Effectiveness Of Prevention Methods Research Articles

Hospital Admissions Due to Short-term Exposure to Air Pollution: A scoping review

Context: Annually thousands of people lose their lives due to air pollution. Today, air pollution in most countries, especially developing countries, is a public health problem and millions of dollars spent to treat patients who admitted to the emergency department due to exposure to air pollutants. Study on hospital admissions is a method for the impact survey of ambient air pollution on a human. Evidence Acquisition: In this study reviewed the effects of air pollutants (No2, SO2, PM2.5, PM10, CO, PAH and VOCs) on human health, with a focus on hospital admission after short-term exposure. In the articles literature that reviewed Short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants including No2, SO2, PM2.5, PM10 and CO led to hospital admission (except for PAH and VOCs). We systematically searched international datasets to identify relevant studies, including PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane library, CINAHL, ISI Web of Science, Science Direct from inception, PROSPERO and EMBASE using medical purposed subject headings (Mesh) terms. Result: The most common cause of hospital admission after short-term exposure to air pollution was cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The health effects of air pollution on studied groups in dry and warm weather were higher than in wet and cold weather. In studies with more pollutants, the share of each pollutant in hospital admission was clearer. Conclusion: The costs of treatment were far higher than the cost of prevention. The effectiveness of preventive methods was more than therapeutic methods. The history of exposure to ambient air pollutants and their impact on hospital admission rate due to short-term exposure to air pollutants require separate studies in this field. More accurate identification of the toxicological mechanisms seemed to be necessary after the short-term exposure to deal with acute poisoning due to air pollution.

Acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery in children

Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery in children remains a common clinical concern. The approaches developed recently and applied in clinical practice have sufficiently helped in clarifying the epidemiology, risk factors and pathophysiology of AKI in paediatric cardiac surgery. Pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease criteria (pRIFLE), Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO), which are based on changes in serum creatinine levels and urine output rate, enable the identification and ranking of AKI according to severity. However, the diagnostic strategies for AKI have developed beyond creatinine levels and recommend the use of markers of renal tissue damage. Currently, two markers, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and TIMP-2/IGFBP-7 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 and protein that binds insulin-like growth factor-7), can be used for the early diagnosis of AKI in paediatric cardiac surgery. Various risk factors, both renal and extrarenal, can predict AKI after cardiac surgery, among which age, the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass and the need for mechanical ventilation and inotropic support before surgery, are the most significant. Strategies for addressing modifiable risk factors (maintaining appropriate perfusion pressure during cardiopulmonary bypass and avoiding nephrotoxic drugs and fluid overload) will reduce the risk of developing AKI. There has been a significant increase in survival rates due to the introduction of ultrafiltration techniques and the early initiation of renal replacement therapy in the postoperative period. The purpose of this review is to analyse the current literature data on AKI in paediatric cardiac surgery. The review results demonstrate the differences in the incidence of AKI associated with cardiac surgery and the effectiveness of certain methods for prevention and treatment of this complication. Further comprehensive research on the issue of AKI in children, creation of medical electronic databases on patients, minimisation of the influence of possible risk factors and timely prevention and treatment of complications would prevent the development of AKI and reduce the possibility of complication progression to a more severe stage. Received 12 April 2021. Revised 24 June 2021. Accepted 25 June 2021. Funding: The study did not have sponsorship. Conflict of interest: Authors declare no conflict of interest. Contribution of the authors: The authors contributed equally to this article.

Risk Perception of COVID-19 in Indonesia During the First Stage of the Pandemic.

Community perceptions of early-stage pandemics may have significant implications for subsequent disease control and management. Perceptions of COVID-19 among Indonesian citizens were assessed 2 months after the first reported case in the country. The study used an online survey tool, which was adapted from a standardized questionnaire for risk perception of an infectious disease outbreak. The questions of the survey involved respondents' perceived level of knowledge, preparedness, efficacy of control measures, newness, infectiousness, seriousness, motivating and hindering factors, and effectiveness of prevention methods, as well as questions that assessed actual level of knowledge of respondents such as causative agents, modes of transmission, number of total cases, and available control measures. A total of 1,043 respondents participated in this study. The main sources of information of respondents were social media (85.2%) and online news (82.2%). Nearly all respondents were aware that COVID-19 is a viral disease with saliva droplets (97.1%) and contaminated surfaces (86.5%) being its main modes of transmission. Participants showed a good level of knowledge pertaining to control measures, an adequate level of belief toward their efficacy, and a willingness to implement such measures. More than 95% of the respondents perceived COVID-19 to be either serious or very serious. However, the level of anxiety among respondents was moderate, suggesting the presence of risk tolerance in the community. Individual characteristics such as gender, educational background, and occupation were found to have a statistically significant relationship with risk perception and tolerance, but voluntary participation in control measures was high and similar. This indicates that the COVID-19 health campaign during early pandemic in Indonesia was a success. This research also revealed certain areas where health promotion, education, and awareness might be improved.

