National Campaign Research Articles

Assessing the integration of skin screening into a mass drug administration campaign against neglected tropical diseases: A cross-sectional observational study from two districts in Côte d'Ivoire, 2023

BackgroundThe World Health Organization advocates integrating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) into common delivery platforms to combat them in resource-constrained settings. However, limited literature exists on the benefits of integration. This study examines the feasibility and impact of adding skin screening to a mass drug administration (MDA) campaign in Côte d'Ivoire. MethodsIn June 2023, the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Côte d'Ivoire piloted screening for skin-related NTDs alongside a national MDA campaign targeting soil-transmitted helminthiases and schistosomiasis. Two districts, Fresco and Koro, were selected for the pilot. The study applied both quantitative and qualitative assessments. The quantitative aspect focused on campaign costs and outputs, using an ingredient approach for costing. The qualitative evaluation employed an empirical phenomenological approach to analyze the campaign's operational feasibility and appreciation by stakeholders. FindingsMDA activities cost $0·66 per treated child and skin screening $0·62 per screened person, including medical products. The MDA campaign exceeded coverage targets in both districts, whereas skin screening coverage varied by locality and age group. Both the service delivery team and the beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the integrated campaign. However, opportunities for improvement were identified. ConclusionIntegrating MDA and skin NTD screening proved operationally feasible in this context but had not recorded cost-saving effects. The performance of the MDA campaign was not negatively affected by additional skin screening activities, but effective integration requires thorough joint planning, strengthened training, and proper supervision.

The effect of an annual temporary abstinence campaign on population-level alcohol consumption in Thailand: a time-series analysis of 23 years

RationaleA small number of earlier studies have suggested an effect of temporary abstinence campaigns on alcohol consumption. However, all were based on self-reported consumption estimates.ObjectivesUsing a time series of 23-year...

The Relationship Between Topics, Negativity, and User Engagement in Election Campaigns on Facebook

Negativity is a common feature of current online political communication during elections. Previous studies on negativity and its impact on user engagement focused mainly on Western European countries. Considering the political particularities of the Central and Eastern European countries, the present study focused on Czechia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Republic of Moldova, and Romania, where national election campaigns took place from 2020 to 2022. We aimed to investigate comparatively different topics prevalent in the negative messages and look at users’ engagement with negative communication. We applied manual content analysis of N = 4,095 Facebook posts published four weeks before the elections by political parties elected in the national parliament. Results showed significant differences across countries using negative messages and the associated topics. The posts’ highest rate of negative statements was identified in Czechia (52%), while the lowest was in Lithuania (17%). There are topics consistently associated with negative statements across most countries, such as corruption, economy and finance, foreign policy, labor, and social issues. However, given that those elections took place during the Covid-19 pandemic in Czechia, Lithuania, Romania, and the Republic of Moldova and, in Hungary, after Russia invaded Ukraine, we also identified contextual topics such as health, war, and conflicts with other countries and defense that were mainly associated with negative messages. Furthermore, negative posts generate more reactions and comments than posts containing no negative statements. Addressing foreign policy in negative posts generates significantly more reactions and comments.

Deaths due to tired bullet injuries: Evaluation from medical, legal, and social perspectives.

In Türkiye, as in other parts of the world, there is a rising trend in individual armament and firearm violence, resembling an epidemic. When fired into the air, bullets eventually lose the initial speed with which they left the barrel and begin to accelerate downwards under the influence of gravity as they fall to the ground. At this point, these projectiles are referred to as 'tired bullets,' which cause serious injuries and fatalities. This study evaluates autopsy cases of deaths due to tired bullet injuries. We aimed to raise social awareness and contribute to the literature by exploring the forensic, legal, and social dimensions of tired bullet injuries. From 2013 to 2022, 695 forensic autopsies of gunshot wounds were reviewed at the Trabzon Forensic Medicine Group Presidency. Nine cases were identified where individuals had undergone autopsies and the cause of death was attributed to tired bullet injuries. The data for the cases included in the study was sourced from our archive records and the UYAP (National Judicial Network Project) system. The second stage involved analyzing reports of falling bullet injuries from local and national newspaper websites. In the third stage, the Supreme Court decisions regarding perpetrators of tired bullet incidents were examined. The study included six male and three female cases, with an average age of 32.5 years. Injuries were predominantly located in the head in seven cases, the eye in one case, and the inguinal region in another. In eight cases, the bullet trajectory was from top to bottom. The incidents predominantly occurred in residential areas. It was observed that all cases received coverage in both national and local media, and campaigns against tired bullet injuries were organized. The perpetrators of these injuries were frequently sentenced for murder with probable intent. Tired bullet injuries represent a significant public health issue that necessitates comprehensive preventative measures addressing medical, legal, and social dimensions. There should be national and international campaigns led by the media, involving all public institutions, organizations, and non-governmental organizations to promote individual disarmament, highlight the dangers of firearms, and stress the importance of these initiatives.

