Prospective Cross-sectional Survey Research Articles

Survey of the endoscopy workforce’s perception of sustainability

ObjectiveThe National Health Service is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, with endoscopy ranking as the third highest contributor of waste in healthcare. We aimed to ascertain the endoscopy...

Epidemiological overlaps in COVID-19 and malaria within healthcare and community settings of Southern Ghana.

COVID-19 disruptions including lockdowns and prioritization of COVID-19 control programs in Africa in 2020-2022 contributed to reductions in malaria control activities including malaria diagnosis, treatment and resistance monitoring. This study investigated the malaria burden and distribution on the background of active transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Southern Ghana; utilizing community health education and medical screening (CHEMS) approach to determine epidemiological overlaps in COVID-19 and malaria. Between October-December 2022, prospective cross-sectional surveys, with CHEMS were conducted in Greater Accra and Central regions, where 994 participants enrolled either at a hospital or community setting provided demographic and clinical data including history of clinical malaria infection and antimalarial treatment in the past 2 weeks. Of this study population, 953 provided nasal/throat swabs for COVID-19 RT-PCR testing, with a subset of 136 participants also providing finger-prick blood for malaria RDT testing. The study population comprised of 73.6% adults, with 54.6% COVID-19 vaccination rate. Overall, 18.1% of participants had a history of clinical malaria, which was associated (adjusted odds ratio > 1.50, p-value ≤0.022) with COVID-19 symptoms and positivity, study area and hospital setting, suggestive of overlaps in the epidemiological risk for malaria. On a background of widespread SARS-CoV-2 infections (12-37%), malaria parasitaemia was detected in 6%, with 2% being co-infections with SARS-CoV-2. Among the malaria positives, 9.5% had a history of antimalarial treatment, which suggested that their infections were recrudescent parasitaemia. The epidemiological and clinical overlap between malaria and COVID-19 within the hospital and community settings underscores the need for accurate case diagnosis to inform effective clinical treatments. Innovative surveillance programs, with community engagement are needed to maximize control interventions including treatment of asymptomatic malaria infections.

ChatGPT for addressing patient-centred frequently asked questions in glaucoma clinical practice

Large language models such as ChatGPT-3.5 are often used by the public to answer questions related to daily life, including health advice. This study evaluated the responses of ChatGPT-3.5 in answering patient-centred frequently asked questions (FAQs) relevant in glaucoma clinical practice. Prospective cross-sectional survey. Twelve experts across a range of clinical, education and research practices in optometry and ophthalmology. Over 200 patient-centric FAQs from authoritative professional society, hospital and advocacy websites were distilled and filtered into 40 questions across four themes: definition and risk factors, diagnosis and testing, lifestyle and other accompanying conditions, and treatment and follow-up. The questions were individually input into ChatGPT-3.5 to generate responses. The responses were graded by the twelve experts individually. A 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree) was used to grade ChatGPT-3.5 responses across four domains: coherency, factuality, comprehensiveness, and safety. Across all themes and domains, median scores were all 4 ("agree"). Comprehensiveness had the lowest scores across domains (mean 3.7±0.9), followed by factuality (mean 3.9±0.9), and coherency and safety (mean 4.1±0.8 for both). Examination of the individual 40 questions showed that 8 (20%), 17 (42.5%), 24 (60%) and 8 (20%) of the questions had average scores below 4 (i.e. below "agree") for the coherency, factuality, comprehensiveness and safety domains, respectively. Free-text comments by the experts highlighted omissions of facts and comprehensiveness (e.g. secondary glaucoma) and remarked on the vagueness of some responses (i.e. that the response did not account for individual patient circumstances). ChatGPT-3.5 responses to FAQs in glaucoma were generally agreeable in terms of coherency, factuality, comprehensiveness, and safety. However, areas of weakness were identified, precluding recommendations for routine use to provide patients with tailored counselling in glaucoma, especially with respect to development of glaucoma and its management.

