Descriptive Cross-sectional Study Research Articles

Assessment of the Level of Awareness among Pregnant Women Regarding Antenatal Care Services at the Selected Upazila Hospital in Bangladesh

Background: Antenatal care (ANC) is a critical component of maternal and child health care, focusing on the medical and psychological well-being of pregnant women from conception to the onset of labor. Therefore, awareness among pregnant women regarding antenatal care services is crucial. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the level of awareness among pregnant women regarding Antenatal Care Services. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at 3 upazillas of Kishorganj district to assess the level of satisfaction of pregnant women regarding antenatal care at selected upazilla health complex during covid-19 pandemic. A total of 163 pregnant women were interviewed from 3 upazilla health complex, Kishorganj were included in this study. Result: Most pregnant women visiting the upazilla health complex were aged 18-23 (54.6%), with a mean age of 23.38 years (SD ±3.659). Information about the complex's services was primarily received from healthcare personnel (70.6%). The majority found the complex consistently open (97.5%), providing satisfactory care (89%). Most respondents (81%) received all necessary medicines, and 77.3% confirmed the availability of medical instruments. Awareness of antenatal care services was high, majority knew about pregnancy registration and check-ups. Among the respondents 51.5% were good aware and nearly half of respondents (48.5%) were poor aware about ANC related services provided from upazilla health complex. Conclusion: The findings of the current study indicate a strong awareness of antenatal care services among the majority of respondents.

A psychological insight of Moroccan adults' immunisation behaviour towards emergency vaccines.

The psychology of vaccination behaviour explains how thoughts and feelings influence people's willingness to receive vaccines. Understanding vaccination behaviour is crucial to successfully managing vaccination campaigns. Investigating factors associated with immunisation stress among students at Mohammed First University. This study was conducted on students at Mohammed First University institutions. This study is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study. It was conducted on 305 students at Mohammed First University institutions using a 90-item questionnaire. Three hundred and five participants have been included in this survey. Overall, 65.5% of the students in our sample had a positive perception towards COVID-19 vaccines. Nevertheless, 34.5% had a negative opinion regarding immunisation. According to the analysis of perceived stress scale, 40% (n = 122) of students expressed moderate to high stress regarding vaccination. Students with a negative perception of vaccine showed a higher level of stress than those with a positive one. Stressed students tended to be older than others, coming from other institutions, other than the medical faculty, and were renting alone. Vaccine accessibility was the less significant reason associated with stress regarding vaccination. Moreover, participants with high levels of confidence in social media, exhibited higher stress. Nevertheless, those who believed in scientific journals were significantly less stressed. These results reflect a positive perception and acceptance of vaccines, with a considerable level of stress regarding vaccination.Contribution: This study suggests emphasising the mental health of Moroccan young adults, to better sensitise and inform them about immunisation.

Frequency of Obesity, Associated Factors and Fetomaternal Outcome in Women Coming for Antenatal Care at Lady Willingdon Hospital, Lahore

Background: Obesity is now taking the shape of an epidemic worldwide and is on the rise among women of reproductive age especially over the last 40 years. This happening has a major bearing on reproductive outcomes as per latest studies. During pregnancy and childbirth, obese women are more likely to develop fetomaternal complications than women with a normal body mass index (BMI). Objective: To determine the prevalence of normal weight, over weight and obese women among those presenting for antenatal care and to compare the fetomaternal outcome in different BMI categories. Patients and Methods Descriptive cross sectional study conducted from 29 October 2022 to 29 April 2023 at Lady Willingdon Hospital, Lahore. 200 subjects meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study after informed consent. BMI was recorded and weight category assigned. All relevant details noted on especially designed performa. Data analysis was done using SPSS No. 24. Results: Prevalence of obesity in pregnant females was recorded as 25.5 %( n=51) and overweight women as 40.5 %( 81). A total of 200 females with an overall mean age of 29.9 ± 3.5 years were included in this study. The mean body mass index was 27.5 ± 3.9. The proportion of preeclampsia was significantly (p-value < 0.05) higher in obese women (31.9%) followed by overweight (22.2%) and normal women (15.6%), respectively. Likewise, the rate of eclampsia (22.8%, 13.6% and 8.3%), gestational diabetes (28.6%, 18.5, and 9.7%) and hypertension (27.7%, 16.1% and 11.4%) was also significantly higher in obese women followed by overweight women and normal weight women. In addition, a significant (p-value < 0.05) greater rate of C-section (41.5% vs. 35.8% vs. 14.4%) was reported in obese weight groups as compared to overweight versus normal weight women .The mean birth weight of new born was significantly higher in obese women as compared to overweight and normal weight women. Six (11.8%) babies born to obese women were macrosomic and only (1.3% and 1.5%) babies had macrosomia in overweight and normal weight women. APGAR score at 1 minute and 5 minute was significantly higher in normal weight women followed by overweight and obese women. The requirement of admission to NICU was statistically significantly higher in obese women (55.4%) followed by overweight (45.7%) and normal weight women (28.3%).Conclusion: Fetomaternal morbidity is significantly increased in obese and overweight pregnant females. Keywords: Pregnancy, obese, over-weight, prevalence, fetomaternal, outcome.

