Prevention Practices Research Articles

Healthcare workers’ compliance with COVID-19 prevention and control measures at De Martino Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHealthcare workers are a high-risk group for COVID-19 and protecting them is crucial for healthcare delivery. Limited studies have explored compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) practices among Somali healthcare workers. This study aimed to determine compliance with IPC practices among healthcare workers in De Martino Public Hospital, Somalia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at the De Martino Public Hospital, Mogadishu, Somalia from August to October 2022, with the participation of 204 healthcare workers (response rate = 97%). Compliance was assessed using responses to 25 questions on a five-point Likert-type scale, and a median score of 20 was used to dichotomize compliance scores. A chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed to check the associations between healthcare workers’ socio-demographic information, IPC-related factors, work conditions and practices on COVID-19, and IPC compliance during healthcare interventions using SPSS 23 version.ResultsIn total, 58.3% of the participants had good compliance with IPC. There were significant associations between IPC compliance and the type of healthcare worker (doctors and doctor assistants: 72.3%, nurses and paramedical staff: 67.3%, non-clinical staff: 5.7%, p < 0.01). After adjusting for potential confounding factors, compared to non-clinical staff, doctors and doctor assistants (OR: 12.11, 95% CI: 2.23–65.84) and nurses and paramedical staff (OR: 21.38, 95% CI: 4.23–108.01) had higher compliance with IPC measures. There were no significant associations between compliance and sex, marital status, vaccination status, or smoking (p > 0.05 for all).ConclusionsLow levels of compliance with COVID-19 IPC measures were observed among hospital workers. Prioritizing awareness campaigns and behavior change interventions, especially among non-clinical staff, is crucial for effective COVID-19 infection prevention and control within hospitals.

Bullying Prevention Practices and Child Stress in Public Elementary Schools

This quantitative study employed surveys to assess the extent of bullying prevention efforts from schools and parents, and to measure levels of child stress in terms of distress, lack of well-being, and absence of social support. The sample consisted of students from multiple public elementary schools. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, correlation coefficients, and regression analysis. The study found that both school and parental bullying prevention efforts were very extensive. Child stress levels were generally low across various indicators. A significant negative relationship was found between bullying prevention practices and child stress, indicating that effective prevention efforts are associated with reduced stress levels in children. Both school-based and parental efforts were identified as significant predictors in reducing child stress. The findings suggest that comprehensive bullying prevention efforts are effective in reducing child stress. The study emphasizes the importance of a multi-faceted approach involving both schools and parents in bullying prevention programs. The study concludes that effective bullying prevention practices are associated with lower levels of child stress, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts between schools and parents. Recommendations are made for researchers, the Department of Education, school heads, and teachers to enhance bullying prevention programs.

Preventive healthcare practice by allied health professionals: Results from a cross-sectional survey in rural and regional Victoria

ObjectivesTo describe the frequency of preventive healthcare practice (assess, advice, refer for support) provided by allied health professionals (AHPs) practicing in regional and rural healthcare settings to address smoking, diet and physical inactivity. To identify factors that influence the delivery of preventive healthcare practice. MethodsAHPs working in public healthcare services in the Loddon Mallee region of Victoria were surveyed. Clinicians reported on the proportion of clients where they had provided preventive care. Likert scale questions measured factors influencing preventive healthcare practice. ResultsIn total, 115 clinicians completed the survey. AHPs reported that they assess for smoking and physical activity behaviours but not diet. Preventive health practice that included providing advice or referrals for follow-on support was rarely undertaken. Availability of screening tools and automated referral letters increased the likelihood of preventive healthcare practice. ConclusionsGreater attention to addressing modifiable lifestyle behaviours by AHPs might be warranted to match the rates of risk factors in rural and regional Victoria. Integrating support systems, for example, embedding screening questions within clinical assessments can assist preventive healthcare practice. Implication for public healthMany AHPs are not promoting healthy behaviours to prevent poor health. We present some strategies that could potentially improve this.

