Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene (JPMH)
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Comparison of Photoprotection Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Medical and Non-Medical Students at a Peruvian University
Full text linkIntroduction. Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, particularly in countries with high ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. Thus, to reduce sun exposure, the early adoption of protection behaviours is essential. In this task, future medical professionals must demonstrate competencies in skin cancer prevention. This study aimed to describe and compare sun protection knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among medical and non-medical students.
Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a private university in Lima, Peru, involving 624 students from five programs: medicine, industrial and systems engineering, law, psychology, and business administration. Participants were divided into two groups: medical and non-medical students. The Questionnaire on Habits, Attitudes, and Knowledge about Sun Exposure in Adolescence and Adulthood (CHACES), a validated tool to assess sun exposure and protection KAP, was used. Group comparisons were performed using Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests.
Results. Participants\u27 average age was 21.09 years old, with 56.1% being female. Medical students scored higher in photoprotection knowledge (U = 35,853.5; p = 0.003) and reported lower sun exposure (U = 37,263.5; p = 0.028) than non-medical students. However, no significant differences were observed in sun protection practices (p = 0.807) or photoprotection attitudes (p = 0.238).
Conclusions. Medical students demonstrated greater knowledge and fewer sun exposure habits, however, their sun protection practices did not differ significantly from non-medical students. These findings highlight the need for enhanced educational strategies for skin cancer prevention across all university programs
High prevalence and associated factors of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children under 5 years with atypical pneumonia
No full textObjectives: To identify the prevalence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and association with age and gender among children aged from 2 months to 5 years, hospitalized with atypical pneumonia in Vietnam.
Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was performed using data collected from the electronic medical records. M. pneumoniae infection was determined by the IgM serology test.
Results: 1,296 pediatric patients were included. The majority of children with atypical pneumonia were aged 12 months or older, with only 3.6% of cases being under 12 months of age. Male patients accounted for 58.7% of the cases. Prevalence of M. pneumoniae infection was 47.3%. Compared to children under 12 months of age, those aged 12 to under 36 months had a 10 times higher risk of M. pneumoniae infection, with OR = 9.44, 95%CI = [2.90 – 30.77]. Compared to children under 12 months of age, those aged 36 months to under 5 years had a 20 times higher risk of M. pneumoniae infection, with OR = 20.19, 95% CI = [6.20 – 65.69]. Compared to female children, male children had nearly twice the lower risk of M. pneumoniae infection, with OR = 0.62, 95% CI = [0.50 – 0.78].
Conclusion: Our study provides additional evidence on the role of M. pneumoniae in atypical pneumonia in children, while also highlighting significant risk factors for M. pneumoniae infection
Assessment of hygienic knowledge and oral health practices among children under dynamic observation for periodontosis in Aktobe
Full text linkOral diseases are a serious global public health problem affecting more than 3.5 billion people, are among the most common diseases in the world, and carry serious medical and economic problems, substantially reducing the quality of life of those affected. Oral diseases undoubtedly represent a global public health problem, with particular concern about their growing prevalence in many countries, which is associated with broader social, economic, and commercial changes. The purpose of the study is to establish the level of hygienic education among schoolchildren undergoing orthodontic treatment in Aktobe. The design of the study is experimental and descriptive. The sample was gathered without pre-selection. It included children from 6 to 18 years old who were on dynamic observation, with a diagnosis of periodontal diseases. According to the data obtained, it was identified that 300 respondents aged 6 to 18 years took part in the survey, the average age of the respondents was 13.75 ± 1.38 years. The survey identified a low level of dental education in hygiene and oral care among children and a lack of motivation to maintain dental health. It is necessary to strengthen educational work with the involvement of dentists, teachers, and parents to increase the low level of knowledge on dental health and oral care among the interviewed schoolchildren
Population-based cross-sectional study of correlates of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour among Bangladeshi adults: Correlates of physical inactivity & sedentary behaviour
No full textBackground: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are influenced by various interconnected variables. In Bangladesh, studies on physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour are scarce, regardless of age in the adult population. This study aims to determine the correlates of adults\u27 physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour with sociodemographic factors, including gender, age, residential, educational, and occupational status. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey conducted 2018 across Bangladesh. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to measure physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour. The data consisted of 8,185 adults aged 18 to 69 years. The Bayesian regression model was used to analyse the correlates. Results: Physical inactivity, including work, active transport, and recreation, males and urban residents were more likely to be inactive than their female counterparts and rural residents. Married adults had greater (Odd Ratio [OR]: 6.6, 95% CI: 5.46 to 7.98) recreation-related physical inactivity. Unemployed adults were more likely to engage in sedentary behaviour (OR: 4, 95% CI: 2.48 to 6.12) and less likely to engage in moderate physical activity (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.43 to 3.39). Conclusion: A notable pattern of insufficient recreational physical activity among adults in Bangladesh was noted. Further study is required to explain and identify policy interventions that may encourage a physically active lifestyle and reduce sedentary behaviour among Bangladeshi adults identified as physically inactive
Historical and Social Considerations upon Tuberculosis
Full text linkThe present article offers a concise perspective on tuberculosis (TB) ranging from antiquity to the present day and highlights the dangerousness of the disease in the light of its historical manifestations and current antibiotic resistance. Reflections on the social and economic impact of the TB disease are presented together with notes on TB’s interplay with malnutrition and the social stigma linked to this disease in modern times. Different types of evidence from palaeopathological to artistic ones are offered and the need for a more comprehensive understanding on the disease’s history and evolution is stressed
Hepatitis C Virus Antibodies and HCV-RNA Detection in Hemodialysis Centres in Cameroon: Prevalence and Incidence Rate.
