Occurrence Of Illness Research Articles

Brief Outpatient Rehabilitation Program for Post-COVID-19 Condition: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) is emerging as a common and debilitating condition with few treatment options. To assess the effectiveness of a brief outpatient rehabilitation program based on a cognitive and behavioral approach for patients with PCC. Patients with mild to moderate PCC were randomized 1:1 to an established transdiagnostic rehabilitation program or care as usual at a single referral center recruiting from the region of the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. Participants were followed up after treatment completion and 12 months after enrollment using participant-reported outcome measures. Data were collected from February 22, 2022, until April 15, 2024. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed. The program consisted of 2 to 8 outpatient encounters with approximately 2 to 6 weeks between each encounter. The intervention was theoretically grounded in the cognitive activation theory of stress, and physicians and physiotherapists were trained in cognitive and behavioral approaches with targeted negative stimuli and response outcome expectancies being particularly important. Participant-reported physical function assessed by the Short-Form Health Survey 36 Physical Function Subscale (SF-36-PFS) served as the primary outcome. Secondary outcome measures were the remaining subscales of the SF-36, return to work self-efficacy and symptom scores on fatigue, postexertional malaise, breathlessness, cognitive difficulties, sleep problems, anxiety and depression symptoms, and smell and taste abnormalities. Safety measures included primary health care contacts; hospital admissions; initiation of pharmacologic and/or nonpharmacologic therapy; occurrence of novel disease, illness, or other health problems; worsening of selected key symptoms; working abilities; and thoughts of suicide. A total of 473 patients with mild to moderate PCC were assessed for eligibility (n = 364 physician referred; n = 109 self-referred); 314 were included (225 females [72%]; mean [SD] age, 43 [12] years) and 231 completed the primary end point evaluation. The SF-36-PFS scores improved statistically and clinically significantly in the intervention group (score difference between groups, 9.2; 95% CI, 4.3-14.2; P < .001; Cohen d = 0.43; intention-to-treat analysis). The effect was sustained over time. Most secondary and safety measures favored the intervention. In this randomized clinical trial, a brief outpatient rehabilitation program with a cognitive and behavioral approach in patients with PCC was effective and safe. This trial adds to the evidence supporting such interventions in routine clinical care. Future research should investigate which elements of this approach are the most effective and identify subgroups for which the current treatment is most relevant. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05196451.

Preventing Depression Among Older Adults With Severe Illness: The Mediating Role of Life Satisfaction and the Moderating Role of Gender.

The occurrence of severe illness, the risk for which increases as people age, often results in depression. The current study aimed to explore how and when severe illness leads to depression among older adults. Data collected from a sample of 756 older adults were analyzed using moderated mediation analysis to examine the underlying mechanism between severe illness and depression. Results, as verified by a robustness check, demonstrated that life satisfaction mediated the association between severe illness and depression among older men and women, and that gender moderated the direct relationship between severe illness and depression. The formation path of depression from severe illness among older adults varies according to gender. For men, severe illness did not directly trigger depression, but indirectly triggered depression through decreased life satisfaction; for women, severe illness not only triggered depression directly, but also indirectly triggered depression through decreased life satisfaction. Results yield theoretical and practical implications for gerontological nursing. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, xx(xx), xx-xx.].

An analysis on role of iron deficiency in febrile seizure among children in 6 months to 5 years: A case-control study