Covid-19 vaccination status and beliefs of individuals with co-occurring serious mental illness and alcohol use disorder

ObjectiveThe study objective was to determine factors associated with obtaining COVID-19 vaccination in people with co-occurring alcohol use disorder (AUD) and serious mental illness (SMI). MethodsSurvey responses were obtained from 135 adults with SMI seeking community-based AUD treatment about their primary series vaccination status, COVID-19 preventative practices, vaccination motivators, reasons for vaccine hesitancy, and strategies to increase vaccination uptake. Vaccinated and unvaccinated groups were compared. Responses to survey items with nominal or Likert scales were analyzed with chi-square tests of association. Logistic regression was employed to determine predictors of vaccine status. ResultsSeventy-nine percent (n=107) of participants reported they were vaccinated. A higher proportion of vaccinated participants believed COVID-19 was a serious disease. While both groups adopted preventative hygiene practices at similar rates (e.g., washing hands), vaccinated participants engaged in more interpersonal practices directly involving others (e.g., wearing masks and avoiding crowds). The strongest vaccine motivator was protecting personal health, while the primary reason for hesitancy was potential side effects. Most unvaccinated participants endorsed increased safety information availability (61.1 %) and living with a high-risk-for-severe-infection individual (55.6 %) as reasons to overcome hesitancy. ConclusionsVaccination rates, motivators, and hesitancy reasons were similar to the general United States population. Strategies to increase vaccination in this high-risk population should include education on vaccine safety and side effects and the impacts of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses on others.

PageRank Algorithm-Based Recommendation System for Construction Safety Guidelines

The construction industry faces significant challenges with frequent accidents, largely due to the inefficient use of safety guidelines. These guidelines, which are often text and figure heavy, demand substantial human effort to identify the most relevant items for specific tasks and conditions. Additionally, the guidelines contain both central and peripheral elements, and central items are critical yet difficult to identify without extensive domain knowledge. This study proposes a novel recommendation framework to enhance the usability of these safety guidelines. By leveraging natural language processing (NLP) and knowledge graph (KG) modeling techniques, unstructured safety texts are transformed into a structured, interconnected KG. The PageRank and Louvain Clustering algorithm is then employed to rank guidelines by their relevance and importance. A case study on “High-rise Building Construction (General) Safety and Health Guidelines”, using ‘scaffolding’ as the keyword, demonstrates the framework’s effectiveness in improving retrieval efficiency and practical application. The analysis highlighted key clusters such as ‘fall’, ‘drop’, and ‘scaffolding’, with critical safety measures identified through their interconnections. This research not only overcomes the fragmentation of safety management documents but also contributes to advancing hazard analysis and risk prevention practices in construction management.

Genomic Surveillance for Enhanced Healthcare Outbreak Detection and Control.

Current methods are insufficient alone for outbreak detection in hospitals. Real-time genomic surveillance using offers the potential to detect otherwise unidentified outbreaks. We initiated and evaluated the Enhanced Detection System for Healthcare-associated Transmission (EDS-HAT), a real-time genomic surveillance program for outbreak detection and mitigation. This study was conducted at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital from November 2021 to October 2023. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed weekly on healthcare-associated clinical bacterial isolates to identify otherwise undetected outbreaks. Interventions were implemented in real-time based on identified transmission. A clinical and economic impact analysis was conducted to estimate infections averted and net cost savings. There were 3,921 bacterial isolates from patient healthcare-associated infections that underwent WGS, of which 476 (12.1%) clustered into 172 outbreaks (size range 2-16 patients). Of the outbreak isolates, 292 (61.3%) had an identified epidemiological link. Among the outbreaks with interventions, 95.6% showed no further transmission on the intervened transmission route. The impact analysis estimated that, over the two-year period, 62 infections were averted, with gross cost savings of $1,011,146, and net savings of $695,706, which translates to a 3.2-fold return on investment. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed EDS-HAT was cost-saving and more effective in 98% of simulations. Real-time genomic surveillance enabled the rapid detection and control of outbreaks in our hospital and resulted in economic benefits and improvement in patient safety. This study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating genomic surveillance into routine infection prevention practice, offering a paradigm shift in healthcare outbreak detection and control.

