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Individual factors affecting compliance with standard infection prevention precautions on the use of personal protective equipment among community health practitioners in Bayelsa State, Nigeria
No full textIndividual factors may have an impact on how well healthcare workers adhere to standards for infection prevention. The aim of the study was to identify individual factors affecting compliance with personal protective equipment (PPE) use among community health practitioners in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.Methods:Three hundred and fifty-four (354) self-structured questionnaires were manually distributed among community health practitioners who worked at government-owned primary health care facilities in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Item mean analysis with a criterion mean set at 2.0 was used toanalyze the quantitative data of the 3-Likert scale and results were presented in tables, item mean, and percentages.Results:Individual factors affecting compliance with standard infection prevention precautions on the use of PPE were difficulty to feel veins while wearing PPE (x=2.7), some level of discomfort while performing skills using the PPE (x=2.0), and lack of knowledge of how to use the PPE (x=2.9). It was also revealed that those who complied with the standard infection prevention precaution do so because they understand that the use of PPEpreventsthem frombeinginfected (x=2.9).Conclusions:Individual factors that affect compliance with standard infection prevention precautions on the use of PPE among community health practitioners can be modified.It is recommended that community health practitioners should have a positive attitude towards compliance with standard infection prevention precautions, especially in this post-COVID-19 era. The government should conduct continuous in-service training and regular supportive supervision on compliance with standard infection prevention precautions among health workers in the primary health care settin
An Assessment of a Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Test in Bangladesh
No full textRapid antigen detection tests are point-of-care immunochromatographic assays that detect protein antigens specific to the SARS-CoV-2 (e.g., nucleocapsid).1 The ease of use and quick turnaround time of such tests can expand access to testing and decrease delays in diagnosis.2 Furthermore, modeling studies on SARS-CoV-2 have demonstrated that even if rapid antigen testing is associated with decreased sensitivity, the accessibility and short turnaround time in reporting results may be advantageous for decreasing transmission.3 Rapid antigen testing is particularly useful if deployed in the context of repeated testing over time.4,5
The performance of the rapid antigen tests has been determined by comparing their sensitivity and specificity with nucleic acid detection-based reference reaction.6 The current gold standard for identifying the presence of SARS-CoV-2 is reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in samples collected by nasopharyngeal (NP) swab.7 Despite their high sensitivity, nucleic acid amplification tests are associated with the need for laboratory processing, high costs, and a longer turnaround from sampling to return of results.8,9 The NP swabs are also more challenging and uncomfortable (for patients) to collect than anterior nares swabs. For this reason, rapid antigen testing is a valuable tool for contact tracing and early detection of COVID-19 patients to triage for treatment options, especially in settings where RT-PCR is less available or where follow-up reporting of RT-PCR results is more difficult, and particularly when anterior nares samples can be used.