Primary school students\u2019 poetic malaria messages from Jimma zone, Oromia, Ethiopia: a qualitative content analysis

BackgroundThe engagement of schools in malaria control is an emerging strategy. Little is known about the involvement of students in the development of malaria messages. This study evaluated the message content of primary school students’ malaria poems.MethodsA qualitative content analysis was conducted to explore malaria messages conveyed in poems produced by students. Twenty poems were purposively selected from twenty schools across rural villages in five districts of the Jimma Zone. Data were analyzed using Atlas.ti version 7.1.4 software. The message contents were quantified in terms of frequency, and including metaphors, presented using central themes, categories, and supportive quotations.ResultsA total of 602 malarial contents were generated, and organized into 21 categories under five central themes. 1) Malaria-related knowledge (causation and modes of transmission, mosquito breeding and biting behavior, signs and symptoms, care for insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), and prevention methods), 2) Perceived threats from malaria, 3)The effectiveness of prevention methods (i.e., related to the adaption of ITNs, environmental cleaning, indoor residual spray (IRS), treatment for fever, and drug adherence practices), 4) Misconceptions, beliefs, and malpractices regarding the cause of malaria and drug use) and 5) Direct calls to the adopt ITN, IRS, clean surroundings, treatment, and drug use. The most commonly conveyed message contents were about the severity of malaria, distinguishable signs and symptoms, calls for community participation for malaria elimination, knowledge of preventive methods, and effectiveness of ITN use. Metaphoric expressions (war and death) were used to convey messages about the severity and the need to manage the prognosis of malaria through the active ITN use, which itself was metaphorically represented as ‘a trap’ to mosquitoes.ConclusionsThe poetic analysis indicated that the students developed and disseminated rich malarial messages, especially on malarial knowledge, and perceptions, beliefs, norms and practices of the local community to prevent and control malaria. Therefore, primary school students can be a source of information and would effectively communicate knowledge, perceptions, and promote malaria related practices, particularly in rural settings.

Willingness to pay for and acceptance of cervical cancer prevention methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The Willingness to pay (WTP) for and acceptance of cervical cancer prevention (CCP) methods have an important role in the control of this type of cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the WTP and acceptance of CCP methods with the contingent valuation method (CVM). Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis study, the required information was collected by searching relevant keywords in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Knowledge, and their Persian equivalent in the Scientific Information Database (SID) and Elmnet databases during January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2020. All studies that reported the WTP and CCP methods with the CVM in English or Persian were included. The reporting quality of studies was assessed by strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). Comprehensive meta-analysis (CMA: 2) software was used to conduct the meta-analysis. The content analysis method was used for qualitative data analysis. Results: Finally, 28 articles (with 49610 people) were included in the study. Most of the participants were women (35.7%). The HPV vaccine was the most common method of prevention (75%). The overall acceptance rate was 64% and the overall positive WTP rate was 66%. The average WTP was US$30.44, which accounts for about 0.84% of GDP per capita. The most significant effective factors included income, age, education, high-risk sexual behaviors, and awareness of cervical cancer, belief in the risk of cervical cancer, and belief about the effectiveness of prevention methods. The cost was the most important reason for the unwillingness to pay and accept. Conclusion: Results show that the WTP and acceptance rate of CCP methods are relatively high. It is recommended to reduce the cost of prevention methods, especially the HPV vaccine, and to increase awareness and improve the attitude of people. Also, it is recommended to consider other methods of estimation of WTP and other cancers in future studies.

Methods for prevention of early childhood caries: Overview of systematic reviews.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a global problem, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate systematically the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness of methods for ECC prevention. Six electronic databases were searched. Two independent reviewers selected the publications and analysed the quality of the included systematic reviews. Thirteen studies were included. Overall, eight reviews were classified with methodological quality critically low using the AMSTAR 2, whereas five reviews achieved a high risk of bias using the ROBIS tool. The methods identified that were positively related to the prevention of ECC were as follows: preventive dental programmes for pregnant women; advice on diet and feeding; prenatal oral health care; integration of maternal and children's oral health promotion into nursing practice; maternal oral health programmes undertaken by non-dental health professionals; dental health education in combination with the use of fluoride for children; early preventive dental visits; and the use of fluoride varnish and toothpastes with more than 1000ppm of fluoride. The currently available evidence supporting the effectiveness of methods for prevention of ECC, although suggesting some methods of greater potential, is still lacking due to the methodological quality of the systematic reviews and the included primary studies.

