Practical Level Research Articles

Assessment of Knowledge and Practices Related to Non-Surgical Management of Osteoarthritis Among Patients in the Rural Community of Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that represents a major public health challenge, especially in rural communities where access to advanced healthcare is limited. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to the non-surgical management of osteoarthritis among patients in the rural district of Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 234 adult OA patients aged 45 and above, residing in selected rural areas of Sri Ganganagar. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling from local health centers and community clinics. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and correlation analyses to explore associations between demographic variables and KAP levels. Results: The study revealed that 29.9% of participants had adequate knowledge about OA, while 18.8% had inadequate knowledge. Regarding practices, 21.4% of participants demonstrated good practices in managing their OA symptoms, whereas 20.9% exhibited poor practices. Significant associations were found between age and education level with both knowledge and practice levels (p < 0.05). A moderate positive correlation was observed between age and knowledge score (r = 0.45, p = 0.002), and a strong positive correlation was found between knowledge and practice scores (ρ = 0.60, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings underscore the need for targeted health education programs in rural communities like Sri Ganganagar to bridge knowledge gaps and improve adherence to non-surgical OA management practices. Enhancing patient education and integrating healthcare providers in the patient education process could significantly improve OA management and patient outcomes in rural settings.

Cheating the evidence to get to best interest and the presumption of unfitness

AbstractThis article explores our national reactive child protection model which has focused on removing poor people from poor families and has resulted in conflating poverty with neglect. Significant issues of class and race are implicated given dramatic systemic racial and ethnic disparities and questions must be asked whether current practices have done more harm than good. In reviewing this landscape this article is descriptive and prescriptive and calls for adopting proactive public health‐oriented policies which support children and families in their homes and a culture of due process and fairness in juvenile and family court hearings involving children and their families. Dependency or abuse and neglect cases involve state intervention. These are not disputes between private parties where the sole focus is the best interest of the child regarding which guardian to be placed with. Cheating the Evidence warns against diluting the constitutional requirement of proving the lack of parental unfitness by clear and convincing evidence by making comparative judgments about placement which are based on often subjective assessments on best interests of the child which are resource based. Given that high percentage of cases involving allegations of neglect versus inflicted abuse these concerns are of paramount importance. There is a need for more rigor in fact‐finding and adherence to constitutionally required burdens of proof. Due process and fairness are best‐served by supporting client‐directed advocacy and greater transparency, including presumptively opening up the doors to closed juvenile and family court hearings as recommended by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges in 2005. Opening the doors is not a binary or either or proposition‐ we can preclude dissemination of records of youth, and protect confidentiality as a growing number of states have done. Transparency includes more than raising the level of practice of lawyers and judges‐ it includes encouraging systemic accountability from child serving agencies and educating the public about the complexities which are related to the birth or cradle to prison pipeline.

Professional Interventions for Digital Social Work: Reality and Challenges -Analytical Study

With a view to developing a vision for the development and activation of digital professional interventions for social work, the research paper will analyze the reality of professional intervention for digital social service at both minor and major practice levels, along with its most significant challenges. This is necessary given the rapid digital transformation that has permeated all spheres of life and necessitates that the humanitarian assistance professions, including the social work profession, keep up with it in order to provide higher-quality and more effective services.