Organizational Readiness for Change Depends on Facility Complexity When Developing a National Stewardship Intervention

Introduction: The organizational readiness for change assessment survey (ORCA) is a tool to assess a site’s readiness for implementation and identify barriers to change. As the “Kicking CAUTI” antibiotic stewardship intervention rolled out on a national scale, we administered ORCA surveys to participating sites to capture baseline actionable information about differences among sites, to inform implementation. Methods: ORCA surveys were distributed by email to prescribing providers, nurses, pharmacists, infection preventionists, and quality managers at 40 participating VA Hospitals. VA hospital sites who submitted three or more surveys and their complexity level (measured as Level 1 (highest)-3) were included in the analysis. The highest complexity level facilities are those with the largest patient volume/risk, teaching and research, along with the largest number of physician specialists and contain at least five ICUs. Mean Likert scores were calculated for each of the 7 ORCA subscales on a scale of 1-5 (5 highest), and the mean of the 7 subscales was the overall ORCA score for a site. Non-parametric testing was performed comparing overall ORCA and each subscale based on complexity. Results: Among the participating sites, 30/40 (75%) completed at least three surveys, with a total of 202 surveys included for analysis, with 82% of surveys coming from higher complexity centers (Level 1). The highest ranked ORCA domain was the evidence subscale (measures perceived strength of evidence), mean 4.2, (SD 0.7). The lowest ranked ORCA domain across sites was resources (available to facilitate implementation), mean 3.3 (SD 0.9). Higher complexity centers had a significantly higher overall ORCA score than lower complexity centers (Level 1 or 2 vs. Level 3, p= 0.02). This difference was driven by the subscales evidence (p < 0 .01), leadership (p =0.05), measurement (p= 0.06), and resources (p=0.07) all being higher in the higher complexity facilities (Figure 1). Two of the categories (leadership and measurement) pertain to an organization’s leaders ability to create an environment for change to occur as well as promoting team building. Conclusions: The lowest scoring ORCA domain across all sites was the respondents’ perception of resources (staff, training) available for achieving change. Perceived resources were also lower in lower complexity sites, implying that medical centers of lower complexity may have higher barriers when implementing an antimicrobial stewardship intervention. This finding highlights the benefit of a national stewardship campaign that provides support to lower complexity medical centers that may not otherwise receive targeted training and support for their efforts.Disclosure: Barbara Trautner: Stock: Abbvie--sold in December 2023; Abbott Laboratories--sold in December 2023; -Bristol Myers Squibb--sold in December 2023; Pfizer--sold in December 2023; Consultant--Phiogen--consultant. Contracted research through NIAID for STRIVE trial, currently testing Shionogi product; Contracted research--Peptilogics; Contracted research—Genentech

Attitudes toward COVID-19 Vaccination: Cross-sectional Study in Anbar Province, Iraq

Abstract Background: On March 2020, the World Health Organization announced that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a pandemic. In Iraq, since the start of applying the national COVID-19 vaccine campaign, many people refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine for various reasons, which has led to the further spread of the disease and the pandemic. Objectives: To determine some factors for refusing COVID-19 vaccination and the beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine among Iraqi people in Anbar Province, Iraq. Subjects and Methods: A household-based cross-sectional study and a face-to-face interview were done on 814 participants who were involved in the survey. A convenient sample approach was followed in this study to recruit participants from 11 different areas in the entral, southern, and northern of Anbar Province, Iraq, including urban and rural regions. A questionnaire form was applied to participants enrolled in the study, and the principal researcher carried out a written interview by face-to-face with the participant. An analysis of data carried out using cross-tabulated chi square test to identify variables associated with vaccine acceptance, in addition to descriptive statistics. Results: A majority (71.7%) of the population did not take any type of COVID-19 vaccine; among those who took the COVID-19 vaccine, 58.4% took only one dose of vaccination. Among people who did not take any type of vaccine, a high percentage of 72.1% said that they did not trust it. Others (14.3%) did not take it because their friends and relatives did not take it. A significant difference (P = 0.001) was found regarding the characteristics of those who took the vaccine and those who did not take it, including age, gender, occupation, place of residence, education level, and having had COVID-19. Conclusion: A high prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine refusal was found in places in Anbar Governorate based on rumors, media communication, and behavioral attitudes needs many efforts from health workers in primary health-care centers and other health staff in other health institutions to increase people’s knowledge about the vaccine to lessen COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.