Abstract C174: Examining cervical cancer screening rates among women living with HIV in Kajiado County, Kenya

Abstract Background: Kenyan women are disproportionately affected by HIV than their male counterparts, with a prevalence 5.5% compared to men whose prevalence is 2.9%. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) are more susceptible to cancer, in particular HPV-related cancers due to their immune-compromised status. In response, Kenyan Health Ministry recommends that women living with HIV (WLWH) be screened for cervical cancer annually by either visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) or visual inspection with Lugol’s iodine (VILI), cytology and testing for HPV once every two years. Objective: Examining the rate of cervical cancer screening among women living with HIV (WLWH) in Kajiado County in 2022. Methodology: The electronic health information system was used to abstract data for WLWH in Kajiado county with 57 antiretroviral (ART) facilities. However, our analysis accessed data from 38 facilities whose data is captured in the health information system. Authorized health care workers from the County were requested to abstract redacted data from the health information system. No personal identifiers were collected from the system as away of protecting the privacy of individuals and abiding with the Kenya’s data protection law. Authorization to access the county was obtained from the county’s department of health while ethical approval was obtained from Mount Kenya University’s Institutional Scientific and Ethics Review Committee. Results: In 2022, a total of 16,827 people living with HIV were enrolled for care at the 38 ART selected sites. 11,785 (70%) were women with an age range of 15 to 49 years. A total of 3342 WLWH, representing 28.36% of the target population, were screened by using VIA. Of those screened, 3240 (97%) tested negative, 78 (2.3%) had positive results while 24 (0.7%) had suspicious lesions. Conclusion: Our analysis shows low reach of cervical cancer screening with only 28.36% of the targeted women being screened in 2022. The only available testing method (VIA) is less robust as compared to cytology and HPV testing. Thus, cervical cancer screening is underutilized, and importantly the available screening suffers fromWe also found a gap in reporting of HPV testing in the county. We thus recommend implementation science with community engagement examining the barriers to cervical cancer screening and HPV testing as well as timely reporting from multistakeholder e.g., system, provider, patient, family and advocate perspectives. This multisectoral health system-services approach will better inform research, practice and policy for effective HPV-related cancer prevention and control to reduce cancer-related morbidity and mortality among WLWH,. Citation Format: Caren Kamau, MS, Alice Njoroge,MS, Francis Makokha,PhD, Kimlin Ashing,PhD. Examining cervical cancer screening rates among women living with HIV in Kajiado County, Kenya [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr C174.

Communities’ knowledge, perceptions and preventive practices on soil-transmitted helminthes in Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia: Formative mixed study

