Availability Of Personal Protective Equipment Research Articles

Maternal care utilization and provision during the COVID-19 pandemic: Voices from minoritized pregnant and postpartum women and maternal care providers in Deep South.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected maternal care services especially for minoritized individuals, creating challenges for both service users (i.e., African American and Hispanic pregnant/postpartum women) and maternal care providers (MCPs). Guided by a socioecological framework, this study aims to investigate the experiences of African American and Hispanic pregnant and postpartum women, as well as MCPs, in accessing and providing maternal care services during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Deep South. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 African American women, 20 Hispanic women, and 9 MCPs between January and August 2022. Participants were recruited from Obstetrics and Gynecology clinics, pediatric clinics, and community health organizations in South Carolina, and all births took place in 2021. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically. Maternal care utilization and provision were influenced by various factors at different socioecological levels. At the intrapersonal level, women's personal beliefs, fears, concerns, and stress related to COVID-19 had negative impacts on their experiences. Some women resorted to substance use as a coping strategy or home remedy for pregnancy-induced symptoms. At the interpersonal level, family and social networks played a crucial role in accessing care, and the discontinuation of group-based prenatal care had negative consequences. Participants reported a desire for support groups to alleviate the pressures of pregnancy and provide a platform for shared experiences. Language barriers were identified as an obstacle for Hispanic participants. Community-level impacts, such as availability and access to doulas and community health workers, provided essential information and support, but limitations in accessing doula support and implicit bias were also identified. At the institutional level, mandatory pre-admission COVID-19 testing, visitation restrictions, and reduced patient-MCP interactions were women's common concerns. Short staffing and inadequate care due to the impact of COVID-19 on the health care workforce were reported, along with anxiety among MCPs about personal protective equipment availability. MCPs emphasized the quality of care was maintained, with changes primarily attributed to safety protocols rather than a decline in care quality. The pandemic has disrupted maternal care services. To overcome these issues, health facilities should integrate community resources, adopt telehealth, and develop culturally tailored education programs for pregnant and postpartum women. Supporting MCPs with resources will enhance the quality of care and address health disparities in African American and Hispanic women.

Observation of Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment in The Biology Laboratory

This observation aimed to understand the laboratory regulations, assess the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the laboratory, evaluate management practices, examine the completeness of laboratory equipment and materials, and observe the arrangement of laboratory space, equipment, and materials. This research was conducted in the basic biology laboratory at a university in East Kalimantan. The method employed in this research involved interviewing laboratory assistants and observing the laboratory conditions. The observations indicated that Laboratory A and B had complete personal protective equipment. However, there were some differences. For instance, the equipment and materials were complete in Laboratory A, whereas in Laboratory B, they were incomplete because the laboratory was newly built. Another difference was in the usage of the laboratories; Laboratory A was used for practical sessions, seminars, and classroom activities, while Laboratory B was solely utilized for practical exams. For future researchers, it is suggested that laboratories be explored for both practical sessions and classroom activities, rather than just classroom spaces.

Factors Affecting Compliance with The Use of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) in Nurses the Inpatient Room of Ananda Bekasi Hospital

Occupational health and safety is a crucial aspect in the hospital environment. Even though there are regulations governing the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) by nurses, compliance with its use is still a challenge. This research was conducted at Ananda Bekasi Hospital to understand the factors that influence nurses' compliance in using PPE. Quantitative methods with a cross-sectional approach were used with a sample of 60 nurses from inpatient rooms. Data was obtained through questionnaires, and statistical analysis was carried out using univariate, bivariate and multivariate tests. The results show a significant relationship between work experience, attitudes, knowledge, availability of PPE, supervision, and social support with the use of PPE. The dominant factors influencing the use of PPE are length of service, attitude and social support. The implication is that attention needs to be paid to education, training, better supervision, as well as a supportive culture and attitude to increase compliance with the use of PPE among nurses in hospitals.

