Public Health Workers Research Articles

Health Literacy of the Inhabitants of easter Slovakia regarding Disease of Civilization – survey Results

Introduction: Diseases of civilization represent a group of diseases that have common risk factors as a result of long-term exposure to an unhealthy lifestyle, an unhealthy diet, smoking, a lack of physical activity and stress. Aim of the research: To find out whether random respondents who took part in the “Days of Health” event at the Bardejov Spa have basic knowledge about diseases of civilization. Based on the findings, draw recommendations for practice. Research sample group: 398 respondents: 305 women and 93 men. The average age of the respondents was 56.4 years (+-12.8 years). Methodology: On a voluntary and anonymous basis, the patients filled out a questionnaire focused on their knowledge about diseases of civilization. The questionnaire contained both closed and open questions. Results: The authors of the article analyzed respondents’ answers. The results were statistically processed. Conclusion: Our results show that there is a need for repeated interventions by health care workers (doctors, nurses) and public health workers to spread awareness about diseases of civilization and the possibility of their prevention. Increasing the level of health literacy is a good prerequisite for a healthier population.

Configurational paths to turnover intention among primary public health workers in Liaoning Province, China: a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.

A stable public health workforce plays an indispensable role in the realization of the goal of health for all. However, there is an exodus of public health workers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Given the limited evidence on the mechanisms shaping turnover intention (TI) among public health workers, the study aims to investigate the triggering mechanisms of high and low turnover intention by combining job demands, job resources, and personal resources through a set theory perspective based on the Job-Demand-Resources (JD-R) model. The cross-sectional study was conducted from September 7 to 18, 2020 at district (county) level CDC in Liaoning Province, China. A total of 584 public health professionals were included. Overcommitment, effort, social respect, occupational identity, job rewards, self-efficacy, and psychological resilience were included in the study as configuration factors. The data were gathered through an online questionnaire and were analyzed using multiple regression and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Social respect (B = -0.682, P < 0.001), occupational identity (B = -0.168, P < 0.001), and effort (B = 0.114, P < 0.001) were associated with turnover intention. Five configurations for high turnover intention and five for low turnover intention were obtained through the fsQCA, with occupational identity and effort playing an essential role in all pathways. Moreover, the configurations for low turnover intention are not the antithesis of the configurations for high turnover intention. Managers should synthesize the combined effects of factors when implementing interventions and formulating policies. Given the vital role of occupational identity and effort, mechanisms for the rational distribution of work to avoid excessive efforts and measures to promote occupational identity should be implemented to reduce the turnover intentions of primary public health workers and encourage their intention to stay.

A framework for automated scalable designation of viral pathogen lineages from genomic data.

Pathogen lineage nomenclature systems are a key component of effective communication and collaboration for researchers and public health workers. Since February 2021, the Pango dynamic lineage nomenclature for SARS-CoV-2 has been sustained by crowdsourced lineage proposals as new isolates were sequenced. This approach is vulnerable to time-critical delays as well as regional and personal bias. Here we developed a simple heuristic approach for dividing phylogenetic trees into lineages, including the prioritization of key mutations or genes. Our implementation is efficient on extremely large phylogenetic trees consisting of millions of sequences and produces similar results to existing manually curated lineage designations when applied to SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses including chikungunya virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus complex and Zika virus. This method offers a simple, automated and consistent approach to pathogen nomenclature that can assist researchers in developing and maintaining phylogeny-based classifications in the face of ever-increasing genomic datasets.

