Enhance Community Awareness Research Articles

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Electrical Burns.

Burn prevention programs can effectively reduce morbidity and mortality rates. In this article, we present the findings of our investigation of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the Saudi Arabian population regarding electrical burns. Our study was a cross-sectional online survey that used a five-part questionnaire to assess the participant's demographic information, knowledge of electrical burns, attitudes toward electrical injuries, and practices related to electrical burns and their prevention. Overall, 2314 individuals responded to the survey (males: 41.2%; females: 58.8%). A total of 839 participants (36%) had a personal or family history of electrical burns. Approximately ≥90% of the responses to questions on electrical burn-related knowledge were correct; relatively less responses to questions on the extent of tissue damage from electrical burns and arcs were correct (74% and 29%, respectively). Only 54% of the respondents knew that applying first aid to the burn-affected areas at home could lead to a better outcome; 27% and 19% did not know the correct answer and thought that this would not lead to a better outcome, respectively. The most common source of information was school or college (38.9%), followed by social media (20.8%) and internet websites (16.3%). Enhancing community awareness and practices related to electrical burns is a cost-effective and straightforward strategy to prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with electrical injuries.

Challenges Arising from Article 22(2) of Ministerial Regulation ATR/BPN No. 6/2018 on Complete Systematic Land Registration (PTSL) Pertaining to Insufficient or Missing Evidence of Community Land Ownership

The Complete Systematic Land Registration (PTSL) program's successful implementation hinges on satisfying the physical and juridical data requirements for individual land plots owned by a single person. However, our research highlights disparities between juridical and physical data for specific land plots. Moreover, a lack of community awareness regarding the crucial role of land data collection presents significant challenges in the field. A notable obstacle, as outlined in Article 22(2) of the Regulation of the Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency of the Republic of Indonesia No. 6 of 2018, pertains to individuals applying for land registration through the PTSL Program without fulfilling complete requirements or providing proof of land ownership. This non-compliance poses a potential catalyst for disputes during the PTSL land registration process. As of early 2017, Indonesia harbored 126,000,000 land parcels, with only 51,000,000 certified and 79,000,000 awaiting official registration, earmarked for acceleration through PTSL. Our focus on Malang Regency in East Java, spanning an expansive 3,534.86 km² or 353,486 ha, reveals its active participation in the PTSL program. Notably, the region faces a substantial PTSL quota of 55,000 land parcels in 2023, distributed across 19 villages in 5 sub-districts, marking the highest quota in East Java Province. The research also underscores the pressing need for enhanced community awareness and compliance with PTSL requirements, particularly focusing on the potential disputes arising from inadequate documentation during the land registration process.

Assessing Z Generation Engineering Students' Social Media Platform Usage and Safety Awareness

Despite various attempts to enhance community awareness, the number of cybercrime cases continues to rise. A key contributing factor to this trend is the lack of security awareness when using social media platforms. As such, this study aimed to examine the frequency of social media platform use and the level of security awareness among Generation Z engineering students in Malaysia. Using a quantitative approach, a survey-style study was conducted, involving a sample of 410 randomly selected Generation Z engineering students from across Malaysia. Results indicated that Malaysian Generation Z engineering students exhibit moderate levels of security awareness when using social media. Furthermore, Chat and Messaging Network platforms were found to be the most commonly used social media platforms among this group.

The challenges of urban family physician program over the past decade in Iran: a scoping review and qualitative study with policy-makers.