Maternal and child health service disruptions due to COVID-19: A WHO health-care worker exposure response and outcomes survey in western Kenya

Background: COVID-19 has disrupted health-care services delivery globally. Limited data exists about personal protective equipment (PPE) availability for health-care workers (HCW) and perceptions of COVID-19 service disruption in low-resource settings. Methods: We used the Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes (HERO) Registry Protective Equipment Survey to assess PPE availability and reuse. HCW reported perceptions of client volume changes and time spent on various activities using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from large decreases to large increases. Results: Of the 99 HCW enrolled who completed the HERO survey, 32% were nurses, 21% clinical officers, 16% facility in-charges, among others. Forty percent worked in both maternal and child health and family planning clinics and HCW had an average of 5.3 years (interquartile range: 3.5–10.4) providing care to peripartum women. HCW reported problems procuring multiple forms of PPE, including respiratory masks (71%), face shield/googles (60%), gowns (58%), surgical masks (54%), hand sanitizer (45%), disinfecting products (43%), gloves (40%), and soap (31%). Re-use of N95/KN95 masks was common with 56% of HCW reporting reusing a single mask when attending to all patients and 2% reporting having sufficient masks to use one per patient. HCW reported reduced volume of women seeking services due to COVID-19; nearly two-thirds reported decreases in antenatal (62%) and postnatal clients (66%), as well as decreases in the number of pregnant and postpartum women initiating or continuing pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention (60% and 57%, respectively). HCW reported changes in how their time was spent; 79% spent more time disinfecting spaces between clients and 49% reported increases in responsibilities related to providing psychosocial care. Conclusions: HCW reported a dual burden of PPE shortages and client psychosocial needs, limiting their own protection and adding to workload during the pandemic.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the oncology nurses health behaviors determinants scale: a cross-sectional study.

To test the validity and reliability of the Oncology Nurses Health Behaviors Determinants Scale (HBDS-ON) in oncology nurses, the Chinese version was developed. The Brislin double translation-back translation approach was employed to forward translation, back translation, synthesis, cross-cultural adaptation, and pre-survey, resulting in the first Chinese version of the Oncology Nurses Health Behaviors Determinants Scale (HBDS-ON). A convenience sample technique was used to select 350 study participants in Liaoning, Shandong, and Jiangsu, China, who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria, to assess the validity and reliability of the scale. The Chinese version of the Oncology Nurses Health Behaviors Determinants Scale (HBDS-ON) had six subscales (perceived threat, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, cues to action, and personal protective equipment availability and accessibility), including 29 items. The average scale level was 0.931, and the content validity level of the items varied from 0.857 to 1.000. Each Cronbach's α coefficient had an acceptable internal consistency reliability range of 0.806 to 0.902. X2/df = 1.667, RMSEA = 0.044, RMR = 0.018, CFI = 0.959, NFI = 0.905, TLI = 0.954, and IFI = 0.960 were the model fit outcomes in the validation factor analysis. All of the model fit markers fell within reasonable bounds. The Chinese version of the Oncology Nurses Health Behaviors Determinants Scale (HBDS-ON) has good reliability and validity and can be used as a tool to assess the influencing factors of chemotherapy exposure for oncology nurses in China.

The determinants of mental well-being of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic

In this study, the objective is to understand the causal factors that influence the mental well-being of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, using Karasek’s Job Demand Control Social Model (JDCS) as the research framework. For this purpose the database Eurofound’s Living Working and COVID-19 survey is used; it was carried out using sampling design techniques in all 27 countries of the European Union. A sample of 4626 employees in the health sector is used, and structural equation models are specified to analyze causality. The analysis revealed significant associations between several factors: physical and mental work demands (p < 0.001), availability of personal protective equipment (p = 0.035), support from supervisors (p < 0.001), support from peers (p < 0.001), and age (p < 0.007). These findings, offering valuable insights into understanding and improving the management of health institutions, can serve as a foundation for developing strategies to support and enhance the mental health of healthcare professionals. Ultimately, this benefits both the workforce and the quality of healthcare services provided, particularly in preparing for potential future crises.