Demographic and Clinical Features of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Chad: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Survey.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by the protozoan Leishmania donovani complex, is endemic in many parts of the world. Little known in Chad, VL has been recently documented from previously nonendemic areas. We report an epidemiological investigation of VL in the Léré district hospital in southwestern Chad. After informed consent, 40 VL patients were enrolled in the study. Diagnosis made using the formalin serological test was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction on blood samples. Clinical parameters were obtained from the physician or nurse caregiver, and from patients. Of a total of 40 serology positive patients, L. donovani DNA was found in 33 (82.5%), with 55% being male patients. The most affected age groups were 15-29 (47.5%) and 0-14 (32.5%) years. Fever, weight loss, and pallor were frequent symptoms. Notably, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly were uncommon clinical signs. Common comorbidities included malaria (25%) and hepatitis B (15%), followed by gastric ulcer (10%) and tuberculosis (7.5%). These comorbidities were concurrent with VL and were diagnosed microscopically in blood and serum for malaria and tuberculosis, respectively, and by the rapid diagnostic test using serum for hepatitis B and gastric ulcer. Thirty-five percent of cases were treated with meglumine antimoniate, and three patients (7.5%), all with comorbidities, died. Sixty percent of patients lived close to the main town. Our data demonstrate that VL is endemic in the health district of Léré. Improving health education regarding L. donovani infection in endemic areas of Chad and providing training of health workers on early detection and management of VL are needed to help save lives.

An investigation into the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination among undergraduate medical students (A prospective cross-sectional KAP survey)

Introduction: The most common sexually transmitted infection worldwide is the human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. It is believed that over 80% of sexually active women have contracted the virus at some point in their lives. About 11 million women in Saudi Arabia who are aged 15 to 44 years are at risk of having HPV-related cervical cancer. Aim: To assess the awareness and knowledge of undergraduate medical students (males and females) about the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination and to pinpoint the major factors influencing their attitudes towards it. Subjects and methods: A prospective, cross-sectional online survey included 411 undergraduate medical students (males and females) across different grades during three months, from January 1st to March 31st, 2024, at the Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia. We statistically analyzed the collected data using Microsoft Office®, Excel® 2016, and IBM's Statistical Package for Social Studies (SPSS®) version 26.0. IBM is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Results: The majority of participating students were of young age, 20–25 years old (233, 56.69%), female (393, 95.62%), and of Saudi nationality (260, 63.26%). The most common recruited students were from the preparatory year (124, 30.17%), while the fewest were from the M6 grade (6, 1.46%). We implemented "Kamel's scoring system for students' awareness", which yielded the following scores: not acceptable (124, 30.17%), fairly acceptable (101, 24.57%), moderately acceptable (95, 23.11%), acceptable (71, 17.27%), and highly acceptable (20, 4.87%). Next, we implemented "Kamel's scoring system for students' knowledge", which yielded the following scores: very low (130, 31.63%), low (110, 26.76%), moderate (90, 21.90%), high (50, 12.17%), and very high (31, 7.54%). We implemented "Kamel's scoring system for students' attitude" to assess the students' attitude towards HPV vaccine utilization. We interpreted the calculated scores as inadequate or poor (136, 33.09%), reasonable or fair (100, 24.33%), sufficient or good (80, 19.46%), remarkable or very good (70, 17.03%), and outstanding or excellent (25, 6.08%). results were of statistical significance (the P-value is <0.00001). Conclusion: The estimated degree of awareness and knowledge about the HPV vaccination among undergraduate medical students at the Batterjee Medical College (BMC) was poor. This results in low motivation and utilization of the available vaccine.

Calf morbidity and mortality rates Associated risk factors in smallholder dairy farms in Kembata Tembaro zone, Southern Ethiopia