No full textBackground: Hemodialysis (HD) is the world\u27s most prevalent kidney replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease patients. Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) is highly prevalent in patients undergoing HD. There are no reports of the epidemiology of HCV viremia and HCV incidence rate based on prospective studies in HD units in Cameroon. This study evaluated the prevalence and incidence rate of HCV based on anti-HCV antibody (Ab) and HCV-RNA detection.
Methods: We conducted a controlled prospective study in three hemodialysis centers in Cameroon, from October 2021 to January 2023. The HEXAGON HCV rapid kit was used to detect anti-HCV Ab, and HCV-RNA was searched using the Xpert® HCV Viral Load technology. We performed a Wilcoxon test and the chi-square or Fisher exact test in statistical analyses.
Results: A total of 205 HD patients were enrolled with a mean age of 47.7±14.5 years and median hemodialysis duration of 36 months (IQR: 12-72). Anti-HCV Ab was positive in 59 [28.8% (95% CI: 22.7–35.5)] patients, and in 42 [71.2% (95% CI: 57.9–82.2)] of them, HCV-RNA was detected. A total of 125 patients with a negative status at the start of the study (M0) were prospectively followed-up. After seven months (M7), 15 [12%; 95% CI: 06.9–19.)] became HCV positive, with an incidence rate of 20.6 cases per 100 patients-years.
Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of HCV infection and HCV incidence rate in this study. Strategies aimed at decreasing HCV infection in HD centers in Cameroon are urgently needed
Giovanni Battista Grassi (1854-1925): a forgotten Italian scholar and his fundamental studies on malaria
Full text linkA century ago, on May 4, 1925, an Italian doctor, zoologist, botanist, and entomologist called Giovanni Battista Grassi (1854-1925) died in Rome. Grassi was known especially for his studies on malaria, and he was one of the scholars who created the “Italian school of malariology” which played a critical role in the study and prevention of malaria. At that time malaria was a main problem in the colonies for the military. In the tropics malaria is a common disease that causes high fever and other symptoms. When the French chemist Louis Pasteur published his germ theory in the 1860s, scientists began to consider that an organism, might be responsible for the malaria disease and the breakthrough came in 1880 with a French army surgeon called Alphonse Laveran (1845-1922). By the middle of the 19th century, it was therefore clear that many diseases are caused by microorganisms, and several scholars began to assume that also malaria was caused by a bacterium. Laveran recognized the parasite group that caused the infection in human beings, however his studies were challenged. He after examining blood from people infected with malaria, (1889) was able to absolutely show that malaria is caused by another type of single-celled organism, a protozoan of the Plasmodium family, which attacks red blood cells. Laveran also identified other single-celled parasites that cause other diseases. In fact, there are four types of malarial infection caused by four species of parasite plasmodium. In 1898 Grassi began a large study that represented a turning point in the study and treatment of the disease. With the current manuscript, in addition to recalling some of the main and well-known steps in the historical evolution of this fearsome, dangerous, and insidious infectious disease, we believe it’s important to remember the scientific personality of this Italian scholar. The scientist Grassi is to be noted among the protagonists in the view of history of medicine and zoology between the 19th and 20th centuries, mainly because of his famous research, developed by a group of scholars, which led to the exact identification of the vector of human malaria
Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in pediatric population in Liguria (north-west Italy) from March 2020 to December 2022: what could we have learned?