Evaluation of Nurses’ practices about Umbilical Cord Care for Neonates in Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Background: The umbilical cord, made of Wharton's jelly, is a gelatinous material that extends from the fetus's umbilicus to the placenta. It consists of two umbilical arteries and one vein, and the urachus, a remnant of the allantois. Infections can lead to complications, including sepsis, abdominal button inflammation, abscess, necrotizing fasciitis, and liver abscesses. Objective(s): This study aims to evaluate nurses’ practices about umbilical cord care for Neonates. Methodology: A quantitative approach using a descriptive-analysis design was used in the present study in order to evaluate nurses’ practices about umbilical cord care for Neonates. . The period of the study was from January 13th ,2024 to May 13th, 2024 . A questionnaire was completed by 64 nurses staff from Welfare Teaching Hospital and Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatric. The sample consisted of 50 nurses. Results: The practices levels was assessed using a three-point scale. A study of nurses found that while 70% were female, the majority had a diploma in nursing and a bachelor's degree. Most had between 1 and 6 years of hospital experience and a significant number of specific NICU experience. Most nurses actively sought to update their knowledge about neonatal umbilical cord care. However, the majority of practices were rated as 'Poor', indicating a gap in compliance with established protocols and standards for umbilical cord hygiene and maintenance. The study found no significant correlation between demographic characteristics or experience in hospitals and NICUs, and suggested that knowledge alone may not translate into effective practice without continuous training and strict adherence to protocols. Conclusion: while our study agrees with some existing literature it also challenges studies indicating an interplay of factors affecting neonatal care practices beyond just the demographic characteristics of nursing staff. Future research should delve into systemic influences on practice adherence along with evaluating targeted interventions effectiveness in enhancing cord care quality, in neonatal units. Recommendation :From the results of this study and also from the previous literatures and researches its became essential to establish a mandatory training sessions for all the staff in the NICU focusing on the best practices for the care of umbilical cord, and this sessions has to include a standardized protocols to ensure that the knowledge is efficiently translated into practice.

Demystifying academic development practice

ABSTRACT The role of academic developers frequently remains obscure to the academics they support and is often misunderstood by management. In this paper, we present a framework for academic developers and academics to work together productively. We use a self-study method to interrogate what is impactful academic development practice by reflecting upon how we navigated through the tensions and realities of leading a university-wide curriculum enhancement project from the margins. We redress prevalent obscurities surrounding academic development practice by making sense of our personal learnings and experiences using a disciplined approach, with insights from higher education and management research. In our framework, we differentiate between three levels of academic development practice stemming from distinct assumptions about what results in T&L enhancements: Success in Level 1 academic development practice is attributed to individual differences between academics; Level 2 academic development practice focuses on what academic developers do to equip academics with a bag of technical and pedagogical competencies and support in producing learning resources; Level 3 academic development practice focuses on fostering a culture of learning organisation through empathetic listening, learning from mistakes and being there for those whose practice we are trying to influence.

TRUTHFUL IS MORAL: PRACTICING ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY IN CHINESE HISTORIOGRAPHY

ABSTRACTIn recent years, efforts have been made to reevaluate the tradition of Chinese historical thought and writing. This article seeks to further these efforts and offer a new understanding of the characteristics of historical writing in traditional China. It argues that, at the level of practice, traditional Chinese historians, like their counterparts in the rest of the world, were deeply concerned with establishing and communicating facts in historical writing. Their separation of commentary and narrative in order to practice “straight writing” of the latter is a telling example, one that evolved into an enshrined tradition over the long span of imperial China. At the theoretical level, Chinese historians also consciously explored the ways in which truthfulness in history could be reconciled with the ethical responsibilities they perceived and sought to assume in and for their time. This quest did not stop at the level of “praise and blame” for past personalities and events. Rather, their practice amounted to an effort, epitomized by the historical practice of the Song period (960–1279), to search for the metaphysics of historical morality, or the immanent and overarching principles that guide human society.

Antibiotic resistant bacteria in goat meat and hygienic practices among retail stores in Nashville, Tennessee