ABSTRACT Background for the Study: This study looks into the relationship between febrile seizures in children between the ages of 6 months to 5 years who suffer from iron insufficiency. Febrile seizures, which are common in early life, are associated with abrupt temperature increases, and iron deficiency impacts neurological development in young infants. Understanding this relationship would lead to interventions that mitigate febrile seizure impact. Aim: To investigate the link between iron deficiency and febrile seizures in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. Method: A ”retrospective case-control study” of 300 cases and 300 controls, including demographic, seizure, and laboratory data, was conducted. Descriptive statistics were computed using “Chi-square tests for proportions” and “t-tests for means” with P ≤ 0.05 as the level of significance. Result: Significant findings emerged, including a notably younger mean age among cases (1.75 years) compared to controls (2.93 years). Cases showed higher rates of upper respiratory tract infections (3.7% vs. 0.3% in controls) and lower occurrences of viral febrile illnesses. Notably, cases had a lower prevalence of non-vegetarian diets and a higher incidence of family histories related to seizures. “Iron deficiency anemia” was more common in these instances, evident in blood parameters, alongside increased WBC counts. Recurrent seizures correlated with a lower mean RBC count (P = 0.01). Conclusion: The study confirms the link between “iron deficiency anemia” and “febrile seizures” among young children. Addressing iron deficiency emerges as a critical modifiable factor in potentially reducing the occurrence and impact of severe seizures, emphasizing the necessity of proactive efforts in pediatric treatment programs.

The Post-Harmonisation Health and Safety Challenges of Construction Industry Managers

To minimise the occurrence of injuries, illnesses and deaths due to work-related causes, it is important to have effective workplace health safety legislation that is known and used. The introduction of more stringent workplace health and safety legislation across Australia has brought greater responsibility, and harsher penalties, for managers. The importance of the role those in management play in influencing and shaping a culture of safety is well researched, but little has been done to determine whether those in management are ready to assume that role. This study aimed to identify what has informed Western Australian construction industry managers who are working within the mining sector and ultimately shaped their approach to occupational health and safety. NVivo software was used to analyse the data by the creation of codes and subcodes to identify themes and subthemes. Analysis of two focus groups’ participants’ responses identified that many managers had insufficient work health and safety education to understand their obligations and that other challenges include insufficient preparedness of managers, particularly newly promoted supervisors and other management staff, rapid promotion, and the bureaucracy of modern workplace health and safety. The findings from this study can assist organisations to better prepare managers to fulfil their workplace health and safety obligations and reduce some of the post-harmonisation challenges.

Post-recovery quality of life (QoL) of the healthcare professionals affected by COVID-19: a longitudinal study in Bangladesh

PurposeThe study investigated the enduring impacts on the quality of life (QoL) of healthcare workers (HCWs) recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) over 12 months.MethodsThe study was conducted among 371 HCWs from November 2021 to January 2022, using the WHOQOL-BREF tool to evaluate the disparities in participants' QoL scores between the two interviews. Descriptive statistics, paired-sample analyses, Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE) analysis, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using R Studio (version 2022.07.1).ResultsThe average physical domain score notably declined between the interviews, contrasting with substantial rises in other QoL domain scores (p < 0.001). After adjusting for other factors, the changes in individuals' QoL scores were considerably linked with multiple characteristics, including older age, female, higher education, higher monthly income, married, active smokers, number of comorbidities, and hospital admission during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the regression analysis, the occurrence of new chronic illnesses was related to the lower physical domain score (AOR: 2.42, 95%CI 1.10, 5.35). Similarly, a reduced psychological domain score was correlated with a monthly family income > 60000 BDT (AOR: 3.26, 95%CI 1.39, 7.65), past smoking status (AOR: 3.42, 95%CI 1.21, 9.67) and COVID-19 re-infection (AOR: 3.94, 95%CI 1.91, 8.16). Meanwhile, being married (AOR: 3.55, 95%CI 1.47, 8.57), having at least one chronic disease (AOR: 2.07, 95%CI 1.17, 3.69), and COVID-19 re-infection (AOR: 2.81, 95%CI 1.37, 5.79) were significant with social domain scores. Subsequently, compared to nonsmokers, active smokers (AOR: 2.12, 95%CI 1.0, 4.49) had drastically decreased environmental domain scores.ConclusionsAfter 12 months of recovery, the overall QoL of HCWs improved in all domains between the interviews except the physical domain. Participants' monthly income, marital status, smoking history, onset of new chronic diseases, and COVID-19 re-infection were accountable for altering the QoL index of the HCW.

Physical development of infants born to patients with COVID-19 during pregnancy: 2 years of age.

SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and pandemic circumstances could negatively impact infant development. This study aimed to investigate the physical development, common pediatric illness incidence, and healthcare utilization over the first 2 years of life of infants born to COVID+ and COVID- patients. Comparisons were also made with infants born pre-pandemic. This is a retrospective observational study at a major academic health system in New York City. Participants include all infants born to birthing persons with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy (N = 758) and without (N = 9,345) from 03/01/2020 to 08/17/2022, infants born pre-pandemic (N = 3,221) from 03/01/2017 to 08/17/2019, and birthing persons of all infants. There were no differences in weight, length, or head circumference curves between pandemic infants born to COVID+ and COVID- patients over the first 2 years of life (p > 0.05, repeated ANOVA). Annualized incidence of illness occurrence and healthcare utilization were similar between groups. Compared to pre-pandemic infants, the length of pandemic (COVID-) infants was lower from birth to 9 months (p < 0.0001). Pandemic infants additionally had more adverse perinatal outcomes including increased stillbirth (0.75% vs. 0.12%, p = 0.0001) and decreased gestational age (38.41 ± 2.71 vs. 38.68 ± 2.55 weeks, Cohen's d = -0.10, p < 0.0001), birthweight (2,597 ± 335 vs. 3,142 ± 643 g, Cohen's d = -1.06, p < 0.0001), and birth length (48.08 ± 4.61 vs. 49.09 ± 3.93 cm, Cohen's d = -0.24, p < 0.0001). Birthing persons' SARS-CoV-2 infection status, birthing persons' profiles, and pandemic circumstances negatively affected perinatal outcomes, newborn physical development, and healthcare utilization. These findings draw clinical attention to the need to follow infants closely and implement enrichment to ensure optimal developmental outcomes.

Analysis of the incidence of influenza before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.

Influenza outbreaks of varying size occur every year, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries experienced influenza at lower levels. However, following the relaxation of COVID-19 prevention measures in 2022, the incidence of influenza began to increase gradually. Thus, this study compared the occurrence of influenza from week 36 of 2017, before the COVID-19 outbreak, until 2023. The analysis was conducted using influenza-like illness occurrence data available from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency infectious disease website. Additionally, to examine the changes in COVID-19 and influenza occurrence during the pandemic, COVID-19 incidence data from 20 January 2020 to 31 August 2023 were obtained from the KDCA Coronavirus Disease 19 homepage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, which corresponds to the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 influenza seasons, there was no seasonal influenza epidemic, and the incidence rates were below the usual outbreak levels. However, in the 2022/2023 season, when the spread of COVID-19 had eased, a seasonal pattern similar to that observed before the COVID-19 pandemic was noted. Furthermore, correlation analysis between the rates of influenza-like illness and COVID-19 incidence showed no significant correlation during the entire period. However, a significant correlation emerged in 2023 (r = 0.393, p <0.05). These results suggest that influenza was suppressed during the COVID-19 pandemic but returned to typical seasonal patterns after the COVID-19 prevention policies were eased. The positive correlation observed between the incidences of COVID-19 and influenza in 2023 indicates that COVID-19, no longer a novel pandemic-causing infectious disease, may have transitioned to an endemic pattern similar to seasonal influenza.

Receptor-Interacting Protein Kinase 3 as a Serological Biomarker in Relation to Disease Severity and Delirium After Acute Pancreatitis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Delirium is a common complication of acute pancreatitis. Receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) is an activator of programmed cell necrosis. This study aimed to determine its ability to predict delirium after acute pancreatitis. In total, 297 patients with acute pancreatitis were prospectively enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into two subgroups (study and validation groups: 197 and 100 cases, respectively). Serum RIP3 levels were measured in all patients and in 100healthy controls. Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Ranson, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scores were used for the severity assessment. In-hospital delirium was observed as an outcome variable. Multifactorial analyses were performed to discern severity correlations and outcome associations. Serum RIP3 levels were significantly higher in the patients than in the controls. Serum RIP3 levels had linear relationships under the restricted cubic spline and were independently correlated with APACHE II, Ranson, and SOFA scores. Serum RIP3 levels were linearly correlated with the likelihood of developing in-hospital delirium and exhibited a strong discrimination efficiency under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Serum RIP3 levels, coupled with APACHE II scores, Ranson scores, and SOFA scores, were the four independent predictors of in-hospital delirium. No interactions were revealed regarding its relevance to sex, age, or body mass index in subgroup analysis. These were integrated to form a model graphically represented by a nomogram that showed effective stability, clinical fit, and predictive ability for in-hospital delirium. The model was verified in the validation group. An incremental trend in serum RIP3 levels was notable after acute pancreatitis. Serum RIP3 levels are independently related to illness severity and occurrence of in-hospital delirium, indicating that serum RIP3 may be a potential biomarker of acute pancreatitis.

