scholarly journals Awareness and attitude of TB amongst undergraduates at the Rivers State University

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-184
Author(s):  
Briggs NCT ◽  
Eli S ◽  
Nnoka VN ◽  
Tee GP ◽  
Wekere FCC ◽  
...  

Background:Creating awareness of TB amongst undergraduates of institutions of higher learning cannot be over emphasized. Health care delivery can be disseminated outside the walls of the hospital indirectly through undergraduates of higher learning by providing relevant information about disease condition, in this scenario TB in focus. Aim:To determine the awareness and attitude ofTB amongst undergraduates at the Rivers State University. Method:This was a cross-sectional study of 311 undergraduates at the Rivers State University. Permission to conduct the study was granted by the Provost of the College of Medicine, Rivers State University. Informed consent was obtained from the respondents. The data collected was analysed using SPSS version 25. Results:Three hundred and eleven respondents participated in the study. There were 186 (60%) males and 125 (40%) females. The mean age was 24years; 285(91.6%) were aware of TB; 251(80.7%) of relations of respondents had open TB of which 40 (12.9%) were treated;36 (11.5%)had contact training for TB, while 172 (55.3%) were aware of Direct Observe Therapy (DOT) for the treatment of TB. Conclusion: The study revealed that the awareness of TB amongst undergraduates at Rivers State University was 91.6%; 80.7% of the relatives of the respondents of the undergraduates had open TB of which only 12.9% were treated and 11.5% had contact training; 55.3% were aware of DOT. There is need to encourage persons with TB to receive treatment.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 218-223
Author(s):  
Kalio DGB ◽  
Eli S ◽  
Okagua KE ◽  
Allagoa DO

Background: Post-operative anaemia is often a reflection of pre-operative pre-operative work-up and pre-operative anaemia. In addition. Post-operative anaemia is also determined by co-morbidities of patients prior to surgery. The prevalence of post-operative anaemia varies based on surgical specialties and the experience of the surgeon; prevalence rates as high as 85% have been recorded in orthopaedic surgeries. Aim: To determine the prevalence of post-operative anaemic in surgical patients at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH). Method: This was a six months cross sectional study of the post-operative anaemia of patients who had operation at the Surgery and Obstetrics/Gyaecology departments of The Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. The permission for the study was granted by the head of department of obstetrics and gynaecology in conjunction with the head of .the hospital management. The yard stick for anaemia was packed cell volume less than 33% in line with the World Health Organization (WHO). A structured proforma was used to obtain information from patient’s case notes and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Result: Three hundred and eigthy subjects were recruited for the study. Males subjects were 150 (39.5%) while females were 230 (60.5%) respectively. The mean age was 31 years. One hundred and ninety nine (52.4%) were obstetrics and gynaecological surgeries while 181 (47.6 %) were non-gynaecological surgeries. The commonest indication for surgery was caesarean section representing 130 (34.2%) of the subjects. Two hundred and sixty six of the subjects (70%) had PCV less than 33%. One hundred and fifty two (40%) women had PCV less than 33% while 114 (30%) of the men had PCV less than 33%. Conclusion: The study revealed that prevalence of post-operative anaemia amongst surgical patients at RSUTH was 70 %. The post-operative anaemia amongst women was worrisome. The need to optimize patients prior to surgery cannot be over-emphasized to prevent morbidities and mortalities post-operative.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 115-119
Author(s):  
Eli S ◽  
Aaron FE ◽  
Okagua KE ◽  
Omodu OJ ◽  
Iyama AC

Background: With the high prevalence of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa, screening for this viral infection is a routine in many health institutions prior to surgery, the world has recorded success story in the research of HIV especially with the advent of Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) this disease burden has been reduced globally. The prevalence of HI in Nigeria is 1.4%. Aim: To determine the prevalence of HIV in surgical patients at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Method: This was a cross sectional study of ANC attendees at the RSUTH, from January 1st to June 31st, 2019. They were surgical patients who were systematically selected, information was obtained from patients case notes with a structured proforma. The information obtained was coded and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Result: A total of 370 patients were attended to pre-operatively. There were 146 (39.5%) males and 224 (60.5%) females. The mean age was 31 years. One hundred and ninety four (52.4%) were obstetrics and gynaecological surgeries while 176 (47.6 %) were non-gynaecological surgeries. The commonest indication for surgery was caesarean representing 126 (34.1%) of the subjects.The prevalence of HIV in surgical patients was 8 (2.1%). Three (1.6%) of the obstetrics and gynaecological patients had HIV compared to 1(0.5%) non-obstetrics and gynaecological patient. Conclusion: The study revealed that prevalence of HIV in surgical patients at the RSUTH was high (2.1%). HIV infection was thrice as common in obstetrics and gynaecological patients compared with other surgical disciplines. There is need to step up surveillance amongst ANC attendees who are reflection of the populace in this region.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. e046959
Author(s):  
Atsushi Miyawaki ◽  
Dhruv Khullar ◽  
Yusuke Tsugawa