Assessment of Seismic Hazard in Relation to Rock-Burst Prevention Modifications in KGHM Polish Copper JSC Polkowice - Sieroszowice Mine, Poland

The Polkowice-Sieroszowice mine is one of three underground copper ore mines in Poland. These three mines belong to KGHM Polish Copper JSC, excavating one of the largest copper ore deposits in the world. The deposit is situated in the south-western part of Poland in the Lower Silesia province. Due to the specific and difficult geological-and-mining conditions in the three mines, seismic events occur which often result in an excavation serious damage defined as the rock-burst or elastic recovery. Such dynamic phenomena have been occurring since 1972 and have posed the most dangerous natural threats in underground workings. Therefore, the mining technology has to take the account of seismic hazard prevention. Numerous preventive measures adjusted to the conditions prevailing in the given operating field have to be applied so that the hazards can be mitigated, fought or limited. The appropriate choice of prevention activities must be preceded by measurements and observations, which constitute different methods for identifying, predicting and assessing the condition of the rock mass as well as for evaluating the protection effectiveness. In the Polkowice-Sieroszowice mine the rock-burst prevention involves: assessment of rock mass state and active, technological, and organizational-technical methods for combating the hazard. The active prevention consists in blasting works which provoke the rock mass to distress itself and thus to reduce its capability to accumulate elastic energy. The technological prevention embraces yielding the edges of the walls and pillars in the place of development, the extraction of the deposit with a wide opening of the front and the adjustment of the size of the technological pillar to the local geological and mining conditions. The organizational-technical measures introduce after-blasting waiting time and high hazard zones where the number of employees should be reduced. The influence of changes and improvements in the prevention activities on the seismic hazard was analysed and determined. The effectiveness of prevention methods was assessed in connection with their modifications, which concerned certain elements of active methods, the pillar size changes and alterations in the frequency of rock mass observations. Most of these modifications resulted from the operational progress and had a little impact on the seismic activity. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of such alterations was calculated. The research was carried out for one mining division in the Polkowice-Sieroszowice mine over the period of 2013-2015 years. The increase in the effectiveness of seismic/rock-burst prevention in most cases resulted in reduction of seismic activity.

The effect of prevention methods on reducing sexual risk for HIV and their potential impact on a large-scale: a literature review.

A spectrum of diverse prevention methods that offer high protection against HIV has posed the following challenge: how can national AIDS policies with high coverage for prevention and treatment make the best use of new methods so as to reverse the current high, and even rising, incidence rates among specific social groups? We conducted a narrative review of the literature to examine the prevention methods and the structural interventions that can have a higher impact on incidence rates in the context of socially and geographically concentrated epidemics. Evidence on the protective effect of the methods against sexual exposure to HIV, as well as their limits and potential, is discussed. The availability and effectiveness of prevention methods have been hindered by structural and psychosocial barriers such as obstacles to adherence, inconsistent use over time, or only when individuals perceive themselves at higher risk. The most affected individuals and social groups have presented limited or absence of use of methods as this is moderated by values, prevention needs, and life circumstances. As a result, a substantial impact on the epidemic cannot be achieved by one method alone. Programs based on the complementarity of methods, the psychosocial aspects affecting their use and the mitigation of structural barriers may have the highest impact on incidence rates, especially if participation and community mobilization are part of their planning and implementation.

Current cervical cancer prevention strategies including cervical screening and prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccination

As screening methods evolve and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination efforts gain traction, knowledge of the current evidence on effectiveness of prevention methods is critical to support further development of programs. Screening has dramatically reduced cervical cancer incidence and mortality; however, further progress could be made with implementing new screening techniques, such as HPV DNA testing. Continued focus has been given to methods such as visual inspection with acetic acid/Lugol's iodine (VIA/VILI) and self-testing, which may provide an alternative in settings and populations wherein infrastructural challenges and logistical barriers pose challenges to achieving high screening coverage. Postlicensure studies of HPV vaccine show continued effectiveness against genital warts, the first outcome possible to measure. Of note, age-at-vaccination seems to play a pivotal role in effectiveness. Studies examining safety of the HPV vaccines could not confirm any increased risk associated with vaccination. Existing cervical screening techniques are effective; however, programs should consider implementing HPV DNA testing where applicable and further process developments for alternative methods may result in improved results. The HPV vaccine is safe and effective and should be given before sexual debut to achieve maximum protection.