Despite all the advantages of urban family physician program (UFPP), there is still a gap between UFPP and what is actually achieved by the community after its implementation in Iran. In response, this study attempted to review published studies related to the barriers to the implementation of the UFPP in Iran as well as potential solutions to improve it. Further, a qualitative study was conducted to learn the perspectives of experts at the national level and in the Fars province in order to better understand the program's challenges. This study was conducted in two phases. First, a scoping review was done, aiming to identify the common barriers and potential solutions to implementing UFPP in Iran. Second, a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted to investigate the views of decision- and policy-makers regarding barriers to and solutions for implementing the UFPP in the Fars province over the last decade. The findings were classified using the five control knobs framework (organization, financing, payment, regulation, and behavior). The most common barriers to UFPP were: 1) organization (ununited stewardship function of the Ministry of Health, weak management and planning, inadequate training of human resources, and a weak referral system); 2) financing (fragmented insurance funds, insufficient financial resources, and instability of financial resources); 3) payment (inappropriate payment mechanisms and delay in payments); 4) regulation (cumbersome laws and unclear laws); and 5) behavior (cultural problems and conflict of interests). On the other hand, several solutions were identified to improve the implementation of UFPP, including: enhancing the role of government; improving the referral system; providing comprehensive training for UFPP providers; considering sustainable financial resources; moving towards mixed-payment mechanisms; employing appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks; enhancing community awareness; and elevating incentive mechanisms. Our research found that, despite the UFPP having been in place for a decade in Iran, there are still significant challenges in all five components. Therefore, the promotion of this program requires solving the existing implementation challenges in order to achieve the predetermined goals. The ideas in this study can be used to improve the current program in Fars Province and bring it to other cities in Iran.

Pooled prevalence and risk factors of malaria among children aged 6-59 months in 13 sub-Saharan African countries: A multilevel analysis using recent malaria indicator surveys.

Every 75 seconds, a child under five dies of malaria. Mainly children, aged between six months and five years, are at the highest risk for malaria. These children lost maternal immunity and did not yet developed specific immunity to the infection. Under the age of five, children bear the highest burden of malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Many individual and community level factors could contribute to malaria prevalence remaining high among under-five children in the region. Thus, this study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence of malaria among children aged 6-59 months and identify potential factors associated with malaria by using recent Malaria Indicator Surveys in 13 SSA countries. Data for this study were drawn from recent 13 Sub-Saharan African countries Malaria Indicator Surveys (MIS). A total weighted sample of 60,541 children aged 6-59 months was included. STATA version 14.2 was used to clean, code and analyze the data. Multilevel logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with malaria. Adjusted odds ratio with 95% CI and a P value <0.05 was reported to indicate statistical association. Model fitness and comparison were done using Inter cluster correlation coefficient, Median odds ratio, proportional change in variance, and deviance. The pooled prevalence of malaria among children aged 6-59 months was found to be 27.41% (95% CI: 17.94%-36.88%). It ranges from 5.04% in Senegal to 62.57% in Sierra Leone. Aged 36-47 months (AOR = 3.54, 95% CI 3.21-3.91), and 48-59 months (AOR = 4.32, 95% CI 3.91-4.77), mothers attended primary education (AOR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.73-0.84), richer (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI 0.32-0.39), and richest household (AOR = 0.16, 95% CI 0.14-0.19), number of three and more under-five children (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.26-1.45), improved floor material (AOR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.57-0.73), improved wall material (AOR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.64-0.84), improved roof material (AOR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.51-0.93), insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) use (0.56, 95% CI 0.51-0.62), not anemic (AOR = 0.05, 95% CI 0.04-0.06), rural resident (AOR = 2.16, 95% CI 2.06-2.27), high community ITN use (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.24-0.63) and high community poverty (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI 2.53-2.84) were strongly associated with malaria. Almost 3 out of 10 children were infected by malaria in 13 SSA countries. Malaria infection remains one of the main killers of children aged 6-59 months in the SSA. This study revealed that older under-five children living in large families with low incomes in rural areas are most vulnerable to malaria infection. Our results clearly indicate that ITN utilization and improved housing are promising means to effectively prevent malaria infection among children aged 6-59 months. It is therefore important to note that households with low wealth quintiles and rural residents should be prioritized in any mass distribution of ITNs. This has to be accompanied by education using mass media to enhance community awareness.

