Number Of Healthcare Workers Research Articles

Estimating the Health Care Providers’ Number Needed in Northwest Health Service Centers of Tehran Based on Workload Index

Background: One of the major challenges of primary health care (PHC) in developing countries is supplying the growing needs of the populations with sufficient and skilled health workers. In this context, use of a simple and relevant workforce planning method such as Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) could help authorities allocate adequate number of professionals to health centers to meet the health needs of target populations. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical study, and WISN methodology was used at 48 Comprehensive Health Centers (CHC) located in the northwest of Tehran, in 2022. The present study was conducted in 7 steps and included measures such as the available work Stime, initial and final required manpower, extracurricular activities and their coefficients, standard work activity and workload, and scheduling activities. Results: According to the collected data, the total number of health care workers needed for the covered population was calculated to be approximately 1018 people, and the ratio of available manpower to the required manpower was reported as 24%; this indicated a 76% difference in the number of health care providers regarding the implementation of complete service package. Conclusion: The results of the research showed that if all the referrals are made through network, the network would likely have a shortage of human resources. Although the standard workload in most cases is lower than anticipated based on the reviewed performance regarding the health care provided, this can be caused by not going to the center to receive services, going to the private sector, and also not knowing about the services that can be provided.

Worldwide Trends in COVID-19-Related Attacks Against Healthcare: A Review of the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition Database.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, violence targeting healthcare reportedly increased. Attacks against healthcare can severely hamper the public health response during a pandemic. Descriptive data analysis of these attacks may be helpful to develop prevention and mitigation strategies. This study aimed to investigate trends regarding COVID-19-related attacks against healthcare from January 2020 until January 2023. COVID-19-related incidents occurring between January 2020 and January 2023 were extracted from the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition database and screened for eligibility. Included incidents were linked to COVID-19 health measures or were attacks directly interfering with COVID-19 healthcare, including conflict-related attacks. Data collected per incident included temporal factors; country; setting; attack and weapon type; perpetrator; motive; number of healthcare workers (HCWs) killed, injured, or kidnapped; and health facility damage. The study identified 255 COVID-19-related attacks against healthcare, with 18 HCWs killed, 147 HCWs injured, and 86 facilities damaged. The highest attack frequency was reported during the beginning of the pandemic and predominantly concerned stigma-related attacks against healthcare. Reported incidents in 2021 included attacks targeting vaccination campaigns, as well as conflict-related attacks interfering with COVID-19 healthcare. COVID-19-related attacks against healthcare occurred in heterogeneous contexts throughout the pandemic. Due to underreporting, the data presented are a minimum estimate of the actual magnitude of violence. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of public education campaigns, improved coordination between healthcare organizations and law enforcement, and the possible need to bolster the security of medical facilities and health workers.

Learning in the workplace: Development of a simple language statement assessment tool that supports second-level nurse practice

AimTo focus learning through clarity of the enrolled nurse (EN) role (a second tier nurse position) through development of a user-friendly workplace performance assessment tool commensurate with EN standards for practice. BackgroundInternationally, the nursing workforce comprises regulated and unregulated staff. In Australia, similar to other western countries, there are two tiers of regulated workforce, namely Registered Nurses (RNs) and Enrolled Nurses (ENs). Differences in RN and EN standards based on the education preparation are not always clearly differentiated in workplace practice. Roles are often seen as interchangeable: Improved clarity of both regulated and unregulated roles, when numbers of healthcare workers are burgeoning, assists performance assessment that guides further learning and safe practice. DesignTwo phase sequential, non-experimental design. MethodsPhase one used focus groups (n=48), expert reference panel (n=8) and end-users (n=16) to develop simple language statements. Phase two involved field testing of the statements. FindingsA 30-item, criterion-based workplace performance tool was developed. Principal component analysis of completed tools indicated work could be organised around three key areas of practice, namely, higher order thinking and problem solving, routine daily activities of care and personal and social attributes. DiscussionParticipants reported the statement items assisted in determining suitable activities and accompanying cues in discussing learning needs. Analysis assisted with discriminating broader elements of EN workplace performance. ConclusionsWorkplace learning is important for nurses to continue to build their capacity to deliver optimum care. Assessment tools that describe professional capability in plain language statements and provide examples of supportive behavioural cues help guide on-going learning through improving the validity and thereby consistency of assessment processes. Furthermore, comprehensible and meaningful statements and cues can readily be adopted by students and educators to target learning and feedback thereby enhancing clarity of the EN role, to distinguish from other nursing roles.