Background Soil-transmitted helminthes (STH) infections are one of the most common neglected tropical diseases. It has become one of a significant public health problem programmatically aimed for prevention and control in Ethiopia. Limited evidence is available on communities’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices regarding STH particularly in rural settings of Jimma, Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study triangulated with the qualitative method was conducted. The survey included 732 sampled rural households. Linear regression was used to assess association between predictors of knowledge and preventive practices of STH; likewise logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of hand washing practice at critical times. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were done to test differences in median risk perception score by socio-demographic factors. Qualitative data were collected through 7 key informant interviews, 6 focus group discussions and 7 expert group discussions then transcribed verbatim. Then, the data were coded, categorized and thematized using the Atlas ti.7.1.4 software package. Results Almost all of the respondents (99.6%) had heard of STH. The prevalence of comprehensive knowledge, risk perception and preventive practices towards STH were 46.7%:(95%CI:43.2, 50.4), 55.2%: (95%CI:51.2,59) and 44.4%:(95%CI:40.8, 48.2) respectively. Likewise, the magnitude of knowledge and practice of hand washing at critical times were 42.5%: (95%CI: 38.7,45.9) and 43.9%: (95%CI: 40, 47.5) respectively. Risk perception and comprehensive knowledge towards STH varied significantly across districts and by respondents’ educational status. Ownership of improved latrine was associated to comprehensive knowledge of STH. The STH preventive practice that varied across districts was predicted by the overall and knowledge specific to washing hands at critical times. The practice of washing hands at critical times was significantly associated to knowledge of hand washing, owning improved latrine, and age from 15 to 34 year compared to &gt;45 year. Moreover, qualitative findings were supportive of the findings. Conclusion Despite reported exposures to STH communication opportunities, the study found modest levels of knowledge, perceptions, and preventive practices related to STH among rural communities where the burden of STH was the programmatic concern. These levels of knowledge, perceptions, and practices varied across the districts. Educational and latrine status predicted overall knowledge, whereas knowledge specific to hand washing and overall knowledge were predictors of STH preventive practice. Furthermore, washing hands during critical times was moderately improved among the young-aged, ownership of improved latrine and knowledgeable on hand washing. This study underscores the need for locally tailored and contextualized community behavioral change interventions needs to be strengthened toward improved STH preventive practices.

Evidence-based summary of preventive care for central venous access device-related thrombosis in hospitalized children

PurposeThis study aims to summarize the latest and best evidence on central venous access device-related thrombosis (CRT) in hospitalized children, which provides theoretical support for standardizing the preventive care practice of CRT in hospitalized children.MethodsRelevant guidelines, systematic reviews and expert consensuses were reviewed through ten guideline websites, six professional association websites and seven databases. The literature evaluation was conducted, and the best evidence from qualified studies was extracted and summarized. Furthermore, the best evidence was summarized through expert consultation and localized for the preventive care practice of CRT in hospitalized children in China.ResultsA total of 14 topics and 68 best evidence were collected, including personnel qualification and quality management, pediatric patient selection, risk assessment, central venous access device (CVAD) selection and use, tip position, catheter maintenance, basic prevention, drug prevention, imaging examination, health education, nursing records, follow-up, CVAD removal and others.ConclusionIn this study, the best evidence based on evidence-based nursing was summarized, and expert consultation was adopted to localize the best evidence collected. It is of great significance to standardize the clinical practice of pediatric nurses and ensure the effectiveness of CRT preventive care for hospitalized children, thus guaranteeing the safety of hospitalized children with CVAD catheterization.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of COVID-19 Prevention among Medical Undergraduates of a Higher Institution in Enugu Metropolis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has posed a global health crisis since its emergence in late 2019. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19 prevention among medical undergraduates in Enugu Metropolis, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, involving undergraduate medical students from the University of Nigeria, Enugu, and Ituku-Ozalla campuses. A total of 450 participants were recruited through convenience sampling, and a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic information, COVID-19 knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices. Data were analyzed using the Social Package for Social Science version 28, with statistical significance set at P &lt; 0.05. Results: The majority of participants demonstrated good knowledge of COVID-19 prevention (89.6%), with significant associations observed between knowledge and the level of study (P = 0.001). A significant relationship was also noted between knowledge and attitude (P = 0.000). In terms of practice, 24.2% of medical students reported good COVID-19 prevention practices. Additionally, a majority of participants (n = 405; 90%) had not been vaccinated against COVID-19, largely influenced by vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Efforts should focus on transforming knowledge into positive attitudes and encouraging better COVID-19 preventive practices among medical undergraduates. Addressing vaccine hesitancy through targeted education and awareness campaigns is imperative to mitigate the risks associated with the pandemic and potential future waves.