Assessment of Saudi Public Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Mental Health Disorders and Its Demographic Correlation

Objectives: To assess Saudi citizen’s level of knowledge, attitude and stigma toward mental disorders and its demographic correlations. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in 15 PHC centers in Hail City, Saudi Arabia; among 403 participants from Jan to May 2020 by using a questionnaire includes the MH Knowledge Scale (MAKS) to assess the levels of MH literacy and the perceived devaluation and discrimination scale (PDD) to evaluate the levels of MH stigma and among the Saudi populations attended the Primary health Care centers. Results: The findings revealed that only 16% of the participants had a high level of knowledge, and only 22 % had low stigma attitude toward MH illnesses. They expressed high familiarity and recognition of schizophrenia and depression. The higher level of MH knowledge was associated with young age, males, students, and those who had experience with mental disorders or had a relationship with MH patients. High stigma attitude was associated with older participants, those with only primary level education, and housewives. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between high MH knowledge and a positive stigma attitude. Conclusion: working on enhancing community awareness, promoting education, and developing anti-stigma interventions are highly recommended to ameliorate the level of MH knowledge and attitude to improve MH care. Keywords: mental health knowledge, stigma, mental disorders, MAKS, PDD, attitude, PHC, Saudi Arabia. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/107-01 Publication date: April 30 th 2023

Implementation of evidence-based multiple focus integrated intensified TB screening to end TB (EXIT-TB) package in East Africa: a qualitative study

IntroductionTuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We qualitatively evaluated the implementation of an Evidence-Based Multiple Focus Integrated Intensified TB Screening package (EXIT-TB) in the East African region, aimed at increasing TB case detection and number of patients receiving care.ObjectiveWe present the accounts of participants from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia regarding the implementation of EXIT-TB, and suggestions for scaling up.MethodsA qualitative descriptive design was used to gather insights from purposefully selected healthcare workers, community health workers, and other stakeholders. A total of 27, 13, 14, and 19 in-depth interviews were conducted in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia respectively. Data were transcribed and translated simultaneously and then thematically analysed.ResultsThe EXIT-TB project was described to contribute to increased TB case detection, improved detection of Multidrug-resistant TB patients, reduced delays and waiting time for diagnosis, raised the index of TB suspicion, and improved decision-making among HCWs. The attributes of TB case detection were: (i) free X-ray screening services; (ii) integrating TB case-finding activities in other clinics such as Reproductive and Child Health clinics (RCH), and diabetic clinics; (iii), engagement of CHWs, policymakers, and ministry level program managers; (iv) enhanced community awareness and linkage of clients; (v) cooperation between HCWs and CHWs, (vi) improved screening infrastructure, (vii) the adoption of the new simplified screening criteria and (viii) training of implementers. The supply-side challenges encountered ranged from disorganized care, limited space, the COVID-19 pandemic, inadequate human resources, inadequate knowledge and expertise, stock out of supplies, delayed maintenance of equipment, to absence of X-ray and GeneXpert machines in some facilities. The demand side challenges ranged from delayed care seeking, inadequate awareness, negative beliefs, fears towards screening, to financial challenges. Suggestions for scaling up ranged from improving service delivery, access to diagnostic equipment and supplies, and infrastructure, to addressing client fears and stigma.ConclusionThe EXIT-TB package appears to have contributed towards increasing TB case detection and reducing delays in TB treatment in the study settings. Addressing the challenges identified is needed to maximize the impact of the EXIT-TB intervention.

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY / ECOSYSTEMS VULNERABILITY BY CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUGGESTION A SYSTEM OF MITIGATION MEASURES FOR THEM, CASE STUDY: HANOI CITY, VIETNAM

