclusion. Education on personal protection equipment must be a public health priority in these charcoal producers in Ghana as sawdust and smoke exposure may predispose charcoal producers to acquisition of tuberculosis.

scholarly journals Intestinal Helminth Infections, Compliance and Effectiveness of Albendazole Treatment among CDC Workers (18-45 Years) in Tiko, South-West Region, Cameroon

2020 ◽  
pp. 26-33
Author(s):  
Judith Lum Ndamukong-Nyanga ◽  
Dioh Njanakea Owah ◽  
Nyanga Bernard Yunga ◽  
Desdemona Njabi Nji ◽  
Changsen Jacqueline
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Development Cooperation ◽  
Intestinal Helminth ◽  
Helminth Parasites ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Helminth Infections ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Stool Samples

Intestinal helminthes infections are among the most prevalent of chronic human infections worldwide. These infections are common among people who work under very poor conditions most of the time without protective hand gloves, shoes and uniforms in the field. A cross-sectional study was done to determine the prevalence of intestinal helminthes among Cameroon Development Cooperation (CDC) workers and their compliance to anti-helminthic treatement form November 2017 to April 2018. It involved 102 workers aged18-45 years attending CDC cottage Hospital in Tiko. A cross-sectional study was done in which demographic data and data related to predisposing factors and preventive measures was collected using a simplified questionnaire, stool samples were collected pre and post treatement. Macroscopic and microscopic examination of stool samples was carried out in the hospital laboratory. Out of 102 people, a total of 81 (79.4%) people were infected with one or more species of intestitinal helminthes and there was significant difference in the infection with respect to various helminthes species (0.004). Among the 81 infected cases, 58(71.6%) were infected with single helminth species and 23 (28.4%) were infected with more than one species (coinfection). Intestinal helminths varied significantly among the participants with prevalences of 24.5% for T. trichuris, 6,9% for Hookworm, 0.9% for S. japanicum, 24.5% for S. haematobium, 34.3% for A. lumbricoides and 7.8% for S.  mansoni (P<0.004). Out of the 40 participants who took the drug (albendazole), 32 (80%) came for retesting and disappointedly, 8 (20.00%) of the treated participants did not come.  A majority of the 32 people retested were negative (28, 87.5%) for all species of intestinal helminth parasites, 4 (12.5%) still tested positive for the parasite presence in their stool among which 2 had schistosoma haematobium, one had schistosoma mansoni and one had Ascaris lumbricoides. Workers were recommended to wear protective hand gloves, and proper working shoes in line with their work description.

scholarly journals Impact of Sequelae Resulting From the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health: a Cross-sectional Study in Japan and Sweden

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuki Matsumoto ◽  
Sayo Hamatani ◽  
Eiji Shimizu ◽  
Anton Käll ◽  
Gerhard Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Trial Registration ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Event Scale ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background: Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, people have undermined their mental health. It has been reported that sequelae resulting from COVID-19 occur at a certain rate. However, information on the mental health of people with sequelae is limited. Thus, this study investigated the relationship between sequelae resulting from COVID-19 and mental health.Methods: Design of the present study was an International and collaborative cross-sectional study in Japan and Sweden from March 18 to June 15, 2021. The analyzed data included 763 adults who participated in online surveys in Japan and Sweden and submitted complete data. In addition to demographic data including terms related to COVID-19, psychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress were measured by using the fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), General Anxiety Disorder-7 item (GAD-7), and Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R).Results: of the 135 COVID-19 survivors among the 763 total participants, 40.7% had COVID-19-related sequelae. First, the results of the Bonferroni-corrected Mann Whitney U test showed that the group infected SARS-CoV-2 with sequelae scored significantly higher than those without sequelae and the non-infected group on all clinical symptom scales (P ≤ .001). Next, there was a significant difference that incidence rates of clinical-significant psychiatric symptoms among each group from the results of the Chi-squared test (P ≤ .001). Finally, the results of the multivariate logistic model revealed that the risk of having more severe clinical symptoms were 2.48–4.64 times higher among participants with sequelae. Conclusion: The results showed that approximately half had sequelae after COVID-19 and that the sequelae of COVID-19 may lead to the onset of mental disorders. Trial registration: The ethics committee of Chiba University approved this cross-sectional study (approval number: 4129). However, as no medical intervention was conducted, a clinical trial registration was not necessary.