Associations of heat with diseases and specific symptoms in Flanders, Belgium: An 8-year retrospective study of general practitioner registration data

IntroductionGlobal temperature rise has become a major health concern. Most previous studies on the impact of heat on morbidity have used hospital data. ObjectiveThis study aimed to quantify the association between ambient temperature and a variety of potentially heat-related medical conditions and symptoms using general practitioner (GP) data, in Flanders, Belgium. MethodsWe used eight years (2012–2019) of aggregated data of daily GP visits during the Belgian summer period (May-September). A distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) with time-stratified conditional quasi-Poisson regression was used to account for the non-linear and delayed effect of temperature indicators (minimum, mean and maximum). We controlled for potential confounders such as particulate matter, humidity, and ozone. ResultsThe overall (lag0-14) association between heat and most of the outcomes was J-shaped, with an increased risk of disease observed at higher temperatures. The associations were more pronounced using the minimum temperatures indicator. Comparing the 99th (20 °C) to the minimum morbidity temperature (MMT) of the minimum temperature distribution during summer, the relative risk (RR) was significantly higher for heat-related general symptoms (RR = 1.30 [95 % CI: 1.07, 1.57]), otitis externa (RR = 4.87 [95 % CI:2.98, 7.98]), general heart problems (RR = 2.43 [95 % CI: 1.33, 4.42]), venous problems (RR = 2.48 [95 % CI:1.55, 3.96]), respiratory complaints (RR = 1.97 [95 % CI: 1.25, 3.09]), skin problems (RR = 3.26 [95 % CI: 2.51, 4.25]), and urinary infections (RR = 1.37 [95 % CI: 1.11, 1.69]). However, we did not find evidence for heat-related increases in gastrointestinal problems, cerebrovascular events, cardiovascular events, arrhythmia, mental health problems, upper respiratory problems and lower respiratory problems. An increased risk of allergy was observed when the minimum temperature reached 17.8 °C (RR = 1.50 [95 % CI: 1.23, 1.83]). Acute effects of heat were observed (largest effects at the first few lags). SummaryOur findings indicated that the occurrence of certain symptoms and illnesses during summer season is associated to high temperature or environmental exposures that are augmented by elevated temperatures. Overall, unlike hospitalization data, GP visits data provide broader population coverage, revealing a more accurate representation of heat-health association.

Air quality disparities and respiratory health risks in critically polluted and relatively non-polluted areas: a prospective child health study.

Air pollution, a significant global health concern, notably impacts human well-being. Children, owing to their distinctive physiology and behavior, are particularly susceptible to its adverse effects. This prospective study examines air quality variations and respiratory risks in children residing in critically polluted areas (CPA) compared to relatively non-polluted areas (NPA), utilizing a prospective design to understand the impacts of air pollution on children's respiratory health, including measures like relative risk (RR) and attributable risk (AR). This prospective study tracked 739 students of 5th- 7th grade residing in CPA and NPA for one year, and measured the ambient and indoor air quality levels in both these areas. Throughout the study, based on the observed respiratory symptoms new episodes of upper and lower respiratory tract illnesses were recorded for each child on a weekly basis. Incidence rate, RR and AR for both the illnesses were compared. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 26.0. The study observes higher concentration for particulate matter and gaseous pollutants at CPA in comparison to NPA. Children living in CPA exhibited a notably greater weekly occurrence of both upper and lower respiratory tract illnesses compared to those in NPA, with RR of 1.26 (95% CI: 1.16-1.37) and 1.74 (95% CI: 1.34-2.27), respectively. The AR associated with air pollution for upper and lower respiratory tract illnesses among CPA students was found to be 20.7% and 42.7%, respectively. This research underscores the pressing need to address air pollution in critically polluted areas and its profound effects on children's respiratory health. Public health interventions, such as reducing emissions from industries and creating green spaces, should be prioritized. Furthermore, early respiratory health screening in schools within polluted areas could aid in the timely diagnosis and management of respiratory issues in children.

