13 research outputs found
Detection of H. Pylori by Different Conventional Staining Methods and Immunohistochemistry in Sudanese Patients with Chronic Gastritis
No full textAbstract Background: H.pylori is a major cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, i
Knowledge, perception, and willingness of emerging Public Health Advocates to effectively communicate about smoking cessation and Tobacco Harm Reduction in Africa
No full textBackground:
Media campaigns targeting young people are a valuable tool for promoting awareness about tobacco harm reduction (THR). Advocacy and communication efforts that inform about the risks of tobacco use, THR strategies, and smoking cessation methods can enhance policy compliance, minimize tobacco-related damages, and motivate individuals to quit smoking. This study investigates the understanding, perceptions, and capabilities of burgeoning public health advocates in effectively communicating smoking cessation and THR strategies in Africa.
Methods:
This research adopts a concurrent explanatory sequential design. The target demographic population consists of public health enthusiasts, healthcare students, health communicators, and budding journalists aged 18–30 in Nigeria. The questionnaire, validated through an extensive literature review, was distributed via Google Forms. From 450 individuals expressing interest in the THRjourno project, 415 agreed to participate, responding to open-ended questions on smoking cessation and THR among young people. Data were analysed with Microsoft Excel and IBM SPSS for quantitative aspects, while Atlas.ti was used for the qualitative interpretation of open-ended responses.
Results:
Of the 415 participants, 73.7% lacked prior knowledge or proper understanding of THR. Most respondents (60.0%) regarded Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) as the most effective THR strategy, with 26.7% favoring e-cigarettes. A majority (73.3%) perceived NRT to be safer than smoking, while 48.3% believed e-cigarettes were safer. Approximately 70.8% agreed that THR products aid in smoking cessation. However, 38.3% were uncertain if these products are addictive. Participants referenced strategies/activities for creating awareness for THR, which include, “More advocacy and sensitization programs should be organized”, and “These programs should engage people who smoke tobacco and nicotine products themselves as champions.”Ambassadorial roles in public Universities should be granted to students as a medium to proliferate the central message of the THR.
Conclusion:
Identified barriers to effective THR communication included misinformation propagated by health professionals and the media, religious and cultural constraints, and challenges in reaching remote areas. Strategies to enhance THR communication encompass increased advocacy and communication, government engagement and policy development, simplification of THR messages, and capacity building and engagement of advocates and stakeholders
Workplace violence against healthcare workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Sudan: A cross‐sectional study
No full textAbstract Background Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a growing global issue. During the coronavirus diseases‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, violent attacks on HCWs have been documented worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the magnitude and pattern of WPV among HCWs in Sudan during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods A web‐based cross‐sectional study of WPV was conducted among registered medical and health workers (pharmacists, physicians, dentists, nurses, laboratory technicians, and administrative and paramedical staff) during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Sudan. Data were collected from August to December 2021 using a self‐administered questionnaire distributed through social media platforms. Results A total of 792 HCWs returned the online questionnaire. The mean age was 33.5 ± 8.6 years, where more than half were females (54.9%) and working during the day shift (58.8%). During the COVID‐19 pandemic, three out of every four participants (78.3%) reported experiencing violence, with 65.8 % experiencing it more than three times. The common types of violence experienced were verbal (91.6%), physical (50.0%), and sexual abuse (11.0%). The emergency department reported the highest number of violent incidents (46.9%). Half of these violent events were not reported (50.3%), primarily due to a lack of a reporting system. The demographic factors that were significantly associated with exposure to violence were participants’ occupation (p < 0.001), age (p = 0.001), marital status (p = 0.002), and years of working experience (p = 0.020). Conclusion WPV was rampant among the HCWs in Sudan during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The current findings are presented to draw the attention of policy leaders and stakeholders in Sudan to this alarming problem prompting the pressing need for policy and system interventions
Evaluation of grit and its associated factors among undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textIntroduction: Grit is proposed as an essential trait for academic achievement. Thus, evaluating its current status and the associated factors could aid academic support planning. Objective: The present study aimed to assess grit level and its related factors among undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted among pharmacy students from 14 countries in Asia and the Middle East. A 31-item questionnaire was developed, validated, and pilot-tested, including the validated short scale for grit assessment. The data was collected between 1 February and 15 April 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed as appropriate. Results: A total of 2665 responses were received, mainly from females (68.7 %), living in urban areas (69.2 %) and studying at private universities (59.1 %). The average grit score on a scale of 5 was 3.15 ± 0.54. The responses revealed higher favourable responses to items on the perseverance of efforts (34.9 % to 54 %) compared to items on the consistency of interests (26.5 % to 31.1 %). Students who did not exercise (AOR: 0.47, 95 %CI: 0.33–0.67) or exercised irregularly (AOR: 0.64, 95 %CI: 0.45–0.90) were less likely to have higher grit scores than those who exercised regularly. Additionally, students who did not receive COVID-19 vaccination (AOR: 0.50, 95 %CI: 0.36–0.71) or received only one dose (AOR: 0.67, 95 %CI: 0.46–0.99) were less likely to have higher grit scores than those who received their booster vaccination. Interestingly, students who chose the pharmacy program as their only available or reasonable choice (AOR: 0.33, 95 %CI: 0.17–0.62) and students from public universities (AOR: 0.82, 95 %CI: 0.68–0.98) were less likely to have higher grit scores. On the other hand, students who did not face educational challenges with online learning (AOR: 1.19, 95 %CI: 1.003–1.416) and students with excellent (AOR: 2.28, 95 %CI: 1.57–3.31) and very good (AOR: 2.16, 95 %CI: 1.53–3.04) academic performance were more likely to have higher grit scores. Conclusion: The findings revealed moderate grit levels. Higher grit levels were thought to be associated with several personal, lifestyle and academic factors. Further interventions to support students' grit attributes are required, particularly concerning the consistency of interests
The Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on health professionals in Sudan 2020
No full textBackground: The 2019 novel corona virus (COVID-19) is highly contagious with pandemic transmission, so it is associated with severe health problems and high public anxiety, with healthcare community speculation to be the most distressed because they were at the highest risk of infection. This study aimed to investigate the psychological impact on frontline medical staff in Khartoum state, Sudan, during the COVID‑19 outbreak between January and March 2020
Material and Methods: Patient Health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety Disorders (GAD-7) scale and the revised impact of event scale (IES-R) were used to assess the depression, anxiety and psychological impact of COVID-19 on participants respectively, by an online questionnaire, analyzed by the statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 24.