In the paper, the authors applied the following items in order to assess the vulnerability of ecosystems / biodiversity of Hanoi city caused by climate change and to suggest a system of mitigation measures for them: &#x0D; &#x0D; The concepts on vulnerability, resilience, exposure, sensitivity, adaptation, mitigation according to guidelines of IPCC (2007). &#x0D; The impacts of climate change on ecosystems/biodiversity according to the results of researches of CBD experts (2009). &#x0D; Analysis the impacts of the factors of climate change on ecosystems/biodiversity according to the principles of ecological sciences. &#x0D; The characteristics of all 13 main ecosystems/biodiversity of Hanoi city are research results of the authors and our colleagues. &#x0D; &#x0D; Preliminary assessment of ecosystems/biodiversity vulnerability by climate change of the 13 above main ecosystems/biodiversity of Hanoi city are: &#x0D; &#x0D; Group of ecosystems/biodiversity with high vulnerability: urban ecosystems, rural ecosystems, agricultural ecosystems, grassland ecosystems, land ecosystems yards outside the dyke. &#x0D; Group of ecosystems/biodiversity with middle vulnerability: nature lake ecosystems, dam ecosystems, wetland ecosystems, stream ecosystems, big river ecosystems. &#x0D; Group of ecosystems/biodiversity with low vulnerability: cave ecosystems, forest ecosystems. &#x0D; &#x0D; A system of 7 mitigation measures must be applied, such as: to increase the sustainability of biodiversity/ecosystems, to reduce current pressure on biodiversity/ecosystems, to enhance community awareness, to actively implement REDD program.

Attitudes towards schizophrenia and associated factors among community members in Hossana town: a mixed method study

BackgroundMental health disorders have been identified as being one of the public health issues throughout the world. More than 24 million people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia. However, there is little information about the attitude toward people with Schizophrenia in Ethiopia.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess attitudes toward people with Schizophrenia and associated factors among residents of Hossana town, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted with qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches among 417 households and three FGDs. The interviewer-administered standard tool was used to collect the data. Descriptive statistics like frequency, mean, and median are computed. A binary logistic regression model was used to identify factors affecting community perception and attitude toward people with schizophrenia.ResultsOf the study participants, 194 (46.5%) had positive attitudes toward people with schizophrenia. Eccentric behavior and wandering were the most commonly mentioned manifestation. Besides, Substance misuse, loss of loved ones, and conflict with family as the perceived cause, and spiritual or traditional methods as the preferred treatment for people with schizophrenia. Moreover, participants with no family history of schizophrenia were six times [6.3(2.55–15.77)] more likely to develop a negative attitude towards schizophrenia than those with a family history of schizophrenia.ConclusionIn this study, the findings of this study indicate more than half of the participants had a negative attitude toward people with schizophrenia.Eccentric behavior and wandering were the most commonly mentioned manifestation. Substance misuse, loss of loved ones, and conflict with family have been perceived causes of schizophrenia. Spiritual/traditional places were preferred places for the treatment. Having a family history of schizophrenia was the only factor associated with attitude towards schizophrenia. Therefore, due attention should be given to changing negative attitudes towards schizophrenia, reducing potential schizophrenia-predisposing factors, and enhancing community awareness to seek medical help as early as possible when such kinds of events occur.

Level of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Pregnant Women on Antenatal Care in Amatere Health Center, Massawa, Eritrea: A Cross-Sectional Study, 2019.

Proper antenatal care is one of great means of reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality. However, determining level of knowledge and practice is vital, and the objective of this study was to evaluate this gap among pregnant women in Amatere Health Center, Massawa city, Eritrea, 2019. A cross-sectional study with systematic sampling was conducted. All pregnant mothers who were resident of Massawa city and visiting Amatere Health Center for their current pregnancy were included in the study. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used as data collection tool. Results were presented using descriptive statistics, percent, and frequencies. A total of 289 pregnant mothers were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 27.7 years. Most mothers reported that high blood pressure (92.4%), maternal smoking (97.6%), alcohol consumption (97.2%), infection (92.7%), and medicines (98.3%) had affected fetal growth during pregnancy. Practically, two-thirds (59.4%) of the mothers were visiting the health facility during the first three months of their pregnancy. Majority of mothers had good knowledge (84.1%) and attitude (99%), but they had low level of practice (45%). Marital status, occupation, gravidity, and parity had showed statistically significant association to their comprehensive knowledge (p < 0.001). And their gravidity (p < 0.003) and parity (p < 0.001) had also showed statistically significant association to their level of practice. Even though majority of the pregnant mothers had high level of knowledge and attitude, their practice towards ANC was relatively low. Age, marital status, and occupation showed statistically significant association to their comprehensive knowledge. Moreover, multiparous and multigravida mothers were having higher level of knowledge and practice on antenatal care. Enhancing community awareness on early starting of antenatal care and improving their practice through proper counseling are highly recommended.

