Epi InfoTM Research Articles

Lifestyle factors influencing medical and nursing student's health status at the rural health-care institute.

BACKGROUND:Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) may be influenced by lifestyle behavior, acquired during transition in student life at university. Health is a major concern globally. The developing counties are facing a double burden of disease, both communicable and NCD. This study is aimed to assess the lifestyle and its associated factors that can affect the health status of medical and nursing students.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among medical and nursing students of Sasaram, Bihar, by universal sampling. The study population consisted of 303 medical and 233 nursing students. The 536 students in the study, included 195 from rural areas and 341 from urban areas. Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire was used and Chi-square statistics was computed to determine the association of demographic variables with lifestyle behavior using Epi InfoTM 7 analysis software.RESULTS:Mean age and body mass index were 21 ± 2.59 years and 22.12 ± 3.77, respectively. After statistical analysis utilizing the Chi-square test, it was shown that the difference was found to be nonsignificant (P > 0.05) in all the following variables, such as gender, age, marital status except in designation, and alcohol and tobacco intake which showed the difference to be highly significant.CONCLUSIONS:The maximum number of students in the study population showed intermediate healthy lifestyle (57.1%), despite being the upcoming health-care providers of future. Fruits were rarely present in diet in 82%, no physical activity in 21.2%, and tobacco and alcohol were consumed by 11.7% and 13%, respectively. Targeted intervention for healthy diet, physical activity, stress, tobacco, and alcohol reduction can lead to healthy lifestyle. Independence and autonomy gained in the transition phase in student life needs guided supervision to raise responsible adults. It may help to assist or to plan accordingly in future to improve lifestyle of the students.

Collaborative attitudes between pharmacists and physicians in Brazil

Pharmacist-physician collaboration is a strategy for optimizing patient care and improving health outcomes. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information in Brazil about collaborative practices among these professionals. The aim of this study was to measure collaborative attitude of pharmacists and physicians who were working together in a teaching hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2018 to January 2019 with pharmacists and physicians working in a teaching hospital in Northeastern Brazil. These professionals were invited to provide responses to the Brazilian version of the “Scale of Attitudes Towards Pharmacist-Physician Collaboration” (SATP2C); their scores ranged between 16 and 64 points. The software Epi Info TM (version 3.5.4) was used for data analysis, and data were expressed in means. Forty-four professionals participated in this study. The mean age was 33.5 (DP = 7.1) years. More than half of participants were male (n = 25, 56.8%). The means from the SATP2C for pharmacists and physicians were 54.20 and 50.91, respectively, indicating good collaborative attitudes. There was no statistical difference between the mean scores of pharmacists and physicians. Participants showed a predisposition for collaborative teamwork. Future studies should focus on understanding the process by which collaboration translates into clinical practice.

Morphological Study of Nutrient Foramina in Long Bones of Upper Limb among North Gujarat Population

Introduction: Main source of nutrition to long bone during growth and ossification is nutrient artery. Nutrient canal opens as nutrient foramen on the surface of shaft which conducts the nutrient artery and the peripheral nerves to bones. Nutrient artery provides more than 60-70% of blood supply to long bone, 30- 40% through periosteal, metaphyseal and epiphyseal blood vessels. Aim: To determine number of nutrient foramina, its position on surface of shaft, size and direction of nutrient foramina either towards proximal end or distal end and find out foraminal index from the position of nutrient foramina. Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 177 dry bones (60 humerus, 60 radius, 57 ulna) of upper limb, available at Anatomy Department, GMERS Medical College Himmatnagar, during September 2021. All bones were observed for number, position and direction of nutrient foramina. Size of foramen was measured by needles of different size. Mean Foraminal index was calculated for each long bone of upper limb by using Epi Info™ for windows, CDC, Atlanta, version 7.2. Results: Majority of bones had single nutrient foramina, all foramina were directed towards the elbow joint. All nutrient foramina were on flexor surfaces of bone, except one bone (radius). Majority of nutrient foramina were situated on middle 3rd of the shaft. Size of nutrient foramen was range from 22 to 28 gauge of needle. Conclusion: Information on nutrient foramina of long bones of upper limb will be useful in many orthopedic surgeries like microvascular bone grafting and many plastic reconstructive surgeries. During surgeries like fracture repair, bone graft or muscle graft care should be taken, not to damage these nutrient vessels to keep intact blood supply of bone.