The Australian health workforce: Disproportionate shortfalls in small rural towns.

The distribution of health care workers differs greatly across Australia, which is likely to impact health delivery. To examine demographic and workplace setting factors of doctors, nurses and midwives, and allied health professionals across Modified Monash Model (MMM) regions and identify factors associated with shortfalls in the health care workforce. Descriptive cross-sectional analysis. The study included all health professionals who were registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency in 2021, and who were working in Australia in their registered profession. The study examined number of registrations and full-timed equivalent (FTE) registrations per MMM region classification, adjusted for population. Associated variables included age, gender, origin of qualification, Indigenous status and participation in the private or public (including government, non-government organisation and not-for-profit organisations) sectors. Data were available for 31 221 general practitioners, 77 277 other doctors, 366 696 nurses and midwives, and 195 218 allied health professionals. The lowest FTE per 1000 people was seen in MM5 regions for general practitioners, other doctors, nurses and midwives, and allied health professionals. Demographic factors were mostly consistent across MM regions, although MM5 regions had a higher percentage of nurses and midwives and allied health professionals aged 55 and over. In the private sector, FTE per 1000 people was lowest in MM5-7 regions. In the public sector, FTE per 1000 people was lowest in MM5 regions. A disproportionate shortfall of health workers was seen in MM5 regions. This shortfall appears to be primarily due to low FTE per capita of private sector workers compared with MM1-4 regions and a low FTE per capita of public sector workers compared with MM6-7 regions. In Australia, small rural towns have the lowest number of health care workers per capita which is likely to lead to poor health outcomes for those regions.

Bloodborne viral infections: Seroprevalence and relevance of preoperative screening in Indian eye care system - A retrospective study.

To report the seroprevalence of bloodborne viral infection (BBVI) in patients undergoing ophthalmic surgeries and assess the utility and feasibility of preoperative screening for BBVI in India's current eye care system. This retrospective, hospital-based, descriptive study included data from patients undergoing preoperative screening for Hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at a tertiary eye care institute from 2018 to 2022. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were performed on the blood samples after obtaining informed consent from the patients. Seroreactive patients underwent surgery with additional safety precautions. The demographic data and surgical details of these patients were collected and analyzed. ANOVA was used to carry out statistical analysis between groups. During the study period, the number of healthcare workers (HCWs) sustaining needle stick injury (NSI) and accidental sharp injury (ASI) in the operating theater (OT) and details of these injuries were recorded. Samples from 28,563 patients were included. The seroprevalence of BBVI was 1.87% (536/28563). Hepatitis B virus (322, 60.1%) was the most commonly detected infection, and HIV (59, 11%) was the least detected infection. The mean age of the seroreactive patients was 60.3 ± 30.8 years. The incidence of NSI was 0.49/1000 surgeries. Nurses (11) and technicians (4) in the OT sustained maximum NSI. None of the HCWs had seroconversion after NSI. The overall seroprevalence of BBVI in the current study is lower than that reported in previously published studies from eye care organizations. Currently, mandatory preoperative screening for BBVI to prevent transmission of these infections to HCWs working in the eye care sector in India appears to be less cost-effective.