This study explores into the levels of coliform contamination, prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the hygienic practices in goat meat retail stores. Goat meat from 10 retail stores was analyzed for E. coli, Salmonella, and S. aureus using serological and PCR methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Data on hygienic practices were collected through a structured observational questionnaire. Pearson’s correlation analysis was also employed to establish the relationship between hygienic practices and coliform loads. The average coliform loads on goat meat ranged between 0.88–5.04 log10 cfu/g. Our results revealed that 52% of examined goat meat was deemed unacceptable (>3.30 log10 CFU/g). The overall level of good meat handling practices among meat handlers in our study was 45.75%. Further, the study establishes a significant correlation between the level of food safety practices and coliform load. Hence, stores with higher hygienic practice scores exhibited lower coliform loads. The prevalence of S. aureus (44%) in goat meat was significantly higher (p < 0.05) as compared to E. coli (29%), and Salmonella spp. (20%). E. coli isolates displayed the highest resistance to penicillin (31.2%), Salmonella spp. to oxytetracycline (13.9%), and S. aureus to ampicillin (29.0%). Resistance was observed across selected antibiotic classes, particularly in beta-lactams and tetracyclines, with penicillin (78.5%) and oxytetracycline (64.5%) exhibiting notable resistance. Cephalosporin resistance was noted, with 48.4 and 33.3% of isolates showing resistance to cephalothin and cefpodoxime, respectively. Bacterial isolates also demonstrated resistance to phenicol antibiotics, including chloramphenicol (9.7%) and florfenicol (16.1%), respectively. Approximately 44.1% of bacterial isolates displayed multidrug resistance and MAR index ranged from 0.25 to 0.75. The study’s findings reveal heightened levels of coliform contamination, the presence of pathogenic and multidrug-resistant bacteria in goat meat, and suboptimal meat handling practices in retail stores. The significance of improving food safety practices in retail settings is emphasized to ensure the safety of goat meat, a matter of increasing importance due to its growing demand globally.

Development, Validity, and Reliability of the Primary Eye Care Questionnaire (PECQ) Among Optometrists in Malaysia.

Visual impairment and vision loss are preventable or treatable if there is access to eyecare services for early detection and if proper interventions are given.Optometristsplay a vital role in the early detection of eye and visual-related issues.As healthcare professionals, optometrists are trained to provide comprehensive eye and vision care encompassing dispensing and refraction, detection of abnormalities in the vision and eye, and the rehabilitation of conditions of the visual system, as suggested by the World Council of Optometry.In the current practice of primary eye care, optometrists are not fully utilized and are mostly restricted to refractive correction. Therefore, the optometrists' practice level, scope, and challenges to practice primary eye care must be identified before strengthening optometrists' role in the community. The present study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaireto determine the contributing factors and challenges to the practice of primary eye care by optometrists in Malaysia. The Primary Eye Care Questionnaire (PECQ) was developed through an extensive literature search to identify the domains and to construct the items. The items were then scrutinized further through focus group discussions with experts (n = 10) from various sectors of eye care. Content validation was conducted with ophthalmologists and optometrists as panels (n = 10), followed by face validation (n = 10) by optometrists from the public and private sectors. Construct validation was performed with exploratory factor analysis and reliability was evaluated by using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the test-retest reliability. In total, the PECQ questionnaire was constructed with 123 itemsunder three main domains: contributing factors, challenges, and continuous education. The content validity index (CVI) for each item (I-CVI) score ranged from 0.9 to 1.0 for each item and the CVI for average scale (S-CVI/Ave) was above 0.8 for each domain, with internal consistency of 0.948 and Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.971. The PECQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the optometrists' scope of practice, challenges, and contributing factors to the practice of primary eye care.

Validity and reliability of chemical-based disinfectant use questionnaire in a sample of the Lebanese public community

IntroductionWorldwide, people heavily use chemical-based disinfectants to prevent the spread of COVID-19 with limited or no safety instructions. Awareness about the safe use of chemical-based disinfectants is highly recommended to...

What Is Known from the Existing Literature about Hypopressive Exercise? A PAGER-Compliant Scoping Review.

Introduction: Hypopressive exercise (HE) can be viewed as a mind-body activity, characterized by the integration of breath control and stretching postures. Proponents of HE claim that this type of training can offer potential therapeutic or health benefits. To date, there is no existing comprehensive published overview on HE. This scoping review aims to map and summarize the current literature reporting data on HE and identify key knowledge gaps and future research directions. Methods: This review considered studies that report on the immediate, short-, or long-term practice of HE regardless of condition, sex, age, and/or level of practice or physical condition. Any context or setting was considered for inclusion. This review was performed in accordance with the methodological framework proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute and by Arksey and O'Malley. MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception up to July 2023. Literature was mapped following the Patterns-Advances-Gaps-Evidence for Practice Recommendations framework to identify patterns and inform practice. Results: In total, 87 studies were identified that reported on the following themes: (1) therapeutic application of a short- or long-term HE programs (n = 56); (2) physiologic and physical responsiveness to a short- or long-term HE programs (n = 22); (3) psychologic and behavioral response to a short-term HE program (n = 14); and (4) acute or immediate physiological responses (n = 21). Literature gaps included poor methodological design, incomplete reporting of intervention, lack of male participants, and exploration of muscle groups distinct from the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles. Discussion: There is a need for high-quality randomized controlled trials, adherence to reporting guidelines on exercise, and the use of active control groups to verify clinical significance, the dose response, and health applications of HE.