scholarly journals Burnout and Empathy: A Cross-Sectional Study among Resident Physicians in Public Sector Hospitals of a Developing Country

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 121-124
Author(s):  
Muhammad Hamza Khalid ◽  
Rafia Ishtiaq ◽  
Laiba Fatima ◽  
Hassaan Ahmed ◽  
Aqsa Masood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
P Value ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Resident Burnout

The main objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of burnout and to identify various socio-demographic factors which are associated with resident burnout. As a secondary objective, we aimed to assess levels of empathy among the residents. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed among residents working in Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, and District Headquarter Hospital, all of which are situated in district Rawalpindi of Punjab, Pakistan. Data were collected from January 2019 to April 2019 using a convenient sampling technique. The participants were requested to complete Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure burnout and Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy to measure empathy from January 2019 to April 2019. For data analysis IBM SPSS © version 25.0 was used. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the quantitative variables. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between burnout and categorical variables. Then, those independent variables with p-value < 0.05 were subjected to binary logistic regression to identify predictors of burnout. A P-value of < 0.05 was used as the criterion for statistical significance and OR with 95% confidence interval was used to indicate the strength of association. Independent sample t-test was used to assess empathy among the groups. The prevalence of burnout in our sample was 78%. The average burnout score of the sample was 81±13.45. Weekly working hours (p-value < 0.05) and the type of specialty (p-value < 0.05) were significantly associated with resident burnout. Residents working more than 80 hours were more prone to develop burnout [AOR 2.700(1.42-5.120)]. Medical residents were found to be at a higher risk of developing burnout as compared to surgical residents [(AOR 2.097(1.16-3.78)]. Residents working less than 80 hours per week had more empathy scores as compared to residents working more than 80 hours and this result was statistically significant (p-value < 0.05). However, no significant difference in empathy was found for age, gender, marital status, and posts. Therefore, weekly working hours should be reduced to diminish burnout and increase empathy, thereby, promoting the quality of care being delivered to the patient. Moreover, efforts should be made to reduce burnout in medicine residents so that we may promote the doctor-patient relationship.

Investigation E-health literacy and correlates factors among Alborz medical sciences students: a cross sectional study

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leili Salehi ◽  
Leila Keikavoosi-Arani
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean

AbstractBackgroundHealth literacy is one of the goals of public health and the key challenge of health education in the 21st century. This study aimed to determine E-health literacy and correlates among medical sciences students in Karaj, Iran 2017.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was performed on a thousand students of Alborz University of Medical Sciences. A multi-sectional questionnaire was used to collect data. The first section included age, major, marital status; educational grade, mother and father education, socioeconomic status, health status, membrane in social network and the second compromised a validated Persian version of the E-health literacy. We used t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the mean of variables and for categorical variables x2 was used with SPSS version 19.ResultsThe mean age of the subjects was 25.5 ± 5.6 years, of which 65.3% were male. The medical students constituted the most number of participants (28.6%). Mean eHEALS score was 26.11 ± 6.6 years. There was a significant difference between female and male regarding E-health literacy (P = 0.04). Internet was the most commonly used sources for health information (67%), the majority of the students were members of one of the social networks (77.7%) that telegram and Instagram were among the most popular networks.ConclusionImproving search skills and assessing of health resources in students, especially in medical and Para-medical sciences, is recommended. Social networks can be used as channels for the transmission of the health messages due to high usage among students.