Determinants of intention to leave among nurses and physicians in a hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The global outbreak of COVID-19 has brought to light the profound impact that large-scale disease outbreaks can have on healthcare systems and the dedicated professionals who serve within them. It becomes increasingly important to explore strategies for retaining nurses and physicians within hospital settings during such challenging times. This paper aims to investigate the determinants of retention among nurses and physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. A systematic review of other potential determinants impacting retention rates during the pandemic was carried out. Secondly, a meta-analysis on the prevalence of intention to leave for nurses and physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. A comprehensive search was performed within four electronic databases on March 17 2023. Fifty-five papers were included in the systematic review, whereas thirty-three papers fulfilled the eligibility criteria for the meta-analysis. The systematic review resulted in six themes of determinants impacting intention to leave: personal characteristics, job demands, employment services, working conditions, work relationships, and organisational culture. The main determinants impacting the intention to leave are the fear of COVID-19, age, experience, burnout symptoms and support. Meta-analysis showed a prevalence of intent to leave the current job of 38% for nurses (95% CI: 26%-51%) and 29% for physicians (95% CI: 21%-39%), whereas intention to leave the profession for nurses 28% (95% CI: 21%-34%) and 24% for physicians (95% CI: 23%-25%). The findings of this paper showed the critical need for hospital managers to address the concerning increase in nurses' and physicians' intentions to leave during the COVID-19 pandemic. This intention to leave is affected by a complex conjunction of multiple determinants, including the fear of COVID-19 and the confidence in and availability of personal protective equipment. Moreover, individual factors like age, experience, burnout symptoms, and support are maintained in this review. Understanding the influence of determinants on retention during the COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to formulate prospective strategies for retaining nurses and physicians within hospital settings.

Work ability of school servants and the mediating effects between personal characteristics, work conditions, and sickness absence1.

School servants are professionals involved with cleaning and feeding activities in schools. Exposed to conditions of physical and psychosocial overload at work, they may face situations of morbidity and functional restrictions. To evaluate personal and work characteristics and work ability index (WAI) of school servants in Brazil and test the mediating effect of WAI in the duration of sickness absence. 163 Brazilian school servants participated in this cross-sectional study, that including the self-completion of a sociodemographic questionnaire, information about the Work Environment, the Protocol of Psychosocial Risks at Work's Evaluation, and the Work Ability Index. Also was collected, in a secondary health database, information about sickness absence. A linear regression model was constructed to identify the predictors of the duration of absence, followed by the analysis of mediation with the Path Analysis method. The study found that the WAI partially mediates the relation of the personal characteristics and the work conditions with the duration of absence of the school servants. The predictors included the organizational aspects of work, mental exhaustion, physical damage, health self-evaluation, availability of personal protective equipment, and the need to assume inadequate postures at work. These predictors explained 33% of the duration of absence and 53% of the WAI of these workers. This study indicated that inadequate working conditions and low WAI impact in the sickness absence, increasing by 33% the length of time off work of school servants.

Availability of basic infection control items and personal protection equipment in 7948 health facilities in eight low- and middle-income countries: Evidence from national health system surveys.

Hundreds of millions of people become infected globally every year while seeking care in health facilities that lack basic needs like infection control measures and personal protective equipment (PPE). We aimed to evaluate the availability of infection control items and PPE in eight low- and middle-income countries and identify disparities in the availability of those items. In this study, we combined publicly available nationally representative cross-sectional health system surveys (Service Provision Assessments by the Demographic and Health Survey Programme) conducted in eight countries between 2013 and 2018: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, and Tanzania. The availability of infection control items was evaluated using a list of six items (a waste receptacle, a sharps container, disinfectant, single-use disposable or auto-disposable syringes, soap and running water, or an alcohol-based hand rub, and guidelines for standard precautions). PPE includes four items: gloves, medical masks, gowns, and eye protection. We considered these items available in a facility if they were observed in general outpatient areas or any service-specific area (i.e. delivery room). We analysed data from 7948 health facilities (694 hospitals and 7254 health centres/clinics). Overall, among the infection control items and PPE, most surveyed facilities had high availability of single-use disposable or auto-disposable syringes (91.40%) and latex gloves (92.56%). Of infection control measures, guidelines for infection control were the least available during the survey, with the lowest (6.15%) in Nepal and the highest (68.18%) in Malawi. Of the PPE items, eye protection was the least available during the survey, with the lowest (5.4% in Senegal) and the highest (28.17%) in Haiti. Only 1567 (19.71%) facilities looked to have all the basic infection control materials, and 1023 (12.87%) of the analysed facilities possessed all of the PPE. Within the same country, the availability of items varied more between hospitals and health centres/clinics than between them. All eight of our study countries experience shortages of the most fundamental standard precaution items to avert infection. Steps must be taken in each of these countries to reduce inadequacies and disparities and enhance efficiency in the conversion of health-system inputs into the facility's availability of standard precaution items for infection control - to curb the risk of infectious disease transmission.