A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge and Practice Regarding Menstrual Hygiene among Adolescent Girls of Selected Schools in Lucknow UP

“A descriptive study to assess the knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls of selected schools in Lucknow UP.” Objectives: To describe the socio demographic variables of adolescent girls, To assess the knowledge and practice levels of adolescent girls regarding menstrual hygiene among girls in selected schools ,To co-relate the knowledge and practice regarding menstrua; hygiene, To find out the association between knowledge and practice levels with their selected socio demographic variables of adolescent girls regarding menstrual hygiene among girls in selected school, To develop and distribute an information booklet regarding menstrual hygiene among girls. Design: Descriptive research design Setting: The study was conducted in St. Xavier’s inter college, Lucknow Sample size: The total sample size was 100 adolescent girls. Sampling technique: Simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample. Methods: Assessment was done by using self-structured questionnaires Findings: From the findings of the study it can be concluded that were under age group of 15-18 years( 64%), with regards to religion , the majority of samples belong to Hindu (82%).education majority of samples belong to 10th class (43%), majority of family income status per month is above 20,000 (36%), most of the sample belongs from nuclear family (50%), mothers education majority of sample belongs to 10th class (25%), most of the sample got menarche after 13 year (44%), majority of samples are staying at home (83%), the main source of information was family member (61%), most of the samples are bleeding during menstruation up to 4-5 day(60%), majority of samples are menstruating in 28-30 days (47%). The knowledge level of mean was assessed among adolescent students, mean was 18.26 standard deviation was 3.34 that shows that majority are having good knowledge. The Practice level of mean was assessed among adolescent students, mean was 12.53 standard deviation was 2.88 that shows that majority are having good Practice. Correlation shows that between knowledge and practice there is a weak positive correlation between knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene but it is not significant at p< 0.05 indicating that both tools do not correlate. Conclusion- Based on the findings mean knowledge scores was higher than the practice regarding menstrual hygiene. As a result, health education program should be carried out for all adolescent girl and community member regarding importance of menstrual hygiene at all level of disseminated

Knowledge attitude and practice towards foreign body aspiration management among kindergarten teachers in south-west Amhara, rural Ethiopia

Background: Aspiration of a foreign body (FB) is the act of unintentionally ingesting food, drink, or typically items. In every country on earth, it is the main cause of death. Aspirations of a foreign body in kids are typically emergency situations and account for a significant part of accidental fatalities. Problems are made worse by a lack of community understanding about foreign body aspiration. Objective: To assess the level and determinants of knowledge, attitude, and practice towards the first aid management of foreign body aspiration and airway obstruction among kindergarten teachers in northwest Amhara, Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was undergone on kindergarten teachers. Result: The result of this study showed that 78.4% of the participants had good knowledge or scored equal or more than the mean score. The total score of the attitude was calculated by rating the respondent’s correct-full responses on the attitude questions; a total of 337 (93.4%) answered all the questions 6 above the mean level of 5.98, indicating that 93.4% of the respondents have a positive attitude. Discussion: In the present study, 78.4% of kindergarten teachers demonstrated good knowledge. In contrast, a study conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, revealed that only 37% of participants exhibited good knowledge regarding foreign body aspiration management, significantly lower than the current study’s findings. Additionally, the same study found that 93% of kindergarten teachers held a positive attitude toward foreign body aspiration management, aligning with the results of a cross-sectional study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the attitude score was 95.1%. Conclusion and Recommendation: The result of this research shows that majority participants of this study have good knowledge and attitude towards foreign body aspiration management, but poor practice about it.