HUBUNGAN DUKUNGAN KELUARGA DENGAN HARGA DIRI (SELF ESTEEM) PENDERITA TUBERKULOSIS PARU DI WILAYAH EKS KAWEDANAN INDRAMAYU

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-39
Author(s):  
Dedeh Husnaniyah
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
P Value ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional

Tuberkulosis Paru merupakan penyakit menular yang disebabkan oleh Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Dampak TB Paru adalah penurunan daya tahan tubuh, kelemahan fisik, merugikan secara ekonomis dan dapat mengakibatkan isolasi sosial. Keadaan tersebut dapat mempengaruhi harga diri penderita TB Paru. Perubahan harga diri pada penderita TB Paru dapat mempengaruhi keberhasilan pengobatan, sehingga dibutuhkan adanya dukungan keluarga. Tujuan Penelitian ini adalah untuk mengidentifikasi pengaruh dukungan keluarga terhadap harga diri penderita TB Paru di Wilayah Puskesmas Eks Kawedanan Indramayu tahun 2015. Jenis penelitian ini adalah deskriptif analitik dengan rancangan penelitian cross sectional study. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan tekhnik total sampling sebayak 45 responden. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penderita TB Paru yang memiliki harga diri tinggi sebanyak 23 responden (51,1%) dan yang memiliki harga diri rendah sebanyak 22 responden (48,9%), penderita TB Paru yang mendapatkan dukungan keluarga sebanyak 26 responden (57,8 %) dan yang tidak mendapatkandukungan keluarga sebanyak 19 (42,2 %). Responden yang mendapatkan dukungan keluarga lebih banyak yang memiliki harga diri tinggi dibandingkan dengan responden yang tidak mendapatkan dukungan keluarga yaitu 69,6% dengan nilai p value = 0,047 (< 0,05). Simpulan dari penelitian ini adalah terdapat hubungandukungan keluarga denganharga diri penderita TB Paru. Hasil penelitian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi masukan bagi pemegang program TB untuk memberikan konseling terkait pentingnya dukungan keluarga bagi penderita TB Paru.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Confidence and Preparedness in Paramedics in Metropolitan, Regional, and Rural Australia to Manage Mental-Health-Related Presentations: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1882
Author(s):  
Kate Emond ◽  
Melanie Bish ◽  
Michael Savic ◽  
Dan I. Lubman ◽  
Terence McCann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Considerable Proportion ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Manage Mental ◽  
Manage Mental Health

Mental-health-related presentations account for a considerable proportion of the paramedic’s workload in prehospital care. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the perceived confidence and preparedness of paramedics in Australian metropolitan and rural areas to manage mental-health-related presentations. Overall, 1140 paramedics were surveyed. Pearson chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to compare categorical variables by sex and location of practice; continuous variables were compared using the non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Perceived confidence and preparedness were each modelled in multivariable ordinal regressions. Female paramedics were younger with higher qualifications but were less experienced than their male counterparts. Compared to paramedics working in metropolitan regions, those working in rural and regional areas were generally older with fewer qualifications and were significantly less confident and less prepared to manage mental health presentations (p = 0.001). Compared to male paramedics, females were less confident (p = 0.003), although equally prepared (p = 0.1) to manage mental health presentations. These results suggest that higher qualifications from the tertiary sector may not be adequately preparing paramedics to manage mental health presentations, which signifies a disparity between education provided and workforce preparedness. Further work is required to address the education and training requirements of paramedics in regional and rural areas to increase confidence and preparedness in managing mental health presentations.

scholarly journals Association between Short Hours of Sleep and Overweight/Obesity in Mexican Adolescent Population: A School-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 939
Author(s):  
Ana Fresan ◽  
Alma Delia Genis-Mendoza ◽  
María Lilia López-Narváez ◽  
Tania Guadalupe Gómez-Peralta ◽  
Daniela Georgina Aguilar-Velázquez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
The Body ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Continuous Variables ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Obese Adolescent ◽  
School Based ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity ◽  
Mexican Adolescents

Background/Aim: Obesity in adolescents is increasing; as such, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of obesity in Mexican adolescents and examine its possible association with hours of sleep. Methods: A school-based cross-sectional study was carried out. This study included 863 adolescents aged between 11 and 16 years. The prevalence of obesity was estimated using the body mass index (BMI). The duration of sleep (and other information) was assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. The Cochran–Mantel–Hansel test for categorical variables and a general linear model for continuous variables were used to evaluate the interaction effect of BMI and sex with respect to sleeping and assessed activity conditions. Results: It was found that 47.6% of the adolescents were overweight/obese. Men were more frequently overweight/obese than women (52.6% vs. 41.8%, p = 0.002). Moreover, overweight/obese adolescents were younger and spent fewer daily hours watching television (p < 0.05). Men practiced sports more hours per week than women (p = 0.04). However, women spent more daily time on the internet (p = 0.05), and overweight/obese adolescent women slept fewer hours than overweight/obese men and adolescents with normal weight (p = 0.008). Conclusions: The development of strategies for the prevention of overweight/obesity and the improvement of sleep duration should include a gender perspective to improve health habits in Mexican adolescents.