Anal tuberculosis presented as chronic perianal abscess in an immunocompetent adult: A rare case report

ABSTRACT There are reported 7.5 million cases of extra pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) (EPTB) worldwide and 19% in the South-East Asia region. Anal TB represents an exceedingly uncommon extra pulmonary manifestation of TB), occurring in fewer than 1% of individuals who acquire TB. The occurrence of perianal illness is extremely rare, accounting for 1% of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, while GI TB makes up less than 1% of all TB cases. The most prevalent manifestation is the development of a fistula in the anus, while the presentation as a perianal abscess is uncommon. We present a case of isolated perianal TB with no associated GI or pulmonary dissemination in the immunocompetent.

Machine Learning Techniques for Predication of Heart Diseases

Heart disease, or cardiovascular illness, encompasses a wide range of disorders affecting the cardiovascular system. One of the trickiest things to do in medicine is to make predictions about cardiovascular disease. Nowadays, heart disease claims the life of almost one person every minute. Heart disease has several causes, but one of the most pressing issues is the lack of sensitive, precise methods for early identification, which makes proper management of the condition impossible. Automating the prediction process is necessary to prevent the hazards connected with cardiac disease diagnosis and to inform the patient at an early stage due to the intricacy of the condition. Data mining is extensively utilized in healthcare to forecast the occurrence of cardiovascular illness by analyzing massive and intricate medical records. To forecast cardiac problems, researchers conduct in-depth analyses of massive amounts of medical data using a wide range of data mining and machine learning algorithms. Here, we provide several heart disease characteristics and build a model using supervised learning methods like random forest and support vector machine (SVM). The Kaggle repository contains the cardiac condition dataset that is used in this research. Predicting patients' risk of heart disease is the main objective of this investigation. Confusion matrices were used for proposed system evaluation .The findings demonstrate that Random Forest achieves the highest level of accuracy, reaching 98.54 percent.

Preparedness for Caregiving Role and Telehealth Use to Provide Informal Palliative Home Care in Portugal: A Qualitative Study.

Background/Objectives: Given the increasing occurrence of long-term illnesses, it is imperative to focus on adequately preparing and assisting those who assume the responsibility of caregiving. Our study aims to explore whether caregivers feel prepared to provide informal palliative home care, their experiences, and the usefulness of telehealth in managing daily activities. Methods: Using a descriptive qualitative research design and a purposeful sampling technique, thirteen primary family caregivers who provide informal palliative home care were recruited. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face individual interviews conducted from May 2023 to July 2023. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Caregivers were mainly female (n = 8) with a mean age of 59.5 years (SD = 9.42). Based on our findings, three overarching themes emerged: (1) becoming a caregiver, (2) support-from-home palliative care team, and (3) telehealth in palliative home care. The reasons that influence the preparedness of family caregivers include their own desires, health conditions, their range of responsibilities, and the consequences that arise from the situation's complexity. Telehealth helps fulfill the patient's wishes to be at home in EoL and provides caregivers with access to professional guidance and support. Conclusions: Specialized home-based palliative care teams must be aware of caregivers' self-assurance, knowledge, skills, and aptitudes in carrying out daily responsibilities and in managing emotions to improve preparedness for caregiving, loss, and its aftermath. The provision of professional PC services in the home along with a robust support system for informal caregivers is invaluable.