ObjectivesEvidence suggests that homeless patients experience worse quality of care and poorer health outcomes across a range of medical conditions. It remains unclear, however, whether differences in care delivery at safety-net versus non-safety-net hospitals explain these disparities. We aimed to investigate whether homeless versus non-homeless adults hospitalised for cardiovascular conditions (acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke) experience differences in care delivery and health outcomes at safety-net versus non-safety-net hospitals.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingData including all hospital admissions in four states (Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New York) in 2014.ParticipantsWe analysed 167 105 adults aged 18 years or older hospitalised for cardiovascular conditions (age mean=64.5 years; 75 361 (45.1%) women; 2123 (1.3%) homeless hospitalisations) discharged from 348 hospitals.Outcome measuresRisk-adjusted diagnostic and therapeutic procedure and in-hospital mortality, after adjusting for patient characteristics and state and quarter fixed effects.ResultsAt safety-net hospitals, homeless adults hospitalised for AMI were less likely to receive coronary angiogram (adjusted OR (aOR), 0.42; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.50; p<0.001), percutaneous coronary intervention (aOR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.62; p<0.001) and coronary artery bypass graft (aOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.26 to 0.71; p<0.01) compared with non-homeless adults. Homeless patients treated for strokes at safety-net hospitals were less likely to receive cerebral arteriography (aOR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.34; p<0.001), but were as likely to receive thrombolysis therapy. At non-safety-net hospitals, we found no evidence that the probability of receiving these procedures differed between homeless and non-homeless adults hospitalised for AMI or stroke. Finally, there were no differences in in-hospital mortality rates for homeless versus non-homeless patients at either safety-net or non-safety-net hospitals.ConclusionDisparities in receipt of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for homeless patients with cardiovascular conditions were observed only at safety-net hospitals. However, we found no evidence that these differences influenced in-hospital mortality markedly.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 237437352098148
Author(s):  
Saif Khairat ◽  
Xi Lin ◽  
Songzi Liu ◽  
Zhaohui Man ◽  
Tanzila Zaman ◽  
...  

Urgent care (UC) is one of the fastest growing venues of health care delivery for nonemergent conditions. This study compared the patient experience during virtual and in-person urgent care visits. We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with the same diagnosis during Virtual Urgent Care (VUC) and in-person UC visits with the same diagnosis with regard to time and cost over a period of one year. We recorded and analyzed 16 685 urgent care visits: In-person UC (n = 14 734), VUC (n = 1262). Significant differences were found in the average total time for a visit in an in-person UC (70.89 minutes), and VUC (9.38 minutes). The average total cost of VUC ($49) and in-person UC ($142.657) differed significantly. Significant difference was found between UC turnaround time and VC turnaround time (Dependent variable (DV): 53.77, P < .01). We found significant differences in cost and time between in favor of virtual visits. Our findings suggest additional policy reform to expand the use of virtual care among target populations to improve access, reduce costs, meet the needs of patients, and reduce emergency department visits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Barayev ◽  
Omri Shental ◽  
Dotan Yaari ◽  
Elchanan Zloczower ◽  
Itai Shemesh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Telemedicine has become an integral part of health care delivery in recent years. One of the leading applications for this use is WhatsApp — a free smartphone application that allows instant messaging with pictures and videos. This study analyzed the emerging role of WhatsApp on reducing the need for referrals to medical specialists and to compare the views of physicians regarding WhatsApp consultations. Methods A cross-sectional study based on an anonymous web-survey was conducted among PCPs and medical specialists working in the Israel Defense Forces Medical-Corps during September and October, 2019. Results Of 201 participants, 153 were PCPs and 48 were medical specialists. 86.9 % of PCPs and 86.5 % of specialists used WhatsApp every day in professional settings. Added workload, potential breaching of patient confidentiality and lack of full documentation of consultations were the main concerns among physicians using the application. 60.7 % of PCPs and 95.7 % of specialists stated that these consultations have reduced the need for in-person appointments at least once a week. Conclusions In times of COVID-19 that require social distancing, WhatsApp provides a simple, readily available platform for consultations between healthcare providers, even to the extent of rendering some in-person appointments unnecessary. Healthcare organizations should address the matters troubling healthcare providers, mainly patient confidentiality and lack of documentation in patients’ medical records, while providing adequate compensation for those providing the service during and after work hours.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Biju Azariah ◽  
◽  
Geethu Babu ◽  

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) have not only shown to impact the physical and pschycological comfort of the employee but also deteriorate the prospects of any production or service sector. The prevalence of WRMSDs, though studied extensively in various sectors, has been understudied in health sector, especially among doctors. This study which evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of these disorders among fifty cancer treating Radiation Oncologist at a Tertiary Care Cancer Centre in India had exposed out an alarming 68% prevalence of these disorders in the study population, with neck pain being the commonest site of these Muscloskeletal Disorders (MSDs). Several factors which could impact the development of MSDs were analysed. This higher incidence of MSDs is presumed to be because of extreme physical and mental stress of working in a high volume cancer care centre, persistent unhealthy postures during work, inadequate micropauses between works and uncomfortable working atmosphere. Adequate physician patient ratio, restricting the patient load, providing good physician friendly working environment and adequate mandatory breaks might significantly reduce the incidence of these disorders and can prevent the sagging of health care delivery.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Maram Banakhar ◽  
Maha Alzahrani ◽  
Amani Omar Essa ◽  
Asal Fathi Al-dhahry ◽  
Rahma Farooq Batwa ◽  
...  