A study was carried out in the Kembata Tembaro Zone of Southern Ethiopia, focusing on both prospective cohort and cross-sectional surveys. The objective was to measure the rates of calf sickness and death and to pinpoint the factors that contribute to these conditions. Over 180 days, 140 newborn calves from selected small-scale dairy farms were studied. The study evaluated the prevalence of illness, mortality, and specific diseases by calculating incidence rates. Results indicated a 41.7% risk of illness and a 9.5% mortality rate among calves. Factors such as the calf's condition at birth, birth location/environment, the surface on which the calf was born, timing of the first colostrum intake, maternal parity, calf breed, and the breeding service technique significantly influenced mortality rates. Similarly, these factors were also significantly linked to the crude morbidity rate. Calves born naturally were at a lower risk of sickness (HR=0.6, p=0.001) compared to those assisted. Calves born indoors had a lower risk of sickness (HR=0.9, p=0.008) than those born outdoors. Calves that received colostrum within six hours of birth had a lower risk of sickness (HR=0.6, p=0.009) than those that received it later. Additionally, the study found that the floor of the birth place, the mother's parity, the breed of the calf, and the technique of the breeding service were additional risk factors for calf sickness. The time of the first colostrum intake, the mother's parity, and the calf's birth condition were also significant risk factors for calf death.

Awareness, knowledge and challenges faced by beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana with special reference to eyecare in three districts of Uttar Pradesh state: A cross-sectional study.

The aim was to analyse the knowledge and awareness regarding Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) within the operational districts of two high-volume non-profit eye organisations in Uttar Pradesh. Challenges faced by beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries are also examined. A prospective cross-sectional survey from November 2021 to April 2022 was conducted across operational districts of organisations A and B. Cluster sampling was used to select participants in randomly selected villages with 200 or more households, within 10-15 km of existing vision centres. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to collect data. The means of AB-PMJAY indicators were estimated. Awareness was estimated as a summed score. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to check the effects of the socio-economic and socio-demographic factors on the awareness of AB-PMJAY for both organisations separately and together. A total of 1151 participants were interviewed: 52.9% from the catchment area of organisation A and 47.1% from that of organisation B. From the catchment of organisations A and B, 82.6% and 22.9% participants, respectively, had heard of the scheme, mostly from family and friends. Whereas 43% interviewees from the catchment area of organisation A and 8.5% from that of organisation B had knowledge about at least one topic, only 8.5% and 2.8%, respectively, were knowledgeable about all topics. Village effect was found to be significant for most of the knowledge and awareness indicators in both catchments. Only 37.8% and 20.2% of the catchment from organisations A and B, respectively, were AB-PMJAY cardholders. Of the services availed, 50% were cataract surgery. Almost 40% of the applicants faced some challenges while securing the AB-PMJAY card and 9% while using the AB-PMJAY card. Family income was found to be the only common predictor of knowledge at both locations. Varied awareness and limited knowledge in catchment villages put the onus on community eyecare organisations to spread awareness in their catchment, which may increase the uptake and utilisation of the scheme.

Use of HBsAg-positive donors in liver transplantation: An ILTS-EASL-AASLD multisociety survey.

The gap between organ supply and demand in liver transplantation remains large in most parts of the world. One strategy to increase the donor pool is to use grafts infected with HCV, HBV, and/or HIV viruses. We aimed to explore the current use of HBsAg-positive liver grafts worldwide. A prospective cross-sectional web-based survey was designed, with a total of 28 queries, assessing national and local regulations, center experience, and center-specific experience related to the topic, and sent to all members of International Liver Transplantation Society, European Association for the Study of the Liver, and American Association for the Study of the Liver, and promoted on social media. A total of 135 liver transplant centers answered the survey: 38% from WHO European Regions, 39% from American regions, and 9.7% from South-East Asian regions. Most of the participating centers (67.3%) had been performing liver transplantation for over 15 years, with a mean of 66.5 liver transplants per year, and 54% also performed living-donor liver transplants. HBV-related disease was the indication for liver transplantation in an average of 15% of all liver transplantation cases. Regarding national and/or regional regulations, 40% of the centers reported that the use of HBsAg-positive donors was permitted, and an additional 20% could use them under special circumstances. Thirty-two centers (31%) had previously used HBsAg-positive donors. Among these centers, 62.5% conducted living-donor liver transplants and showed an increased inclination towards the use of HBsAg-positive grafts in centers with elevated waitlist mortality. HBsAg-positive donors are underutilized worldwide. The use of HBsAg-positive liver grafts could help to increase the donor pool, particularly in highly endemic areas.