Performance of Public Health Extension Officers in Health Promotion Practices at District Health Services

The criteria for determining mandatory authority in the health sector are that it is a service, high priority because it protects people's rights, protects national interests, is a national commitment and is the main cause of death and morbidity, is measurable and carried out continuously and the minimum service standards set by the health service have not been achieved. district, because the performance of public health officers is still lacking in providing education to the community. The aim of this research is to analyze the factors that influence the performance of public health workers in health promotion practices at the District Health Service. This research uses an explanatory study method with a cross sectional approach. Data collection was carried out by means of interviews and observations with a sample size of 87 officers. The results of the research show that the performance of public health extension officers in health promotion practices at the Sidrap District Health Service is poor, namely 56.3% and only 43.7% have good performance. The variable that is directly related to the performance of public health extension officers is level of education, training, knowledge, skills and leadership. The variable that most influences the performance of public health extension officers is education level.

The Impact of Climate Change and Extreme Weather Conditions on Cardiovascular Health and Acute Cardiovascular Diseases

Climate change is widely recognized as one of the most significant challenges facing our planet and human civilization. Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to a warming of the Earth’s climate. The relationship between climate change and cardiovascular (CV) health, mediated by air pollution and increased ambient temperatures, is complex and very heterogeneous. The main mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CV disease at extreme temperatures involve several regulatory pathways, including temperature-sympathetic reactivity, the cold-activated renin-angiotensin system, dehydration, extreme temperature-induced electrolyte imbalances, and heat stroke-induced systemic inflammatory responses. The interplay of these mechanisms may vary based on individual factors, environmental conditions, and an overall health background. The net outcome is a significant increase in CV mortality and a higher incidence of hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), heart failure, and cardiac arrhythmias. Patients with pre-existing CV disorders may be more vulnerable to the effects of global warming and extreme temperatures. There is an urgent need for a comprehensive intervention that spans from the individual level to a systemic or global approach to effectively address this existential problem. Future programs aimed at reducing CV and environmental burdens should require cross-disciplinary collaboration involving physicians, researchers, public health workers, political scientists, legislators, and national leaders to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Mumps treatment by quacks in Pakistan: A neglected danger to public health.

Dear Editor, In this letter, we aim to draw attention to mumps treatment through pseudo therapies by quacks in Pakistan. Our goal is to raise awareness and promote the prevention of mistreatment. Pakistan has seen an unprecedented rise in mumps outbreaks after the COVID-19 pandemic. From 1 January to 31 December 2022, a total of 19,444 mumps cases had been recorded from all provinces of the country. [1] Mumps is a common childhood respiratory infection caused by a paramyxovirus. It can be transmitted through direct contact and droplet spread. Symptoms include swelling of the parotid gland, which occurs in 60-70% of infections and 95% of patients with symptoms. [2] The swelling progresses over 2-3 days and persists for about a week. Sometimes mumps can lead to later complications such as epididymal-orchitis, oophoritis, meningitis, encephalitis, thyroiditis, unilateral deafness, spontaneous abortion, pancreatitis or infertility. Mumps is benign, resolving on its own, requiring only symptomatic relief by proven medical therapies. [3] Unfortunately, in Pakistan, especially in rural areas, people seek pseudo therapies for various diseases including Mumps from quacks which are found in a significant number of over 600,000 in the country. [4] The harmful effects of such malpractices include abandonment and delays in effective medical treatment, emergence of complications, psychological-physical traumas, and financial burden. [5] For treating Mumps, these mal practitioners offer the "massage" of the parotid gland, which involves rotating the index finger from the centre of the gland towards the outside while blowing on the patient's face. [6] These methods are not scientifically proven and may even be harmful. According to a study, non-medical interventions like acupuncture have also proved to be futile and of no advantage. [7] People often attribute the recovery to the quack's treatment, increasing their trust in these practitioners and propagation of false beliefs. These quacks often charge significant amounts of money, further exploiting their patients. We urge physicians, public health workers and the general public to prioritise the prevention and control of mumps outbreaks. This will require proactive education to address the misinformation surrounding mumps and quack treatments. Furthermore, research is needed to determine the frequency of mumps complications later in life, which may be associated with these ongoing practices for many years. Finally, the government should take stern action against quack practitioners, and the public needs to be better informed about the harms. ---Continue