Tapestries of Topics: Factors Affecting the Issue Diversity of Political Parties’ Social Media Campaigns

<p>For citizens to make well-informed decisions, they require information on diverse policy issues, which, among others, are publicized on political parties’ social media accounts. However, as strategic actors, parties carefully weigh which issues to highlight and which to play down, rather than addressing a full range of issues in their campaigns. We investigated the hitherto neglected question of which issue diversity parties prioritize on their social media accounts and which factors influence this choice. We conducted a standardized content analysis of the official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts of 10 Norwegian parties and their leaders during the 2021 national election campaign. The results of our analyses indicate that issue-related campaign strategies influence parties’ issue diversity more systematically than parties’ governing/opposition statuses and their choices of social media platforms.</p>

Obesity in Saudi Medical Students and Alignment with Eating Disorders: A Stratified Random Cross-Sectional Investigation.

As a result of the increasing global incidence of obesity and related diseases, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of obesity and its correlation with eating disorder (ED) screening among medical students to develop effective prevention strategies and provide better outcomes for these students. We conducted a quantitative analytical cross-sectional study at the College of Medicine at King Saud University between November 2023 and February 2024. A stratified random sampling technique was utilized, enrolling a net number of 415 participants. Participants were asked several questions, including demographic information, weight, height, and past medical history, and were given a validated screening tool for EDs. Participants' mean age was 21.4 ± 1.67 years, and 17.6% were considered obese. The prevalence of positive screening for EDs was 27.7%; it was more common in females (p = 0.013) and those who earned more than 1000 SAR per month (p = 0.011). Female students also exhibited almost twice the odds of having EDs than males (AOR = 1.957; 95% CI = 1.218-3.146; p = 0.006). Furthermore, non-obese students showed decreased odds of having EDs compared with obese students by at least 48% (AOR = 0.517; 95% CI = 0.287-0.929; p = 0.027). Our study revealed a concerning prevalence of ED symptoms and obesity among medical students, suggesting profound implications. Therefore, multicenter studies are needed to assess the generalizability of the results and apply the findings to targeted national campaigns and interventions tailored specifically to medical students.

Potential determinants of the decline in mpox cases in Belgium: A behavioral, epidemiological and seroprevalence study

ObjectivesThe 2022 mpox epidemic reached a peak in Belgium and the rest of Europe in July 2022, after which it unexpectedly subsided. This study investigates epidemiological, behavioral, and immunological factors behind the waning of the epidemic in Belgium. MethodsWe investigated temporal evolutions in the characteristics and behavior of mpox patients using national surveillance data and data from a prospective registry of mpox patients in the Institute of Tropical Medicine (Antwerp). We studied behavioral changes in the population at risk using a survey among HIV-preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users. We determined the seroprevalence of anti-orthopoxvirus antibodies among HIV-PrEP users across four-time points in 2022. ResultsMpox patients diagnosed at the end of the epidemic had less sexual risk behavior compared to those diagnosed earlier: they engaged less in sex at mass events, had fewer sexual partners, and were less likely to belong to the sexual network's central group. Among HIV-PrEP users there were no notable changes in sexual behavior. Anti-orthopoxvirus seroprevalence did not notably increase before the start of national vaccination campaigns. ConclusionThe observed changes in group immunity and behavior in the population at greater risk of exposure to mpox seem unable to explain the waning of the mpox epidemic. A change in the profile of mpox patients might have contributed to the decline in cases.

Langeberg Koöperasie Bpk, 1938-1954: 'n triomf in sosiale en ekonomiese koöperasie

Langeberg Co-operation was founded in 1938 out of a need for infrastructure to promote the fruit and vegetable industry in the Langeberg area. The town Ashton as centre of the co-operation subsequently expanded substantially. The big orders during the Second World War boosted the co-operation, but the marketing policy had nevertheless to be adjusted to the war economy. After the war a deliberate national publicity campaign stimulated Langeberg production. To strengthen its position thereafter during the lapse in the South American economy the co-operation took over four other canning companies in 1954. This highlight in its history would, however, signify danger.

