scholarly journals Cervical Cancer in a Tertiary Hospital in South-South, Nigeria: A 5-Year Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 28-36
Author(s):  
D. O. Allagoa ◽  
L. Obagah ◽  
P. C. Oriji ◽  
E. S. Tekenah ◽  
C. Njoku ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
World Health ◽  
Early Presentation ◽  
Advanced Stages ◽  
Cancer Of The Cervix ◽  
Sixth Decade

Background: Cervical cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer in developing countries. The World Health Organisation estimated that there were about 570,000 new cases of cancer of the cervix in 2018 and about 311,000 women died of the disease. Objective: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of patients with cervical cancer at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive study which involved all the patients with histologically confirmed cervical cancer managed at the gynaecological unit of the hospital from 1st January, 2016 to 31st December, 2020. Information was extracted from the gynaecological records and entered into a predesigned proforma. All available data were retrospectively analysed with SPSS version 23.0, and results were presented in tables and frequencies. Results: There were 31 cases of cervical cancers out of the 2,478 gynaecological cases seen. The prevalence of cervical cancer was 1.25%. About one-third of the women were in the sixth decade of life (32.3%). About half of the women were diagnosed at Stage 2 of the disease (51.6%) and squamous cell carcinoma accounted for 80.6% of the cancers. Radiotherapy was the most used treatment option (64.5%). About one-quarter died (25.8%). Conclusion: Most of the patients in this study presented in the advanced stages of the disease, with death of about one-quarter of them. Prevention and early presentation to the hospital are key in the prevention of poor quality of life and deaths. All hands must be on deck to tackle this disease.

scholarly journals Quality of Life and Migraine Disability among Female Migraine Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Munvar Miya Shaik ◽  
Norul Badriah Hassan ◽  
Huay Lin Tan ◽  
Siew Hua Gan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
World Health ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Pain Scores ◽  
Health Organization

Background. Disability caused by migraine may be one of the main causes of burden contributing to poor quality of life (QOL) among migraine patients. Thus, this study aimed to measure QOL among migraine sufferers in comparison with healthy controls.Methods. Female diagnosed migraine patients (n= 100) and healthy controls (n=100) completed the Malay version of the World Health Organization QOL Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Only migraine patients completed the Malay version of the Migraine Disability Assessment questionnaire.Results. Females with migraines had significantly lower total WHOQOL-BREF scores (84.3) than did healthy controls (91.9,P<0.001). Similarly, physical health (23.4 versus 27.7,P<0.001) and psychological health scores (21.7 versus 23.2,P< 0.001) were significantly lower than those for healthy controls. Seventy-three percent of patients experienced severe disability, with significantly higher number of days with headaches (13.8 days/3 months,P< 0.001) and pain scores (7.4,P< 0.013). Furthermore, migraine patients with lower total QOL scores had 1.2 times higher odds of having disability than patients with higher total QOL scores.Conclusions. The present study showed that migraine sufferers experienced significantly lower QOL than the control group from a similar population. Disability was severe and frequent and was associated with lower QOL among the migraine patients.

A ‘Galilean’ science of language

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHRISTINA BEHME
Keyword(s):  
Language Evolution ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Child Psychology ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Recent Scholarship ◽  
Basic Understanding ◽  
Sixth Decade

The Science of Language, published in the sixth decade of Noam Chomsky's linguistic career, defends views that are visibly out of touch with recent research in formal linguistics, developmental child psychology, computational modeling of language acquisition, and language evolution. I argue that the poor quality of this volume is representative of the serious shortcomings of Chomsky's recent scholarship, especially of his criticism of and contribution to debates about language evolution. Chomsky creates the impression that he is quoting titbits of a massive body of scientific work he has conducted or is intimately familiar with. Yet his speculations reveal a lack of even basic understanding of biology, and an unwillingness to engage seriously with the relevant literature. At the same time, he ridicules the work of virtually all other theorists, without spelling out the views he disagrees with. A critical analysis of the ‘Galilean method’ demonstrates that Chomsky uses appeal to authority to insulate his own proposals against falsification by empirical counter-evidence. This form of discourse bears no serious relation to the way science proceeds.

Content of antenatal care and perception about services provided by primary hospitals in Nepal: a convergent mixed methods study

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yubraj Acharya ◽  
Nigel James ◽  
Rita Thapa ◽  
Saman Naz ◽  
Rishav Shrestha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Antenatal Care ◽  
Quality Care ◽  
National Level ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
World Health ◽  
Outcome Variable