The Efficacy of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) Program in Mitigating Pediatric HIV/AIDS Incidence in the Mansa District, Zambia

This qualitative study was set out to intricately explore the landscape of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) program in the Mansa district in order to shed light on its multifaceted nature. Key informants, pivotal to the program, offered invaluable insights into its fundamental components, recent progress, encountered challenges, and proposed improvements. The study emphasized the paramount importance of early detection and timely intervention in preventing HIV transmission from mother to child. The study highlighted key areas of focus within the PMTCT program, as elucidated by informants, emphasizing the central role of antenatal care, HIV testing and counseling, provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and vigilant postnatal follow-up. Together, these elements constituted a comprehensive strategy for safeguarding maternal and child well-being, with a strong emphasis on early identification and effective intervention. Recent developments in the program portrayed an evolving landscape, including enhancements such as improved access to rapid testing, the integration of maternal and child health services, expanded community outreach efforts, and initiatives aimed at enhancing community awareness. These innovations underscored the program’s adaptability and unwavering commitment to extending its reach. However, the challenges that impeded the reduction of mother-to-child HIV transmission were deeply rooted and multifaceted, encompassing issues such as stigma, inadequacies in healthcare infrastructure, medication adherence challenges, geographic barriers, personnel shortages, and logistical complexities. In response to these challenges, key informants put forth practical recommendations to strengthen the PMTCT program. These recommendations included broader community awareness and education efforts, the fortification of peer support networks, increased allocation of resources for transportation, and continuous training and sensitization programs for healthcare providers. These measures were deemed vital for enhancing program effectiveness and improving the health outcomes of mothers and infants in the Mansa district.

Challenges in antenatal care utilization in Kandahar, Afghanistan: A cross-sectional analytical study.

Quality antenatal care (ANC) is one of the four pillars of safe motherhood initiatives and improves the survival and health of mother and neonate. The main objective of this study was to assess the barriers in the utilization of ANC services in Kandahar, Afghanistan. This was a cross-sectional analytical study conducted over one year from December 2018-November 2019. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Chi squared, and binary logistic regression. A total of 1524 women were recruited in this study with mean age of 30.3 years. Of these women, 848 (55.6%) were rural dwellers, 1450/1510 (96.0%) were illiterate, 438/608 (72.0%) belonged to low-income families, 1112/1508 (73.7%) lived in joint families, 1420/1484 (95.7%) lived in a house of >10 inhabitants, while 388/1494 (26.0%) had attended had at least one ANC visit during their last pregnancy. On univariate analysis, the main barriers in the utilization of ANC services were living in rural areas, being illiterate, having lower socio-economic status, remoteness of the health facility from home, bad behavior of clinic personnel, and unplanned pregnancy. Only lower socio-economic status and bad behavior of clinic personnel were independent explanatory variables in the regression model. Utilization of ANC services is inadequate in Kandahar province. Improving clinic staff professional behavior and status of women by expanding educational opportunities, and enhancing community awareness of the value of ANC are recommended.

"Everything…Fell Apart Once COVID-19 Hit"-Leveraging the COVID-19 Response to Strengthen Public Health Activities toward Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Qualitative Study.

COVID-19 caused widespread disruption of activities for Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE). In this study we assessed public health perspectives on leveraging the COVID-19 response to advance the goals of EHE. We conducted a qualitative study with 33 public health partners in the Midwestern and Southern United States from October 2020 to February 2022. Participants were asked how the strategies developed for COVID-19 could be applied to the HIV epidemic. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and examined using rapid qualitative analysis. Four themes emerged: (1) Rebuilding teams and adapting culture for success in EHE activities; (2) Recognizing and modernizing the role of disease intervention specialists (DIS); (3) Enhanced community awareness of the public health role in disease response and prevention; and (4) Leveraging COVID-19 data systems and infrastructure for EHE activities. The COVID-19 pandemic called attention to the dearth of public health funding and outdated information technology (IT) infrastructure used for HIV activities. It also led to greater public health knowledge, including increased familiarity with partner services and molecular epidemiology of HIV, and opportunities to develop new data systems for surveillance that can be applied to efforts for EHE.