Professionalizing Emergency Medical Service Response Time

Abstract Prompt responses by emergency medical services (EMSs) are crucial in delivering efficient prehospital emergency treatment. The prompt arrival of EMS is strongly correlated with improved patient outcomes and increased chances of survival. To reduce the occurrence of long-term impairment or illness, the majority of EMS companies follow globally acknowledged response time benchmarks. Internationally, EMSs strive to achieve a response time of 8 min or less for 90% of life-threatening incidents. This research examines many variables that influence EMS response times and their subsequent consequences on patient outcomes. The measurement of response time starts with receipt of a clinical complaint call and concludes upon the arrival of EMS at the site. Timely and effective reactions are essential for the survival of patients, particularly in urgent medical situations. In contrast, there are data indicating that longer reaction times are associated with increased death rates. Various obstacles might hinder prompt EMS responses, including geographical obstacles, unfavorable weather and traffic conditions, and patient-specific considerations such as the kind of injury or sickness, medical history, age, and gender. In addition, a lack of staff, including insufficient workers, poor training, and the absence of standardized, up-to-date technology that simplify care delivery, may also cause delays in response times. Due to the crucial importance of EMS response times in prehospital emergency treatment, it is essential for EMS systems to make every effort to meet their response time goals.

Modeling Behavior of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in Raw and Processed Vegetables.

Given the persistent occurrence of foodborne illnesses linked to both raw and processed vegetables, understanding microbial behavior in these foods under distribution conditions is crucial. This study aimed to develop predictive growth models for Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in raw (mung bean sprouts, onion, and cabbage) and processed vegetables (shredded cabbage salad, cabbage and onion juices) at various temperatures, ranging from 4 to 36 °C. Growth models were constructed and validated using isolated strains of Salmonella spp. (S. Bareilly, S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium) and L. monocytogenes (serotypes 1/2a and 1/2b) from diverse food sources. The minimum growth temperatures for Salmonella varied among different vegetable matrices: 8 °C for mung bean sprouts, 9 °C for both onion and cabbage, and 10 °C for ready-to-eat (RTE) shredded cabbage salad. Both pathogens grew in cabbage juice at temperatures above 17 °C, while neither demonstrated growth in onion juice, even at 36 °C. Notably, Salmonella spp. exhibited faster growth than L. monocytogenes in all tested samples. At 8 °C, the lag time (LT) and specific growth rate (SGR) for Salmonella spp. in mung bean sprouts were approximately tenfold longer and threefold slower, respectively, compared to those at 10 °C. A decrease in refrigerator storage temperature by 1 or 2 degrees significantly prevented the growth of Salmonella in raw vegetables. These findings offer valuable insights into assessing the risk of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of raw and processed vegetables and inform management strategies in mitigating these risks.

Syndemic Connections: Overdose Death Crisis, Gender-Based Violence and COVID-19

This article will use syndemic theory to identify and analyze overlapping health and social conditions, focusing specifically on how gender-based violence is systemically interconnected with contemporary public health issues. The overdose death crisis that continues to afflict Canadian populations is not an isolated health issue. Across Canada, it is intertwined with mental health, HIV/AIDS, COVID-19 and structural violence—the chronic and systemic disadvantages affecting those living in poverty and oppressive circumstances. Opioid use is an often-avoidant coping strategy for many experiencing the effects of trauma, relentless fear, pain, ill health and social exclusion. In particular, Indigenous and non-Indigenous women’s experiences with opioid addiction are entangled with encounters with gender based-violence, poverty and chronic ailments within structurally imposed processes and stressors shaped by a history of colonialism, ruptured lifeways and Western ways of knowing and doing, leading to disproportionate harms and occurrences of illness. While biomedical models of comorbidity and mortality approach substance misuse, gender-based violence and major infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 as distinct yet compounding realities, this article argues that these conditions are synergistically interrelated via the critical/reflexive lens of syndemic frameworks. Through secondary research using academic, media and policy sources from the past decade in Canada, complemented by prior ethnographic research, the synergistic connections among opioid addiction, gender-based violence and the effects of the COVID pandemic on diverse women will be shown to be driven by socio-structural determinants of health including poverty, intergenerational trauma, the legacy of colonialism and Western optics. Together, they embody a contemporary Canadian syndemic necessitating coordinated responses.