Digital Media-Based Interventions to Promote Healthy Lifestyles and Psychological Wellbeing of Nurses in Kenya

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to find out the effectiveness of applying digital media tools as an intervention to enhance the availability of information and resources related to mental health care to nurses and promote a healthy lifestyle. A growing number of health care workers suffer from mental health issues and poor psychological well-being. Many workers report cases of anxiety, burnout, and depression because of poor working conditions and unfavorable environments. Protecting health and well-being of care workers through integration of interventions aimed at increasing knowledge on mental health is one of the best strategies that could yield good outcomes for care givers. Nurses spend a large proportion of their lives in hospitals, hence, a need to create a healthy and safe working environment. Investing in a culture of managing and preventing mental health issues among the nursing staff by integrating modern approaches aimed at supporting education and training on mental health and psychological wellbeing remains a key agenda for the improvement of wellbeing of nurses. Emerging digital technologies such as social media, mobile-based and web-based applications have created new ways that individuals use to interact with one another, and could be very useful in creating awareness and enhancing knowledge on mental health and wellbeing of nurses. Majority of nurses have access to smartphones, which makes it easy to access mental health care through various mobile applications.
 Methodology: The study targeted nurses in Kenyan hospitals, with specific focus on public hospitals in Embu County. A quantitative research was conducted with a sample size of 100 nurses from level-4 and level-5 hospitals. 65 responses were collected.
 Findings: The outcome showed that majority of nurse have active social media channels and have been using them to learn more about mental health. Also, it was found out that using social media has a major role to play in increasing awareness on mental health among nurses, and it ensures nurses embrace a healthy lifestyle.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Findings from the study are of great significance towards developing interventions and policy approaches for promoting healthy lifestyle and improving psychological wellbeing of nurses. Also, the outcome would be of help in developing policy frameworks for managing and preventing mental health among health workers.

COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections among health care workers of a tertiary care center in North Kerala: a descriptive study

Background: Vaccination against COVID-19 was started in India in January 2021 using ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine and health care workers were the first category to get vaccinated. The objective of the present study was to compare the characteristics of health care workers who had COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infection with those who did not have breakthrough infection. Methods: This was a descriptive study conducted among 110 health care workers in a tertiary care center in North Kerala during 1, June 2021 to 31, July 2021. An equal number of health care workers who developed breakthrough COVID infection (55) and those who did not develop breakthrough infection (55) were included in the study. Results: The mean age of individuals who had breakthrough infection was 33.18 years (±9.52) and those of individuals who did not develop disease was 31.2years (±9.57). It was also observed that 21.8% of those with breakthrough infection and 10.9% of individuals without breakthrough infection had comorbidities. The study also found that individuals who took second dose of vaccine at an interval of 28-35 days from the first dose had higher chance of developing breakthrough infection compared to those who took second dose more than 35 days after first dose. Conclusions: The present study found that breakthrough infection was more common among those who took second dose of vaccine at an interval less than 35 days from the first dose. It was observed that numbers of individuals with comorbidities were higher among breakthrough infection group, but further studies are needed for better understanding.

Integrating Molecular Diagnostics and GIS Mapping: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding Tuberculosis Disease Dynamics in South Africa Using Xpert MTB/RIF.

An investigation was carried out to examine the use of national Xpert MTB/RIF data (2013-2017) and GIS technology for MTB/RIF surveillance in South Africa. The aim was to exhibit the potential of using molecular diagnostics for TB surveillance across the country. The variables analysed include Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) positivity, the mycobacterial proportion of rifampicin-resistant Mtb (RIF), and probe frequency. The summary statistics of these variables were generated and aggregated at the facility and municipal level. The spatial distribution patterns of the indicators across municipalities were determined using the Moran's I and Getis Ord (Gi) statistics. A case-control study was conducted to investigate factors associated with a high mycobacterial load. Logistic regression was used to analyse this study's results. There was striking spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of Mtb and RIF across South Africa. The median patient age, urban setting classification, and number of health care workers were found to be associated with the mycobacterial load. This study illustrates the potential of using data generated from molecular diagnostics in combination with GIS technology for Mtb surveillance in South Africa. Spatially targeted interventions can be implemented in areas where high-burden Mtb persists.