scholarly journals Hand Hygiene Knowledge, Perception, and Practices among Domestic Visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Al Madinah City Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 673
Author(s):  
Hashim A. Mahdi ◽  
Hamza M. Assaggaf ◽  
Mohammad Alfelali ◽  
Omar B. Ahmed ◽  
Radi Alsafi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Graduate Education ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional

This study aimed to assess hand hygiene knowledge, perception, and practices of visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Al Madinah City, Saudi Arabia. Using a self-administered electronic questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among domestic residents, who visited the mosque between 31 July and 3 August 2020. Participants’ demographic data, hand hygiene knowledge, perception, and practices were collected. Four hundred participants aged 18–65 (median 36) years completed the survey, of which 215 (53.8%) were female. The visitors’ mean knowledge score about hand hygiene was 6.4 (± standard deviation (SD) 1.35) of total 12. Most participants (392, 98%) were aware of the role of hand hygiene in preventing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); nevertheless, 384 (96%) said hand hygiene lowers body immunity and 316 (79%) thought <60% alcohol is sufficient for hand disinfection. Males had a higher knowledge score than females (6.46 (±1.41) vs. 6.14 (±1.27), p = 0.02) and, visitors who had no formal education scored higher than those with post-graduate education (6.88 (±1.45) vs 5.73 (±1.12), p = 0.01). Washing hands with soap and water was the predominant method practiced after a meal (365, 91.7%), after toilet visit (354, 88.5%), after touching a surface (262, 65.7%), after waste disposal (332, 83.2%), and when hands were visibly dirty (357, 89.5%). Al Madinah visitors had moderate knowledge about hand hygiene, but demonstrated some knowledge gaps and negligence in practice that are crucial to curb the spread of COVID-19.

scholarly journals Comparison of predicted psychological distress among workers between artificial intelligence and psychiatrists: a cross-sectional study in Tsukuba Science City, Japan

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e046265
Author(s):  
Shotaro Doki ◽  
Shinichiro Sasahara ◽  
Daisuke Hori ◽  
Yuichi Oi ◽  
Tsukasa Takahashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
The Neural Network ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Total Data

ObjectivesPsychological distress is a worldwide problem and a serious problem that needs to be addressed in the field of occupational health. This study aimed to use artificial intelligence (AI) to predict psychological distress among workers using sociodemographic, lifestyle and sleep factors, not subjective information such as mood and emotion, and to examine the performance of the AI models through a comparison with psychiatrists.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingWe conducted a survey on psychological distress and living conditions among workers. An AI model for predicting psychological distress was created and then the results were compared in terms of accuracy with predictions made by psychiatrists.ParticipantsAn AI model of the neural network and six psychiatrists.Primary outcomeThe accuracies of the AI model and psychiatrists for predicting psychological distress.MethodsIn total, data from 7251 workers were analysed to predict moderate and severe psychological distress. An AI model of the neural network was created and accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Six psychiatrists used the same data as the AI model to predict psychological distress and conduct a comparison with the AI model.ResultsThe accuracies of the AI model and psychiatrists for predicting moderate psychological distress were 65.2% and 64.4%, respectively, showing no significant difference. The accuracies of the AI model and psychiatrists for predicting severe psychological distress were 89.9% and 85.5%, respectively, indicating that the AI model had significantly higher accuracy.ConclusionsA machine learning model was successfully developed to screen workers with depressed mood. The explanatory variables used for the predictions did not directly ask about mood. Therefore, this newly developed model appears to be able to predict psychological distress among workers easily, regardless of their subjective views.

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