Deep learning-assisted flexible piezoresistive sensor with liquid-phase reduced metal electrodes for fitness movement recognition and correction

Flexibility and wearability in electronic devices gain prominence with the rise of national fitness campaigns. Among them, piezoresistive sensors stand out for their ability to accurately monitor health signals due to their high sensitivity. However, conventional metal nanoparticle ink electrodes face issues like peeling, chemical instability, and substrate limitations. This study introduces a novel method for fabricating high-performance flexible piezoresistive sensors using liquid-phase reduced metal electrodes. Integration of porous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates with highly conductive interdigital silver electrodes (1.6 × 10−6 Ω·m) addresses conventional electrode shortcomings, offering permeability, flexibility, and outstanding conductivity. Incorporation of a graphene (GR)/carbon nanotube (CNT)/Ecoflex composite enhances sensor piezoresistive sensing capabilities, with features including high sensitivity (3.57 KPa−1), rapid response time (58 ms/72 ms), and excellent cycle stability (>10000 cycles). The sensor finds utility in various applications, including human physiological signal monitoring, pressure array recognition, and handwriting recognition. Additionally, with deep learning techniques, the system achieves accurate recognition (99.25 %) and correction (98.75 %) of diverse fitness movements, aiming to promote safer exercise practices, enhance training efficiency, and advance intelligent wearable fitness devices.

Health Literacy and Physical Fitness Status among Young Adult Urban Residents of Yueyang City under the Background of Healthy China

With the background of Healthy China strategy, this paper aims to investigate the health literacy status of urban residents in Yueyang City and its influencing factors under the background of Healthy China strategy, analyze the influencing factors, and put forward corresponding suggestions to promote the further improvement of health literacy status and health level of residents in Yueyang City, and lay a certain foundation for the realization of healthy China strategy.By sending out an online questionnaire, the paper investigated 450 urban residents aged 18-45 years old in 9 districts and counties of Yueyang City, conducted a survey on their occupation, educational background, marriage, monthly income and BMI index, and conducted a survey on 7 dimensions including national fitness action, eating habits, tobacco control action and the health of the elderly, reaching the following conclusions:When it comes to their level of awareness to the different initiatives of the government , it can be shown that they are very much aware of the policy on smoking inside campuses . This can be attribute to the fact that they are young adults and most of them just finished their college lives.Their level of awareness to the care for mothers and children are manifestation of being young parents . They are aware also ablout the national campaign of the government on fitness and wellness which clould inspire them to maintain a strong and healthy body.Their level of literacy on health promotion for the elderly as well as their safety and protection on their work places needs improvement because it will affect their level of effectiveness and productivity in their workplaces.

A Controversial Make-Over of a ‘Make-Believe’ Heritage—The Transformation of Guangrenwang Temple

This article discusses issues related to sustainable heritage management in China and problematises two dichotomies in heritage practices and research: the ‘Eastern/Western’ approaches and the tangible–intangible divide. It addresses these issues by examining the dramatic ‘make-over’ project of Guangrenwang Temple in Shanxi Province, China. The ‘make-over’ project transformed a small rural temple with a ninth-century timber structure into an architectural history museum, with a combination of private, public, and crowd-sourced funding. A real-estate corporation played a significant role in the project’s initiative and organised a large-scale national and international publicity campaign around the project. Previously unknown to most laypeople in China, the temple attracted much debate since the project’s completion, revolving around its ‘cultural legitimacy’, the design’s appropriateness, the sustainability of the revitalisation, and the implications of the project to its ‘heritage value’ and authenticity. This article traces the opinions, actions, and effects of the temple’s heritage assemblage and reveals the causal powers contributing to the emergence and transformation of associations within. It further questions the project team’s claims regarding the project’s effects on the historic setting’s authenticity and its long-term social impact on the relationship between the temple and its community. It reveals five controversies regarding the choice of its curation theme, architectural language, decision-making, and management models. The complexities manifested in the actors’ actions and effects demonstrate the ambiguous boundaries between the tangible and the intangible, and the perceived ‘Western’ and ‘Eastern’ approaches.

Nirsevimab Effectiveness Against Cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bronchiolitis Hospitalised in Paediatric Intensive Care Units in France, September 2023-January 2024.