Assessment of the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) of PMTCT among Healthcare Providers at the University of Ghana Legon

One of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among communicable diseases is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A vulnerable group in this setting is HIV exposed infants, (born to women living with HIV). The magnitude of the pandemic of HIV infection in developing countries is such that multiple approaches are required to show its spread and alleviate the burden on the health sector and society in general. Every woman of childbearing age needs to be aware of HIV infection, the risks of Mother-to-Child Transmission and the services available to reduce such risks. Considering these, this study assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice of Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) among healthcare providers at the University of Ghana Legon. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used in this study. The minimum sample size for this study was calculated using the single proportion population formula by Fisher (1978): The study area was the University of Ghana Hospital Legon. The collected data was exported into STATA version 16.0 for cleaning and analysis. Descriptive analysis, such as simple frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, were used to summarize the data. Findings were presented in tables and graphs. Generally, the data accumulated from the research on the knowledge, attitude and practice of PMTCT among healthcare workers indicate that there is unsatisfactory knowledge and practice. In this study, no participants had a total good score above 85%. The relationship between gender, ward and knowledge was investigated using a chi-square. The p-value was higher than the alpha-value, indicating acceptance of the null hypothesis (p-value = 0.79 and 0.053, alpha value = 0.05). Sixteen (16) of the respondents, representing 17.6%, said HIV positive pregnant women should be managed like any other pregnant woman in Labour. The majority of the respondents (56) said at the first week of pregnancy, while only (2) said at week 28. However, their attitude was satisfactory. It must be noted that without further training and an increase in staffing levels, the quality and accessibility of PMTCT will be severely affected. It is therefore recommended that there should be continuous and pre-service training on PMTCT. All new medical officers, midwives and nurses should undergo PMTCT training, and those who are already in service should take refresher courses on new and updated guidelines.

Prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after cesarean delivery under neuraxial anesthesia and postpartum analgesia in Japan: A cross-sectional study.

This study aims to investigate the clinical practice of physicians working in obstetric setting toward postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery (CD) with neuraxial anesthesia. We conducted this online survey to all active members of the Japan Society of Obstetric Anesthesiology and Perinatology (JSOAP), where leads academic society in obstetric anesthesia in Japan. The questionnaire was developed using the Delphi method. The survey included questions about routine practices for PONV prevention, the use of neuraxial opioids, optimal practices, and perceived obstacles. The email sent three times every 2 weeks as a reminder. A total of 1046 e-mails were sent, and 307 JSOAP members responded to the survey (29.3%). More than half of responders (62.7%) used neuraxial opioids with intrathecal morphine being the most frequent. They had a higher rate of multimodal PONV prophylaxis compared with who did not use neuraxial opioids for postoperative analgesia (19.9% vs 6.7%). Metoclopramide was the commonest medication for PONV prevention, and there was a significant difference in the use of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonists (19.9% vs. 8.6%, p = 0.012). We observed that 80% of physicians reported the routine administration of prophylaxis for PONV for CD. Among these, 20% indicated the use of two or more agents. Conversely, in the cohort not administering neuraxial opioids, only 6.7% reported the use of two or more agents. The online survey showed that the physicians using neuraxial opioids for CD had a higher proportion of multimodal PONV management involving two or more agents.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices on Covid-19 Prevention of Vietnamese Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant global impact, and although it has been controlled at the moment, the possibility of a resurgence is remains high if appropriate preventive measures are taken. Da Nang was one of the largest cities where the epidemic broke out and spread intensively in Vietnam. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards COVID-19 play an important role in controlling and preventing the disease. Objectives: To evaluate the KAP toward COVID-19 prevention among patients who visit to Da Nang Hospital for examinations and identify some related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 patients who visited the Department of Medical Examination of DaNang Hospital from November 2022 to April 2023. The questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19 prevention of patients with 30 items was used and revised with the permission of the original author. Chi-square tests and odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to identify factors related to patient characteristics and knowledge, attitude, and practices of COVID-19 prevention. The results were considered statistically significant when p &lt; 0.05. Results: The percentage of participants with good knowledge, positive attitude, and successful practice on COVID-19 prevention accounted for 86.6%, 89.1%, and 56.3% respectively. Factors related to knowledge include sex (OR=1.88, 95% CI: 0.99-3.52, p-value &lt; 0.05), age, education level, and family economy; attitudes include education level, place of residence (OR=0.44, 95% CI: 0.20-0.84, p-value &lt; 0.05), occupation; and COVID-19 infection status (OR=0.47, 95% CI: 0.23-0.95, p &lt;0.05); and practices include sex (OR=0.57, 95% CI: 0.37-0.88, p-value &lt;0.05), age, education level , place of residence (OR= 0.65, 95% CI: 0.42-0.95, p-value &lt;0.05) and occupation . Conclusion: Research results showed that patients who visit to Da Nang Hospital for examinations have a high level of good knowledge and a positive attitude, while successful practices in COVID-19 prevention were not high. Thus, it is still necessary to promote and improve patients' knowledge about disease prevention vaccines, as well as enhance the practice of washing hands and covering mouths when coughing and sneezing for better disease prevention.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Prevention Practice towards Scabies among Haramaya University Health and Medical Science Students, Harar, Ethiopia 2022

