scholarly journals The Durability, Functionality and Acceptability of Novel Screened Doors and Windows After Four Years of Use in A Gambian Village: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Author(s):  
Fiona C. Shenton ◽  
Musa Jawara ◽  
Majo Carrasco-Tenezaca ◽  
Jakob Knudsen ◽  
Umberto D'Alessandro ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The World Health Organization recommends house screening as a tool for malaria control, yet evidence of the long-term durability, functionality and acceptability of this intervention is lacking. Here we examined the sustainability and use of novel types of screened doors and windows four years after installation in a Gambian village. Methods: A survey of 31 houses, each with two screened doors and two screened windows, was conducted in the rainy season. There were four types of screened door and two types of screened window. Trained staff carried out the survey and interviews of room owners were conducted in the local language before translation into English.Results: Structurally, the manufactured doors and windows were highly durable and in excellent condition. Most doors shut smoothly 50/61 (82%), although only 25/61 (41%) shut fully automatically with the latch slotting into the hole on the frame and holding fast. Door locks were less robust, with only (24/61) 39% present and working. Blinds proved especially flimsy, with only 4/109 (4%) of door blinds and 10/56 (18%) of window blinds present and in working order. Householders hung curtains inside most doors 50/61 (82%) and in 26/61 (43%) of the windows. Front doors were commonly found propped open 21/31 (68%) and 23/27 (85%) of those with a front door curtain, put their curtains down at night. Doors and windows were well liked, 19/31 (61%) of respondents were happy with them because they kept mosquitoes out 14/31 (45%) and provided security 12/31 (39%). The main reason given for the use of curtains was to provide privacy 26/28 (93% of those with curtains), especially while the door was open or had ‘see-through’ panels.Conclusions: Overall, the screened doors and windows were in excellent condition after four years of use. Improvements to the lock design are needed before scale-up. Installation of screening in buildings should be accompanied with health messaging recommending that at night, doors and windows be closed and curtains lifted or drawn to one side - to improve ventilation and keep the house cool.

Author(s):  
E. K. Mgbe ◽  
C. G. Mgbe ◽  
S. N. Ezeofor ◽  
J. F. Etiki

Background: The world is experiencing a global corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic. As of 9th June 2020, over 7 million confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and more than 400,000 deaths had been reported in more than 30 countries of the world according to World Health Organization. Aim: We aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and vulnerability perception of Enugu state residents during the coronavirus outbreak in order to facilitate better health care outcomes. Methodology: A prospective Web-based cross-sectional survey was designed for this study which was conducted in March 2020 among Enugu state residents. The obtained data were coded, validated, and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS software, version 24. Descriptive analysis was applied to calculate the frequencies and proportions and Chi-Square Test was also used. A preliminary phase was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaire before its use.  Results: The study showed that significant number (99.6%) of the respondents had heard about Covid-19 and the most stated source of knowledge was social media (57.6%), followed by Newspaper and television shows (50.2%) while the least was from General Practitioner (GP) (8.9%). There was over 75% agreement with, and practice, of all known covid precautionary measures and less than 35% responses for wrong claims and practices about covid -19. Conclusion: The overall knowledge, attitude, and perception are high in Enugu state population although few still has background combined superstitious believes. Social media and internet are the highest used facility for acquisition of knowledge and information in Enugu, Nigeria.


2017 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-211
Author(s):  
Kudzaishe Mangombe ◽  
Ishumael Kalule-Sabiti

SummaryMedical male circumcision has been recommended by the World Health Organization as part of a comprehensive approach to HIV prevention. Zimbabwe is one of the fourteen sub-Saharan countries that embarked on the Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) programme. However, the country has not yet met male circumcision targets. This paper examines the predictors of male circumcision in Zimbabwe. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 784 men aged 15–35 years in Harare, Zimbabwe. Negative log-log logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of male circumcision. The main predictors of circumcision were age, employment status, ever tested for HIV, approval of HIV testing prior to circumcision, knowledge about male circumcision and attitudes towards male circumcision. By and large, participants had good knowledge about male circumcision and viewed HIV prevention with a reasonably positive attitude. The identification of these predictors can be used to scale up the demand for male circumcision in Zimbabwe.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 205031212199329
Author(s):  
Abebe Tiruneh ◽  
Tikuneh Yetneberk ◽  
Denberu Eshetie ◽  
Bassazinew Chekol ◽  
Moges Gellaw

