scholarly journals Knowledge of and Adherence to the Cyanide Code Among Small-scale Gold Miners in Northern Tanzania

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (14) ◽  
pp. 4-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elias C. Nyanza ◽  
Petro Yohana ◽  
Deborah S.K. Thomas ◽  
Wilfreda E. Thurston ◽  
Eveline Konje ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Gold Extraction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mining Sites ◽  
Financial Interests

Background. Tanzania has seen explosive development in small scale gold mining (SGM) operations. Recently, the use of cyanide has become more common in SGM, especially in the reprocessing of mercury-amalgamated tailings from artisanal mining sites. Objectives. The primary objective of this study was to examine the level of knowledge and adherence to the Cyanide Code among workers and managers at SGM operations in northwestern Tanzania that use cyanide for gold extraction, focusing on workers' safety. Methods. A cross-sectional study of workers and managers at 17 selected SGM sites was conducted. A random-cluster approach was used to recruit 215 mine workers and 23 mine managers who worked at the same sites for more than three months. Individuals participated in structured face-to-face interviews. Site evaluation checklists were also administered to assess adherence. Results. The majority of the SGM workers (61.4%, n=132) were not aware of the Cyanide Code. Among the mine managers, 64.2% (n=15) were aware of the Cyanide Code. Fifty-four percent of workers and 39.1% of managers did not adhere to the Cyanide Code. Workers who reported being trained on the Cyanide Code were significantly more likely to have knowledge about the Cyanide Code guidelines compared to untrained workers (adjusted odds ratio =20.3, confidence interval: 7.5 – 54.8). Discussion. Wide variations in knowledge of and adherence to the Cyanide Code were found. A manager's knowledge of Cyanide Code was significantly associated with workers' knowledge. High worker and manager knowledge was associated with increased site safety performance. Even though all the SGM sites were physically visited, some potentially hazardous practices may not have been revealed by managers and workers because of fear of possible regulatory actions due to disclosure of concerns related to their operation's safety compliance. Conclusions. The limited knowledge of the Cyanide Code among workers and managers, combined with poor adherence to cyanide waste management practices, indicates that there is a need for education, health promotion and sensitization among workers and managers to improve worker safety and minimize environmental health impacts. Participant Consent: Obtained Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests. Ethics Approval: Ethical approval was obtained from the Conjoint Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences and Bugando Medical Centre Research Review and Ethics Committee (Ref. BREC/001/35/2014). Permission to conduct research in Geita District was obtained from the respective authorities at the regional and district levels and from owners of the SGM sites.

scholarly journals Biosecurity and management practices in different dog breeding systems have considerable margin for improvements

2018 ◽  
Vol 183 (12) ◽  
pp. 381-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre-Alexandre Dendoncker ◽  
Christel Moons ◽  
Steven Sarrazin ◽  
Claire Diederich ◽  
Etienne Thiry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Breeding Systems ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Dog Breeding

To investigate the current management and biosecurity practices and identify possible differences between different types of breeders, a cross-sectional study was carried out in 102 Belgian dog breeding facilities ranging from small (less than 10 dams on site) to large-scale (more than 50 dams on site or at least 500 puppies sold yearly) breeders. Veterinary prophylactic protocols (ie, vaccination, endoparasite control, ectoparasitic treatments) were highly implemented (91.5 per cent, 92.6 per cent, 42.7 per cent, respectively) across all breeder categories. 13.8 per cent of all visited breeders reported to administer antimicrobials to each female post partum and 10.3 per cent reported to treat all puppies, or at least of one breed, systematically with antimicrobials. Large-scale breeders reported to employ staff more frequently (p<0.01), and appeared to be more familiar with the principles of biosecurity. They reported to apply disinfection (p<0.01) and hygienic measures (p=0.03) across all parts of the facility, and to quarantine newly acquired dogs (p<0.01) more often compared with small-scale breeders. Nonetheless, a moderate knowledge of and use of disinfection was recorded, as was the presence of pet dogs, breaking the compartmentalisation. Results of this study indicate that there is substantial room for improvement in hygiene and disease management across all categories of breeders. The characterisation of different types of dog breeders with respect to biosecurity and management practices is a first step towards improvement of dog husbandry and biosecurity measures. Tailored guidelines should permit breeders to further improve the health of breeding animals and puppies while reducing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks and associated expenses.

scholarly journals Biomonitoring of arsenic, cadmium and lead in two artisanal and small-scale gold mining areas in Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Rakete ◽  
Given Moonga ◽  
Anna-Maria Wahl ◽  
Viola Mambrey ◽  
Dennis Shoko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Toxic Metals ◽  
Gold Mining ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Elemental Mercury ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Internal Exposure ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Gold Extraction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mining Areas