Background: Scabies is a skin disease caused by infestation and sensitization to Sarcoptes scabies mites and is an endemic in tropical and subtropical areas. It is a common skin infestation, endemic in developing countries, usually affecting families and large groups of people living together. Objective: The study was aimed to assess Knowledge, attitude, and prevention practice towards scabies among Haramaya university health and medical science students, Harar, Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: Institutional -based Cross-sectional study was conducted from April 25- May 21, 2022 among 417 randomly selected students. Self-administered questioner was used to collect data. The collected data was entered into SPSS version 22 for analysis. Descriptive and analytic data was used to present the finding. Result: Approximately 62.85% of the students demonstrated a high understanding of scabies, encompassing its transmission, symptoms, and prevention methods. Conversely, 6.1% exhibited poor knowledge. A finding of attitudes towards scabies among students only 36.7% demonstrating good attitude towards the condition. The data provided underscores a significant variation in scabies prevention practices among students with 65.8% exhibiting good practices. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of continuous education and awareness programs to enhance knowledge and attitudes, which in turn can lead to better practices. It also underscores the need for targeted interventions to address the gaps identified in both knowledge levels and attitudes to foster a more proactive approach to scabies prevention and management. The findings serve as a valuable benchmark for the university and health authorities to develop tailored strategies that can improve health outcomes related to scabies within the community.

Assessment of Knowledge and Practice on Prevention of Pressure Ulcer among Nurses in Palestine- Cross Sectional Study

Pressure Ulcers (PUs) are localized skin injuries caused by long-term compression of soft tissue between an external pressure source and a bony prominence. They are one of the iatrogenic causes of extra morbidity for hospitalized patients. This study aimed to assess knowledge and practices regarding preventing PUs among nurses in Palestine. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 430 nurses in various Palestinian hospitals and health centers between February 15, 2024, and April 14, 2024. Convenience sampling was used to collect samples for this study. The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that 65.61% of participants correctly answered questions about PU prevention. Regarding practice, 55.3% of nurses demonstrated a good level, with an average score of 2.37. Additionally, there was a significant association between demographic variables and levels of knowledge and practice in PU prevention, with P values ranging from 0.01 to 0.05. The study found that male nurses had higher knowledge and practice scores than female nurses, with significant differences in mean scores. The overall level of knowledge and practice among Palestinian nurses was found to be good; however, there is room for improvement in several aspects of both knowledge and practice. Variables such as gender, age, marital status, qualification, and job experience were found to have significant correlations with the level of knowledge and practice among nurses.

Knowledge and experiences of adolescent girls and young women in the use of sexual reproductive health and HIV services at health facilities in Maputo City, Mozambique.