Defining pediatric neurosurgery in low-income countries: a cross-sectional study in Ethiopia.

Pediatric neurosurgical practice is prevalent in most low- and lower-middle-income countries but lacks comprehensive documentation of practice patterns, demographics, and case variety. This study aimed to present the current state of pediatric neurosurgery in Ethiopia, including workforce characterization, case variety, and relevant procedures. A survey was developed and distributed to all Ethiopian fully trained neurosurgeons (n = 50). Survey questions assessed sociodemographic variables, level of training, case variety, and neurosurgical practice. Statistical analysis was conducted to describe the current practice of pediatric neurosurgery. A total of 45 neurosurgeons responded (90%). Three respondents (7%) were women. There was only 1 fellowship-trained pediatric neurosurgeon, while most neurosurgeons were general neurosurgeons who served a pediatric patient population. Most neurosurgeons (56%) worked in the capital city, Addis Ababa, while another 13% worked in other urban settings. The top three indications for a pediatric neurosurgical procedure were neural tube defects (NTDs) (96%), hydrocephalus (93%), and trauma (60%). NTD-associated hydrocephalus was the most common hydrocephalus type seen (71%). The most common procedure for hydrocephalus was shunt insertion (96%). A prenatal diagnosis of NTD was made in < 10% of cases, as reported by 84% of respondents. The study highlights Ethiopia's need for more pediatric neurosurgeons. Suggested strategies to facilitate subspecialty training include the establishment of a fellowship program facilitated by the implementation of a nationwide pediatric neurosurgery registry. Promoting efforts for early diagnosis and treatment of pediatric conditions coupled with NTD prevention initiatives could improve pediatric neurosurgical care in Ethiopia.

Development and Reliability and Validity Analysis of the Knowledge,Attitude,and Practice Evaluation Scale for Teachers' Early Childhood Sex Education

Objective To develop the knowledge,attitude,and practice evaluation scale for teachers' early childhood sex education and analyze the reliability and validity of the scale,providing evaluation tools for the research on teachers' early childhood sex education. Methods On the basis of relevant guidelines,publications,and the theory of knowledge,attitude,and practice,a preliminary pool of items for the scale was formed by group discussions.The scale was drafted after two rounds of Delphi expert consultation.In May 2023,stratified cluster sampling was conducted,and 535 preschool teachers from Changshou District,Chongqing were selected for a survey.Cronbach's α coefficient,split-half reliability,exploratory factor analysis,and content validity were adopted to assess the reliability and validity of the scale. Results An evaluation scale for teachers' early childhood sex education was formulated,involving 27 items in 3 dimensions of knowledge,attitude,and practice.The total Cronbach's α coefficient of the scale was 0.875,and that of the knowledge,attitude,and practice dimensions were 0.902,0.743,and 0.879,respectively.The total split-half reliability of the scale was 0.937,and that of the knowledge,attitude,and practice dimensions were 0.934,0.821,and 0.912,respectively.The content validity of the scale was good,with a factor loading range of 0.500-0.836 and a cumulative variance contribution rate of 61.57.The average score of teachers' knowledge,attitude,and practice in sex education was 72.85±7.13,with a good rate of 70.84%. Conclusions The developed scale for evaluating teacher's early childhood sex education demonstrates good reliability and validity,and it can be used to evaluate the teachers' knowledge,attitude,and practice in early childhood sex education.The evaluation results indicate that teachers have low levels of knowledge,attitude,and practice in sex education,and relevant departments need to carry out training on the sex education for young children.