Modelling of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Disease in Semarang City Using Generalized Poisson Regression Model

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an infectious disease that can be life- threatening within a relatively short period of time and can be fatal if not promptly treated. DHF in Indonesia ranks second as a dangerous seasonal disease. DHF remains a serious issue in the Central Java Province, particularly in Semarang City. The cases of DHF can be modeled using a Poisson regression model due to the characteristics of DHF cases, which involve count data with small occurrence probabilities. The Poisson regression model assumes equality between the mean and variance (equidispersion). However, the application of the Poisson regression model often encounters violations of the assumption of excessive variance (overdispersion), which necessitates addressing the violation, and one possible approach is to use the Generalized Poisson Regression model. Based on the analysis results, the Generalized Poisson Regression model could handle the overdispersion because the ratio of Pearson Chi-Square by degrees of freedom was 0.976, approaching a value of 1. It has also been proven to be more suitable for evaluating factors influencing the number of DHF cases, as it has a lower AIC value compared to Poisson models, with a value of 123.64. The variables that were found to have an impact on DHF cases in Semarang City based on the Generalized Poisson Regression model are the number of larval habitats (X1), the number of hospitals (X2), population density (X3), and the number of healthcare workers (X4).

Pediatric Emergency Response in a Non-Epicenter Hospital during the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake: A Retrospective Study of 125 Cases in the First 20 Days.

BACKGROUND The 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes affected a large population. Ankara Mamak State Hospital, a non-epicenter hospital, was also making efforts to treat earthquake patients. This retrospective study was conducted from this non-epicenter hospital during the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake and aimed to evaluate the emergency response to 125 pediatric patients identified in the first 20 days. MATERIAL AND METHODS The cases were scanned from the hospital's electronic registry system by age and diagnosis code. We recorded the demographic data of patients under the age of 18 years, the day they arrived, the provinces they left, their diagnoses, treatments, consultations, characteristics of trauma in traumatic cases, and outcomes of all children in a non-epicenter hospital. We detected 125 pediatric cases in the first 20 days. RESULTS There were 125 pediatric patients under the age of 18 who arrived to the Emergency Department (ED). On the 6th day, the number of cases peaked. Their mean age was 7.9±5.6 years (minimum: 0, maximum: 18) and 52.8% were males. Most cases had non-traumatic internal disease (81.6%) and were most (97.6%) were discharged from the ED. While soft-tissue injury was the most common diagnosis in traumatic cases (69.9%), there were more (56.5%) extremity injuries according to the affected body zone. CONCLUSIONS After major disasters, there may be an increased number of pediatric patients taken to hospitals far from the disaster area. For this reason, non-epicenter hospitals should be prepared to provide an adequate number of health care workers and sufficient supplies and equipment.

Management Support for Healthcare Workers’ Mental Health and Burnout during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study

The aim was to examine mental health and burnout among frontline and critical care healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. A cohort study was conducted among frontline and critical care healthcare workers in hospitals with COVID-19 patients. Burnout of healthcare workers was high, and mental health was median. Differences in emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment, depersonalization, satisfaction, and mental health were found during the COVID-19 pandemic. A positive correlation between emotional exhaustion with a higher number of patients, higher workload, higher concern for health, and workplace stress was established. At the end of the third wave, the number of healthcare workers with high emotional exhaustion and depersonalization had decreased by one-third. When emotional exhaustion and occupational stress levels are high, psychologically supporting healthcare workers is essential to preserving their health and well-being.

Evaluation of Chinese healthcare organizations' innovative performance in the digital health era.