Estimating eGFR using serum creatinine or cystatin C in healthy Vietnamese population.

Very few studies worldwide have assessed the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using serum cystatin C (ScysC) in comparison to the gold standard measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) with a gamma camera technique using 99m-Technetium-Diethylene Triaminepentoacetic Acid (99mTc-DTPA). To determine the eGFR formula with the most accurate estimate of glomerular filtration rate when compared with mGFR in a healthy population in Vietnam. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study of more than 100 adults without hypertension. The study subjects were examined for general characteristics and blood biochemistry tests to assess eGFR, and the glomerular filtration rate was measured using 99mTc-DTPA with the Gates technique to record mGFR. The estimated values of the eGFR formula were evaluated and compared with the actual mGFR using 99mTechnetium-DTPA. Serum creatinine (Scr) concentration showed a significant difference between males and females: 0.9 ± 0.1 versus 0.8 ± 0.1 (P < .001), while ScysC concentration did not show this difference. The mGFR in the age groups < 40, 40 to 59, and ≥ 60: 105.0 ± 9.9, 94.8 ± 8.6, and 93.4 ± 10.6, respectively (P < .001). The eGFR-CKD-EPI-cystatin C 2012 formula showed the highest positive correlation with mGFR (ΔGFR = -1.6, R = 0.68, P < .001). eGFR calculated using cystatin C does not require sex adjustment, whereas, for creatinine, sex adjustment is necessary. The eGFR-CKD-Epi-CysC formula showed the lowest difference and a strong correlation with mGFR.

Coping Mechanisms Used by Male Partners of Women Diagnosed with Cervical Cancer: An Explorative Qualitative Study at Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Cervical cancer has a significant impact on the lives of caregivers of cervical cancer patients, including male partners. Disturbances in physical, psychological, sexual, spiritual, and socioeconomical aspects of life are reported by male partners of cervical cancer patients. To reduce the impact associated with cervical cancer, adaptive coping mechanisms are needed. In this regard, little is known about the coping mechanisms used by male partners of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in sub-Saharan African countries. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the coping mechanisms used by male partners of women diagnosed with cervical cancer at the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A descriptive cross-sectional study design with a qualitative approach was employed to explore coping strategies used by male partners of cervical cancer patients between December 2022 and March 2023. Participants were selected using a purposeful sampling technique guided by the principles of saturation. In-depth interviews with thirteen male partners of cervical cancer patients were carried out, and the interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were then analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Four themes highlighting coping mechanisms used by male partners of cervical patients were identified after data analysis. They include religious coping, emotional expression and regulation strategies, support-seeking strategies, and problem-solving strategies. Male partners of cervical cancer patients used various mechanisms to cope with the stressful situations they encountered. While most of the coping mechanisms used by male partners of cervical cancer patients were adaptive, some were maladaptive. Therefore, regular assessment among this population needs to be done to identify maladaptive coping and provide relevant support.