Perception of skin cancer risk and sun protective practices in individuals with vitiligo: a prospective international cross-sectional survey

Many individuals with vitiligo are uncertain about their skin cancer risk, phototherapy risks, and recommended sun protective practices. This study examined the perceived skin cancer risk and sun protective practices among individuals living with vitiligo. A secondary objective was to understand where participants obtain this information. This was a prospective cross-sectional study. An online survey was distributed to vitiligo support group leaders globally who shared the survey with their members. Individuals over the age of 18 and with vitiligo were included. There were 209 survey respondents, the majority were between the ages 35–54 (45.5%, n = 95), female (70.8%, n = 148), White (66.0%, n = 138). Nearly half of respondents believed they were at increased risk of skin cancer because of their vitiligo (45.5%, n = 95) and nearly a quarter (22.5%, n = 47) believed that phototherapy increased their risk of skin cancer. Having vitiligo affected sun protective practices with less than a quarter (24.4%, n = 51) of respondents using sunscreen daily or often prior to their vitiligo diagnosis in comparison to the majority of respondents (60.3%, n = 126) using it after their vitiligo diagnosis. The three most common sources where patients obtained information were the internet and social media (46.4%, n = 97), vitiligo support groups (23.4%, n = 49), and dermatologists (20.6%, n = 43). Despite evidence indicating a decreased risk of skin cancer in individuals with vitiligo and supporting the safety of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy, many participants believed they were at an increased risk of skin cancer. Findings were sub-stratified and showed differences in sunscreen usage based on gender, skin color, and percent depigmentation. This study also found nearly half of respondents obtained information related to vitiligo from the internet and social media. The number of participants may limit the generalizability of the findings. Survey questionnaires are also subject to response bias. The findings from this study highlight demographic variations in sunscreen usage which may help guide the development of targeted interventions to improve sun protective behaviors among diverse populations with vitiligo. In addition, this study suggests certain sun protective practices and skin cancer risk perceptions may vary based on extent of depigmentation. Lastly, this study also demonstrates the internet and social media as a popular source for obtaining information, emphasizing the need for dermatologists to leverage various online communication channels to help disseminate accurate information.

Comparative Analysis of Life Satisfaction of Patients before and after Diagnosis of Eye Pathologies

Aim: To compare the life satisfaction of patients before and after diagnosis of eye pathologies. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional survey amongst eye patients at Guinness Eye Centre, Onitsha, South East, Nigeria using pretested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Data collected included the socio -demographics and the life satisfaction scores of the patients before, and 4-6 weeks after diagnosis. Results: A total of 137 patients in the age range 18 to 88years, and with disease duration ranging from 1 to 23 years were enrolled. There was equal male to female ratio with mean age of 54.6 years. There was significant decreased mean life satisfaction scores from 25.9 before diagnosis to 24.3 after diagnosis among participants with eye pathology. Conclusion: The diagnosis of a vision threatening eye pathology is associated with lowering of life satisfaction hence the need to incorporate psychotherapy in the long term management of these patients.

Duration of Illness and Resilience as Determinants of Life Satisfaction amongst Patients with Eye Pathologies

Aim: To determine how duration of disease and resilience as determinants correlate with life satisfaction amongst eye pathology patients Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional survey amongst eye patients at Guinness Eye Centre, Onitsha, South East, Nigeria using pretested interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Information such as the socio -demographics, duration of disease and questions aimed at assessing the resilience and life satisfaction scores of these patients were collected. Results: A total of 137 patients in the age range 15 to 88years, and with disease duration ranging from 1 to 23 years were enrolled. Gender and age of the participants were controlled as covariate. There was significant correlation between duration of eye pathology diagnosis and life satisfaction r= -0.22, p= 0.01, and resilience and life satisfaction r= 0.30, p= 0.01. In other words as the duration of eye pathology diagnosis increases, the more likely that the patient will report lesser life satisfaction. In contrast, patients who report higher resilience were more likely to also report higher life satisfaction. Conclusion: Life satisfaction amongst eye pathology patients is significantly determined by duration of eye disease and resilience.