Abstract Background Nepal has made significant strides in maternal and neonatal mortality over the last three decades. However, poor quality of care can threaten the gains, as maternal and newborn services are particularly sensitive to quality of care. Our study aimed to understand current gaps in the process and the outcome dimensions of the quality of antenatal care (ANC), particularly at the sub-national level. We assessed these dimensions of the quality of ANC in 17 primary, public hospitals across Nepal. We also assessed the variation in the ANC process across the patients’ socio-economic gradient. Methods We used a convergent mixed methods approach, whereby we triangulated qualitative and quantitative data. In the quantitative component, we observed interactions between providers (17 hospitals from all 7 provinces) and 198 women seeking ANC and recorded the tasks the providers performed, using the Service Provision Assessments protocol available from the Demographic and Health Survey program. The main outcome variable was the number of tasks performed by the provider during an ANC consultation. The tasks ranged from identifying potential signs of danger to providing counseling. We analyzed the resulting data descriptively and assessed the relationship between the number of tasks performed and users’ characteristics. In the qualitative component, we synthesized users’ and providers’ narratives on perceptions of the overall quality of care obtained through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews. Results Out of the 59 tasks recommended by the World Health Organization, providers performed only 22 tasks (37.3%) on average. The number of tasks performed varied significantly across provinces, with users in province 3 receiving significantly higher quality care than those in other provinces. Educated women were treated better than those with no education. Users and providers agreed that the overall quality of care was inadequate, although providers mentioned that the current quality was the best they could provide given the constraints they faced. Conclusion The quality of ANC in Nepal’s primary hospitals is poor and inequitable across education and geographic gradients. While current efforts, such as the provision of 24/7 birthing centers, can mitigate gaps in service availability, additional equipment, infrastructure and human resources will be needed to improve quality. Providers also need additional training focused on treating patients from different backgrounds equally. Our study also points to the need for additional research, both to document the quality of care more objectively and to establish key determinants of quality to inform policy.

scholarly journals Smallpox eradication, laboratory visits, and a touch of tourism: travel notes of a Canadian scientist in Brazil

2010 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 777-790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Palmer ◽  
Gilberto Hochman ◽  
Danieli Arbex
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Scientific Activity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Eradication Programme ◽  
Scientific Cooperation ◽  
The World ◽  
Eradication Campaign ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
International Scientific Cooperation

The paper presents and discusses the travel notes diary of Canadian scientist Robert J. Wilson when he visited Brazil in April 1967 during the Smallpox Eradication Programme run by the World Health Organisation. Wilson's report makes it possible to reflect on the smallpox eradication campaign in Brazil; on the Canada-Brazil cooperation to improve the quality of the smallpox vaccine; on his assessment by of scientists and Brazilian laboratories; on the effects of intersections between scientific activity and social and cultural activities; on the role played by specialist communities of experts role in international scientific cooperation projects; and on a Canadian traveller's concepts and prejudices about Brazil at the end of the 1960s.

scholarly journals Features of the dental status of athletes of teams of olympic teams as a reflection of the regional level of dental assistance and high psychophysical loads

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-86
Author(s):  
Egor E. Olesov ◽  
T. N. Novozemtseva ◽  
I. M. Makeeva ◽  
V. N. Olesova ◽  
M. Ya. Salamov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dental Care ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Dental Status ◽  
World Health ◽  
Endodontically Treated Teeth ◽  
Dental Examination ◽  
Status Assessment ◽  
Dental Diseases ◽  
Health Organization

The purpose of the study: Comparison of indicators of dental status in athletes of the Olympic national teams and the population of Moscow of the same age.Material and methods: Dental examination of 132 athletes of the Olympic national teams and 104 residents of Moscow, males aged 2035 years was carried out using the modified World Health Organization Dental Status Assessment Card.Results of the study: Analysis of the prevalence and intensity of dental diseases showed that the dental status of athletes is worse in such areas as the detection of previously performed endodontic treatment and its unsatisfactory quality (with more endodontically treated teeth), the detection of large fillings and poor-quality fillings among existing fillings, prevalence pathological abrasion, the prevalence of periodontitis, the detection of unsatisfactory levels of oral hygiene, yyavlyaemost pathology of the temporomandibular joint. The obtained patterns reflect the untimely and insufficient quality of dental care for adolescents-athletes in the regions, as well as indicate higher psychophysical loads in athletes compared to peers. This necessitates special therapeutic and preventive approaches in the implementation of dental care aimed at reducing the parafunctional overload of the dentition in athletes.

scholarly journals Evaluating smartphone strategies for reliability, reproducibility, and quality of VIA for cervical cancer screening in the Shiselweni region of Eswatini: A cohort study

PLoS Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. e1003378
Author(s):  
Ramin Asgary ◽  
Nelly Staderini ◽  
Simangele Mthethwa-Hleta ◽  
Paola Andrea Lopez Saavedra ◽  
Linda Garcia Abrego ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Cervical Cancer Screening ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Kappa Statistic ◽  
World Health ◽  
Operating Characteristics ◽  
Humanitarian Settings ◽  
The Impact