Background of Environmental Awareness and Pro-Environmental Behavior Among Amazonian Farmers - Emphasis on the State of Rondônia

Objective: The study aims to identify levels of environmental knowledge, environmental beliefs, environmental awareness, and sustainable practices among Amazonian farmers, associating these factors with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Theoretical Framework: Environmental awareness is the understanding of the importance of protecting the environment and promoting sustainability, influenced by backgrounds such as environmental knowledge and beliefs, and social and income factors, resulting in pro-environmental behaviors. Method: Interviews with 308 farmers from the central region of Rondônia assessed socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, environmental knowledge, environmental beliefs, environmental awareness, and sustainable agricultural practices. Quantitative analysis used t-tests and analysis of variance to identify significant differences between categories such as age, gender, property size, and education. Results and Discussion: Although it was expected that environmental components would be crucial for sustainable rural development, the variation between groups was small. Environmental awareness was positively associated with education and property size. Higher education expanded environmental understanding and the adoption of sustainable practices. Surprisingly, larger properties, despite focusing on profit maximization, showed greater environmental awareness. Female-led properties had lower adoption of sustainable practices, possibly due to reduced access to resources and support networks. Research Implications: Despite assumptions that environmental dimensions would be strongly associated with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, little variation was observed, indicating increasing uniformity in environmental awareness among farmers. Originality/Value: Understanding the environmental awareness of farmers in the Amazon is crucial for developing effective conservation strategies. Direct research with these often-overlooked farmers can provide valuable insights for public policies and environmental education, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and forest preservation.

Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Schoolchildren’s Visual and Eye Health: A Scoping Review

Abstract Studies on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of teachers regarding schoolchildren’s visual and eye health is an important step before implementing further collaboration between education and healthcare system. The input in this field is limited as many countries are at the early stage of involving teachers in school health screening programmes. This review aims to understand the level of KAP among teachers on schoolchildren’s visual and eye health and the methodology used to conduct these studies. This scoping review was conducted based on Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping studies. A systematic search using electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Ebscohost) was conducted to identify relevant articles, imported into the Rayyan web application for review management. Mendeley desktop was utilised for citation management. A total of 463 articles were identified during the selection process, and 17 articles were included in this scoping review after eligibility screening. These studies were grouped into three designs: cross-sectional, intervention, and qualitative. This scoping review revealed that the level of knowledge and practice among teachers on schoolchildren’s visual and eye health was low to moderate, while the level of attitude was good. Some misconceptions exist among teachers regarding children’s visual and eye health. Training programmes for teachers are crucial to significantly improve their KAP levels. Most of the teachers lacked the knowledge and practice concerning children’s visual and eye health. However, with a good attitude, their awareness level can be upgraded with proper training, eye screening facilities, and access to information.

Knowledge and Practice Regarding Vocal Hygiene Among Teachers of Selected Schools, Kathmandu

BackgroundVocal hygiene is the practice of taking care of the voice and minimizing strain on it. This comprises avoiding smoking, alcohol and other harmful substances, remaining hydrated, and practising proper breathing techniques. This study intended to evaluate the level of knowledge and practices concerning vocal hygiene. MethodologyA cross-sectional study design was utilized to conduct the study among teachers in Greenland Higher Secondary School, Basundhara, National Academy and Nirmal Batika Academy using a self-administered structured questionnaire. A sample of 122 teachers was taken using a complete enumerative sampling technique. The data was collected from 1st October to 16th October and was edited, coded, and entered into the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) for further analysis. Data was examined using descriptive (frequency, percentage mean and standard deviation), inferential Statistics (chi-square test) and Karl Pearson’s test. FindingsThe study results presented that nearly half, 49.2% of the respondents, had a moderate level of knowledge, 31.1% had an inadequate level of knowledge, and 19.7% had an adequate level of knowledge regarding Vocal Hygiene (VH). The results discovered that 73% of the respondents had good practice, and 27% had poor practice regarding VH. There was a statistically significant association only between the level of knowledge regarding VH and the number of classes taken per week (p=0.0053). ValueThe study showed that the majority of teachers have moderate knowledge about vocal hygiene, whereas there is good practice among teachers. The results strongly recommend the need for vocal hygiene training sessions for teachers.