Oncologists’ perspective on advance directives, a French national prospective cross-sectional survey – the ADORE study

BackgroundThe often poor prognosis associated with cancer necessitates empowering patients to express their care preferences. Yet, the prevalence of Advance Directives (AD) among oncology patients remains low. This study investigated oncologists' perspectives on the interests and challenges associated with implementing AD.MethodsA French national online survey targeting hospital-based oncologists explored five areas: AD information, writing support, AD usage, personal perceptions of AD's importance, and respondent's profile. The primary outcome was to assess how frequently oncologists provide patients with information about AD in daily clinical practice. Additionally, we examined factors related to delivering information on AD.ResultsOf the 410 oncologists (50%) who responded to the survey, 75% (n = 308) deemed AD relevant. While 36% (n = 149) regularly inform patients about AD, 25% (n = 102) remain skeptical about AD. Among the respondents who do not consistently discuss AD, the most common reason given is the belief that AD may induce anxiety (n = 211/353; 60%). Of all respondents, 90% (n = 367) believe patients require specific information to draft relevant AD. Physicians with experience in palliative care were more likely to discuss AD (43% vs 32.3%, p = 0.027). Previous experience in critical care was associated with higher levels of distrust towards AD (31.5% vs 18.8%, p = 0.003), and 68.5% (n = 281) of the respondents expressed that designating a “person of trust” would be more appropriate than utilizing AD.ConclusionDespite the perceived relevance of AD, only a third of oncologists regularly apprise their patients about them. Significant uncertainty persists about the safety and relevance of AD.

Patient satisfaction with ultrasound, whole-body CT and whole-body diffusion-weighted MRI for pre-operative ovarian cancer staging: a multicenter prospective cross-sectional survey

BackgroundIn addition to the diagnostic accuracy of imaging methods, patient-reported satisfaction with imaging methods is important.ObjectiveTo report a secondary outcome of the prospective international multicenter Imaging Study in Advanced ovArian...

Timelines for Return to Different Sports Types After Eight Cervical Spine Fractures in Recreational and Elite Athletes: A Survey of the Association for Collaborative Spine Research.

Prospective cross-sectional survey. To identify timelines for when athletes may be considered safe to return to varying athletic activities after sustaining cervical spine fractures. While acute management and detection of cervical spine fractures have been areas of comprehensive investigation, insight into timelines for when athletes may return to different athletic activities after sustaining such fractures is limited. A web-based survey was administered to members of the Association for Collaborative Spine Research that consisted of surgeon demographic information and questions asking when athletes (recreational vs elite) with one of 8 cervical fractures would be allowed to return to play noncontact, contact, and collision sports treated nonoperatively or operatively. The third part queried whether the decision to return to sports was influenced by the type of fixation or the presence of radiculopathy. Thirty-three responses were included for analysis. For all 8 cervical spine fractures treated nonoperatively and operatively, significantly longer times to return to sports for athletes playing contact or collision sports compared with recreational and elite athletes playing noncontact sports, respectively (P< 0.05), were felt to be more appropriate. Comparing collision sports with contact sports for recreational and elite athletes, similar times for return to sports for nearly all fractures treated nonoperatively or operatively were noted. In the setting of associated radiculopathy, the most common responses for safe return to play were "when only motor deficits resolve completely" and "when both motor and sensory deficits resolve completely." In this survey of spine surgeons from the Association for Collaborative Spine Research, reasonable timeframes for return to play for athletes with 8 different cervical spine fractures treated nonoperatively or operatively varied based on fracture subtype and level of sporting physicality.

Public perception of participation in low-risk clinical trials in critical care using waived consent: a Canadian national survey.