Work Accidents Analysis in Lathe Workshop - JSA with FMEA Approach

This study investigates the risk levels and potential for work accidents in manufacturing processes involving heavy equipment like lathes, which often lead to accidents due to non-compliance with safety regulations. Employing job safety analysis (JSA), the research aims to minimize accidents by assessing risk levels and proposing comprehensive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) usage for workers. Results reveal that the welding process's failure mode severity is rated at 2, while lathe-related accidents, particularly exposure to debris, have the highest occurrence and effect analysis at 6. Limited PPE availability contributes to a low failure mode detection and effect analysis score of 7. This study underscores the critical need for implementing stringent safety measures to mitigate workplace accidents in manufacturing settings. Highlights : Comprehensive assessment: Utilizing job safety analysis (JSA), the study provides a detailed evaluation of potential work accidents in manufacturing processes, focusing on heavy equipment usage. Risk mitigation: The research emphasizes the importance of implementing stringent safety measures, including the complete utilization of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), to minimize the occurrence of workplace accidents. Importance of compliance: Non-compliance with safety regulations, particularly regarding the use of PPE and adherence to K3 regulations, significantly increases the risk of work accidents, leading to disruptions in production processes. Keywords: Workplace Safety, Manufacturing, Job Safety Analysis, Personal Protective Equipment, Risk Assessment

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI PERILAKU PEMAKAIAN ALAT PELINDUNG DIRI PADA PEKERJA BENGKEL LAS

Welding workshops are informal sector businesses with a high potential for danger that require occupational safety and health (OSH) efforts, such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Some welding accidents are caused by PPE factors. The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors that influence the behavior of PPE use in welding workshop workers. This study used an analytical observational type with a cross-sectional design. The population of this study was 41 welding workshop workers who were all used as samples (total sampling). The variables measured were age, work experience, education, knowledge about PPE, attitude towards PPE, availability of PPE, and behavior of PPE use. Statistical analysis used Binary Logistic Regression using SPSS 27 software, at α = 5%. The results of the analysis showed that knowledge about PPE was significantly associated with the behavior of PPE use (OR = 2.12; p = 0.040), attitude towards PPE was significantly associated with the behavior of PPE use (OR = 2.37; p = 0.034), and availability of PPE was significantly associated with the behavior of PPE use (OR = 4.27; p = 0.038). It is concluded that the factors that influence the behavior of PPE use are knowledge about PPE, attitude towards PPE, and availability of PPE.

Contributing to health system resilience during pandemics via purchasing and supply strategies: an exploratory system dynamics approach

BackgroundHealth systems worldwide struggled to obtain sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic due to global supply chain disruptions. Our study’s aim was to create a proof-of-concept model that would simulate the effects of supply strategies under various scenarios, to ultimately help decision-makers decide on alternative supply strategies for future similar health system related crises.MethodsWe developed a system dynamics model that linked a disease transmission model structure (susceptible, exposed, infectious, recovered (SEIR)) with a model for the availability of critical supplies in hospitals; thereby connecting care demand (patients’ critical care in hospitals), with care supply (available critical equipment and supplies). To inform the model structure, we used data on critical decisions and events taking place surrounding purchase, supply, and availability of PPE and ventilators during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic within the English national health system. We used exploratory modelling and analysis to assess the effects of uncertainties on different supply strategies in the English health system under different scenarios. Strategies analysed were: (i) purchasing from the world market or (ii) through direct tender, (iii) stockpiling, (iv) domestic production, (v) supporting innovative supply strategies, or (vi) loaning ventilators from the private sector.ResultsWe found through our exploratory analysis that a long-lasting shortage in PPE and ventilators is likely to be apparent in various scenarios. When considering the worst-case scenario, our proof-of-concept model shows that purchasing PPE and ventilators from the world market or through direct tender have the greatest influence on reducing supply shortages, compared to producing domestically or through supporting innovative supply strategies. However, these supply strategies are affected most by delays in their shipment time or set-up.ConclusionWe demonstrated that using a system dynamics and exploratory modelling approach can be helpful in identifying the purchasing and supply chain strategies that contribute to the preparedness and responsiveness of health systems during crises. Our results suggest that to improve health systems’ resilience during pandemics or similar resource-constrained situations, purchasing and supply chain decision-makers can develop crisis frameworks that propose a plan of action and consequently accelerate and improve procurement processes and other governance processes during health-related crises; implement diverse supplier frameworks; and (re)consider stockpiling. This proof-of-concept model demonstrates the importance of including critical supply chain strategies as part of the preparedness and response activities to contribute to health system resilience.