Healthcare workers' relationship with industry is not merely an agent mediating between consumer and vendor, but they are also inventors of the interventions they exist to deliver. Driven by the background of the digital health era, scientific research and technological (Sci-tech) innovation in the medical field are becoming more and more closely integrated. However, scholars shed little light on Sci-tech relevance to evaluate the innovation performance of healthcare organizations, a distinctive feature of healthcare organizations' innovation in the digital health era. Academic publications and patents are the manifestations of scientific research outputs and technological innovation outcomes, respectively. The study extracted data from publications and patents of 159 hospitals in China to evaluate their innovation performance. A total of 18 indicators were constructed, four of which were based on text similarity match and represented the Sci-tech relevance. We then applied factor analyses, analytical hierarchy process, and logistic regression to construct an evaluation model. We also examined the relationship between hospitals' innovation performance and their geographical locations. Finally, we implemented a mediation analysis to show the influence of digital health on hospital innovation performance. A total of 16 indicators were involved, four of which represented the Sci-tech including the number of articles matched per patent (NAMP), the number of patents matched per article (NPMA), the proportion of highly matched patents (HMP), and the proportion of highly matched articles (HMA). Indicators of HMP (r = 0.52, P = 2.40 × 10-12), NAMP (r = 0.52, P = 2.54 × 10-12), and NPMA (r = 0.51, P = 5.53 × 10-12) showed a strong positive correlation with hospital innovation performance score. The evaluation model in this study was different from other Chinese existing hospital ranking systems. The regional innovation performance index (RIP) of healthcare organizations is highly correlated with per capita disposable income (r = 0.58) and regional GDP (r = 0.60). There was a positive correlation between digital health innovation performance scores and overall hospital innovation performance scores (r = 0.20). In addition, the hospitals' digital health innovation performance affected the hospital's overall innovation score with the mediation of Sci-tech relevance indicators (NPMA and HMA). The hospitals' digital health innovation performance score showed a significant correlation with the number of healthcare workers (r = 0.44). This study constructed an assessment model with four invented indicators focusing on Sci-tech relevance to provide a novel tool for researchers to evaluate the innovation performance of healthcare organizations in the digital health era. The regions with high RIP were concentrated on the eastern coastal areas with a higher level of economic development. Therefore, the promotion of scientific and technological innovation policies could be carried out in advance in areas with better economic development. The innovations in the digital health field by healthcare workers enhance the Sci-tech relevance in hospitals and boost their innovation performance. The development of digital health in hospitals depends on the input of medical personnel.

Neurodiversity in the general practice workforce

Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the variation in how our brains process information and how we experience the world around us. It is estimated that 15–20% of the population are neurodivergent. This includes individuals diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism, as well as a range of specific learning differences, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, and other associated conditions, including epilepsy and Tourette syndrome. As awareness of neurodiversity is increasing, so are the numbers of healthcare workers who are recognising their own neurodivergence. The general practice workforce is no exception.

Management of health care workforce

The healthcare system’s effectiveness depends mainly on healthcare workers’ knowledge, skills, and motivation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Systematic planning of human resources is, therefore, an essential prerequisite for ensuring the sustainability and efficiency of the health care system. This article outlines a structural human resource planning model in health care and explores the complexities involved. A detailed analytical framework is proposed, drawing on various materials and evidence to outline the factors that influence human resource planning in health care. The in-depth analytical process employs an extensive literature review to provide greater credibility to research findings. It investigates numerous sources and materials, both in national and international contexts. The purpose of human resource planning initiatives in healthcare is to calculate the needed number of healthcare workers in the future based on past and current data and assumptions about future supply and demand trends. The research findings reveal this is a very challenging task, as there are typically many unknowns when planning for the future. In addition, planners often need more reliable data and systemic deficiencies. Furthermore, the study shows that unplanned and delayed solutions concerning human resource needs in healthcare can only alleviate problems. Still, they cannot replace effective strategic measures and timely structural changes within the healthcare ecosystem.