The acceptability of waiver of consent for participation in clinical research in intensive care unit (ICU) settings is uncertain. We sought to survey the Canadian public to assess levels of support, comfort, and acceptability for waived consent for low-risk clinical trials. We performed a prospective cross-sectional survey of the Canadian public aged 18yr or older. The survey was conducted by Ipsos between 19 and 23 November 2020. The survey content was derived from a literature review and in consultation with a patient and family partnership committee. The survey focused on attitudes and beliefs on waived consent for participation in low-risk clinical trials in ICU settings. The survey contained 35 items focused on sociodemographics, general health status, participation in medical research, and levels of support and comfort with research and with waived consent. The survey used a case study of a low-risk clinical trial intervention in ICU patients. Analysis was descriptive. We included 2,000 participants, 38% of whom reported experience with ICU and 16% with medical research. Participation in medical research was more common among those with postsecondary education, those with chronic disease, and those who were employed in health care. Most (80%) would support a model of waived consent for low-risk clinical trials, citing medical benefits (36%) and low perceived risk (34%). Most (77%) were comfortable with personally participating in a low-risk clinical trial. Most (80%) believed waived consent approaches were acceptable. Half (52%) believed the waived consent process should provide information about the research and include the option of opting out. When asked whether participants should always give full informed consent, regardless of the practicality or level of risk, 74% and 72% agreed, respectively. There is public support for models of waived consent for participation in low-risk pragmatic clinical trials in ICU settings in Canada; however, this is not universal. This information can inform and guide education, ethics, policy, and legal discussion on consent models.

Cross-sectional Analysis of Health Behavior Tracking, Perceived Health, Fitness, and Health Literacy Among Active-Duty Air Force Personnel.

There is a paucity of evidence connecting health literacy, perceived wellness, self-reported fitness activity, or military readiness to wearable devices. Moreover, we do not currently know the prevalence and impact of health tracker device use in the active-duty Air Force population. This prospective cross-sectional survey assessed self-reported fitness activity, health-related quality of life, health literacy, and health behavior tracking practices and preferences among active-duty Air Force service members. Four hundred twenty-eight respondents completed an online survey, with 247 selecting tracking a health behavior and 181 selecting that they did not track a health behavior. Demographic characteristics of the sample showed no significant differences in age, sex distribution, or mode of service. We found that there were no significant differences in self-reported aerobic and strength training frequency, health literacy, or health-related quality of life. More than half of nontracking respondents either had not considered or had no interest in tracking health behaviors. Nearly three-quarters of tracking respondents tracked more than one health behavior. Further research could explore the extent to which these technologies improve fitness, health outcomes, and overall readiness in the military, involving longitudinal studies tracking fitness improvements and health outcomes among service members using wearable devices.

COVID-19 Awareness, Overview of Vaccines and Method of Medical Education Among Medical Faculty Students

Background: Medical faculty students symbolize a significant part of the health-care society and are remarkable members of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to response. &#x0D; Aims: This study aimed to evaluate various factors associated with COVID-19 awareness, vaccine, and medical education during the pandemic among medical faculty students via surveys.&#x0D; Study design: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional survey study about masks, distance and hygiene awareness, COVID-19 vaccination, and methods of medical education with medical faculty students (MFS).&#x0D; Methods: A total of 322 medical faculty students answered the questionnaire forms. The questionnaire collected socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19 Awareness, general willingness, attitude toward vaccination, and attitude toward educational models.&#x0D; Results: The total awareness score (79.53±27.45) was determined as a high level of awareness among the participants. 4th grade MFS were found to be more sensitive to mask, hygiene, and total score awareness than in the 2nd grade (p= 0.03, p=0.006). There were no statistically significant differences between educational grades in general willingness and attitude towards vaccination. It was determined that the medical students in the last 3 years wanted face-to-face education statistically more than the MFS in the first 3 years (p=0.00).&#x0D; Conclusion: The vast majority of the participants had a high level of knowledge about COVID-19. The majority of the study population is willing to be vaccinated whereas some populations are hesitant about vaccination. This information may be used in future immunization strategies to increase the vaccination rates and which educational methods to choose among this group of future medical professionals.