Introduction: The novel coronavirus was first reported in December 2019, from Wuhan, China, and it has been declared as a pandemic by World Health Organization on 7 January 2020, and from that time till now the disease transmitted across the world. Hospitals need to be prepared for the overwhelming COVID-19 cases in their respective hospitals. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the level of hospital preparedness for COVID-19 in South Gondar Zone Governmental Hospitals, 2020. Methods: The institutionally based survey was conducted in South Gondar Zone Hospitals from 20 July to 25 July 2020. We used the World Health Organization preparedness checklist for COVID-19, and the checklist has three options for eight hospitals (not started, in progress, and started), so each hospital evaluated out of 208 points (104 items × 2) to assess each hospital their preparedness based on the checklist. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, Version 21, is used for the analysis of the data. We used descriptive statistics and explained by using text and tables. Results: We evaluated all eight hospitals in these zone hospitals and only one hospital was in an acceptable level of preparation (>146 points), three hospitals were in an insufficient level of preparation (73–145 points), and the other four hospitals were grouped under the unacceptable level of preparation (<72 points) for COVID-19. And in all hospitals, there was no laboratory diagnostic method and treatment center for the COVID-19 virus. Conclusion: From the level of COVID-19 pandemic preparation from eight hospitals, only one hospital reaches the level of an acceptable level of preparedness. Mobilizing the community and other stakeholders to equip the hospital with resources and prioritization is recommended to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.


Author(s):  
Cham ◽  
Scholes ◽  
Groce ◽  
Mindell

Background: Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the world, with a higher burden in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence and predictors of smoking among Gambian men using nationally representative data. Methods: Data was collected in 2010 from a random, nationally representative sample of 4111 adults aged 25–64 years (78% response rate) using the World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise cross-sectional survey methods. Our analyses focused on men with valid information on smoking status (n = 1766) because of the low prevalence of smoking among women (1%). Results: The prevalence of current smoking among men was 31.4% (95% CI: 27.2–35.9). The median age of starting smoking was 19 years; 25% started before the age of 18 years and 10% started aged 8–10 years. Rural residence, underweight, and hypertension were significantly associated with smoking. Conclusion: The study reveals a high prevalence of smoking among Gambian men. It is evident that cigarettes are obtained by minors in The Gambia, as a high proportion of current smokers started at a young age. Advice and support to quit smoking should be extended to all smokers regardless of their age and whether or not they have any underlying health conditions.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Dutour ◽  
Anna Kirchhoff ◽  
Cécile Janssen ◽  
Sabine Meleze ◽  
Hélène Chevalier ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the world, but also caregiver’s practices. The World Health Organization warned about the stress it could generate for General Practitioners (GPs). In France, GPs were not involved in the decision-making process for organization of care before and during the first COVID-19 wave. Our objective was to estimate the self-perception of stress at the beginning of the pandemic in France, among GPs from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AuRA), a french administrative area severely impacted by COVID-19, and to identify which factors may have modulated this perception.Methods We conducted an online cross-sectional survey between 8th of April to 10th of May 2020. The self-perception of stress was evaluated using the 10-item Perceived Stress Score (PSS-10). An agreement score developed by the study scientific committee was measured for 31 positive assertion. Factors associated with stress were investigated using logistic regression, and triangulation based on verbatim analysis. Results Overall, 898 individual answers were collected. A total of 437 GPs (49%) were stressed (PSS≥27), and 283 GPs (32%) had a very high level of stress (PSS≥30). Perceived stress was associated with multiple components, and involved classic psychosocial risk factors such as emotional requirements: 415 GPs (49%) were affected by patient anxiety (OR=3.41, 95%CI [1.87-6.36], p<0.001). But in this context of health crisis, the main determinant of GPs’ stress appears to be the diversity and quantity of information from diverse sources (614 GPs (69%, OR=2.21, 95%CI [1.40-3.50], p<0.001). GPs felt isolated in a hospital-based model.Conclusion The first COVID-19 wave was stressful for AuRA’s GPs. One of the main determinants seems to be the diversity and quantity of information received from the health authorities.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sammina Mahmood ◽  
Tariq Hussain ◽  
Faiq Mahmood ◽  
Mehmood Ahmad ◽  
Arfa Majeed ◽  
...  

The World Health Organization has acknowledged coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease as a pandemic. Efforts are being made all over the world to raise awareness to prevent the spread of the disease. The goal of this study was to assess the attitude, perception, and knowledge of Pakistani people toward COVID-19 disease. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in which a questionnaire of 17 questions was transformed online on Google forms and was sent to random individuals online. A total of 1,000 questionnaires from individuals throughout Pakistan were evaluated. The results revealed that 42.9% of the participants knew about COVID-19 through social media, the largest source of information. Most of the participants (48.3%) started working from home amid the lockdown; 39.9% of the participants reported that they wash their hands every hour, and 56.9% participants are using a surgical mask. About thermal scanners, 30.5% of the people answered they may be effective, and 46.0% of the people think COVID-19 is a bioweapon; 59% of the participants think everyone is susceptible, whereas 83.9% of the people recognize fever as a primary symptom; 65.2% of the people are practicing social distancing, whereas 85.1% of the people think social gatherings causes spread of the disease. In general, participants had a good knowledge about the disease and a positive attitude toward protective measures. The effective measures are being taken by the government and the public; still, there remains a need for further awareness campaigns and knowledge of safe interventions to combat the spread of disease.