Screening for Small Airway Obstruction in Garment Industry: A Pilot Study

Abstract Aim and Background: A noticeable gap in the literature is observed in factors associated with the occurrence of respiratory illness among people working in garment industries. This study aims to investigate whether spirometry screening is warranted for individuals employed within the garment industry. Subjects and Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional pilot study conducted in asymptomatic workers of various sectors in a garment industry using spirometry to check for the presence of small airway obstruction. Duration of work along with the nature of work was taken into consideration to see if any correlation exists with the small airway obstruction. Results: A random sample of 40 asymptomatic individuals was drawn consisting of 16 males and 24 females with 47.5% of them working for around 5–10 years. Ninety-five percentage showed no evidence of small airway obstruction and only 5% showed small airway obstruction showing that no correlation exists between the duration of work and the development of small airway obstruction in the garment industry. Conclusion: There appears to be no significant link between the duration of employment in the garment industry and the development of small airway obstruction as compared to the textile/cotton industry, yet annual screening could be integrated into routine health assessments.

Closing the Gap: Foster Parents' Lived Experiences and Recommendations for Interdisciplinary Health-Care Providers.

Purpose: This study explored barriers and facilitators to utilizing health-care services for foster youth, from the perspective of foster parents. Background: There are nearly 437,283 youths in the United States foster care system. Youths living in locations that are different from their familial home situations have a significantly higher occurrence of physical and mental health illnesses than children who remain in their familial homes, increasing risk for homelessness, substance use and abuse, chronic long-term illnesses, and incarceration, thus placing additional burden on the health-care system. Design and Methods: This study utilized a qualitative descriptive design with purposive sampling, with video focus groups to explore 15 foster parents' experiences in accessing health-care services for foster youth. Results: Barriers and facilitators to accessing health care and care coordination were identified, including logistics, transportation, electronic health record access, location of health care, and the impact of the social worker. Practice Implications: Nurses are well-positioned to aid in closing gaps in care for foster youth. Conclusions: These experiences provide important insights and implications for health-care providers and for future research and policy development.

Occupational Morbidities and Health-Seeking Behavior among Automobile Mechanics in the Western Region of Nigeria

Background: Automobile mechanic work is associated with illnesses and injuries. These occupational diseases can result in sickness absence, economic loss, disability, or death of these workers. This study assessed self-reported health problems and health-seeking behavior of automobile mechanics in Surulere, Lagos State. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used in this study carried out in December 2014. A systematic sampling method was employed to select 120 respondents from various workshops within their Local Government Area and were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were done using epi-info3.5.1 Results: About 27.5% of the respondents reported at least one work-related illness or injury. Five percent of the respondents had musculoskeletal disease. About 11.5% of the respondents reported having cuts and crushing injuries. Most (86.7%) of these workers do not have health workers available around their workplaces. Slightly less than half (48.3%) visit health facilities between 6 to 15 minutes of estimated walking distance. Most (70%) respondents visit health facilities when ill or injured; 33.3% patronize traditional healers/ herbs/ prayer houses (spiritualists); 25% patronize patent medicine vendors and practice self-medication. The level of education of the workers was inversely significantly associated with the occurrence of occupational injury or illness. Conclusion: High work-related morbidities were managed by a few available health workers who were majoring in the patent medicine vendor category. The importance of level of education in the control of workplace injuries and illnesses was demonstrated by this study.

Beach Sprints Rowing: Injury and Illness Prevalence at the 2022 World Championships

BackgroundInjury and illness surveillance helps establish the infrastructure to provide adequate medical support at regattas and is the foundation for developing prevention strategies.Objective(s)To assess the prevalence and characteristics of injuries...