Pencegahan Stunting Dengan Camilan Kaya Kalsium Sebagai Makanan Tambahan Anak Balita di Desa Borisallo, Kec. Parangloe, Kab. Gowa

Increased food production requires fertilizers and pesticides. Fertilizers are used to increase soil fertility and pesticides are used to eradicate pests in food crops and plantations. Problems of farmers in Pucak Village, Kec. Tompobulu as a partner does not know the level of exposure to pesticides, does not know the impact of pesticides on health problems and does not have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when spraying. The solutions are: (1) Counseling on prevention and the impact of the use of fertilizers and pesticides on the incidence of dermatitis, (2) Provision of PPE in the form of masks and gloves in fertilizing and spraying pesticides. The results of community service are (1) Counseling on prevention and the impact of using fertilizers and pesticides on the incidence of dermatitis, which is carried out by conducting home visits. Farmers experienced an average increase in knowledge of safe and healthy fertilizing and pesticide spraying management, (2) Provision of PPE, especially hats, masks and gloves to farmers. Abstract: Increasing food production requires fertilizer and pesticides. Fertilizer is used to increase soil fertility. Fertilizer has a negative impact in the form of disease and poisoning on farmers in Borisallo Village, Kec. Parangloe, Kab. Gowa as a partner does not yet know how to prevent exposure to organic fertilizers on health, there is no provision of micronutrient supplementation (Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Boron and Vitamin D) as an increase in body immunity and detoxification of fertilizer exposure poisoning and there is no availability of Personal Protective Equipment in managing fertilizers in the form of masks and gloves for farmers. The solutions are: (1) Counseling on preventing fertilizer exposure to farmers, (2) Providing micronutrient supplementation (Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Boron and Vitamin D) to increase body immunity and detoxify fertilizer poisons, (3) Providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the form of masks and gloves when carrying out inorganic fertilization on farmers. The results of community service are (1) Counseling on prevention and the impact of using organic fertilizer on health, which is carried out by conducting home visits. Farmers experienced an average increase in knowledge of safe and healthy management of fertilization and pesticide spraying, (2) providing micronutrients and explaining sources of other food ingredients containing micronutrients in their environment, (3) Providing PPE, especially hats, masks and gloves to farmers

Effects of first year COVID-19 pandemic on urology practice in three major Arab Countries: Sub-Analysis of a survey by Arab association of urology research group.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic on March 11, 2020. The health care system faced tremendous challenges in providing ethical and high-quality care. The impact of COVID-19 on urological practices varied widely worldwide, including in Arab countries. This study aimed to compare the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on urology practice in Egypt, the KSA, and the UAE during the first year of the pandemic. This sub-analysis assessed the demographics and COVID-19's effects on urological practice in terms of adjustments to hospital policy, including outpatient consultations, the management of elective and urgent surgical cases, and the continuation of education across the three countries. The availability of personal protective equipment (PPE) and urologists' emotional, physical, and verbal intimidation during COVID-19 were also compared. Regarding the impact on hospital policy, consultations replaced by telemedicine were significantly higher in the KSA (36.15%), followed by the UAE (33.3%), then Egypt (10.4%) (P = 0.008). Elective cases requiring ICU admission were 65.1% in Egypt, 45.2% in the KSA, and 58.2% in the UAE and were performed only in high-risk patients. PPE was freely available in 20.8% of the Egyptian hospitals compared to 83.3% in the KSA and 81.8% in the UAE. Online courses were significantly higher in Egypt (70.8%), followed by the UAE (53%) and the KSA (41.7%) (P = 0.02). Emotional intimidation was higher than verbal intimidation, representing 80%, 75.9%, and 76% in the UAE, KSA, and Egypt, respectively. This sub-analysis outlined significant hospital policy changes across the three Arab countries. Exposure to emotional, verbal, and physical intimidation was observed. The development of teleconsultations and online platforms for educational purposes was observed.