Background: Verbal abuse, in the context of workplace violence, is increasing, with nurses at high liability of being subjected to it since they are the first line of care delivery. This phenomenon is now receiving greater recognition due to its negative impact on nurses. This study aims to assess the prevalence of verbal abuse faced by Saudi nursing intern students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via a modified online questionnaire completed by Saudi intern nurses in Jeddah in March 2020. Descriptive statistical analysis was executed using statistical software SPSS Version 21.Results: From a total of 132 nurses, 94 participants met the study criteria. The findings show that 39.4% of Saudi intern nurses have experienced verbal abuse. The common perpetrators are patient/client (73%) and other staff members (73%), followed by patients’ relatives (45.9%). 48.6% of the participants did not report incidences of verbal abuse, commonly citing fear of the negative consequences (51.4%) and not knowing who to report it to (45.9%). A significant relation between working night shifts (6 pm to 7 am) and being verbally abused was found.Conclusions: Saudi nursing interns are vulnerable to verbal abuse. This study’s results highlight the possible risk to nursing interns, which may be diminished by modifying perceptions of verbal abuse and by clarifying the rules and regulations for both nursing interns and suspected perpetrators. We recommend future studies of verbal abuse are conducted in larger groups of nurses across different provinces in Saudi Arabia.


Author(s):  
Santhanathan S Rajendram ◽  
Muhamad Danial Muhamad Hamdan

Dispensing separation in Malaysia has been a widely discussed topic among the medical fraternity. It is a highly sensitive topic as it involves both professional and economic considerations for doctors, pharmacists, and the general public. There has been no decision made thus far but the discussion is ongoing, making a study on this topic very relevant. The subjects of this study, final year students of Bachelor of Pharmacy Programme in Malaysian universities, are chosen to reflect their awareness, preparedness, and knowledge on dispensing separation, which will affect their future in the pharmacy profession. The study was conducted among all 20 Public and Private Institutions of Higher Learning recognized by the Pharmacy Board, Malaysia. This was a cross-sectional study design, and data was collected using a convenience sampling method. The research instrument was an online questionnaire. The first part of the questionnaire covers the demographic information about the respondent, like name, age, gender, and institution. The second part covers the knowledge, awareness and perspectives of respondents towards the implementation of the separation of prescribing and dispensing activities in Malaysia. The final part of the survey focuses on suggestions or problems arising. There were 126 respondents to the survey, way above the 96 respondents needed to make the survey valid. The majority of them are aware of and understand the dispensing separation. Most of them agree that the government should legalize the dispensing separation activities as they believe pharmacists are more knowledgeable and better equipped to dispense drugs. The majority of them believe by implementing dispensing separation, the health care system will be better optimized, and the service will be better. They also believe that patients can accept and adapt to the role of the pharmacist in dispensing medication. The majority of them also agree that the price of medicine will be lowered by the implementation of dispensing separation. Based on the study, these students who are future pharmacists are very knowledgeable on the dispensing separation issue. They believe strongly that the implementation of dispensing separation in Malaysia will bring more beneficial changes to the health care system. The patients will also benefit from this. With such a positive attitude, the implementation of dispensing separation in Malaysia could be imminent  


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongjin Chen ◽  
Qian Zhou ◽  
Cornelius B. Pratt ◽  
Zhenhua Su ◽  
Zheng Gu

Objective: Public trust in physicians and public health literacy (HL) are important factors that ensure the effectiveness of health-care delivery, particularly that provided during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. This study investigates HL as a predictor of public trust in physicians in China's ongoing efforts to control COVID-19.Methods: Data were gathered in February 2020 during the peak of the disease in China. Based on Nutbeam's conceptualization of HL, we measure HL vis-à-vis COVID-19 by using a six-item scale that includes two items each for functional, interactive, and critical HL. Trust in physicians was measured by assessing physicians' capability to diagnose COVID-19. A rank-sum test and ordinal logit regression modeling were used to analyze the data.Results: Two key findings: (a) trust in physician handling of treatment for COVID-19 is reported by about 74% of respondents; and (b) five of the six HL measures are positive predictors of public trust in physician treatment of the disease, with functional HL1 having the highest level of such association (coefficient 0.285, odds ratio 1.33%, p &lt; 0.01).Conclusions: Improving public HL is important for better public-physician relationships, as well as for nations' efforts to contain the pandemic, serving as a possible behavioral, non-clinical antidote to COVID-19. Being confronted with the unprecedented virus, humans need trust. Health education and risk communication can improve public compliance with physicians' requirements and build a solid foundation for collective responses.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Ahmed ◽  
Suraj Sarvode Mothi ◽  
Thomas Sequist ◽  
Navdeep Tangri ◽  
Roaa M. Khinkar ◽  
...  

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