Air Pollution: A Challenge to Public Health and Healthcare Systems

Air Pollution: A Challenge to Public Health and Healthcare Systems

Pengembangan Sumber Daya Manusia di Puskesmas Kabupaten Langkat Kecamatan Salapian

The World Health Organization (2006) reported that healthcare workers contribute up to 80% to the success of health development, and one of the best ways to address the healthcare crisis is through training and improving human resource management. Human resource development is an effort to enhance the quality or capacity of human resources through the process of education planning, training, and improving human resource management policies. Healthcare workers are essential for health services, so leaders must consider all their needs, desires, and interests in order to work at their best. To determine the development of human resources in Langkat District, Salapian Subdistrict, this research uses qualitative research. Primary data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews (departmental interviews). Information obtained from in-depth interviews with informants was processed and analyzed using content analysis methods. The types of healthcare workers in Langkat District, Salapian Subdistrict, consist of Health Human Resources (SDMK) which are still dominated by medical personnel, including 7% dental doctors, 11.2% general practitioners, 45% midwives, 21.1% nurses, Meanwhile, public health workers are 5.6%, environmental health workers are 2.8%, pharmaceutical workers are 4.2%, nutrition health workers are 1.4%, and medical laboratory technology experts are 1.4%. The development of SDMK is in accordance with the standards for demand development. The acquisition of human resource development training is limited to medical personnel and its distribution is still uneven.

Are community health agents the link to integrating care? Lesson from Brazil

Purpose This viewpoint piece will highlight the contribution of trained lay community health workers to the integrated workforce in rural, remote and island settings, drawing on experience from a system strengthening project involving community health agents (CHAs) in four municipalities in Litoral Norte, a remote coastal and island region in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint reflects on experiential learning from a unique north–south collaboration that spanned the period of a global pandemic. It adds to the international literature on the value of community health workers in public health and chronic disease management and highlights their potential pivotal role as integrators at point of care.Findings CHAs took forward actions that touched the lives of thousands of vulnerable families with low income and complex needs in communities with high levels of social and health inequalities. They acted as a bridge between patients and families at home, primary healthcare professionals and wider community partners and services. Their valuable insight into the healthcare issues and social challenges experienced by the community informed and supported family centred practice and population health goals. The CHAs rapidly pivoted to became an essential public health workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic.Practical implications As the authors establish integrated care systems and embrace proactive care and population health, the conditions are favourable for introducing a similar role in the UK. For psychological safety and avoidance of burnout people in such new roles will require training, supervision and full integration within community teams.Originality/value This viewpoint reflects experiential learning from a unique north–south collaboration that spanned the period of a global pandemic. It adds to the international literature on the value of community health workers in public health and chronic disease management and highlights their potential pivotal role as integrators at point of care.

Theoretical Review of Pay Restructuring in Uganda's Public Service Health Sector

This article examines the impact of wage reforms on service delivery, financial stability, managerial efficiency and donor influence and focuses on the public health sector in Uganda. Like other reforming countries, Uganda also implemented salary structure reform for various reasons, but the most important ones were to pay civil servants a living wage, make remuneration transparent, align the salary structure with the single-spine structure and consequently increase the number of employees motivation and efficiency in service delivery. The study analysed research articles, policy documents, reports, and media coverage on pay changes for public health workers. Key findings show that the original goal of wage reforms, such as the single-spine structure, has not been achieved; several pay scale structures were reintroduced. Different service models are used to calculate wage. Similar cadres of civil servants receive different salary grades; and wage allocation receives more funding than other areas, such as development and supplies. The results suggest that salary increases affect allocations in other important areas but do not always result in public health workers' commitment to service. Compromise and negotiation have played an important role in public sector wage restructuring. A review of wage reforms implemented across Uganda's public sector will be based on the recommendations and issues addressed in this study. The study provides crucial benchmarks with regard to wage reform strategies that promote diversity in the public sector and the distribution of authorities. This study is unique because it focuses on wage restructuring in the public sector to align practices with policies. Although based on a review of relevant documents, it was conducted for the first time in Uganda