In this study among asymptomatic and symptomatic adults, we evaluated the performance (sensitivity/specificity) of two rapid antigen detection tests, the BD Veritor (Becton-Dickenson, Franklin Lakes, NJ) and the Standard Q (SD-Biosensor, Gyeonggi-do, Korea) rapid antigen test, in comparison to NP swab RT-PCR as the reference standard. The BD Veritor was performed according to the manufacturer’s recommendations using an anterior nares swab specimen, and the Standard Q and reference RT-PCR were performed on NP swab specimens. We also evaluated the performance of the rapid antigen tests across the spectrum of RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) values. Finally, we assessed the implementation characteristics of the BD Veritor rapid antigen test, including fitness-for-use in different populations and settings in Bangladesh
COVID-19 vaccinology landscape in Africa
Get PDFMore than two years after the start of COVID-19 pandemic, Africa still lags behind in terms vaccine distribution. This highlights the predicament of Africa in terms of vaccine development, deployment, and sustainability, not only for COVID-19, but for other major infectious diseases that plague the continent. This opinion discusses the challenges Africa faces in its race to vaccinate its people, and offers recommendations on the way forward. Specifically, to get out of the ongoing vaccine shortage trap, Africa needs to diversify investment not only to COVID-19 but also other diseases that burden the population. The continent needs to increase its capacity to acquire vaccines more equitably, improve access to technologies to enable local manufacture of vaccines, increase awareness on vaccines both in rural and urban areas to significantly reduce disease incidence of COVID-19 and as well as other prevalent diseases on the African continent such as HIV and TB. Such efforts will go a long way to reduce the disease burden in Africa.SS was supported by an award from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center Accelerating Coronavirus Testing Solutions (A.C.T.S), Nina Ireland Program for Lung Health, and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Initiative. JG and BNK were supported by Africa Academy of Sciences funding for Covid-19 Research & Development goals for Africa (SARSCoV2-4-20-010). The funding sources had no role in study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, and publication
Substitution reactions of cis-platinum(II) complexes containing bidentate N,N-donor pyridinecarboxamide ligands with different substituents
No full textSubstitution reactions of [2-(pyridinecarboxamide)dichloride Pt(II)] [PtCl2], [N-phenyl-(2-pyridinecarboxamide)dichloride Pt(II)] [PhPtCl2], [N-(4-methylphenyl)-2-pyridinecarboxamide)dichloride Pt(II)] [CH3PhPtCl2], [N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-(2-pyridine-carboxamide)dichloride Pt(II)] [CH3OPhPtCl2] and [N-(4-fluorophenyl)-(2-pyridinecarboxamide)dichloride Pt(II)] [FPhPtCl2], with nucleophiles; thiourea (TU), N,N′-dimethylthiourea (DMTU) and N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylthiourea (TMTU) were studied under pseudo first-order conditions. The rates of substitution were investigated as a function of nucleophile concentration and temperature using stopped-flow and UV-visible absorption spectrophotometers. Substitutions of the two coordinated chloride ligands of the Pt(II) complexes occur consecutively, with the first substitution occurring opposite the coordinated pyridyl. The observed pseudo first-order rate constants regressed linearly with concentration of the incoming nucleophiles according to the equation kobs = k2[Nu]. The highest substitution rates were measured for PtCl2, which is attributed to the unsubstituted non-leaving carboxamide ligand. The Pt(II) center of this complex is the most electrophilic as a result of the strong withdrawal of electron density through π-resonance by the carboxamide group. The introduction of a 4′-substituted phenyl group on the amido N of the carboxamide reduces the reactivity of the complexes due to proportional electronic effects from the ancillary substituents on the phenyl ring as well as its conformational disposition with respect to the plane of the complex. The order of reactivity of studied nucleophiles is TU > DMTU > TMTU. The substitution is associatively activated as supported by the negative entropy of activation values for the reactions
Effects of community performance-based financing on community health workers’ service delivery in Kayanza health district, Burundi
Get PDFBackground:In many low-and middle-income countries, community services are often provided on a volunteer basis. To make their work more effective in the communities, some of them including Burundi adopted community performance-based financing as form of motivation of community health workers (CHWs). The study aimed to demonstrate the relationship between the community performance-based financing and health service delivery by the community health workers.Methods:It was a cross-sectional study using a comparative approach toassess the relationship with the performance-based financing scheme and the community services delivery. We used a stratified random sampling and inferential statistics used chi square and logistic regression.Results:The occupation of CHWs was significantly associated with counselling for early ANC (p=0.002), women attending early ANC and 4 ANC visits (p=0.000). Female were about 3 times likely to refer FP clients for FP methods uptake [p=0.043, CI= (1.030; 7.462), OR=2.773]. Farmers were 11 times as likely to perform this task as CHWs with other functions [p=0.000, CI= (3.890; 32.733), OR=11.284]. The CHWs who received 9 equipment and above [p=0.037, CI= (1.101)].Conclusions:The community performance-based financing has a significant relationship with the community health workers service delivery and should be enhanced by trainings, formative supervision, and provision of equipment. Occupation was identified as to predict this association. But further studies be conducted to establish other factors that complement the community performance-based financing in community services delivery
Assessment of health insurance schemes uptake by the informal sector workers at Matuu, Machakos County, Kenya
No full textHealth insurance is a social protection against the possibility of incurring medical expenditure
among individuals. It is therefore, the critical pillar of Health care financing and the main driver
in achieving Universal Health coverage in most nations. The core objective of the study was to
assess the level of current uptake of Health Insurance among informal sector workers in Matuu
Ward within Machakos County. The specific objectives were to determine the proportion of
informal sector workers that enrolled for Medical Insurance Scheme in the past three year; to
establish the sources of money paid for Health services at the point of use among the informal
sector workers and to identify factors that influence uptake of Health Insurance Schemes among
informal sector workers. The study site was Matuu Ward, Machakos County and the target
population was informal workers. The study design was analytical cross sectional study which
applied a mixed method approach in data collection and analysis. The inclusion criteria was
employers and employees in the informal sector. The exclusion criteria was minors below 18
years of age. A sample of 202 respondents was selected for this study and primary quantitative
data was obtained from sampled individuals involved in enterprises by use of questionnaires.