Cardiovascular risk factors in rural areas: case of the Mabayi health district hospital in Burundi

Relevance . Noncommunicable diseases are a serious public health problem due to their high incidence and mortality rate. Globally, noncommunicable diseases cause 41 million deaths every year, accounting for 71% of the total number of deaths. Cardiovascular diseases, accounting for 44% of all noncommunicable diseases, are the leading causes of death. Early identification of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and treatment of associated diseases are a prerequisite for maintaining the health of the population. Objective: To identify the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients living in rural areas of the mountainous region and attending the Mabayi District Hospital in Burundi. Patients and Methods . An open-label retrospective study conducted at the Mabayi District Hospital in Burundi from January 2014 to December 2017. The study included patients whose medical examination revealed at least one risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Kamenge University Hospital and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Burundi. Data analysis was carried out using Microsoft Word 2007 and Epi-Info TM 7.2.1.0 software. Results and Discussion . Among the 20 297 examined patients, the average age was 50 16.7 years, the extreme values were 14 and 101 years. Male patients accounted for 51.1%. 903 patients (4.5%) had at least one risk factor. The main risk factors were high blood pressure (52.6%), diabetes (42.0%) and alcohol abuse (27.4%). Conclusion . Residents of rural areas of the mountainous region of Burundi have a high frequency of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, which must be taken into account when organizing medical and preventive measures to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Factors Associated with Intention to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine Among HIV Positive Patients Attending ART Clinic in Southwest Ethiopia.

IntroductionBy the end of 2021, Ethiopia plans to vaccinate 20% of the population. The prioritized group includes people older than 65 years, health care workers, teachers, soldiers, and people living with comorbid diseases, including HIV/AIDS. However, due to a lack of intention and other reasons, only less than one percent of the population has taken COVID-19 vaccine. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the determinant factors of intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among HIV-positive patients attending ART clinics in southern Ethiopia.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 398 HIV-positive patients from March 1 to April 28, 2021. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire by three midwives. We entered the data into Epi InfoTM 3.5.1. Binary logistic regression was used to identify independently associated variables in bivariate and multivariate analyses using SPSS version 20.ResultsCurrently, the intention to take COVID-19 vaccine among HIV-positive patients was 33.7%. The probability of PLWHA to take COVID-19 vaccine was two (AOR = 2 (1.08–3.44)) times higher among those who have been diagnosed with chronic diseases (exclude HIV) with those with not been diagnosed. PLWHA who were male in sex were five (AOR = 5 (2.96–8.68)) times more likely to take COVID-19 vaccine than female. The study also indicated that the odds of intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine were 4.1 times (AOR = 4.1 (2.33–7.31)) times higher among those participants who had good knowledge of COVID-19 practice compared with those who had poor knowledge.ConclusionThe overall intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among PLWHA is low. Therefore, there is a need to improve the intention to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among HIV-positive patients to achieve the 2021 goal of Ethiopia for 20% of the population vaccination. Patients with chronic illness, knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine, and sex were factors associated with the intention to receive COVID-19 vaccine.