Knowledge and use of sexual reproductive health and human immunodeficiency virus (SRH and HIV) services are crucial for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). This study aims to assess the knowledge and perceptions of AGYW about the SRH and HIV services offered in health facilities in Maputo, Mozambique. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted based on exit surveys with AGYW held at Zimpeto and 1° de Junho Health Facilities in Maputo City, between May 1, and June 9, 2023. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA, using SPSS version 20. 590 AGYW, aged 15-24 years of age, were included in the study. In general, knowledge of SRH and HIV services was fairly high, with knowledge of each specific service offered ranging between 38% and 97%. Knowledge about SRH and HIV services differed depending on the health facility where the AGYW sought SRH and HIV services; the participant's age; their occupation; their religion, and who they lived with. Counseling services were the most commonly reported services attended, with >90% of participants reporting having received counseling for each of the following: STI and HIV and pregnancy prevention, sexuality, and safer sex practices. The quality of SRH and HIV services, and attitudes of the providers were considered good by >90% of AGYW. Roughly 95% of AGYW at Zimpeto Health Facility were either "satisfied" or "very satisfied". Whereas at 1° de Junho Health Facility, only roughly 75% of AGYW were either "satisfied" or "very satisfied", and roughly 20% of AGYW were "little satisfied that their needs had been met that day. Among AGYW there is high levels of knowledge about counseling services in contrast to diagnostics, treatment and clinical care. Specific attention should be given to ensuring appropriate physical infrastructure, such as dedicated adolescent friendly spaces and comfortable seating, and targeted interventions designed and implemented for those health facilities's identified. Targeted interventions should be designed and implemented for those HF's identified with lower AGYW perceived quality of service delivery.

Core values and competencies of public health nurses: A Delphi survey

Objectives This study aimed to clarify the core values and competencies of public health nurses (PHNs) who contribute to improve health issues in transitioning societies, based on a consensus among PHN-related organizations, including practitioners and education researchers.Methods A draft defining the core values and competencies of PHNs was developed through five consultation sessions with 20 executives and nominees of organizations in each area of PHN practice, education, and research to collect, categorize, and refine the items. The expert panel comprised 534 nominees from six PHN-related organizations, and three rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted. The consensus criteria were ≥70% for agreement and ≥80% for firm agreement.Results In the first round, 272 expert panel nominees (50.9%) responded, and 217 responded in all rounds. The draft was revised based on the feedback from each round. By round 3, >90% agreed on the core value and competency frameworks and definitions.Conclusion The Delphi survey revealed the three core value frameworks and definitions of "social justice in health," "human rights and autonomy," and "health and safety" and eight core competencies of "professional autonomy and responsibility," "scientific research and use of information science and technology," "population-based assessment and analysis," "practices for health enhancement and prevention," "building systems to improve public health," "management of healthy community development," "person/community-centered collaboration and cooperation," and "communication for consensus and solutions," with a firm agreement. Eventually, these frameworks would be the bases for creating national standards of practice, education, and research to satisfy the consensus levels of PHNs and PHN-related organizations.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 prevention among indigenous population in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study

The COVID-19 pandemic has become a significant challenge to humanity, especially marginalized groups such as indigenous people. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19 prevention among the indigenous population in Lipis district, Pahang, Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among the indigenous population and the data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a validated questionnaire. The mean score of knowledge, attitude, and practice were 2.35 (SD 1.104), 32.84 (SD 4.756), and 9.64 (SD 3.227), respectively. In the bivariable analysis, the younger the age (p < 0.001), and the higher the education level (p = 0.001) of the participants, the higher the knowledge score on COVID-19. Meanwhile, the female participants (p = 0.043) and the higher the household income, the higher the attitude score of the participants (p = 0.006). Factors that contributed to a higher score of practice towards COVID-19 prevention were younger age (p = 0.013), female (p < 0.001), no religion (p = 0.026), unemployed (p < 0.001), and higher household income (p = 0.012). There was a positive correlation between knowledge score and practice score (p = 0.001) and a positive correlation between attitude score and practice score (p < 0.001), respectively. Multivariable regression analysis showed that the younger age (p < 0.001) was significantly associated with a higher knowledge score. Furthermore, female (p = 0.018), unemployed (p = 0.001), higher knowledge score (p < 0.001), and higher attitude score (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a higher score of practice towards COVID-19 prevention among the participants, respectively. Indigenous people in Malaysia have a good knowledge, attitude, and practice towards COVID-19. However, strategic planning and programmes related to preventive practices against infectious disease outbreaks need to be conducted continuously to reduce the outbreaks in the future.