2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42
Author(s):  
A. M. Cocozza ◽  
N. N. Linh ◽  
R. R. Nathavitharana ◽  
U. Ahmad ◽  
E. Jaramillo ◽  
...  

CONTEXT: Adherence to treatment for tuberculosis (TB) is an important predictor of treatment outcomes. The World Health Organization guidelines recommend a patient-centred approach to adherence support; however, the extent to which policies in high-burden countries facilitate this approach remains uncertain.DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of current national patient care and support policies in high TB burden countries was performed.RESULT: Responses were provided by TB care programmes in 23 of the 30 high TB burden countries, comprising 77.4% of TB cases globally. Clinic-based and household adherence support and patient education were recommended in all countries, while policies for digital technologies and social supports have been adopted in a small minority of countries. Financial or material support (such as reimbursement for transportation) and psychological support to patients—if included in the policies—was mainly recommended only for specific sub-groups of patients.CONCLUSION: National policies in many countries have not yet fully adopted global recommendations for patient care and support. Further scale-up of evidence-based approaches to care is required to improve quality of care for patients in high TB burden settings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-chang Chen ◽  
Keh-chung Lin ◽  
Chen-Jung Chen ◽  
Shu-Hui Yeh ◽  
Ay-Woan Pan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Joint contractures, which affect activity, participation, and quality of life, are common complications of neurological conditions among elderly residents in long-term care facilities. This study examined the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales in a population with joint contractures. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used. The sample included elderly residents older than 64 years with joint contractures in an important joint who had lived at one of 12 long-term care facilities in Taiwan for more than 6 months (N = 243). The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales for joint contractures was generated from the English version through five stages: translation, review, back-translation, review by a panel of specialists, and a pretest. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity were evaluated, and the results were compared with those for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule. Results The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales had excellent reliability, with a Cronbach α coefficient of 0.975 (mean score, 28.98; standard deviation, 17.34). An exploratory factor analysis showed three factors and one factor with an eigenvalue > 1 that explained 75.176 and 62.83 % of the total variance in the Activity subscale and Participation subscale, respectively. The subscale-to-total scale correlation analysis showed Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.881 for the Activity subscale and 0.843 for the Participation subscale. Pearson’s product-moment correlation revealed that the correlation coefficient (r) between the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule was 0.770, whereas that for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale was − 0.553; these values were interpreted as large coefficients. Conclusions The underlying theoretical model of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales functions well in Taiwan and has acceptable levels of reliability and validity. However, the Chinese version must be further tested for applicability and generalizability in future studies, preferably with a larger sample and in different clinical domains.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
Robson de Sousa ◽  
Maria do Socorro Rocha Sarmento Nobre

RESUMO Estratégia usada internacionalmente a busca ativa de sintomáticos respiratórios permite identificar precocemente pessoas com tosse por tempo igual ou superior a três semanas consideradas com suspeita de tuberculose pulmonar visando à descoberta dos casos bacilíferos. É uma atividade de saúde pública e deve ser realizada por todos os serviços de saúde de forma permanente. Com o objetivo de identificar os casos, interromper a cadeia de transmissão e reduzir a incidência da doença a longo prazo.  Objetivo: Conhecer os números de casos notificados de tuberculose e realizar um comparativo com os indicadores de sintomático respiratório no município de Palmas/TO entre os anos de 2015 e 2016. Método: O estudo é do tipo descritivo, de corte transversal e documental direta. Conclusão: Verifica-se que o número confirmado de TB da pesquisa do SR tanto para o ano de 2015 quanto para o ano de 2016 está muito aquém dos casos novos notificados, foi possível perceber a descontinuidade dos pacientes que são encaminhados para avaliação e que não há segmentos principalmente em relação ao resultado dos exames.   Palavras-chave: Tuberculose. Vigilância Epidemiológica. Organização Mundial da Saúde. ABSTRACT A strategy used internationally for the active search of respiratory symptomatic patients allows early identification of people with cough for a time equal to or greater than three weeks considered with suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis in order to discover the bacilliferous cases. It is a public health activity and must be performed by all health services on an ongoing basis. In order to identify the cases, interrupt the transmission chain and reduce the incidence of the disease in the long term. Objective: To know the numbers of reported cases of tuberculosis and to carry out a comparison with the indicators of respiratory symptomatology in the municipality of Palmas / TO between the years 2015 and 2016. Method: The study is descriptive, cross-sectional and direct documentary. Conclusion: It is verified that the confirmed number of TB of the RS research for both the year 2015 and the year 2016 is well below the new cases reported, it was possible to perceive the discontinuity of the patients that are referred for evaluation and which are not mainly related to the results of the exams. Keywords: Tuberculosis. Epidemiological surveillance. World Health Organization.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document