Molecular Evaluation of Chlamydia trachomatis Infection and Its Association with Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Polymorphism in Recurrent Spontaneous Abortions

The rate of infections in the intensive care units (ICUs) is rising, mainly because of the increasing use of invasive procedures. Several bacterial infections and host genetic backgrounds, including TNFα SNP polymorphisms, play important roles in recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA). So, this study aimed to evaluate C. trachomatis infection and its relation with TNFα -308 and -238 polymorphism for early detection and treatment of RSA. The blood samples were taken from 63 Iranian women with a history of RSA and 59 ethnically matched healthy controls with at least two successful pregnancies and no history of abortion. Then, DNA was extracted from all samples and detection of C. trachomatis and TNFα -308 and -238 polymorphism was determined by multiplex amplification-refractory mutation system (ARMS)-PCR. Finally, the statistical analysis to detection C. trachomatis and host genetic roles in RSA were analyzed by Epi Info TM software by X2 test. C. trachomatis was detected in 22 and 3% of the RSA and the control group, respectively. Moreover, in comparison with healthy controls, C. trachomatis infection was closely correlated with TNFα -308 genotypes, whereas no significant association was observed between TNFα -238G/A and RSA. In addition, statistical analysis of TNFα -308 genotypes showed that the frequency of genotype AA was higher in patients with C. trachomatis infections than healthy individuals and the difference was statistically significant. This study demonstrated that molecular analysis of TNF -308 genotypes is important in early detection and treatment of RSA with C. trachomatis infection.

The Patent Fact about Alcohol and Getting Stroke: A Case Control Study

Introduction: Globally 17.9 million people die each year from CVDs (Cardio Vascular Diseases) and 85% of all CVD deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 15 million people worldwide suffer from stroke every year and after ischemic heart disease, stroke is the second most leading cause of death. Objective: To study alcohol consumption as a risk factor in patients with acute strokes. Method: Case control study was conducted among 148 newly diagnosed cases of CT scan / MRI-confirmed stroke and 148 non-stroke controls attending the tertiary hospital of central Gujarat. Sample size calculation was done, assuming the power ratio of the number of controls same as numbers of cases i.e.,1:1, specifying values for two-sided confidence level=95% (error=5%), power of study=80%, odd ratio=2.15, percent of cases with exposure=82% and percent of controls with exposure=68%. Patients who are willing to participate in the study were included. The data were analyzed using the EPI INFO TM 7.0.8.0 software. Results: Out of the total 148 cases, 100 (67.56 per cent) were male and 48 (32.43 per cent) were female. The odds of getting stroke among alcoholic was two times more as compared to non-alcoholic patients. Heavy alcohol drinkers have a significant association. Conclusion: According to the study results male married patients who drank heavily had a higher risk of stroke than light/moderate alcoholics.

Prevalence of temporomandibular disorders according to the simplified fonseca anamnestic index in dentistry students of the juárez university of the state of durango, mexico

The objective was to estimate the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), in students of the Faculty of Dentistry. This was a descriptive, observational, prospective, cross-sectional study. The study included 18 to 28-year-old students from the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, México, attending the 1st to 8th semester of the 2018-A school year in whom the simplified Fonseca anamnestic index (sFAI) was applied to characterize TMD. The sample size was determined using the Epi InfoTM software, obtaining a total sample size of 263 individuals. The R Studio (2019) statistical package was used to describe the data. The prevalence of TMD in the study population was 63%, with a mild disorder being the most prevalent in 44%. The Chi2 test showed statistically significant differences between sex and TMD (p = 0.001) and between sex and 5 items of the sFAI: item 4 (p= 0.001), item 7 (p= 0.001), item 8 (p = 0.021), item 9 (p= 0.001) and item 10 (p = 0.001). There is a high prevalence of TMD in the student population of the Faculty of Dentistry of the Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Mexico, with females presenting a higher prevalence of the presence and manifestation of symptoms in these disorders.