Burnout among public health workers in Canada: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThis study presents the prevalence of burnout among the Canadian public health workforce after three years of the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with work-related factors.MethodsData were collected using an online survey distributed through Canadian public health associations and professional networks between November 2022 and January 2023. Burnout was measured using a modified version of the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI). Logistic regressions were used to model the relationship between burnout and work-related factors including years of work experience, redeployment to pandemic response, workplace safety and supports, and harassment. Burnout and the intention to leave or retire as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic was explored using multinomial logistic regressions.ResultsIn 2,079 participants who completed the OLBI, the prevalence of burnout was 78.7%. Additionally, 49.1% of participants reported being harassed because of their work during the pandemic. Burnout was positively associated with years of work experience, redeployment to the pandemic response, being harassed during the pandemic, feeling unsafe in the workplace and not being offered workplace supports. Furthermore, burnout was associated with greater odds of intending to leave public health or retire earlier than anticipated.ConclusionThe high levels of burnout among our large sample of Canadian public health workers and its association with work-related factors suggest that public health organizations should consider interventions that mitigate burnout and promote recovery.

Obstetric Fistula: Connecting the Interface between Social Work and Social Support Services for the Management and Reintegration of Victims in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT Obstetric fistula is a chronic health condition that leaves affected women medically, socially, physically, and psychologically battered and traumatized. Those with the health condition live their lives as a social recluse because of the unpleasant smell the disease produces in them thereby making people avoid them. Adequate social support to those affected by the disease from all quarters has helped in the management and prevention of the health condition. This study, therefore, aims at exploring and connecting the link between social work and social support in the management of obstetric fistula in Nigeria and the reintegration of survivors into the society. The study adopted a qualitative approach using interviews and focus group discussions to collect data from 51 participants, and the data were thematically analyzed. The results of the study highlighted the potential roles of social workers in enhancing social support for the management and reintegration of victims of obstetric fistula in Nigeria. The findings also revealed challenges confronting social workers in enhancing social support in fistula victims. Findings from the study have implication for policy development, hence, the full involvement and expansion of the coverage of social workers in maternal and public health is recommended.

Factors associated with undiagnosed hypertension among Tongan adults: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHypertension is responsible for many premature deaths worldwide. However, many individuals with hypertension remain undiagnosed. Tonga is one of the countries that has had a steep increase in hypertension, thus undiagnosed hypertension could also be increasing. Purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with undiagnosed hypertension among Tongan adults.MethodsThis cross-sectional study used data collected from conveniently sampled 473 participants using electronic questionnaire and digital sphygmomanometer through household visits between February and March 2023. Inclusion criteria were age of 18–65 years, residence in the villages for at least six months, and not being pregnant. Fisher’s exact test and mixed-effect logistic regression were performed using the EZR software to assess the association between undiagnosed hypertension and predictor variables.ResultsThe prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension was 22.4% (106/473). Five variables that were significantly associated with undiagnosed hypertension in Fisher’s exact test were included in the multivariate logistic regression. Overall, only three variables remained significant. First, participants who never had their blood pressure measured had higher prevalence compared to those who had it checked recently (33.3% vs. 19.1%); odds ratio: 2.24). Secondly, participants who were not aware of the risk of developing hypertension were significantly more likely to have undiagnosed hypertension compared to those who were aware (27.9% vs. 16.7%; odds ratio: 1.81). Lastly, middle-aged participants (30–49 years) and older (50–65 years), were significantly more likely to have undiagnosed hypertension compared to those who were 18–29 years old (30.0% and 23.7% vs. 11.8%; odds ratio: 3.58 and 3.38 vs. 1.00).ConclusionThe prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension could be substantial among Tongan adults, implicating a need to address this issue by doing further research and review current public health work to address hypertension in Tonga. Undiagnosed hypertension was associated with having no experience of blood pressure measurement, lack of awareness about hypertension, and age. Tongan government should provide people with more opportunities to have their blood pressure measured and to improve their awareness.