Relationship between commonly defined metabolic health phenotypes and obesity with lung function in a working population: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundFour phenotypes relate metabolism and obesity: metabolically healthy (MHO) and unhealthy (MUO) people with obesity and metabolically healthy (MHNO) and unhealthy (MUNO) people without obesity. No studies have addressed the association between these categories and lung function in the working population. ObjectivesThe aim was to determine the relationship of phenotypes to lung ageing as measured by lung age and its relationship to lung dysfunction. MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a working population. The outcome variable was lung function assessed by lung age. The four phenotypes of obesity and metabolic health (MHNO, MHO, MUO and MUNO) were determined using NCEP-ATP III criteria. Lung dysfunctions were classified into restrictive, obstructive, and mixed patterns. ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 43.7 years, ranging from 18 to 67 years. Of the 1860 workers, 51.3 % were women. The prevalences found were 71.4 %, 12 %, 10.6 % and 6 % for MHNO, MUO, MHO, and MUNO, respectively. MHO (β = 0.66; p = 0.591) was not associated with increased lung ageing compared with MHNO, but MUO (β = 7.1; p < 0.001) and MUNO (β = 6.6; p < 0.001) were. Concerning pulmonary dysfunctions, MUNO (OR = 1.93; p < 0.001) and MUO (OR = 2.91; p < 0.001) were found to be related to the presence of a restrictive pattern, and MUNO (OR = 2.40; p = 0.028) to the mixed pattern. ConclusionThe results show that metabolic abnormalities, not obesity, are responsible for premature lung ageing and, therefore, lung function decline. In our study, having obesity without metabolic abnormality was not significantly associated with the presence of dysfunctional respiratory patterns.

Measles outbreak investigation in Berhet District, North Shewa, Ethiopia.

Measles, though usually self-limiting, can have severe consequences influenced by factors such as vaccination and nutrition, notably vitamin A deficiency and malnutrition. Despite progress, contextual changes and implementation issues have hampered efforts, resulting in increased outbreaks and cases of measles. This study seeks to pinpoint outbreak features, risk factors, and strategies for preventing and controlling measles. A descriptive cross-sectional study and a 1:2 unmatched case-control study design were employed. All 101 suspected measles cases listed on the line-list were included in the descriptive research, with 60 measles patients and 120 controls included in the case-control investigation. Line-list data were cleaned and analyzed using a pivot table in Microsoft Excel 2016. Subsequently, the data were cleaned, entered into Epi Info 7.2, and exported to SPSS 26 for analysis. Twenty cases occurred per 10,000 individuals. Men accounted for 67.3% of cases, with ages ranging from 5 months to 45 years and mean and standard deviations of 9.6 and 7.6, respectively. Age group of 5-14 years comprised 57.4% of cases, followed by 1-4 years with 24.8%. Being unvaccinated against measles showed an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 12.06 (95% CI: 3.12-46.52). Travel history to regions with active cases had an AOR of 5.73 (95% CI: 1.78-18.38). Contact with a measles patient showed an AOR of 10.3 (95% CI: 3.48-30.5). Understanding the measles transmission mechanism had an AOR of 0.164 (95% CI: 0.049-0.55), and awareness of the disease's preventability had an AOR of 0.233 (95% CI: 0.67-0.811). All factors were independently associated with the illness. This outbreak affected a broader age range with a high attack rate, mainly in the age group of 5-14-years. Over 35% of cases lacked measles vaccination, indicating low administrative vaccine coverage. Factors contributing to the outbreak include lack of measles vaccination, travel to areas with active disease, contact with cases, and insufficient knowledge of measles transmission and prevention strategies among mothers and caregivers.

Factors Affecting Utilization of Health Services Among Elderly of Koshi Province, Nepal

Every country in the world is experiencing growth in the number and proportion of older persons. Aging is poised to become one of the most significant social transformations of the twenty-first century which affects all sectors of society. Aim of study was to assess factors affecting the utilization of health services among the elderly of Koshi province, Nepal. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 357 elderly. A multistage sampling technique was recruited for the selection of eight municipalities and wards for obtaining a representative sample from each ward. A semi structured interview schedule was used for data collection procedure. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were used after the normality test to measure the association of selected variables and utilization of health services. The study finding revealed that more than two-third (70.3) of the respondents was young old age. More than half of the respondents were female. Less than half (44.0%) of the respondents were hypertensive. A multivariate analysis revealed that the utilization of health services is higher among service holder elderly than non-service holder. The utilization health services by elderly were higher who had health insurance than who had not insurance service. The study concludes that only two-thirds of the elderly were satisfied with health insurance services facilities. Although One-thirds of elderly still not satisfied with the health insurance service facility so improve and easy access insurance service to elderly is essential.