AbstractPeople living and working in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) areas are frequently exposed to elemental mercury (Hg), which is used for gold extraction. However, additional exposure to other toxic metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) may result from mining-related activities and could be ingested via dust, water or food. In these areas, only limited biomonitoring data is available for toxic metals other than Hg. In particular, data about the exposure to As, Cd and Pb is unavailable for the Zimbabwean population. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study in two ASGM areas in Zimbabwe to evaluate the internal exposure to these metals. In total, urine and blood samples from 207 people that identified themselves as miners were collected and analysed for As and Cd in urine as well as Pb in blood by GF-AAS. Median levels (interquartile ranges in μg/l) of As and Pb were 9.7 μg/l (4.0, 18.5) and 19.7 μg/l (12.5, 34.5), respectively. The 25th percentile and the median for Cd were below the limit of detection (0.5 μg/l); the 75th percentile was at 0.9 μg/l. The results were compared to reference values found for the general population in the USA and Germany, and a significant number of participants exceeded these values (As, 33 %; Cd, 27 %; Pb, 32 %), indicating a relevant exposure to toxic metals. Although not representative for the Zimbabwean population, our results demonstrate that the exposure to toxic metals is relevant for the public health in Zimbabwe and requires further investigation.

scholarly journals Use of Ceftaroline in Hospitalized Patients with and without COVID-19: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 763
Author(s):  
Daniele Roberto Giacobbe ◽  
Chiara Russo ◽  
Veronica Martini ◽  
Silvia Dettori ◽  
Federica Briano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
First Line Therapy ◽  
Large Teaching Hospital ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
Medical Wards

A single-center cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the use of ceftaroline in a large teaching hospital in Northern Italy, during a period also including the first months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The primary objective was to describe the use of ceftaroline in terms of indications and characteristics of patients. A secondary objective was to describe the rate of favorable clinical response in patients with bloodstream infections (BSI) due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA-BSI) receiving ceftaroline. Overall, 200 patients were included in the study. Most of them had COVID-19 (83%, 165/200) and were hospitalized in medical wards (78%, 155/200). Included patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were given empirical ceftaroline in the suspicion of bacterial co-infection or superinfection. Among patients with MRSA-BSI, ceftaroline was used as a first-line therapy and salvage therapy in 25% (3/12) and 75% (9/12) of cases, respectively, and as a monotherapy or in combination with daptomycin in 58% (7/12) and 42% (5/12) of patients, respectively. A favorable response was registered in 67% (8/12) of patients. Improving etiological diagnosis of bacterial infections is essential to optimize the use of ceftaroline in COVID-19 patients. The use of ceftaroline for MRSA-BSI, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other anti-MRSA agents, showed promising rates of favorable response.

scholarly journals Pesticide Use and Self-Reported Symptoms of Acute Pesticide Poisoning among Aquatic Farmers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Klith Jensen ◽  
Flemming Konradsen ◽  
Erik Jørs ◽  
Jørgen Holm Petersen ◽  
Anders Dalsgaard
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Protective Measure ◽  
Pesticide Poisoning ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Phnom Penh ◽  
Pesticide Management ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Acute Pesticide Poisoning

Organophosphates and carbamates (OPs/CMs) are known for their acetylcholinesterase inhibiting character. A cross-sectional study of pesticide handling practices and self-perceived symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning was conducted using questionnaire-based interviews with 89 pesticide sprayers in Boeung Cheung Ek (BCE) Lake, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The study showed that 50% of the pesticides used belonged to WHO class I + II and personal protection among the farmers were inadequate. A majority of the farmers (88%) had experienced symptoms of acute pesticide poisoning, and this was significantly associated with the number of hours spent spraying with OPs/CMs (OR = 1.14, CI 95%: 1.02–1.28). The higher educated farmers reduced their risk of poisoning by 55% for each extra personal protective measure they adapted (OR = 0.45, CI 95%: 0.22–0.91). These findings suggest that improving safe pesticide management practices among the farmers and enforcing the effective banning of the most toxic pesticides will considerably reduce the number of acute pesticide poisoning episodes.

scholarly journals A cross sectional study to assess the knowledge and response to dog bite among the urban and rural population of Hubballi taluk

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 539
Author(s):  
Maneesha Godbole ◽  
Anjana Ramachandra Joshi ◽  
Dattatraya D. Bant
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Wound Management ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Post Exposure Prophylaxis ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Dog Bite ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Canine Rabies ◽  
Rabies Prevention