Proportionate sampling technique was then employed to establish how many respondents were
to be sampled under each stratum/category. Descriptive data analysis was done and categorical
variables in form of frequencies and percentages was done; while numerical variables in form
mean, standard deviation was done in analyzing and presenting the data. Qualitative data from
key informants was analyzed and then grouped into themes and sub-themes. Ethical
considerations were observed. The study found that 97% of the respondents were aware of the
health insurance and in addition, only 31% of the respondents were aware of the Universal
Health Care (UHC), which is being piloted in Machakos County. The major source of
information on health insurance schemes was friends as reported by 41.1% of the respondents.
The major reason for stopping payments was loss of main source of income as reported by
41.7%. Chi-square results indicated that gender, age, level of education and income level had
no significant effect on uptake of insurance. However, marital status (p=0.000) had a significant
effect on uptake of insurance. In conclusion, the uptake of health insurance by informal sector
workers is high especially with the NHIF. This is because the Government has been
aggressively improving the uptake by NHIF by all in the Country to facilitate access to Health
Services. Uptake of health insurance offered by private insurance firms was low due to high
premiums, bearing in mind that most of the informal sector workers earn very low and irregular
incomes. The study recommends that the Government should make health insurance uptake
continuity more attractive to the informal sector workers. Government and the private sector
should explore public private partnership in provision of health insurance with the aim of
promoting the contribution of private health insurance schemes in expanding Universal Health
Coverage
Risk Factors Associated with Leishmaniasis among Residents of Rural Marigat Sub-County, Baringo County-Kenya
No full textLeishmaniasis is a parasitic and vector-borne disease existing in two main forms, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and Visceral Leishmaniasis with an average global incidence of 0.95 and 0.3 million cases consecutively per annum. The study determined the prevalence and risk factors associated with Leishmaniasis in Baringo County-Kenya.Methods:Analytical cross-sectional study design that employed a mixed method was used. Study recruited 333 head of households in Marigat sub-County of Baringo County-Kenya. Purposive and multistage sampling techniques were used to recruit study participants. SPSS version 26 was used for analysis of quantitative data. Statistical test employed were X2test of independence and binary logistic regression. NVivo version 10 was used for analysis of qualitative data. Results:Of 333 participants, 96 reported to have had Leishmaniasis translating to the prevalence of 28.8%. Increased odds of contracting Leishmaniasis were associated with living in a temporary house (OR = 5, 95% CI 2.64 –9.44), Living below the poverty line (OR = 2.4, 95% CI 0.23 –0.78), primary level of education (OR = 8.6, 95% CI 0.14 –0.97),presence of termite hills (OR = 7.6, 95% CI 0.60 –0.97) and presence of soil cracks (OR = 3.6, 95% CI 0.16 –0.50). Having bed net (OR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.90 –6.57), use of repellent (OR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.58 –8.58), and wearing lon
Prevalence and correlates of teenage pregnancy among in-school teenagers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hoima district western Uganda–A cross sectional community-based study
No full textBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic related restrictions and lockdown measures had compromised the routine delivery and access of sexual and reproductive health and rights services to the population including the teenage girls. However, the teenage pregnancy rates during COVID-19 pandemic period were poorly documented. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and the factors associated with teenage pregnancy among in-school teenage girls during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Hoima District Uganda.