Population-Level Interventions Targeting Risk Factors for Hypertension and Diabetes in Rwanda: A Situational Analysis.

BackgroundEighty percent (80%) of global Non-Communicable Diseases attributed deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) with hypertension and diabetes being key contributors. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 15.3% the national prevalence of diabetes in rural and urban was 7.5 and 9.7%, respectively among 15–64 years. Hypertension represents a leading cause of death (43%) among hospitalized patients at the University teaching hospital of Kigali. This study aimed to identify ongoing population-level interventions targeting risk factors for diabetes and hypertension and to explore perceived barriers and facilitators for their implementation in Rwanda.MethodsThis situational analysis comprised a desk review, key informant interviews, and stakeholders' consultation. Ongoing population-level interventions were identified through searches of government websites, complemented by one-on-one consultations with 60 individuals nominated by their respective organizations involved with prevention efforts. Semi-structured interviews with purposively selected key informants sought to identify perceived barriers and facilitators for the implementation of population-level interventions. A consultative workshop with stakeholders was organized to validate and consolidate the findings.ResultsWe identified a range of policies in the areas of food and nutrition, physical activity promotion, and tobacco control. Supporting program and environment interventions were mainly awareness campaigns to improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward healthy eating, physical activity, and alcohol and tobacco use reduction, healthy food production, physical activity infrastructure, smoke-free areas, limits on tobacco production and bans on non-standardized alcohol production. Perceived barriers included limited stakeholder involvement, misbeliefs about ongoing interventions, insufficient funding, inconsistency in intervention implementation, weak policy enforcement, and conflicts between commercial and public health interests. Perceived facilitators were strengthened multi-sectoral collaboration and involvement in ongoing interventions, enhanced community awareness of ongoing interventions, special attention paid to the elderly, and increased funds for population-level interventions and policy enforcement.ConclusionThere are many ongoing population-level interventions in Rwanda targeting risk factors for diabetes and hypertension. Identified gaps, perceived barriers, and facilitators provide a useful starting point for strengthening efforts to address the significant burden of disease attributable to diabetes and hypertension.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE OF ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES AGAINST MALARIA ENDEMICITY IN THE OKAVANGO DELTA, BOTSWANA.

Background:An increasing recognition of the need to eliminate malaria infection globally and particularly in Africa where more than 90% of the cases originate, should enhance community awareness and participation in the same. The perennial freshwater of Okavango Delta located in northern Botswana, which is a source of rural livelihoods and a suitable habitat for the malaria-causing mosquito, and where malaria is endemic provides a suitable environment for the study. Therefore, local households’ adaptive strategies against malaria transmission in the Okavango Delta were investigated.Materials and Methods:The data used in this paper is a subset or retrospective cohort of 79 households that reported malaria cases/incidences during the first community level household survey conducted from October-November 2015 on 355 households in Shakawe and Ngarange. The households were selected through stratified random sampling in the two study villages. The retrospective cohort household survey was conducted from 7-19 August 2016, in the two study sites. Data were collected through socio-economic survey, key informants’ interviews and focus group discussions.Results:The results obtained indicate that most cohort households embraced several adaptive strategies against malaria transmission. These included, inter alia, knowledge capacity building through attendance of health information and education workshops (69%), modifications of houses structures (49.4%), timing of activities and restricting movement at certain times of the day (43%).Discussion:Although most of the stated adaptive strategies such as house screening were not exclusively aimed towards malaria prevention and adaptation, they nonetheless had postive spill over effect that could be a catalyst for eliminating malaria in the study area.