The meaning of adherence when behavioral risk patterns vary: obscured use- and method-effectiveness in HIV-prevention trials.

BackgroundRecently promising trials of innovative biomedical approaches to prevent HIV transmission have been reported. Participants' non-adherence to the prevention methods complicates the analyses and interpretation of trial results. The influence of variable sexual behaviors within and between participants of trials further obscures matters. Current methodological and statistical approaches in HIV-prevention studies, as well as ongoing debates on contradictory trial results, may fail to accurately address these topics.Methodology/Principal FindingsThrough developing a cumulative probability model of infection within HIV prevention trials, we demonstrate how adherence and sexual behavior patterns impact the overall estimate of effectiveness, the effectiveness of prevention methods as a function of adherence, and conclusions about methods' true effectiveness. Applying the model to summary-level data from the CAPRISA trial, we observe markedly different values for the true method effectiveness of the microbicide, and show that if the gel would have been tested among women with slightly different sexual behavior patterns, conclusions might well have been that the gel is not effective.Conclusions/SignificanceRelative risk and adherence analyses in HIV prevention trials overlook the complex interplay between adherence and sexual behavior patterns. Consequently, they may not provide accurate estimates of use- and method-effectiveness. Moreover, trial conclusions are contingent upon the predominant sexual behavior pattern of participants and cannot be directly generalized to other contexts. We recommend researchers to (re)examine their data and use the cumulative probability model to estimate the true method effectiveness, which might contribute to resolving current questions about contradictory trial results. Moreover, we suggest taking into account the issues raised in the design of future trials and in population models estimating the impact of large-scale dissemination of prevention methods. Comprehension of the topics described will help readers to better interpret (apparently contradictory) trial outcomes.

Sheep predation: Characteristics and risk factors

Predation has always been an important problem in extensive sheep farms, causing serious economic losses to the farmers. Official predation reports have recently been decreasing in the District of Pisa, in spite of the presence of two wolf packs in the area. The aim of the present research was to obtain reliable information on the characteristics of predation and to estimate the effectiveness of existing prevention methods in sheep farms of the southern District of Pisa, in order to set up predictive models for an improved and more focused prevention plan and support interventions by public authorities. On-farm surveys were carried out in 73 semi-extensive sheep farms. Predation events were reported by 75.3% of the farmers. Wolves seemed to be responsible for most of those events, although their actual role could be confirmed only in 34% of cases. Most of the events occurred in spring and 85.1% of them were concentrated during night time. The average number of sheep killed during each attack was 7.05. In 22.3% of cases, the number of sheep killed was ≥10. Proximity to protected areas and the presence of thick vegetation cover significantly affected the probability of a farm being subjected to chronic predation. Farm size was significantly higher in those cases. No clear indication about the effectiveness of prevention methods could be obtained from our survey. The results of this investigation highlighted the impact of predation in the Southern District of Pisa and emphasized the need for finding technical and political solutions to this problem. Attention should be focused on large farms, with thick vegetation cover and located close to protected areas. Further investigations should be carried out in order to test the effectiveness of suitable prevention methods in these farms.

Behaviour of corroded steel in a Ca(OH)<sub>2</sub>-saturated solution and in cement mortar. Possibility of rehabilitation

The present study compared the response of rust-free and corroded steel electrodes in Ca(OH)2-saturated solutions and in cement mortar, essentially defined in terms of polarization resistance as measured with gravimetric, metallographic and electrochemical methods. Answers were sought for the following questions, which persist despite the use of reinforced concrete (RC) in building for over a century: At what corrosion rate is RC durability seriously compromised? Does restoration of the initial conditions in properly manufactured concrete guarantee repassivation of corroded steel? Does the use of inhibitors enhance repassivation? Does the nature of the corrosion products have any significant effect on the response of corroded steel reinforcement? The results obtained in indicated that the effectiveness of preventive methods is much more closely related to the degree of existing corrosion than to the nature of the corrosion products.

An empirical investigation of pressure ulcer risk factors

Despite many improvements in practice, pressure ulcers continue to be a source of concern to nurses and distress to patients. Clearly, there are no simple solutions to this problem and it is necessary to improve our understanding of pressure ulcer epidemiology and the effectiveness of preventive methods to continue to progress. Risk assessment is an important aspect of such work and forms the topic of this article. The authors first consider some of the difficulties associated with risk assessment and suggest that progress requires the use of multivariate statistical methods. They then describe the difficulty of comparing existing studies, which gives rise to the need for further work. A description of the study currently being undertaken follows, together with a presentation of the preliminary findings and a discussion of their implications for practice.