Assessment of Computer Vision Syndrome and Personal Risk Factors among Employees of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is an amalgam of visual symptoms caused by continued use of computers. Worldwide, up to 70 million workers are at risk for computer vision syndrome resulting in reduced productivity at work and reduced quality of life. Bank employees are among the risky workers with unknown magnitude of the syndrome. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of CVS and its associated personal factors among employees of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia. Methods A total of three hundred and fifty-nine bank workers participated in the study between February and March 2018. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, CVS symptoms, and its personal factors. Snellen chart tool was used to measure blurred vision. Data entry and analysis were performed via Epi Info™ 7 and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Binary logistic regression and multivariable logistic regression were performed to assess the association and control the potential confounders. Result The prevalence of computer vision syndrome in the last 12 months among the total study subjects, 359 (98% response rate), was 262 (74.6%) (95% confidence interval [CI] = 70.1, 79.5). Risk factors that could not be intervened with were sex (AOR: 1.8; 95% CI (1–3)) and age group (AOR: 3.11; 95% CI (1.2–8)). Causal factors that could be intervened with were use of electronic materials outside work (AOR: 3.11; 95% CI (1.15–8.36). Protective factor that could be intervened with was habit of taking a break (AOR: 0.44; 95% CI (0.3–0.8)). Conclusion and Recommendation. Three-fours of the employees were at risk. Sex, age, habit of taking a break, and use of electronic materials outside work environment were significantly associated with the presence of CVS. Remedial actions need to be considered at individual level.

Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate-Associated Renal Dysfunction Among Adult People Living with HIV at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia, 2019: A Comparative Retrospective Cohort Study.

BackgroundThe use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) has been reported to be a significant contributor to renal dysfunction. However, patients in Ethiopia may be different than in other parts of the world, and findings from such studies may not apply in this setting.ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess TDF-associated renal dysfunction among adult people living with HIV (PLHIV) at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included adult PLHIV between January 2015 and June 2019. The Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI) equation was used to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Renal dysfunction was defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Data were entered into Epi Info™ 7 and analyzed by using SPSS® software version 20. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate the survival curves. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify predictors of renal dysfunction using a 95% confidence interval and p-value ≤ 0.05 as a statistical significance.ResultsOut of 400 participants, 200 were TDF-based ART groups, and 200 were non-TDF-based ART groups. The incidence of renal dysfunction of TDF and the non-TDF group was 28.31 per 100 person-years (PYs) and 12.53 per 100 PYs, respectively. Adult PLHIV taking TDF-based regimens were 1.70 (adjusted HR = 1.70; 95% CI = 1.02–2.82) times at higher risk of renal dysfunction than non-TDF-based regimens. Age ≥55, diabetes mellitus, concurrent nephrotoxic drug use, and combined use of ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors were also associated significantly with renal dysfunction.ConclusionThe incidence rate of renal dysfunction among TDF users is higher than non-TDF users. Exposure to TDF is a significant risk of renal dysfunction in adult PLHIV. Clinicians should regularly monitor the renal function of adult PLHIV who are taking TDF.

Health-care Waste Management and Risk Factors Among Health Professionals in Public Health Facilities of South Omo Zone, South West Ethiopia, 2018.

IntroductionHealth-care waste is a great concern because, in addition to containing conventional toxic pollutants like mercury, chlorinated plastics, and solvents; it also includes a number of toxic materials not found in typical waste. There were no scientific data in Ethiopia that reveal practice toward management of health-care waste. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the management of health professionals toward health-care waste in South Omo zone public health facilities, South West Ethiopia, 2018.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was used with in the period of February 1–30, 2018. A total of 362 health-care workers were sampled using the lottery method. Coding and entry of data was done using Epi Info™ version: 7.2 and analyzed with SPSS version 20 computer software. Descriptive statistics were computed. Bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression were used to identify predictor variables for practice of health-care providers.ResultsThe overall finding of safe practice on health-care waste management among health-care workers was only 29.3%. Receiving training regarding medical waste management, work hours per day among respondents, availability and usage of color coded containers and yellow plastic bags for infectious waste had significant association with safe practice on health-care waste management.Conclusions and RecommendationThe overall finding of safe practice on health-care waste management was only 29.3% among health-care workers. This study showed that most of health-care workers did not meet standard practice. Providing training on medical waste management is essential to encourage safe practices among health-care workers and more attention should be directed at the health-care attendants in order to close the yawning gap in their practice level of medical waste management.