Feeding pattern in preterm neonates admitted in neonatology unit: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Background: The components of breast feeding including sucking, swallowing, and breathing, develop at different gestational ages, and are incomplete in preterm. Other modes of feeding like nasogastric/orogastric and cup are used till matured breast feeding skills appear. Material and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done over a period of 1 year with objectives to observe the different feeding patterns in the preterm neonates, assess the time required to start feeding from the day of admission, and observe the time taken for transition from one feeding pattern to another feeding pattern. A total of 116 admitted preterm neonates born less than 34 weeks were included. The ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained. The time of admission, the duration between the time of admission and start of feeding, type of feeding, mode of feeding, and progression of feeding from one mode to another was noted, and appropriate statistical analysis done. Results: Cup feeding (57.8%) was the most common mode of starting of feeding followed by orogastric feeding (42.2%). Mothers breast milk was the most common feed. The median duration of starting of feed from the day of admission was 2 days. The time gap between day of admission and starting of orogastric feed and cup feeding were 2 days and 5 days, respectively. The median time taken for transition from orogastric feed to cup feed and from cup feed to mothers breast feed was 5 days and 6 days, respectively. Babies with a higher age at starting of feeding took significantly lesser time to transit from cup feeding to mother’s breast feeding (P=0.01). Babies with Respiratory Distress Syndrome had a significantly higher transit time from orogastric feeding to cup feeding (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The rate of advancement of feed depends on maturation of feeding skills, gestational age, birth weight, presence of comorbidities, and nursing care.

Relationship Between Prepatellar Fat Thickness and Bone Mineral Density.

To evaluate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) by measuring the prepatellar fat thickness with knee radiography and to gain a measurement method that has not been done before in the literature. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Training and Research Hospital, Sanliurfa, Turkiye, between January and June 2020. Patients' age, body mass index (BMI) data, prepatellar fat thickness (mm), L1-L4 total, bone mineral density femoral neck, femur trochanter major, and femur total T scores were recorded. The relationships between these three groups (normal, osteopenia, osteoporosis) and between prepatellar fat tissue measurement were evaluated. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post Hoc Tukey tests were used in the analysis. A statistically significant difference was found in terms of trochanter major T score measurements (X2 = 20.435; p <0.001) and BMI (X2 = 66.535; p <0.001) measurements of prepatellar fat thickness measurement. A statistically significant difference was found between the three groups in terms of prepatellar fat thickness measurement, L1-4 T-score, femoral neck, and femur total values (p <0.001). Prepatellar fat thickness in postmenopausal Turkish women was positively correlated with BMD; BMD increases as the prepatellar fat thickness increases. This explains that perapatellar fat thickness creates a mechanical load on the bones and causes an increase in BMD. Osteoporosis, Fat thickness, Bone mineral density.

Self-Management of Rural Adults with Multimorbidity: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Self-Management of Rural Adults with Multimorbidity: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

CDC-WONDER Database Analysis of Maternal Morbidity in Florida [ID 2683410

INTRODUCTION: The CDC's WONDER Natality database was updated in 2016 to include comprehensive pregnancy data, encompassing maternal morbidity, a growing concern in the United States. Using the WONDER Natality database, we can better understand risk factors and trends associated with maternal morbidity. The aim of this research is to investigate the variations in maternal morbidity in Florida, focusing on maternal demographics and pregnancy characteristics. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study used results from the CDC’s WONDER Natality 2016–2021 expanded-results database. Five categories of maternal morbidity were analyzed. Maternal morbidity and pregnancy characteristics were analyzed for statistical significance using χ2 and unpaired t-tests. RESULTS: 92,680 (1.04%) births in Census Region 3 (the South) were found to be associated with maternal morbidity. This prompted an in-depth examination of this region, with a particular focus on Florida. Notably, Asian mothers experienced the highest rate of maternal morbidity (1.49%), whereas Black mothers faced the lowest statistical rate (0.67%). Asian mothers experiencing maternal morbidity tended to be older, have lower pre-pregnancy body mass indexes, more prenatal visits, and shorter intervals since their last live births. CONCLUSION: This study underscores statistically significant maternal morbidity disparities in Florida, with Asian mothers being particularly vulnerable. It identifies several pregnancy characteristics linked to increased morbidity. Further exploration, including a county-level analysis in Florida and examination of other states in Census Region 3, could reveal or consolidate emerging trends. Moreover, the absence of a universally accepted definition for severe maternal morbidity calls for the establishment of a clear standard to guide future research and obstetric practices.