Background Cervical cancer is among the most common preventable cancers with the highest morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) as cervical cancer screening strategy in resource-poor settings. However, there are barriers to the sustainability of VIA programs including declining providers’ VIA competence without mentorship and quality assurances and challenges of integration into primary healthcare. This study seeks to evaluate the impact of smartphone-based strategies in improving reliability, reproducibility, and quality of VIA in humanitarian settings. Methods and findings We implemented smartphone-based VIA that included standard VIA training, adapted refresher, and 6-month mHealth mentorship, sequentially, in the rural Shiselweni region of Eswatini. A remote expert reviewer provided diagnostic and management feedback on patients’ cervical images, which were reviewed weekly by nurses. Program’s outcomes, VIA image agreement rates, and Kappa statistic were compared before, during, and after training. From September 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018, 4,247 patients underwent screening; 247 were reviewed weekly by a VIA diagnostic expert. Of the 247, 128 (49%) were HIV–positive; mean age was 30.80 years (standard deviation [SD]: 7.74 years). Initial VIA positivity of 16% (436/2,637) after standard training gradually increased to 25.1% (293/1,168), dropped to an average of 9.7% (143/1,469) with a lowest of 7% (20/284) after refresher in 2017 (p = 0.001), increased again to an average of 9.6% (240/2,488) with a highest of 17% (17/100) before the start of mentorship, and dropped to an average of 8.3% (134/1,610) in 2018 with an average of 6.3% (37/591) after the start of mentorship (p = 0.019). Overall, 88% were eligible for and 68% received cryotherapy the same day: 10 cases were clinically suspicious for cancer; however, only 5 of those cases were confirmed using punch biopsy. Agreement rates with the expert reviewer for positive and negative cases were 100% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 79.4% to 100%) and 95.7% (95% CI: 92.2% to 97.9%), respectively, with negative predictive value (NPV) (100%), positive predictive value (PPV) (63.5%), and area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics (AUC ROC) (0.978). Kappa statistic was 0.74 (95% CI; 0.58 to 0.89); 0.64 and 0.79 at 3 and 6 months, respectively. In logistic regression, HIV and age were associated with VIA positivity (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 3.53, 95% CI: 1.10 to 11.29; p = 0.033 and aOR: 1.06, 95% CI: 1.0004 to 1.13; p = 0.048, respectively). We were unable to incorporate a control arm due to logistical constraints in routine humanitarian settings. Conclusions Our findings suggest that smartphone mentorship provided experiential learning to improve nurses’ competencies and VIA reliability and reproducibility, reduced false positive, and introduced peer-to-peer education and quality control services. Local collaboration; extending services to remote populations; decreasing unnecessary burden to screened women, providers, and tertiary centers; and capacity building through low-tech high-yield screening are promising strategies for scale-up of VIA programs.

scholarly journals A study to assess the knowledge and attitude of female graduate students on cervical cancer

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 4545 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Koshy ◽  
Vandana Gangadharan ◽  
Anullekha Naidu
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Knowledge And Attitude

Background: Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women with an average of 468,000 new cases per year. Out of these 80% occur in developing and underdeveloped countries. World Health Organisation statistics show that Indian carries one fifths of world burden of the disease with 72,600 deaths annually. Key to the success of cervical cancer screening and prevention is the knowledge and awareness possessed by women in general. This requires the honing of knowledge at an impressionable and younger age group.Methods: It is a questionnaire based cross sectional study and was conducted amongst 4 study groups comprising Medical students, engineering students, nursing students and general graduate students between the age group 18 and 25 years.Results: According to present study, 93% of medical, 75% of nursing and only 29% of engineering students and 9 % of other students were actually even aware of the term cervical cancer. Assessment of knowledge regarding the risk factors of cervical cancer revealed that 13 medical, 9 nursing, 75 of engineering and 85 of Other Graduates weren’t aware of any risk factor that causes cervical cancer. As regards to attitude of the students towards cancer, present study revealed 4 medical, 23 nursing, 10 engineering and 9 general public women think that it is incurable and leads to death.Conclusions: This study highlights unawareness of various aspects of cervical cancer among young women and the burning need for continuing educational intervention at institute level to emphasise the importance and increase the awareness regarding cervical cancer.

scholarly journals Effects of Effluents on the Quality of River Rido, Kaduna- State, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-170
Author(s):  
Louis Buggu ◽  
Funmilayo Yusufu - Alfa ◽  
Abigail Abenu
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
World Health ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
The World ◽  
Effluent Discharge

This study examines the effect of discharged effluents on the quality of river Rido in Kaduna. Ten water samples were collected and tested for Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), Mercury (Hg), Nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn). The results revealed that in  the dry season,  six heavy metals, namely As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni and Zn, presented mean values that were  higher  after the point of effluent discharge; while Cr, Fe and Pb  had lower values and Hg was not detected. In the wet season all the heavy metals tested, except Hg, increased in values after the point of effluent discharge. The values of As, Cd,  Fe, Mn, Ni and Pb after the discharge point, in dry and wet seasons, were greater than the maximum tolerable limits set by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).  The values recorded for Zn and Cu at both dry and wet seasons were below the limit set by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), but the value of Cr was lower than the maximum tolerable limit only in the dry season.  The contamination of the river with heavy metals poses a grave danger to human health, as its water is used for diverse purposes. The wastewater treatment plant of KRPC should be rehabilitated and the wastewater can be pre-treated before it is discharged into the river.

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