Atazanavir/ritonavir vs Efavirenz como primeira linha de tratamento em adultos vivendo com HIV

Introdução: Novos regimes de terapia antirretroviral (TARV) para HIV podem melhorar os resultados clínicos para os pacientes e de alterar a história natural da infecção. Os guidelines nacionais e internacionais recomendam atualmente a iniciar o tratamento dos indivíduos infectados para prevenir a deterioração do sistema imunológico e controlar a replicação viral, e consequente prevenção da transmissão da infecção pelo HIV. Objetivo: Analisar o uso da terapia antirretroviral que incluem Atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r) ou Efavirenz (EFV) na primeira linha de tratamento de pacientes adultos vivendo com HIV. Material e Métodos: O presente trabalho consiste em um estudo coorte retrospectivo. A coleta de dados ocorreu no período de agosto de 2019 a julho de 2020 e se concentrou no Serviço de Imunologia Clínica/Hospital-Dia do Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira - IMIP. Os dados foram retirados dos prontuários selecionados de maneira aleatória e registrados em questionários padronizados com posterior transcrição em planilhas computadorizadas. O projeto foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa em Seres Humanos (CEP) do IMIP/PE. Os dados foram transcritos no programa Excel, analisados no Epi Info™. Resultados: 131 pacientes participaram do estudo utilizando EFV ou ATV/r como terceira droga do esquema antirretroviral, sendo 73,3% pacientes EFV e 26,7% usando ATV/r. A supressão viral inicial foi observada em 88% (p &gt; 0,05) dos pacientes, independentemente do esquema utilizado. Esquemas contendo ATV/r apresentaram uma prevalência de 47,1% de efeitos adversos e EFV 52,1% (p &lt; 0,001). Conclusão: Os achados do desse estudo sugerem que tanto ATV/r quanto o EFV apresentaram efetividade semelhante quando utilizados como primeira linha de tratamento.

More than a decade of reports of rabies in herbivores and loss of bats' habitat in the state of Rondônia

This study aimed to conduct a retrospective study of rabies cases in herbivores in the state of Rondônia, from 2002 to 2014, and the relation of epidemic peaks to anthropized areas of the Amazon rainforest, mainly associated with the loss of bats' natural habitat. For this purpose, data related to the species affected, month, year and the geographic coordinates of the places where the cases occurred were collected. They were inserted in the Epi InfoTM 7.1.5.2 platform and QGIS Version 2.14.1 to determine Pearson frequency, distribution, regression, and linear correlation. During the period, 170 bovine animals and 19 horses were diagnosed with the disease, in 47 municipalities of the 52 existing ones. Regarding habitat loss, especially in municipalities with a high incidence of notifications, these were related to a series of forest clearance events, such as the construction of hydroelectric plants and the convergence of immigration flows to the state of Rondônia, with the expansion of the National agricultural frontier. Positive cases in herbivores were observed in all years of the study, with an average of 14 cases/year and a trend of seasonality during the rainy season. In a general context, there was a decrease of 1.9% in positive tests in relation to negative tests, each year of the period and the reduction in municipalities affected.

Unmet need for Family Planning and Associated Factors among Married and Union Reproductive-Age Women with Disability in Southern Ethiopia: Cross Sectional Study

Background or Objectives: Ethiopia has high fertility rate which around 1% of the population is affect by one from of disability. However, a little know about factor affecting unmet need of family planning to disabled women. The aim of this study was to assess the unmet need for family planning and associated factors among married disabled women in southern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 312 disabled married and union women. Simple random sampling was adopted. Data were collected by four diploma midwife and one of them proficient in sign language. Epi-info TM version-7 and SPSS version 20 for were used for entry analysis of data respectively. Result: The prevalence of unmet family planning among disabled married and union were 25.17%. Factor significantly associated with unmet need for family planning were: age group 20-24 (AOR=5.4:95% CI,1.6-18.4) time more than age above 30, not discussed with their partners and negative attitude (AOR 3:95% CI, 1.3-7.1) & (AOR 2.4:95% CI, 1.1-5.6) times more likely than counterparts respectively. Conclusion: The level of unmet need of family planning methods was high among disabled married and union women and factors significantly associated were age, discuss with partner and attitude. Therefore governmental and non-governmental organizations should work on case by case. Male involvement on reproductive discussion should address.