Knowledge and Practices Among Livestock Owners Regarding Brucellosis- A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Brucellosis is one of the earliest identified and most prevalent zoonotic diseases of bacterial origin with 5, 00, 000 human cases every year globally. Cases reported are only the tip of the iceberg because of the non-specificity in clinical manifestations and chronicity in complications. The study was conducted to determine the knowledge and practices regarding brucellosis among livestock owners and to determine the sero-prevalence of brucellosis in livestock owners. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 256 livestock owners. Knowledge and practices were assessed using two-point assessment. Anti-brucellosis IgG and IgM antibodies were tested by slide agglutination test and in turn, were confirmed by standard tube agglutination test. Results: Almost 70% of participants had poor knowledge and followed poor practices. Participants with intermittent fever (aOR: 0.2465), joint pains (aOR: 0.1418), and a history of abortions in their animals (aOR: 0.2303) were less likely to have poor knowledge. Illiterate participants (aOR: 11.9512) and those without a cowshed (aOR: 7.1445) were more likely to have poor knowledge about brucellosis. Participants with low socio-economic status (aOR: 17.3726), those who had heard about brucellosis through radio/television (aOR: 3.7746), those with primary-level education (aOR: 13.9779), and illiterate participants (aOR: 43.9506) more likely to follow poor practices. Participants with a history of symptoms like intermittent fever (aOR: 0.1338) and a history of abortions in their animals (aOR: 0.052) were less likely to follow poor practices related to brucellosis. (p&lt; 0.05). Conclusion: The study participants had a poor understanding of brucellosis and high levels of risky practices, all of which contributed to the risk of contracting brucellosis.

Knowledge, Attitude And Practice Of Antenatal Care Among Pregnant Women Of Angu Wan Rogo Sokoto State, Nigeria

Background: Antenatal care is a medical and general care that is provided to pregnant women during pregnancy. In Nigeria as well as in the world maternal mortality is high.The aim of this study is to access the level of knowledge, attitude and practice toward antenatal care service among women of Unguwar Rogo Sokoto. Materials and Method: The study design was cross sectional descriptive design and study population among married women of reproductive age group of Unguwar Rogo area Sokoto. A total of 250 women were selected based on systematic random sampling technique after estimating number of women (650). Interviewed administered questionnaire was the instrument used and data collected was entered into SPSS version 20 and analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard division and chi-square Result: Majority 232 (92.8%) of women knew about antenatal care and the rest 18 (7.2%) did not know about antenatal care. About ( 94%) of the respondents wanted to follow antenatal care while (6.0% ) women do not want to follow antenatal care if they get pregnant due to negative attitude.Home delivery was found to be 42.5%. Also, about 94% of women practiced antennal care follow up during their pregnancy time. The chisquare of mother knowledge and mother practice X 2 = 160.4622 and p-value = 0.000 show that there is statistically significant association between mother knowledge and practice of ANC. Conclusion and Recommendation: Both knowledge and practice of antenatal care service were found to be good among the study respondent but hospital delivery is low. The study further recommend the need to educate both women and husband to know the important of hospital delivery.

Intensive care nurses' knowledge and practices regarding medical device-related pressure injuries: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

This study aims to determine the levels of knowledge and practices of intensive care nurses regarding medical device-related pressure injuries (MDRPIs). This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between September 2023 and February 2024, involving 143 nurses working in intensive care units across three hospitals in Türkiye. The data were collected using the demographic form and the Medical Device-related Pressure Injuries Knowledge and Practice Assessment Tool (MDPI-ASSET). Of the nurses, 74.1% have encountered MDRPIs in their unit, 63.6% feel that their knowledge about MDRPIs is insufficient and 90.2% express a desire to receive training about MDRPIs. The participants' total mean MDPI-ASSET score was 11.12 (out of 21). The nurses achieved the highest mean score on the Aetiology/risk factors sub-scale and the lowest mean score on the Staging sub-scale. The analysis revealed significant differences in the mean MDPI-ASSET total scores among nurses based on the status of previous encounters with MDRPIs (t = 2.342; p = 0.021) and their feelings of responsibility for the development of MDRPIs (t = -2.746; p = 0.007). In this study, the knowledge and practices of intensive care nurses regarding medical device-induced pressure injuries were found to be inadequate. Given the frequent occurrence of MDRPIs in intensive care units, it is necessary to support nurses with continuous organizational-level training to improve the quality of care for critically ill patients.