In September 2023, France was one of the first countries that started a national immunisation campaign with nirsevimab, a new monoclonal antibody against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Using data from a network of paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), we aimed to estimate nirsevimab effectiveness against severe cases of RSV bronchiolitis in France. We conducted a case-control study based on the test-negative design and included 288 infants reported by 20 PICUs. We estimated nirsevimab effectiveness at 75.9% (48.5-88.7) in the main analysis and 80.6% (61.6-90.3) and 80.4% (61.7-89.9) in two sensitivity analyses. These real-world estimates confirmed the efficacy observed in clinical studies.

An analysis of the trends and distribution of political contributions from hematologists and oncologists in the United States.

e23041 Background: In today's increasingly tumultuous political landscape, understanding how healthcare providers are engaging the system to contribute to shaping the future of healthcare policy has become increasingly important. Policy can directly influence funding priorities, research agendas, and regulations for providers. This cross-sectional study aims to assess political contributions made by hematologists and oncologists across the United States from 2009-2022. Methods: Political donations to the U.S. Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives campaigns made by hematologists and oncologists between 2009-2022 were collected from the Federal Election Commission database. Keywords used in the occupation search query were “oncologist”, “hematologist”, “oncology”, and “hematology”; the raw data was filtered to remove non-physicians. Each individual contribution was addressed to a recipient committee, which were characterized as “Democratic”, “Republican”, or “Independent”. Results: From 2009 to 2022, a total of 2889 contributions were made by hematologists and oncologists to campaigns for presidential and national legislative campaigns grossing a total of 1,324,397 with a mean donation value of $458 per contribution. Of campaign contributions, 68% ( $905,388), 31% ($405,257), and 1% ($13,751) went to democratic, republican, and independent campaigns respectively. The total number of contributions increased from 77 totaling a sum of $48,902 in 2009 to 203 totaling a sum of $107,281 in 2022. Republicans experienced an increase in total dollar amount of contributions of 9.42% from 2009 to 2022. The top five states with the highest contributions in dollar amount were California, Texas, Maryland, Florida, and Georgia, in descending order. Conclusions: The total political contribution amount made by hematologists and oncologists in the United States has increased from 2009 to 2022. Further investigation of how physician contributions influence the development and implementation of healthcare policies is imperative.

A large and feasible national survey representative of population exposure to outdoor gamma radiation in urban areas.

Although data on outdoor gamma radiation are available for many countries, they have generally been obtained with measurements performed in undisturbed environments instead of in urban areas where most of the population lives. Only one large national survey, with on-site measurements in urban areas, has been identified worldwide, probably due to high costs (e.g., personnel and instrumentation) and difficulties in selecting measuring points. A campaign of outdoor gamma radiation measurements has been carried out in the entire Italian territory. All measurement points were selected at the infrastructures of an Italian telecommunications company as representatives of all the possible situations of outdoor exposure to gamma radiation for population in urban areas. Ten replicates of portable gamma (X) detectors carried out all the measurements. Approximately 4,000 measurements have been performed. They are distributed across 2,901 Italian municipalities, accounting for 75% of the Italian population. The national population-weighted mean of the gamma ambient dose equivalent rate (ADER) is 117 nSv h-1, and it ranges from 62 to 208 nSv h-1 and from 40 to 227 nSv h-1 for 21 regions and 107 provinces, respectively. The average variability at the municipal level, in terms of the coefficient of variation (CV) is 21%, ranging from 3 to 84%. The impact of land coverage and the distance from a building on the outdoor gamma radiation level was assessed with complementary measurements, leading to differences ranging from -40 to 50% and to 50%, respectively. A representative campaign of outdoor gamma dose rate measurements has been performed in Italy, only in urban areas, to assess the exposure effect due to outdoor gamma radiation on the population. It is the largest national campaign in urban areas worldwide, with a total of 3,876 on-site measurements. The land coverage and the distance from surrounding buildings were recognized to strongly affect outdoor gamma radiation levels, leading to high variability within small areas. The collaboration with a company that owns a network of facilities on a national territory as dense as the residing population made this survey feasible and affordable. Other countries might adopt this methodology to conduct national surveys in urban environments.