The long-term adverse events and persisting clinical symptomatology post COVID-19 infection among the healthcare workers of a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal

COVID -19, a global pandemic, has dominated every person’s life worldwide. The clinical presentation of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic, mild symptomatic to fulminant and fatal cases, having consequences for many organ systems. In a cross-sectional study, 128 healthcare workers of a tertiary care medical college hospital, 4 weeks following the COVID infection agreed to participate in the study. Self-developed subject data sheet and the self-reporting symptoms tool based on the WHO case report form were used for data collection. A significant number of health care workers (HCWs) had long COVID symptomatology in terms of constitutional, muscular-skeletal, respiratory, otolaryngology, and CNS symptoms. The commonly experienced symptoms were myalgia (45.3%), malaise (39%), fatigue and tiredness (69.5%), loss of taste (21.1%), loss of smell (20.3%) and night sweats (11.7%), lack of sleep (20.3%), and anxiety (12.5%). The cardiovascular and integumentary were the less affected organ systems. About one-third of the HCWs reported that symptoms like myalgia, malaise and tiredness got worse after physical activity (29.7%). Aggravation of symptoms with any form of mental activity was reported in 11.7% of the study participants. One in every ten HCWs (12.5%) had reported not being able to perform daily activities that they were doing before getting COVID-19 infection. However, all resumed their job after the recovery. Long COVID symptoms were reported by a significant number of HCWs, necessitating the need for the establishment of follow-up clinics for the care of healthcare workers.

The Frontline War: A Case-control study of risk factors for COVID-19 among health care workers

Purpose: The global pandemic of COVID-19 has infected several people worldwide. World Health Organization(WHO) has reported that an alarming number of health care workers (HCWs) have been affected and have also succumbed to this disease. Though health infrastructure can be boosted in a short period, the number of HCWs cannot. Hence understanding the risk factors that the HCWs are exposed to and strategically protecting them is of paramount importance. Methods: A case-control retrospective study was carried out on 116 HCWs at a tertiary care hospital treating COVID-19 patients in South India. We attempted to investigate and stratify the specific risk factors for COVID-19 transmission among HCWs. Data was collected regarding their exposure to COVID-19 patients, infection control precautions used, possible breaches in the protocol, and details of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) prophylaxis. Results: The demographics were equally distributed among the cases and controls. Exposure to surgical procedures on suspected/positive COVID patients was also found to affect contracting the COVID-19 illness. HCWs who wore face shields instead of eye goggles along with the use of scrubs and hospital gowns were found to have a lesser incidence of COVID-19 illness. Conclusion: This study helped us understand the varied risk factors that health care workers are exposed to while treating COVID-19 patients. It helped us contextualize and strategize our infection control practices to prevent further morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19.

Evaluating the Performance of Health Supply Chains Using Network Data Envelopment Analysis Model under Uncertainty Conditions in Selected Tehran Hospitals

Objective: Objective: The objective of this research is to expand the models of Network Data Envelopment Analysis with approaches to uncertainty for evaluating the performance of supply chains. Method: The method used in this research is descriptive and, in terms of outcome, falls under applied research. From a strategic research perspective, it is descriptive and cross-sectional retrospective based on an analytical approach, conducted through fieldwork and a survey method in the research community. A census method was employed. Findings: In this study, Razi Hospital, with a score of 0.99, has the highest average efficiency in outpatient services, while Sina Hospital, with a score of 0.139, has the lowest level of average outpatient efficiency among multi-specialty hospitals. Additionally, Yas Hospital, with an average efficiency of 0.99 in inpatient sections, has the highest efficiency, whereas Razi Hospital with a score of 0.58 has the lowest efficiency. Bahrami Hospital among children's hospitals is in a better condition. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the research, it was determined that the use of the fuzzy Network Data Envelopment Analysis model with variables such as the number of doctors, the number of healthcare workers, active beds, total inpatient days, the number of outpatient visits, and the number of inpatients, can compare the performance of selected decision-making units providing services in the studied medical centers from the perspective of inputs and outputs and across the entire health service supply chain. In the long term, it serves as a suitable tool for officials and policymakers of the selected centers for continuous performance evaluation of these services.

Prevalence of Health Workforce Burnout during COVID-19 Response in Ethiopia.

COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health emergency that has greatly impacted the health systems and people‟s lives worldwide. With its relatively high rate of infection and mortality, COVID-19 can worsen the feelings of anxiety and stress among Healthcare Workers (HCWs). The aim of this survey was to assess the prevalence of health workforce burnout during the COVID-19 response in Ethiopia. The study employed a health institution-based qualitative, cross-sectional survey with a structured design based on the validated tool MBI-HSS (Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey). In this study, we purposively selected 824 (74%) numbers of health care workers at the accessed health facilities from 1120 at the time of the survey and a response rate of 767 (93%). The English questionnaire was translated into two local languages (Amharic and Oromffa) and the data collector were selected from each region and city and then trained for 5 days. The study revealed that the magnitude of burnout was 70 % among HCWs working in COVID-19 response that participated in the study. The prevalence of burnout among the HCWs was 58%, 68%, and 64% for moderate to high burnout on Depersonalization, Personal Accomplishment, and on Emotional Exhaustion respectively. The prevalence of burnout among HCWs increased, particularly for those who were serving longer in all survey areas. The result of the study indicated the need to identify and eliminate burnout among HCWs in order to activate psychological resilience and guide workers in the use of the most effective long-term coping strategies to protect their mental health and align the design of intervention in all COVID-19 response areas.

The Frontline War: A Case-control study of risk factors for COVID-19 among health care workers

Purpose: The global pandemic of COVID-19 has infected several people worldwide. World Health Organization(WHO) has reported that an alarming number of health care workers (HCWs) have been affected and have also succumbed to this disease. Though health infrastructure can be boosted in a short period, the number of HCWs cannot. Hence understanding the risk factors that the HCWs are exposed to and strategically protecting them is of paramount importance. Methods: A case-control retrospective study was carried out on 116 HCWs at a tertiary care hospital treating COVID-19 patients in South India. We attempted to investigate and stratify the specific risk factors for COVID-19 transmission among HCWs. Data was collected regarding their exposure to COVID-19 patients, infection control precautions used, possible breaches in the protocol, and details of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) prophylaxis. Results: The demographics were equally distributed among the cases and controls. Exposure to surgical procedures on suspected/positive COVID patients was also found to affect contracting the COVID-19 illness. HCWs who wore face shields instead of eye goggles along with the use of scrubs and hospital gowns were found to have a lesser incidence of COVID-19 illness. Conclusion: This study helped us understand the varied risk factors that health care workers are exposed to while treating COVID-19 patients. It helped us contextualize and strategize our infection control practices to prevent further morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19.

Late diagnosis of CHD and its associated factors in Kenya: an analytic cross-sectional study.

Burden of CHD in Africa is generally underestimated mainly due to significant under-reporting and early-related fetal and neonatal mortality. Determine the prevalence and factors associated with late diagnosis of CHD seen at three tertiary care hospitals in Kenya. A cross-sectional study on paediatric patients with CHDs, aged 0-18years, seen over a 5-year period, between January, 2011 and December, 2016. Aga Khan University Hospital Nairobi, Mater Hospital, and Kenyatta National Hospital. Patients were stratified into those diagnosed late (>1year of age) and those diagnosed early (<1year of age). Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to determine factors associated with late diagnosis. The study enrolled 411 patients, with equal gender distribution. Prevalence of late diagnosis (>1year of age) of CHD was 60.6% (95% CI 55.7-65.3). Median age at diagnosis was 15 (IQR 5-48) months. Presence of a cardiac murmur (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.72-0.92, p-value = 0.016) and level of parental education (OR = 4.99; 95% CI 2.25-11.40, p-value<0001) were associated with a decreased odds of late diagnosis. Other factors like cyanosis, an increase in the number of healthcare workers and healthcare facilities per 10,000 population showed some association with decreased odds of late diagnosis of CHD, but these were not statistically significant. Late diagnosis of CHD remains alarmingly high in our setting. Initiatives to enhance early detection and screening of CHD should be adopted to reduce related mortality and morbidity.