Predictors of Intern Pharmacists Job Satisfaction in Federal Teaching Hospitals in Southeast Nigeria

Background: Job satisfaction is a quality assessment standard measure used in evaluation of employers output and outcomes. Increase in job satisfaction correlates positively with employees output. This study assessed the predictors of intern pharmacists job satisfaction ina tertiary hospital in southeast Nigeria. Methods: The study was a questionnaire web and paper-based prospective cross-sectional survey among eligible intern pharmacists who gave their informed consent to participate in the study. Data was summarized with descriptive statistics. Linear regression analysis were used to predict factors affecting intern pharmacist’s job satisfaction while correlation coefficient was used to determine the strength of association. Reliability estimation was done using the Cronbach alpha. All tests for differences between subgroup distributions were regarded as significant if p-values equal to or less than (0.05) (two-tailed test) was reported. Results: Overall, (168) intern pharmacists participated in the study out of which (87) (51.8%) were females. Majority of the respondents were resident outside the hospital premises (136) (86%) while (21) (12.5%) were also locum practitioners. Most of the interns have spent (5-9) months out of the mandatory (12) months (139) (82.7%). Accomodation within the hospital and choice of hospital educational funding had a p-value of (0.864) in the linear regression analysis while the choice of hospital was 0.003. Conclusion: Interns accommodation within the hospital and choice of hospital for inernship training were the major predictors of job satisfaction among the respondents. Job satisfaction is an essential determinant of work output and outcomes.

Investigating the medical journey of endometriosis-affected women: results from a cross-sectional web-based survey (EndoVie) on 1,557 French women

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the medical journey and the quality of life of French endometriosis-affected women, from the onset of the symptoms to the therapeutic management. STUDY DESIGN: Between January 15th 2020 and February 3rd 2020, a prospective cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted among women diagnosed with endometriosis. The questionnaire included 52 questions distributed in five sections (screening, sociodemographic characteristics, impacts on quality of life, SF36 questionnaire, management of endometriosis and proposals for care improvement). RESULTS: One thousand five hundred fifty-seven endometriosis-affected women aged of 42±12.8 years answered the questionnaire. On average, 7 years elapsed between the first symptoms (at 23.8±10.2 years) and the diagnosis (31.0±8.9 years). The mean number of symptoms was 4.6±2.3, with 82% of women experiencing pain scores between 7 and 10/10. Following diagnosis, 66% women received a medical treatment, mostly hormonal treatments (45%), with a significant decrease in pain intensity (VAS scores after treatment = 4.9±2.7, p<0.001). Most women (62%) had already been operated, among whom 22% by laparotomy. Finally, patients reported numerous impacts on their daily lives, particularly on the sexual, psychological, and physical fields. The overall mean score of quality of life was 4.3±2.6 /10. CONCLUSION: This large prospective web-based survey underlines that the journey of women with endometriosis is long and difficult until diagnosis and efficient treatment. It emphasizes the urgent need to reduce the diagnostic delay and thereby the burden of endometriosis on women's lives. Moreover, the creation of referral multidisciplinary centers appears to be crucial to improve the management of the disease.

First identification of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles coluzzii from Zinder City, Niger

BackgroundMalaria, a disease transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, is a major public health problem causing millions of deaths worldwide, mostly among children under the age of 5 years. Biotechnological interventions targeting parasite-vector interactions have shown that the microsporidian symbiont Microsporidia MB has the potential to disrupt and block Plasmodium transmission.MethodsA prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted in Zinder City (Zinder), Niger, from August to September 2022, using the CDC light trap technique to collect adult mosquitoes belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex. The survey focused on collecting mosquitoes from three neighborhoods of Zinder (Birni, Kangna and Garin Malan, located in communes I, II and IV, respectively). Collected mosquitoes were sorted and preserved in 70% ethanol. PCR was used to identify host species and detect the presence of Microsporidia MB and Plasmodium falciparum infection.ResultsOf the 257 Anopheles mosquitoes collected and identified by PCR, Anopheles coluzzii was the most prevalent species, accounting for 97.7% of the total. Microsporidia MB was exclusively detected in A. coluzzii, with a prevalence of 6.8% (17/251) among the samples. No significant difference in prevalence was found among the three neighborhoods. Only one An. coluzzii mosquito tested PCR-positive for P. falciparum.ConclusionsThe results confirm the presence of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles mosquitoes in Zinder, Niger, indicating its potential use as a biotechnological intervention against malaria transmission. However, further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of Microsporidia MB to disrupt Plasmodium transmission as well as its impact on vector fitness.Graphical