Assessment of Nurses’ Knowledge Regarding Personal Protective Equipment at Two Tertiary Care Hospitals, Peshawar

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) include gloves, protective eye wear (goggles), mask, respirator, apron, gown, boots/shoe cover, hair cover and are aimed to shield Health Care Professionals (HCP) including nurses from workplace infections and injuries. Objective: To assess nurses’ knowledge regarding personal protective equipment at two tertiary care hospitals in Peshawar. Methods:  A design of the study was descriptive cross-sectional survey. Overall, 150 nurses were involved by using consecutive sampling technique. Data were collected through structured, self-administered adopted questionnaire. Results: This study comprised of 150 contributors including 30% male and 70% female. The mean age of the participants was 29.15 with standard deviation ± 6.07. 53.3% of the participants had Diploma, 36.7% had Post RN, 8.7% of the participants had BSN and 1.3% of the participants had MSN degrees. The study showed that 58% of respondents had good knowledge due to their professional experiences while 36% had average knowledge level due to low professional experiences and lack of resource and availability of PPE’s and only 6% participants had poor knowledge level regarding personal protective equipment due to lack of professional experiences. Conclusions: This study concluded that knowledge level was good in majority of nurses.  Despite the good knowledge level, some of the personnel practices and attitudes towards PPE remain unchanged.   This study pleas for a need to educate Nurses on PPE; it may be with continuing education on infection control or other informative platforms. When there is low level of knowledge it will affect practice related to PPE. 

How Indonesia Nurses Cope in Covid-19 Pandemic?: A Qualitative Study

Background: Nurses have to deal with various stressors, especially those who directly care for COVID-19 positive patients, such as the risk of contracting the disease, the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the workload that tends to increase, community stigma and so on. Appropriate coping is needed by nurses in order to provide maximum quality of service for COVID-19 patients.Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore how Indonesian nurses cope in COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The research was a qualitative phenomenology design study conducted in Jakarta Indonesia, from March – May 2021. Number of participants was sevent who completed inclusion criteria. Data collection method using deep interview with participants trough video conference.Results: The finding of this study show that there are 8 (eight) themes that represent how nurses cope with COVID-19 pandemic, namely facility, new work system adjustion, dealing with worriness, work is pride, humanity, support system, spirituality engagement, and well preparation.Conclusion: Nurses had positive coping mechanisms against the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The positive coping mechanisms are described in detail in the eight themes of this research.

Occupational Health Hazards of Pesticides Use among Commercial Vegetable Farmers of Kirtipur Municipality, Kathmandu

Background: Occupational health and safety are the integral components of the general concepts of health. In Nepalese context, misuse of pesticides have been observed and practiced in several ways. Nepalese farmers use too much pesticide than needed with too little protection when using pesticides due to which many accidental poisonings occur annually. This study aims to assess the occupational health hazards related to pesticide use among commercial vegetable farmers of Kirtipur municipality, Kathmandu. Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 107 randomly selected commercial vegetable farmers in Kirtipur Municipality of Kathmandu by using semi-structured questionnaire. Data were collected using face to face interview method. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characters, pesticide use practices, storage and disposal techniques and health effects among the farmers. Data were entered in Epidata and then analyzed in SPSS version 21. Frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were calculated to measure the practice of pesticide use and occupational health hazards related to pesticide use among farmers. Result: The study is comprised of 52% male and 48% female. About 89% of farmers were wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during spraying of pesticides. Maximum numbers of farmers change clothes and take a bath right after the application of pesticide i.e. 87% and 88% respectively. Almost half of the vegetable farmers (45.1%) use burn method for disposal of empty pesticide containers. However, 45.6% of the respondents experience health problems within 48 hours of pesticide application. Conclusion: The study concluded that almost half of the pesticide users have shown various symptoms of health hazards. Unsafe equipment and condition, inadequate training, limited availability and use of PPE all contribute to the health hazards of pesticide users.

Risks and challenges in COVID-19 infection prevention and control in a hospital setting: Perspectives of healthcare workers in Thailand.