Full text linkAbstract
Introduction. This retrospective analysis aims to follow the course of SARS-CoV-2 infections in pediatric population residing in Liguria, Northwest Italy, from March 2020 to December 2022 and to relate it to the regional and national containment measures adopted, to assess the representativeness of the infection rate observed at the national level and to analyze the vaccination rates in different pediatric groups.
Methods. First episodes of SARS-CoV-2 infections registered in the national surveillance system were extracted and further anonymously analyzed for subjects aging £ 19 years. The absolute number of cases diagnosed daily during each year was compared to the number of residents in the region and graphical representations were used to visualize the trends in infection rates both annually and weekly in each year. Through narrative analysis, the relationship between changes in IR and key social events was analyzed.
Applying the direct standardization method, the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric population was compared with that observed in the same age group in Italy.
All analyses were performed using Stata and Microsoft Excel.
Results. In the study period, 106,537 (17.4%) cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were registered in subjects £ 19 years, out of a total of 610,404 cases reported in Liguria during that period. In the summer of 2020 the IR was close to zero, while later we observed increases and decreases in the IR in relation to activities and social restrictions adopted. Direct standardization showed an almost perfect coincidence between the expected cases in Italy, based on the Liguria incidence, and the observed cases.
Conclusions. Our results show that, in absence of effective therapies and vaccines, strict non-medical interventions (e.g. use of masks, improving indoor ventilation, physical social distancing, general lockdown) can be the only actions to counter the spread of a respiratory infection
New integrations in patient care: the role of the pharmacist between couselling and medication adherence
Full text linkThe changing scenarios in healthcare in recent years underscore the need to promote diverse, articulated, and complex care approaches capable of paying greater attention to people\u27s vulnerability and responding to multiple care needs. A multidimensional approach to healthcare also suggests a review of the role that pharmacies can assume within the healthcare system, with particular regard to the possibility of creating a relational space with the citizen aimed at strengthening the fiduciary relationship with him or her and promoting greater user empowerment in therapy adherence.
The promotion of this ethically relevant service could yield several benefits: greater protection of public health, rationalization of public spending, and shifts in the demand for healthcare services. This paper aims to illustrate some socially and ethically relevant aspects of collaboration between pharmacists, general practitioners, and pediatricians of free choice
Analysis and Impact of Infection Prevention Procedures in Long-Term Care Facilities: The Infection Prevention Procedures in Long-Term Care Facilities
No full textBackground: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a significant healthcare complication, with major implications for public health. In the EU/EEA, up to 2.6 million new HAIs cases occur annually, causing significant burdens and economic costs. In Italy, the prevalence of HAIs is rising due to factors like invasive devices, antibiotic resistance, and poor infection control. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness of HAIs containment practices in long-term care facilities (LTCF).Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included eight LTCF inspected by Prevention Technicians of the Local Health Authority Tuscany South-east (LHA-TSE) in 2023. The study evaluated non-compliance in procedures for legionellosis prevention, cleaning and disinfection, laundry management, management of pans, HAIs prevention, healthcare tools disinfection, and hairdressing services. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Mann Whitney test to compare infection rates with procedure compliance.Results: In 2023, 606 infections were reported in the eight enrolled LTCF. The most frequent infections were COVID-19 (19.4%), urinary tract infections (16.9%), pharyngitis (15.6%), and influenza-like illness (ILI) (15%). For the "Laundry Procedure," 3 LTCF were compliant and 5 were not, showing a significant relationship with influenza syndromes (p=0.02) and surgical site infections (p=0.04). For the "Cleaning Check" procedure, non-compliance was linked to higher fungal infections (p=0.01) and gastroenteritis (p=0.04). The "Disinfection of Health Tools procedure showed non-compliance correlated with higher gastroenteritis (p=0.04) and conjunctivitis (p=0.01). Gastrointestinal infections from Clostridium Difficile were linked to non-compliance with "HAIs Procedures Routes" (p=0.04), "Pans" processes (p=0.04), and cleanliness in the hairdressing service (p=0.04). Herpes Simplex or Herpes Zoster infections were higher in LTCF with non-compliant hairdressing service rooms (p=0.02). Two legionellosis cases were recorded in LTCF with reported non-compliance in analytical procedures for Legionellosis.Conclusions: Our analysis showed significant correlations between cleanliness procedures and reductions in fungal infections, gastroenteritis, and ear infections. Compliance in laundry procedures was linked to ILI and surgical site infections. Non-compliance in healthcare tools correlated with higher rates of gastroenteritis and conjunctivitis, highlighting the need for stronger practices. The data suggest that effective prevention measures reduce HAIs, though discrepancies in implementation across facilities call for standardization and continuous monitoring