Examining potentially inappropriate medication use among elderly individuals in palliative care: A comprehensive study

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of polypharmacy, the presence of potentially inappropriate medications and related factors in older adults receiving palliative care. This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed in 213 patients who were served from palliative care services. Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form, Katz Activities of Daily Living Scale and Charlson Comorbidity Index were applied. Polypharmacy was defined as the use of 5 or more medicines while the use of 10 or more medicines was considered as hyper-polypharmacy. PIM was assessed according to the TIME-to START and TIME-to STOP criteria. A total of 213 patients were included, mean age was 78.00 ± 9.08 years. Polypharmacy was present in 59.2 % of the patients and hyper-polypharmacy was present in 10.8 %. There was a statistically significant correlation between polypharmacy and marital status, history of falls, mid-upper arm, and calf circumference (p = 0.017, p = 0.022, p = 0.010, p = 0.003, respectively). The rate of inappropriate medication use of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system, analgesics, musculoskeletal system, and nervous system drugs was high. There was at least one inappropriate medication use in 56.3 % of older adults. PIMs use was 18.3 % according to TIME-to-START criteria and was 48.4 % according to TIME-to-STOP criteria. There was a higher rate of PIMs use according to TIME criteria in the group with polypharmacy than non-polypharmacy (p < 0.001). The prevalence of polypharmacy and the presence of PIMs is high in older adults receiving palliative care. Polypharmacy could increase the PIMs use. The use of TIME criteria to evaluate palliative care patients may be helpful in reducing inappropriate medication use.

Outpatient prescription drug interactions at a city-affiliated healthcare center in Vietnam

Context: Adverse drug interactions increase the risk of hospitalization, treatment costs, unfavorable treatment outcomes, and prolonged hospital stays. However, there are a limited number of studies conducted in city-affiliated healthcare settings in Vietnam. Aims: To identify drug interactions in outpatient treatment prescriptions at a city-based healthcare center in the southern region of Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on outpatient treatment prescriptions stored in the outpatient department of a city-affiliated healthcare center from January to June, 2023. The study used two databases for drug interaction checking: the Drug Interactions Checker and Medscape Interactions Checker. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to identify predictors of clinically significant drug interactions. Results: Among 1203 surveyed prescriptions, 36.7% contained at least one clinically-significant drug interaction, with 3% of prescriptions having severe interactions. The highest frequency of drug interactions involved amlodipine and metformin (9.9%). Patients with five or more prescribed medications (OR = 3.305; 95% CI: 2.320-4.708), hypertension (OR = 7.142; 95% CI: 4.658-10.950), dyslipidemia (OR = 2.242; 95% CI: 1.665-3.020), and non-insulin-dependent diabetes (OR = 2.447; 95% CI: 1.817-3.295) had a higher likelihood of experiencing clinically significant drug interactions. Conclusions: This study revealed that over one-third of outpatient prescriptions were associated with clinically-significant drug interactions. This study highlights the importance of clinical pharmacists screening prescriptions to detect and reduce interactions, as well as the application of computerized alert systems with intelligent screening software to minimize drug interactions.

Short-term Outcomes of Surgical Treatment of Benign Obstructive Jaundice, Sana'a, Yemen.

Short-term Outcomes of Surgical Treatment of Benign Obstructive Jaundice, Sana'a, Yemen.

Pathological Assessment of the Appendix in Appendectomies Performed in Children.

Acute appendicitis is known as the most common diagnosis of acute abdomen leading to surgery. Therefore, timely diagnosis is of special importance. This study was conducted with the aim of pathological assessment of the appendix in appendectomies performed in children to determine the rate of negative appendectomies and the predictors of negative appendectomy and to evaluate the paraclinical tools used in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. All children who underwent appendectomy at Shahid Motahari Hospital in Urmia from March 2021 to March 2022 were examined. The required data including demographic, paraclinical, and final pathology characteristics were collected and recorded. The investigated cases were classified into positive and negative appendectomy categories for comparison. Among 234 pathology samples of the appendix, 22 cases were related to accidental appendectomy. In addition, 11.3% of cases were negative appendectomy and 88.7% were positive appendectomy. The age range of 8 to 14 years and male gender were associated with a lower negative appendectomy rate (both P<0.001). Inflammatory (49.5%) and gangrenous appendicitis (30.2%) were the most commonly reported histopathologies. Sonography had a sensitivity of 84%, a specificity of 79%, and an overall diagnostic accuracy of 83%. A relatively significant number of accidental and negative appendectomies are performed. More careful investigation and the use of expectant and medical treatment instead of surgery, especially in females and young children, can be effective in improving diagnostic accuracy and preventing negative appendectomies.