In hospital settings, awareness of, and responsiveness to, COVID-19 are crucial to reducing the risk of transmission among healthcare workers and protecting them from infection. Healthcare professionals can offer insights into the practicalities of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and on how the guideline aimed to ensure adherence to IPC, including use of personal protective equipment (PPE), could best be delivered during the pandemic. To inform future development of such guideline, this study examined the perspectives of healthcare professionals working in a large hospital during the pandemic regarding their infection risks, the barriers or facilitators to implementing their tasks and the IPC measures to protect their safety and health and of their patients. In-depth interviews were conducted with 23 hospital staff coming into contact with possible or confirmed cases of COVID-19, or were at potential risk of contracting the disease, including medical doctors, nurses, virology laboratory staff, and non-medical workers. This qualitative study was carried out as part of a knowledge, attitudes and practice survey to prevent COVID-19 transmission at Ramathibodi Hospital in Thailand. We used content analysis to categorize and code transcribed interview data. Existing IPC guideline and evidence synthesis of organisational, environmental, and individual factors to IPC adherence among healthcare workers were used to guide the development of the interview questions and analysis. Factors identified as influencing the use of, and adherence to, prevention measures among healthcare workers included knowledge, perceived risk and concerns about the infection. The extent to which these factors were influential varied based on the medical procedures, among other features, that individuals were assigned to perform in the hospital setting. Beyond availability of PPE and physical safety, ease of and readiness to utilize the equipment and implement IPC measures were crucial to motivate hospital staff to follow the practice guideline. Having a ventilated outdoor space for screening and testing, and interaction through mobile technology, facilitated the performance of healthcare workers while reducing the transmission risk for staff and patients. Adequate training, demonstration of guided practices, and streamlined communications are crucial organisational and management support factors to encourage appropriate use of, and adherence to, implementation of infection prevention and control measures among healthcare workers. This finding could help inform the development of recommendations to optimise compliance with appropriate use of these measures, and to improve guidance to reduce HCW's risk of disease in hospital settings. Further study should explore the perceptions and experiences of health professionals in smaller health facilities and community-based workers during the pandemic, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Assessment of health problem and associated factors among flower farm workers in Ejere Woreda, West Showa Zone Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

Background: Floriculture is an agricultural sector that poses significant health risks, often due to unsafe work environments. Objectives: The study aimed to assess health problems and associated factors among flower farm workers in Ejere Woreda, West Showa, Oromia, Ethiopia, in 2018. Methods: A cross-sectional study incorporating quantitative and qualitative methods was conducted in Ejere Woreda from May 25 to June 30, 2018. A structured questionnaire was administered to 356 participants using simple and stratified random sampling, and qualitative data were gathered through in-depth interviews and observation checklists. Data were analyzed using EPI Info version 7 and SPSS 21. Descriptive statistics were computed, and the variables underwent binary logistic regression analysis, with a p-value &lt; 0.3 for inclusion in multivariate logistic regression. Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. Results: A total of 356 workers participated, with 296 (83.3%) reporting at least one health problem in the last 12 months. Among the conditions observed, headaches were the most prevalent (226, 76.4%), followed by musculoskeletal injuries (220, 74.3%), fatigue (206, 69.3%), respiratory injuries (185, 62.5%), dizziness (180, 60.8%), and skin injuries (17, 58.8%). Factors such as sex, job satisfaction, availability of personal protective equipment, and safety training showed significant associations with health problems. Conclusion: The study revealed a high prevalence of health problems among flower farm workers, with job satisfaction, availability of safety training, and personal protective equipment shortages being significant factors. It is recommended that farm managements provide adequate safety training and full personal protective equipment to improve the health of workers.

Pesticide safety behaviours among agricultural workers and farmers: A cross‐sectional study

AbstractAimThe aim of this study is to investigate the pesticide safety behaviours and related factors among cabbage farmers in Kalaw Township, Myanmar.BackgroundUnsafe chemical pesticide practices affect farmers' health and the environment. Understanding pesticide safety behaviours is necessary for healthcare providers to protect agriculture workers against unwanted adverse health effects.MethodsThe cross‐sectional study was conducted among 195 cabbage farmers from March to May 2019. Safety behaviours and factors applied in the PRECEDE–PROCEDE model as a framework were assessed using questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was applied to identify any associations.ResultsAltogether, 72.1% of the farmers had a low level of safety behaviours. Goggles and masks were rarely used before and during pesticide applications. All of the farmers experienced adverse health effects after using pesticides. The attitudes toward pesticide poisoning; support from family, co‐workers and healthcare providers; and the availability of personal protective equipment were significantly associated with safety behaviours.ConclusionOur data provide novel empirical evidence for an opportunity to design effective nursing interventions to promote pesticide safety behaviours among Myanmar agricultural workers. Nurses should pay more attention to promoting comprehensive interventions to reduce both exposure and health effects among agricultural workers through the involvement of supported stakeholders.