What do women in rural Bareilly think about postmenopausal bleeding? A mixed-method study

Background: Perception of women about postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) varies across different social, cultural and economic settings and it may have a greater influence on their treatment seeking behavior. Postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) is an alarming sign of a probable underlying cervical/endometrial cancer. Objectives were to explore the perceptions of causes and treatment of postmenopausal bleeding among menopausal women and to quantify the various perceived reasons for PMB.Methods: It was a sequential exploratory mixed methods study design, where two group interviews were conducted with purposively selected eight postmenopausal women (&gt;30 years of age) in each group (qualitative phase) followed by a house-to-house survey among a representative sample of 1530 postmenopausal women (quantitative phase). The qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis and quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in Epi infoTM 7.Results: Women perceived problems in uterus, cancer, improved nutrition, old age, sudden liberation of stagnant blood from uterus body nature as causes for PMB. Lack of seriousness about PMB, stigma, shyness and lack of resources were stated as barriers for treatment of PMB. Among 1530 women surveyed, 40.8% of them didn’t know the cause for PMB. Problem in uterus, cancer and sudden liberation of stagnant blood from uterus were stated as reasons by 17.6%, 16.8% and 8.7% of respondents respectively. About 15.8% and 13.2% of women stated improved nutrition and old age respectively as cause for PMB.Conclusions: Most of the women did not know the reason for PMB and its awareness is crucial for better uptake of screening to detect any underlying pathology at an early stage.

Barriers to contraceptives use among women in a low resource setting in Enugu, south east Nigeria

Objective of the study: The study was aimed to determine barriers to modern contraceptive use among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Enugu State University Teaching Hospital from 1st March to 31st May 2014.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Using a semi-structured questionnaire, relevant data were extracted. Data were entered and analyzed using Epi InfoTM statistical software version 7. p value&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant.&#x0D; Results: A total of 432 women participated in the study. Their mean age was 28.6±4.4 years. The majority were married (93.06%), multiparous (59%) and mainly Igbos (93.06%). Although the level of awareness of modern contraceptive among the respondents was high (91.8%), only about 35% of them (n=151/432) had ever used modern contraceptives in the past. Over one-third (36.3%, n=144/397) of the respondents who were aware of modern contraceptive do not intend to ever use modern contraceptive in future. The self-reported barriers to the use of modern contraceptive were; religious barrier (53.9%), fear of side effect (24%), husband’s disapproval (17.8%) and cost.&#x0D; Conclusions: Addressing these identified barriers hopefully will promote the use of modern contraceptive for family planning thus preventing unintended pregnancy in our sub region.

Public Urban Green Spaces’ Visiting Habits and Perception Regarding Their Health Benefits in Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia

Physical structure and activities undertaken at green spaces provide substantial health, social, environmental, psychological, and economic benefits to residents of an urban area. Study regarding the health benefits of green spaces in developing countries is very limited. Addis Ababa is the capital and the largest city in Ethiopia and not many studies on green spaces are available. Thus, this community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 204 residents of Addis Ababa city. A multistage sampling technique was used, the sample size was allocated proportionally and selected by a simple random sampling technique. Data were coded and entered into Epi Info ™ 7 and exported to SPSS version 25 for cleaning and analysis. Results showed that only 30% of the respondents visited green spaces in the last 12 months. The common reasons for the visit were to adore nature (30.4%), refresh mind (25%), and “breathe quality air” (20.6%). Although most study participants were aware of the appealing psychological benefits of green spaces, only 55.9% of them had a positive perception regarding the health benefits of green spaces. Compared with the negative perception those with positive perception were more than twice more likely to visit green spaces (AOR: 2.51; 95% CI: 1.33-4.77). The study concluded that in addition to expanding the green spaces efforts have to be directed to solving challenges that discourage visits, increasing awareness, and improving the perception of the community regarding added health benefits of green spaces.