STONE Score: A Predictor for Need of Blood Transfusion in Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

To determine if the STONE score is a predictor of blood transfusion and if patient-related factors, i.e., the presence of comorbidities such as urinary tract infection and obesity, can predict blood transfusion post-percutaneous nephrolithotomy. A cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Urology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, between March 2022 and 2023. All patients admitted for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNCL) were included in the study. STONE score and patient related factors were assessed. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test was applied to check the association between the dependent variables (blood transfusion) and the independent variables. Logistic regression analysis was applied to compare the variables responsible for the outcome. Results: During the study period, 150 patients underwent PCNL. After exclusion, 89 patients were included in the study. The mean STONE score was 7.87, and the total number of transfusions was 8 (8.9%). BMI (body mass index) >25kg/m2 and STONE score were found to be significant factors predicting the need for transfusion with p-values of 0.02 and 0.03, respectively. On multivariate analysis, only BMI was found to be a significant contributing factor for blood transfusion. High BMI and STONE score are significant predictive factors for blood transfusion post-PCNL. Blood product arrangements should be restricted to obese patients. STONE score, Body mass index, Blood transfusion.

Prevalence of depression among pregnant women and its correlation with the choice of delivery method.

Caesarean section is usually limited to cases where natural vaginal delivery is not possible or poses a serious risk to the foetus and mother. Psychological health of mothers is likely to play an important role in the method of delivery. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression in pregnant women and its relationship with the choice of delivery method and other demographic parameters. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 250 mothers referring to the hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, were selected, and their demographic information and level of depression was collected using a questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted to evaluate the correlation between depression, method of delivery and other associated parameters. Among 250 pregnant women, 225 (90%) had no depression, 25 (10%) had mild depression and no moderate or severe depression was reported in any pregnant mother. Also, 146 (58.4%) were willing to have a caesarean section and 104 (41.6%) wanted to have a normal delivery. The choice of delivery method was not significantly associated with depression. Analyzes showed that increasing maternal age is associated with a greater tendency to caesarean delivery. The incidence and higher depression scores of mothers showed a significant association with the history of previous abortions. Although in this study no significant association was observed between depression in pregnant mothers and the choice delivery, due to the high prevalence of caesarean section in the country and its progression to higher percentages, it seems that the design and implementation of effective programs and interventions is required.

Efficacy of common decontamination techniques used in eye care facilities in Ghana

PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy of common methods used in the decontamination of non-critical and semi-critical ophthalmic equipment in Ghana. DesignThis study was conducted in two phases. First, a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, followed by a microbiological study MethodsQuestionnaires were distributed online to eye care practitioners. The common decontamination procedures identified from the online questionnaires were used in decontaminating the surfaces of the ophthalmic instruments. Swabs were taken from the instruments both before and immediately after decontamination (within the first 30s), as well as at 10-minute intervals up to 40 minutes after decontamination. The swabs were cultured on nutrient agar for 24 hours at 37 °C, and the contamination levels were estimated. ResultsThe most commonly used disinfection technique in the selected eye clinics in Ghana was the use of Methylated spirit (34 %), and the least, Iso-alcohol swabs (1 %). All the decontamination methods were efficacious in the reduction of contamination levels on the surfaces of ophthalmic instruments. Hand sanitiser, Parazone (sodium hypochlorite), Autoclave, and UV showed highly effective decontamination activity compared to Methylated spirit, Hydrogen peroxide, and Isopropyl alcohol. There was a significant reduction in contamination for each of the time points (p < 0.001), except for 40 minutes after decontamination (p = 0.063ns), when compared to the contamination level before decontamination. ConclusionIn Ghana, commonly used decontamination methods are effective in reducing levels of contamination of ophthalmic instruments, with their recontamination rates comparable to the use of autoclaves and UV germicidal irradiation.

Importance of Professional Values in Nursing Practice: Nurses Perspective

Topic: Descriptive cross-sectional study on the Importance of professional values in Nursing Practice: Nurses PerspectiveObjectives of the study: To investigate the importance of professional values in nursing practice from nurses’ perspectives.Background: Professional values are vital components in nursing practice and nursing professionals need to be aware of these values as code of ethics to provide high-quality patient care. Nurses, as the largest health care group, have well-known and important professional values. The use of these values in nursing practice increased the quality of patients care, nurses’ occupational satisfaction, their retention in nursing and commitment to the organization.Methods: The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from June to September 2023.The study was conducted among the nursing officers working in All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.Result: Results showed that the mean total attitude score was 121.35±11.80 which denotes high importance of professional values among nurses. Protect health and safety of the patient was given the highest importance and participate in peer review was given the least importance.Conclusion: The nurse educators and administrator needs to develop continuous educational programs to improve nurses’ awareness and understanding of the importance of professional values and improve the quality of care.