Integration of IPC/WASH critical conditions into quality of care and quality improvement tools and processes: Bangladesh case study

Unsafe patient care in hospitals, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is often caused by poor infection prevention and control (IPC) practices; insufficient support for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and inadequate waste management. We looked at the intersection of IPC, WASH, and the global initiative of improving health care quality, specifically around maternal and newborn care in Bangladesh health facilities. We identified 8 primary quality improvement and IPC/WASH policy and guideline documents in Bangladesh and analyzed their incorporation of 30 subconditions under 5 critical conditions: water; sanitation; hygiene; waste management/cleaning; and IPC supplies, guidelines, training, surveillance, and monitoring. To determine how Bangladesh health care workers implemented the policies, we interviewed 33 informants from 16 public and private facilities and the national level. Bangladesh’s 8 primary guidance documents covered 55% of the 30 subconditions. Interviews showed that Bangladesh health facility staff generally rely on eight tools related to quality improvement (five); IPC (two); and supportive supervision (one) plus a robust supervision mechanism. The stakeholders identified a lack of human resources and environmental hygiene infrastructure and supplies as the main gaps in providing IPC/WASH services. We concluded that the Bangladesh government had produced substantial guidance on using quality improvement methods to improve health services. Our recommendations can help identify strategies to better integrate IPC/WASH in resources including standardizing guidelines and tools within one toolkit. Strategizing with stakeholders working on initiatives such as universal health coverage and patient safety to integrate IPC/WASH into quality improvement documents is a mutually reinforcing approach.

Integrating Nursing Practice and Policy in Opioid Overdose Prevention: Analysis of the Opioid-Overdose Reduction Continuum of Care Approach Practice Guide.

To present a comprehensive analysis of the Opioid-Overdose Reduction Continuum of Care Approach (ORCCA) Practice Guide 2023, evaluating its alignment with Russell and Fawcett's conceptual model of nursing and health policy and highlighting the implications for nursing practice and policy. This paper employs a policy analysis framework to evaluate the ORCCA Practice Guide, using Russell and Fawcett's conceptual model as a lens to assess the policy's structure and implementation. The analysis is framed by Russell and Fawcett's conceptual model, focusing on the dimensions of efficacy, effectiveness, equity and justice. This framework assesses how well the ORCCA's strategies align with these dimensions in the context of nursing and health policy. Key findings indicate that the ORCCA's strategies are integral to nursing practice, particularly in frontline interventions such as education, naloxone distribution and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) delivery. The integration of these strategies demonstrates a significant impact on the opioid crisis, enhancing the roles nurses play in opioid overdose prevention. The ORCCA Practice Guide represents a multifaceted approach to addressing the opioid crisis, with strong alignment to the conceptual model used for analysis. It underscores the essential role of nurses in implementing and refining opioid overdose reduction strategies. The study highlights the critical need for nursing involvement in policy formation and practice implementation, suggesting that nurses are key to advancing comprehensive opioid overdose prevention measures. This study addresses the problem of opioid overdoses and the need for effective interventions. The main findings show the importance of nurse-driven strategies in opioid crisis management. The research impacts public health policy and practice, particularly influencing how nursing approaches are integrated into overall health strategies for overdose prevention. No patients, caregivers, or members of the public were involved in conducting this analysis.