Contribution of portable obstetric ultrasound service innovation in averting maternal and neonatal morbidities and mortalities at semi-urban health centers of Ethiopia: a retrospective facility-based study

BackgroundThe maternal and neonatal mortalities in Ethiopia are high. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, innovations in ultrasound scanning and surveillance activities have been implemented at health centers for over 2 years. This study aims to estimate the contribution of obstetric ultrasound services on averted maternal and neonatal morbidities and mortalities in Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective facility-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in 25 selected health centers. Data were extracted from prenatal ultrasound registers. SPSS version 25 was used for analysis. To claim statistically significant relationship among sartorial variables, a chi-square test was analyzed and P < 0.05 was the cut-off point.ResultsOver the 2 years, 12,975 pregnant women were scanned and 52.8% of them were residing in rural areas. Abnormal ultrasound was reported in 12.7% and 98.4% of them were referred for confirmation of diagnosis and treatment. The ultrasound service has contributed to the prevention of 1,970 maternal and 19.05 neonatal morbidities and mortalities per 100,000 and 1,000 live births respectively. The averted morbidities and mortalities showed a statistically significant difference among women residing in rural and semi-urban areas, X,2 df (10) = 24.07, P = 0. 007 and X,2 df (5) = 20.87. P = 0.00, 1 respectively.ConclusionAfter availing the appropriate ultrasound machines with essential supplies and capacitating mid-level providers, significant number of high-risk pregnant women were identified on time and managed or referred to health facilities with safe delivery services. Therefore, scaling-up limited obstetric ultrasound services in similar setups will contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. It is recommended to enhance community awareness for improved utilization of ultrasound services by pregnant women before the 24th week of gestational age.

Utilization of Maternal and Child Health Care Services among Pregnant Women in Slum Population of West Delhi

Utilization of maternal and child health (MCH) services remains poor in India. This study aimed to assess the utilization of MCH care services among pregnant women residing in an urban slum area of West Delhi. A household survey was conducted using questionnaire cum interview method for collection of sociodemographic information, obstetric history, and information on utilization of MCH care services. Pregnant women were followed within 72 h of delivery for obtaining information regarding delivery conditions. Although 96.6% of pregnant women have attended at least one antenatal care (ANC), whereas complete four ANC were attended by only one-fourth (25.3%) pregnant women. Nearly three-fourth (73.3%) pregnant women received; ANC from a government doctor and coverage for ANC components was highest in ANC provided by government doctor. Utilization of full ANC was reported by less than one-fifth pregnant women (19.18%). Only one-fifth of pregnant women (19.7%) received supplementary nutrition. Postnatal care (PNC) was received by 73.2% of women who had institutional deliveries during their stay in health facility only. Coverage of ANC components, number of ANC visits, utilization of full ANC, and PNC was found unsatisfactory. Participation in supplementary nutrition program was also poor. Intervention programs are needed for enhancing community awareness and improving the competence, confidence, and motivation of grass root health workers.

Many oil wells, one evil: comprehensive assessment of toxic metals concentration, seasonal variation and human health risk in drinking water quality in areas surrounding crude oil exploration facilities in rivers state, Nigeria