'It is human work': qualitatively exploring community roles that facilitate cultural food security for people from refugee backgrounds.

Cultural food security is crucial for cultural health and, for people from refugee backgrounds, supports the settlement journey. Cultural communities are vital in facilitating access to cultural foods; however, it is not understood how refugee-background communities sustain cultural food security in the Australian context. This study aimed to explore key roles in refugee-background communities to understand why they were important and how they facilitate cultural food security. Interviews were conducted by community researchers, and data analysis was undertaken using best-practice framework for collaborative data analysis. Greater Brisbane, Australia. Six interviews were conducted between August and December 2022 with people from a refugee-background community, lived in Greater Brisbane and who fulfilled a key food role in the community that facilitated access to cultural foods. Fostering improved cultural food security supported settlement by creating connections across geographical locations and cultures and generated a sense of belonging that supported the settlement journey. Communities utilised communication methods that prioritised the knowledge, wisdom and experience of community members. It also provided community members with influence over their foodways. Community leaders had an ethos that reflected collectivist values, where community needs were important for their own health and well-being. Communities are inherently structured and communicate in a way that allows collective agency over foodways. This agency promotes cultural food security and is suggestive of increased food sovereignty. Researchers and public health workers should work with communities and recognise community strengths. Food security interventions should target cultural food security and autonomy.

Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Public Health Workers in Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Willingness to Pay for Social Health Insurance Among Public Health Workers in Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

A study on the academic innovation ability and influencing factors of public health graduate students based on nomograms: a cross-sectional survey from Shandong, China.

In recent years, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and various public crises has highlighted the importance of cultivating high-quality public health talents, especially those with innovative capabilities. This study focuses on the academic innovation ability of public health postgraduate students, which can provide important theoretical support for the cultivation of more public health workers with high innovative capabilities. From May to October 2022, a cluster sampling method was used to select 1,076 public health postgraduate students from five universities in Shandong Province. A self-designed questionnaire survey was conducted. A chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of students' academic innovation ability. Based on these factors, a nomogram was constructed to intuitively demonstrate the impact of these complex factors on students' innovation ability. The results showed that gender, whether serving as a student leader, teacher-student relationship, academic motivation, learning style, academic environment, and teaching mode were the influencing factors of postgraduate students' academic innovation ability. The column-line diagram (AUC = 0.892, 95% CI = 0.803 ~ 0.833) constructed based on the above influencing factors has good differentiation. The area under the ROC curve is 0.892 (95% CI = 0.803 ~ 0.833), and the calibration curve shows that the predicted value is the same as the measured value. The nomogram constructed in this study can be used to predict the academic innovation level of public health graduate students, which is helpful for university education administrators to evaluate students' academic innovation ability based on nomogram scores and carry out accurate and efficient training.

COVID-19 vaccine coverage effectiveness among elderly with geographical information system mapping: what about Indonesia?

The elderly are the next priority after health workers and public service workers get the COVID-19 vaccine to control morbidity and even mortality in the elderly who have a risk factor that is up to 60 times more severe than children. This study aimed to spatially analyze the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine coverage among the elderly in Indonesia with geographic information system (GIS) mapping and to analyze the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine coverage in the elderly with the COVID-19 cure rate. This quantitative study used secondary data on COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the elderly group of Central Java Province, Indonesia in 2021. Data were analyzed using a simple linear correlation test to test the relationship between variables with a 1,774,396 elderly sample size, then distributed using mapping of COVID-19 vaccination coverage using a GIS. The relationship between COVID-19 vaccine dose-2 elderly coverage cure rate showed a strong relationship (r = 0.677) and a positive pattern. The coefficient value with a determination of 0.459 means that the regression line equation obtained can explain 45.90% of the variation in the COVID-19 cure rate. There was a significant relationship between COVID-19 vaccine elderly coverage and the COVID-19 cure rate (p-value = 0.005). Clinicians and public health workers should continue to encourage elderly vaccination at all recommended doses for eligible individuals.