Methods
This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that employed quantitative research methods. A total of 314 in-school teenage girls aged 13–19 years were selected using a multi-stage sampling techniques. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data from the participant’s homes during the period December 2021-January 2022. Data analysis was done using univariate, bi-variate, and multivariate.
Results
The prevalence of teenage pregnancy among the in-school teenage girls in Hoima district Uganda was 30.6% [96/314]. Higher teenage pregnancy rates were prevalent among the unmarried teenage girls [aOR: 9.6; 95%CI: 4.64–19.87; p = 0.000], teenage girls studying from boarding schools [aOR 2.83, 95%CI 1.36–5.86, p = 0.005], contraceptive non-users [aOR: 2.54; 95%CI: 1.12–5.4; p = 0.015] and teenage girls involved in sex trade [aOR 3.16, 95%CI 1.5–6.7, p = 0.003]. The factors associated with the reduced likelihood for teenage pregnancy included being an adult teenage girl aged 18–19 years [aOR: 0.15; 95%CI: 0.07–0.32; p = 0.000] and not receiving sex education during the period [aOR 0.36, 95%CI 0.13–0.62, p = 0.024].
Conclusion
The results indicated that 3 out of 10 in-school teenage girls from Hoima district Uganda got pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic period of 2021. Teenage pregnancy was prevalent among teenage girls who don’t use modern contraceptive methods and those involved in sex trade. Teenage pregnancy was however, less prevalent among adult teenage girls aged 18–19 years. The findings point to the need for health stakeholders to innovate creative policies, contingency plans and programmes aimed at delaying age for sexual activities, increasing contraceptive use and minimizing pregnancy risk from sex trade among in-school teenage girls during COVID-19 pandemics
Impact of witchcraft on the Akamba christians in the Anglican church diocese of Makueni, Kenya
No full textWitchcraft is a persistent discourse and a stirring phenomenon among contemporary Christians
across the world. Blooming of witchcraft correlated practices perplexes and antagonizes the
church with quandaries on how to compact them. Witchcraft is perceived to provide immediate
remedies to social, spiritual, economic and moral glitches which Christianity seem not measure.
The church is exposed to dingy witchcraft proficiencies hence dejects the practice through a
pawn riposte. iThis istudy iinvestigated ithe iimpact iof iWitchcraft itrepidation ion ithe iAkamba
iChristians iin ithe iAnglican iChurch iof iKenya i(A.C.K.) iin ithe iDiocese iof iMakueni. iSpecifically
ithe istudy iestablished ithe ifoundations iof ibiblical iand itheological ibasis ion iwitchcraft, iexamined
ifactors icontributing ito ipersistence idread, ibelieve iand ipractices iof iWitchcraft, iestablish ithe
ieffects iof iWitchcraft iflight iamong ithe iAkamba iChristians iin ithe iAnglican iChurch iof iKenya,
iDiocese iof iMakueni, iteachings iand iresponses iof ithe iA.C.K ion iwitchcraft iconsternation iin ithe
iDiocese iof iMakueni. iThe iStudy iengrained ion iRichard iNiebuhr's i(1951) iChrist iand iCulture
itheory. iDescriptive iresearch idesign iapplied iboth iquantitative iand iqualitative islants iin ithe
imethodology. Purposive sampling was utilized to select Makueni, Kibwezi, and Mbitini.
iPurposive isampling iwasialso iused ito iselect ithe iPriestsiand iLay ireaders. iRandom isampling iwas
iemployed ito isample i ithe iAkamba iChristian ichurch imembers, iwhereas isnowball isampling
isampleditheiculturalieldersiofiAkambaitraditionalireligion, igivingiairepresentative isampleisizeiof
i286 irespondents idrawn ifrom ia icumulative itarget ipopulation iof i5516 iusing iCochran's i(1963)
iformula. Primary data was obtained using questionnaires, interviews and Focused Group
Discussion (F.G.D.s), where secondary data is was obtained from relevant literature.
Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Categorical principal
component analysis discriminated explanatory variables facilitated by SPSS version 21
software. The qualitative data was analyzed and organized thematically. The findings indicated
that inadequate clear biblical and theological basis understanding on witchcraft trepidation by
the Clergy, Lay readers and Christians has led to motley reaction on its approach. The study
also found out that the persistence dread of witchcraft has been caused by political, social,
economic, spiritual and academic factors. Further, credence of witchcraft among Christians
affected their spirituality consequently impacting on flagging of the Church. On the teachings
and response of the A.C.K Diocese of Makueni to deal with persistent consternation of
witchcraft, the Church had concocted ways which it can use to thwart and reinstate those
affected by witchcraft flight though the strategies are yet to vintage to what the church desires.
The Study recommended unremitting Christian formation, integrating candid charismatic
undertakings to worship, reexamining catechism and Sunday school syllabus content, worship
and liturgy enculturation in evangelization. The study recommended further studies on
successful ways that can be utilized to gauge down the notoriety of witchcraft dominances, the
effects of witchcraft on development trends, the influence of modernization on witchcraft and
the relationship of witchcraft to the youth culture metamorphism. The study's findings will be
helpful to the Church in forging trails of inculturation the Akamba traditional practices with
Christianity for missiological efficacy in A.C.K church, Diocese of Makueni
Ergonomic-based intervention for musculoskeletal disorders among sugar factory workers in Jinja, Uganda
No full textDespite this long-standing awareness, WRMSDs continue to be the main reason among
people with a work-related illness. The study aimed at developing ergonomic based
interveion among sugar factory workers to reducec the prevalence of Musculoskletal
Disorders. A quasi-experimental study of pre-test and post-test was adopted in this
study for six months, using a well-structured standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal
disorders questionnaire (NMQ) and Quick Exposure Checklist (QEC). A stratified
sampling technique was used. A sample size of 402 was divided equally among the two
sugar factories as an experimental group and a control group. Ethical approvals were
sought from the relevant bodies before conducting the study. The quantitative data
were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26, while the qualitative data was analyzed
using Atlas.ti version 9. Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviations,
percentages, and frequencies were used. While t-test, Chi-square, and multivariate
logistic regression were used as inferential statistics. A higher prevalence of 77.1% was
reported among the sugar factories workers in 12 months, lower back region 63.7% and
Upper back region 46.3% was the most affected body region among the respondents.
All the risk factors have a level of association with either one or some of the anatomical
regions under bivariate and Level of education (p=0.034), experience (p=0.011),
departments (p=0.011), standing for long (p=0.035), and job time (p=0.001) was shown
to be a predictor of WRMSDs at multivariate level. The paired t-test analysis of the
QEC total score showed a reduction after the post-intervention and was significantly
different before and after the intervention. The majority of the study population in both
groups were males and at their youthful age, the prevalence of WRMSDs was higher in
the experimental group compared to the control group, and this was due to the
mechanized system of work in the control group. The ergonomic intervention resulted
in a reduction of the prevalence of WRMSDS among the workers in the Experimental
group from 77.1% to 37.0%, which is key to the study findings. This study showed
how the risk factors are predisposing the respondent to WRMSDs, and lack of
ergonomic knowledge or training was highlighted as major reasons for WRMSDs.
Recommendation: The results of this study will assist the factories in enhancing the
wellness of their workers by reducing the socioeconomic burdens, work-related
absenteeism and ultimately increasing factory productivity