Background: Oil and natural gas extraction have produced environmental pollution at levels that affect reproductive health of indigenous populations. Accordingly, polluted drinking water from physical, chemical and heavy metals can result in serious health problems, like anemia, kidney failure, immunosuppression, neurological impairments, gastrointestinal as well as respiratory irritation, skeletal system abnormalities, liver inflammation, liver cancer, cardiovascular diseases after chronic exposure and other cancer diseases with negative health effects. These diseases types remain associated to high amounts of heavy metal elements such as lead, chromium, zinc, copper, cadmium, manganese as well as nickel etc. Objectives: Compare differences in water quality parameters in the study area (determine the level of pollutions in the different sites). Methodology: The investigation made use of standard analytical methodologies. All sampling, conservation, transportation as well as analysis followed the usual APHA procedures (2012). To prevent degradation of the organic substances, all obtained samples were transferred to the laboratory, while keeping in an icebox. Results: Result shows that during wet season, the mean values obtained for water quality parameters were significantly lower in site 9 compared with that obtained in other sites (p&lt;0.05) with the exemptions of temperature, DO, BOD, COD, acidity, TH, TDS, K, Mg, Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, NH3, NO2, NO3, Ni though slightly lower in most cases in site 9 were not significantly different (p&gt;0.05) and both alkalinity and SO4 which were significantly higher in site 9 than site 1 (p&lt;0.05). Result obtained during dry season reveals that there is no remarkable difference in pH, acidity, Pb and Ni between the nine sites (p&gt;0.05) while other water quality parameters were significantly lower in site 9 than other sites excluding Cl and Mg which were both significantly higher in site 9 than site 8 (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: To guarantee quality groundwater supply for various purposes in Nigeria's core Niger Delta region, extra efforts must be taken to fully understand hydrogeochemical features and its suitability. Thus, this study will aid in the development of a quantitative understanding of the effects of diverse causes on groundwater level fluctuations in any aquifer around the world. Also, this analysis reinforces a valuable resource for researchers, activists and public officials seeking to help enhance community awareness, planning and performance. The verdicts would remain a valuable guideline for policymakers, the Ministry of Water Resources and development practitioners, as this highlights the requirement for suitable approaches toward mitigating toxic element of water resources contamination in the core Niger Delta toward safeguarding health of the public from carcinogenic as well as non-carcinogenic risks.

Development of a Community-Driven Mosquito Surveillance Program for Vectors of La Crosse Virus to Educate, Inform, and Empower a Community.

The fields of entomology, geospatial science, and science communication are understaffed in many areas, resulting in poor community awareness and heightened risks of vector-borne diseases. This is especially true in East Tennessee, where La Crosse encephalitis (LACE) causes pediatric illness each year. In response to these problems, we created a community engagement program that includes a yearlong academy for secondary STEM educators in the 6-12 grade classroom. The objectives of this program were to support inquiry-driven classroom learning to foster student interest in STEM fields, produce community-driven mosquito surveillance, and enhance community awareness of LACE. We trained educators in medical entomology, geospatial science, and science communication, and they incorporated those skills into lesson plans for a mosquito oviposition experiment that tested hypotheses developed in the classroom. Here, we share results from the first two years of the MEGA:BITESS academy, tailored for our community by having students ask questions directly related to Aedes mosquito oviposition biology and La Crosse encephalitis. In year one, we recruited 17 educators to participate in the project, and 15 of those educators returned in year two. All participating educators completed the academy, conducted the oviposition experiment, and informed over 400 students about a variety of careers and disciplines for their students. Here, we present a community-based program that helps to address the problems associated with long-term mosquito surveillance, health and science education and communication, career opportunities, and the community needs of Appalachia, as well as the initial data on the effectiveness of two years of an educator-targeted professional-development program.

The pattern of malignant diseases in a university hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Background: Malignant diseases are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Thus, understanding the different risk factors related to their development, such as geographic location, to prevent and treat these diseases is very important. This study aims to describe the pattern of cancers seen in King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Jeddah during the period of 2016 to 2021. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in KAUH, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1,459 cases were obtained from Phoenix Database; the study population included all patients younger than 80 years of age with histologically confirmed malignancy in KAUH between 2016 and 2021. Hematological malignancies and non-histologically confirmed cases were excluded. All subjects were classified according to ICD-10. Results: This study had 1,459 histologically diagnosed malignancies, of which females accounted for 60.3% and males accounted for 39.7% of cases. The mean age was 55 ± 16.9 years. The most common cancers overall were colorectal (23.5%), ovarian (15.2%), thyroid (14.5%), and breast cancer (12.1%). Conclusion: The most common malignant diseases were colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, thyroid cancer, and breast cancer. Many findings in our study were consistent with previous similar research done in different countries. Primary prevention is integral to cancer management; thus, increasing population awareness of carcinogenic risk factors is critical. The findings of this study should encourage the government to distribute resources efficiently to minimize the cancer-related healthcare burden and enhance community awareness.