An investigation into the effect of organizational justice on employees’ job satisfaction among government health workers in Kalomo District

The primary purpose of the research was to investigate the relationship between organizational justice and employee job satisfaction. In this study, the research sampled four health facilities namely the Request Muntanga Hospital, Kalomo Urban Clinic, Namwianga Mission Hospital and Mawaya Clinic. The study employed the quantitative research approach employing the descriptive research design. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive and regression analyses. The findings of the study showed that distributive justice, procedural justice and interactional justice were all negatively related to employee job satisfaction. Generally, the study concluded that there is poor organizational justice in health facilities in Zambia leading to employee job dissatisfaction. The study recommended for equality and training programs for employees to enhance organisational justice. However, the major limitation of the study was that it was limited to public health workers in Kalomo Southern province with a focus on health facilities in the peri-urban area. Thus, future studies can also broaden the scope of the study by incorporating health workers in other regions such as Copperbelt and Lusaka.

Factors influencing health workers' adherence to malaria treatment guidelines in under-five children in Nigeria: A scoping review.

Malaria is a leading cause of mortality in children aged 5 years and below in Nigeria. Treatment guidelines stipulate among other recommendations, testing by microscopy or a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) before treatment. Non-adherence to these guidelines portends a challenge, especially among vulnerable under-five children. This study explored the factors influencing Nigerian public health workers' (HWs) adherence to these guidelines in under-five children. A review of literature published between 2011- 2023 was conducted on Web of Science, Ovid Embase, Medline, Global Health, CAB Abstracts, Scopus, and Global Index Medicus. Data was extracted and analyzed under 4 themes: diagnosis, compliance with test results, use of recommended treatment, post-treatment counselling and severe malaria management. Nineteen (19) studies were included for review. Training and supervision, RDT and antimalarial availability, good knowledge of, and positive perception of RDTs promoted adherence to mRDT use. A lack of confidence in RDTs and age (≥ 40 years) fuelled presumptive treatment, especially among clinicians. mRDT and artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) stockouts dissuaded HWs from adhering to case management guidelines. Caregiver pressure for treatment was identified as a barrier to compliance with test results. It is important to design context-specific strategies to improve adherence to guidelines for malaria case management, especially in under-five children. Training on the guidelines should be tailored, needs-based, and continuous, and HWs should be supportively supervised in implementing case management. Maintaining an adequate supply of quality-assured mRDTs and antimalarials can facilitate adherence to the guidelines.

Correlates of Active School Transportation During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Canadian 7- to 12-Year-Olds: A National Study.

Active school transportation (AST) is an important source of physical activity for children and a potentially important climate change mitigation strategy. However, few studies have examined factors associated with AST in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used baseline data from a longitudinal survey to investigate correlates of AST during the second wave of COVID-19 (December 2020). We collected survey data from 2291 parents of 7- to 12-year-olds across Canada and linked this information with data on neighborhood walkability and weather from national databases. We assessed potential correlates representing multiple levels of influence of the social-ecological model. We used gender-stratified binary logistic regression models to determine the correlates of children's travel mode to/from school (dichotomized as active vs motorized), while controlling for household income. We examined the correlates of travel mode for both the morning and afternoon trips. Consistent correlates of AST among Canadian children during the COVID-19 pandemic included greater independent mobility, warmer outdoor temperature, having a parent who actively commuted to work or school, living in a household owning fewer vehicles, and living in a more walkable neighborhood. These findings were largely consistent between boys and girls and between morning and afternoon school trips. Policymakers, urban planners, and public health workers aiming to promote AST should focus on these correlates while ensuring that neighborhoods are safe for children. Future research should monitor the prevalence and correlates of AST as COVID-19 restrictions are removed.