Survey of general practitioners’ awareness, practice and perception of social prescribing across Europe

Background Social prescribing (SP) is a patient pathway by which healthcare professionals connect patients with other sources of support, groups, or activities within their community. The awareness, practice, and perception of SP among GPs across Europe remains unclear. Objectives To explore the awareness, practice, and perception of GPs on SP in the WONCA Europe region. Methods An anonymous, cross-sectional online survey was distributed through a snowballing system, mailing lists, and at three international conferences in 2022/2023 to explore GPs’ awareness, practice, and perception of SP. The questionnaire in English contained 21 open and closed questions. Results Of the 208 participating GPs from 33 countries, 116 (56%) previously heard of ‘social prescribing’ and 66 (32%) regularly referred patients to community activities through a formal system. These 66 GPs reported different funding sources and varied activities, with an average of four activities and physical exercise being the most prevalent. Among them, 25 (38%) knew about national or local SP awareness campaigns. Of these 25, 17 (68%) agreed that SP increases their job satisfaction and 21 (84%) agreed that it has a positive impact on their patients. Variations in SP awareness and referral practice were evident across and within countries. Conclusion Despite disparities in awareness and referral practice as well as a diversity of activities and funding sources, most GPs who actively referred patients and were informed about SP campaigns agreed that SP positively impacts them and their patients.

Evaluasi Ketaatan dan Transparansi Pelaporan Dana Kampanye Pemilihan Presiden 2019

In accordance with KPU Regulation Number 3 of 2022, campaign activities for the 2024 presidential election will begin on November 28 2023. The KPU sets administrative requirements regarding campaign funds that must be complied with by all election contestants, including presidential and vice presidential candidate pairs. This research is intended to evaluate compliance and transparency in reporting campaign funds for the 2019 presidential election with the aim of measuring compliance and transparency in reporting campaign funds for the 2019 presidential election which can be used as a benchmark for managing campaign funds in the 2024 presidential election. The results of the research show that several complete accountability forms were not made, and deposits were not made. recorded at the LPPDK, did not create a separate list of donors that did not include identification, reporting of TPS witness funds was not transparent, there were allegations that donations were used outside of campaign funding purposes, and PKPU had not clearly regulated a tiered accountability mechanism. There are difficulties in implementing PKPU Number 24 of 2018 concerning General Election Campaign Funds because reporting is not carried out in stages from district/city to province and center, but the report format is presented according to election administration areas. However, accountability and bookkeeping are carried out centrally by the national campaign team, where revenue and expenditure traffic goes through the RKDK.

Society and Archaeological Sites in Interwar Greece

Throughout the twentieth century, Greek society invested in the enhancement and management of archaeological sites and monuments seen as particularly important for the nation’s political and diplomatic agendas. Antiquities have always been part of public life in modern Greece, as evidenced by national campaigns emphasizing the timeless value of ancient Greek culture, promoted in the service of national, political and economic ends. In this context, the Greek Archaeological Service has long carried out works for landscaping and demarcating archaeological sites, as well as for enhancing access to them. This study, drawing on archival material of the Directorate for the Management of the National Archive of Monuments (DMNAM) and other sources as well as two case studies—the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae/Andritsaina and the archaeological site of Delphi—examines the factors that have determined the relationships between antiquities and Greek society. In particular, it focuses on contradictions, and occasional conflicts, related to such relationships during the interwar period (1918–1939) and the social impact of the promotion and enhancement of archaeological sites. The paper also emphasizes local communities’ and authorities’ involvement in managing archaeological sites in their regions due to high tourist interest during this period.

Hepatitis B virus infection among illegal drug users in Enugu State, Nigeria: prevalence, immune status, and related risk factors

IntroductionHepatitis B virus infection poses a global health challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income African countries. Illicit drug use exacerbates the problem, with drug users having a higher HBV infection risk and maintaining a quiet transmission pool. This study aimed to determine HBV infection prevalence, immune status, and risk factors among illegal drug users in Enugu State, Nigeria.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in Enugu State, using privileged access interviewer methods to enroll drug users. Pre-tested structured questionnaires were administered after informed consent was obtained. Blood samples were tested for HBsAg, HBsAb, HBeAg, HBeAb, and HBcAb using immunochromatographic rapid test kits. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.ResultsOne hundred drug users were recruited into the study. Overall, 7% of the drug users had HBV infection. 61% were found to be susceptible to HBV infection, 15% showed serological evidence of immunity from HBV vaccination and 1% developed natural immunity from HBV exposure. Significant risk factors for HBV infection were age less than 20 years, young age (≤ 20 years) at drug initiation, being single, injecting drugs more than or equal to 20 times per month and injecting with used syringes.ConclusionThis study shows high intermediate endemicity of HBV infection among drug users, low vaccination uptake, and high susceptibility to HBV infection. This calls for the urgent inclusion of drug users in national HBV vaccination campaigns and the adoption of the World Health Organization’s recommendations on the prevention of viral hepatitis among people who inject drugs.