An analysis of the COVID-19 laboratory dataset at AiBST Laboratory in Harare, Zimbabwe, 2020.

Introductioncoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a major public health problem and has spread rapidly around the globe since its first identification in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Zimbabwe reported its first case on the 20th March 2020, and since then the disease has spread to almost every part of the country. Laboratory testing is important in controlling this pandemic. However, few studies have focused on assessing trends of SARS-CoV-2 laboratory data. We described SARS-CoV-2 data from African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology (AiBST) Laboratory in Harare, Zimbabwe.Methodsa retrospective record review of secondary SARS-CoV-2 data from AiBST Laboratory in Harare between May to September 2020 was done. Epi Info TM 7.2.2.6 was used to generate frequencies, proportions and conduct bivariate analysis.Resultsa total of 6,535 SARS-CoV-2 laboratory records were analysed. The median age of the patients was 36 years and 55% (3594/6535) were males. There was an increase in average analytical turn-around time (TAT) of SARS-CoV-2 results from May to August 2020. Analytical and preanalytical TAT remained above 2 days from August to September. Males were 1.18 times at risk of being SARS-CoV-2 infected than females (p<0.05). The risk of being SARS-CoV-2 infected increased with age from 1.06 in the 11-20 age group to 1.45 in the 41-50 age group.ConclusionCOVID-19 poses a greater threat to the older age groups and to men. The delayed TAT of SARS-CoV-2 results limits the efforts to control the pandemic. Decentralization of testing to provincial and district level would help improve result TAT.

Managed clinical protocol: impact of implementation on sepsis treatment quality indicators.

to assess the impact of the implementation of a managed sepsis protocol on quality indicators of treatment for septic patients in an emergency department of a university hospital. an observational epidemiological study involving septic patients. The study was divided into two phases, pre-intervention and intervention, resulting from the implementation of the managed sepsis protocol. The study variables included sepsis treatment quality indicators. The results were statistically analyzed using the program Epi InfoTM. the study sample included 631 patients, 95 from pre-intervention phase and 536 from intervention phases. Implementing the protocol increased patients' chances of receiving the recommended treatment by 14 times. Implementing the protocol reduced the hospitalization period by 6 days (p <0.001) and decreased mortality (p <0.001). this study showed that implementing the managed protocol had an impact on the improvement of sepsis treatment quality indicators.

The prevalence of stress, stressors and coping mechanisms and the socio-demographic factors associated among the auto-rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru city, India.

Context:Socio-demographic and environmental factors attribute to stress for auto-rickshaw driver leading to compromise of driver and passenger safety.Aims:This study assesses the prevalence and socio-demographic factors associated with stress and identifies the stressors and coping mechanisms in auto-rickshaw drivers.Settings and Design:A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 140 randomly selected auto-rickshaw drivers in Bengaluru city, India.Methods and Material:Data was collected at a place and time convenient to the study participants using semi-structured pre-tested tool. Stress was assessed using Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale.Statistical Analysis:Data was entered and analyzed using Epi Info™ software. Two sample t/ANOVA tests were used to compare the difference in means and standard deviations (SD) between the sub-groups. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Mean age of the auto-rickshaw drivers was 32.8 ± 8.3 years, majority belonged to the 25-30 years age-group. About 55.7%, 40.7% and 28.7% were consuming tobacco products, alcohol and some both, respectively. While the prevalence of self-reported stress was 76.4% (n = 107), 78.6% (n = 110) had stress based on Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) assessment. Mean PSS for participants self-reporting stress was 20.51 ± 5.25 as against 12.36 ± 4.98 who did not (P < 0.001). The mean PSS was 17.55 ± 4.13, 20.65 ± 5.23 and 23 ± 5.12 among those who self-reported having mild-, moderate- and severe-degree stress, respectively (P < 0.001). There was no significant association of any socio-demographic factors with the PSS score. Financial problems (n = 51; 47.7%) was the leading stressor, followed by road traffic (n = 49; 45.8%). Conclusions: Appropriate strategies are needed to address the high level of stress among auto-rickshaw drivers.