Background: Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease of the central nervous system, most commonly caused by the bite of rabid dogs. Globally canine rabies causes 59,000 human deaths, over 3.7 million DALYs and 8.6 billion USD economic losses annually. These losses are due to a lack of knowledge about wound management and post-exposure prophylaxis. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge and practices following dog bite and its management among the urban and rural population.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the field practice area of KIMS, Hubli. 120 households of the urban and rural locality were interviewed with a semi-structured pretested questionnaire.Results: Overall 89.16% of the study population was aware that the disease can be prevented by vaccination. 35% of the rural and 28% of the urban population believed that the disease can spread from person to person. The knowledge about the site and the number of doses of vaccine was poor among both the population. The harmful practices for treatment of bite were still prevalent among both rural (25%) and urban (8.3%) population.Conclusions: The knowledge about the dog bite management and Rabies prevention is insufficient among both populations. There are myths and misconceptions about the disease and wound management. Practices like application of harmful substances like lime, turmeric, mud are the problems hindering rabies prevention and control. Proper steps need to be taken up to control the canine rabies.

scholarly journals Univariate associations between housing, management, and facility design factors and the prevalence of lameness lesions in fourteen small-scale dairy farms in Northeastern Algeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 570-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zoubida Dendani-Chadi ◽  
Khelaf Saidani ◽  
Loubna Dib ◽  
Fayçal Zeroual ◽  
Faouzi Sammar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Indirect Costs ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Site Investigation ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Facility Design ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Housing Management ◽  
Increased Risk

Background and Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the associations between different types of housing, management, and facilities on the prevalence of lame, causing lesions in smallholder dairy farms in Algeria. Materials and Methods: The on-site investigation took place between December 2012 and May 2015. All cows were locomotion scored on a four-point scale, and foot lesions causing lame were diagnosed and recorded. Factors related to the farm and the cows' conditions were also assessed. The association between the possible risk factors and lame lesions was assessed using univariate analysis. Results: Of the 349 cows evaluated, 13% were lame (lameness score ≥2), with higher lameness values recorded for the hind feet than for the forefeet. Cows without lameness were classified as healthy. The two most frequent lesion diagnoses observed in lame cows were interdigital dermatitis/heel horn erosion (ID/HE; 39%) and interdigital phlegmon (IP; 35%), followed by traumatic lesions (T; 11%), digital dermatitis (DD; 8.7%), and laminitis-related diseases (L; 6.5%). The risk of being lame was increased in large herds with cows of the Holstein breed, and those in the third parity and above. Tie housing, concrete floor, concentrate feeding, zero-grazing, and the use of foot trimming occasionally were associated with increased risk for the presence of lame lesions. The region and footbathing frequency had no association with the prevalence of lame lesions (p≥0.05). Conclusion: These results have important implications; they indicate that several aspects of housing, management, and facility design are common protective factors for the prevalence of lame lesions. These factors should be maintained correctly to not only reduce the number of lame cows in these herds but also decrease the direct and indirect costs associated with cases of lameness.

scholarly journals HONEYBEE PRODUCTION SYSTEM, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF GEDEO ZONE, SOUTHERN NATION, NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-63
Author(s):  
Teklu Gebretsadik ◽  
Dinku Negash
Keyword(s):  
Production System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Skill Training ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Production Constraints ◽  
Regional State

The study was carried out in selected districts of Gedeo zones of southern Nation nationality and people’s regional state: such as Wonago, Kochere and DillaZuria/chichu/ districts. The objective of the study was to asses production systems, opportunities and constraints of apiculture farming in Gedeo zones of SNNPRs. Beekeeping is a long-standing practice in the study districts and appears as ancient history of the country as a whole. A cross sectional study, in which 90 households were purposively included and conducted in selected district to assess the current beekeeping practices, production potentials and production constraints. Most (72%) of the beekeepers in the study area have owned only traditional hives and produce honey for home consumption. The beekeeping practice was dominated by male.  Despite the area have  production constraints, the area opportunities like existence of large sized natural forest and artificial forest, due attention provision from regional, federal and local government and nongovernmental organizations, yearly flowering and variety floral availability, some small scale farmers highly experienced in apiculture farming, market access and high demand of apicultural products at nationally and international level. Therefore, Designing effective honeybee pests and predators controlling methods, Introduction of full package improved beekeeping technologies with adequate practical skill training on all bee keeping trends and queen rearing practices promoting beekeepers important indigenous knowledge, Producing areal major honeybee plants in large scale, Avoiding discarding of bee colonies after honey harvest, Availing the strategies to support farmers with beekeeping business support services, Improving pre- and post-harvest handling of bee products and Improving the utilization of stingless bee’s resources, without damaging the colony is important to make the honey production system in the area more economical, so as to enhance bee products for national and international need.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document