Results: PHQ-9 depression Scale showed that 72% have some degree of depression with mild depression being the most common seen in 96 (24.2%), severe depression was found to be more among age group between 45-65 and was associated with working in the emergency room (ER), p value was 0.03.The post-traumatic stress disorder among our participants was assessed by the IES-R scale which revealed 67 (16.9%) having mild PTSD, 32 (8.1%) having moderate PTSD,75 (18.9%) having severe PTSD while with statistical association with male gender with (P value= 0.16), age group of 45-65 (P value= 0.03), working in the respiratory wards (P value of 0.039) and history of contact with a positive case of COVID 19, (P value= 0.0001). We used GAD 7anxiety score showed mild anxiety in 32 participants (23.2%) moderate anxiety in 53 (13.4%) and severe anxiety 66 (16.7%).
Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of vigor organizational support in predicting and managing health workers symptoms of burnout, and the working conditions they face during novel times of crisis.
Keywords: COVID-19, Psychological impact, Health workers, Sudan, GAD-7, PHQ-9, IES-
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose Acceptance: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textThe World Health Organization (WHO) recommended coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) booster dose vaccination after completing the primary vaccination series for individuals ≥18 years and most-at-risk populations. This study aimed to estimate the pooled proportion of COVID-19 vaccine booster dose uptake and intention to get the booster dose among general populations and healthcare workers (HCWs). We searched PsycINFO, Scopus, EBSCO, MEDLINE Central/PubMed, ProQuest, SciELO, SAGE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect according to PRISMA guidelines. From a total of 1079 screened records, 50 studies were extracted. Meta-analysis was conducted using 48 high-quality studies according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale quality assessment tool. Using the 48 included studies, the pooled proportion of COVID-19 vaccine booster dose acceptance among 198,831 subjects was 81% (95% confidence interval (CI): 75–85%, I2 = 100%). The actual uptake of the booster dose in eight studies involving 12,995 subjects was 31% (95% CI: 19–46%, I2 = 100%), while the intention to have the booster dose of the vaccine was 79% (95% CI: 72–85%, I2 = 100%). The acceptance of the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines among HCWs was 66% (95% CI: 58–74%), I2 = 99%). Meta-regression revealed that previous COVID-19 infection was associated with a lower intention to have the booster dose. Conversely, previous COVID-19 infection was associated with a significantly higher level of booster dose actual uptake. The pooled booster dose acceptance in the WHO region of the Americas, which did not include any actual vaccination, was 77% (95% CI: 66–85%, I2 = 100%). The pooled acceptance of the booster dose in the Western Pacific was 89% (95% CI: 84–92%, I2 = 100), followed by the European region: 86% (95% CI: 81–90%, I2 = 99%), the Eastern Mediterranean region: 59% (95% CI: 46–71%, I2 = 99%), and the Southeast Asian region: 52% (95% CI: 43–61%, I2 = 95). Having chronic disease and trust in the vaccine effectiveness were the significant predictors of booster dose COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. The global acceptance rate of COVID-19 booster vaccine is high, but the rates vary by region. To achieve herd immunity for the disease, a high level of vaccination acceptance is required. Intensive vaccination campaigns and programs are still needed around the world to raise public awareness regarding the importance of accepting COVID-19 vaccines needed for proper control of the pandemic
Assessment of Academic Resilience and its associated factors among Pharmacy Students in Twelve Countries
No full textObjective Academic resilience, a critical determinant of academic achievement, is affected by various factors. There is a paucity of large-scale international assessments of academic resilience among pharmacy students. Therefore, this study aimed to assess academic resilience among pharmacy students in 12 countries and to evaluate factors associated with their academic resilience levels. Methods A cross-sectional online survey-based study was conducted among randomly selected pharmacy students in 12 countries: Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. After pilot testing, the validated 30-item academic resilience scale (ARS) was used for the assessment. The data were collected between November 1, 2022 and April 15, 2023. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed, as appropriate. Results A total of 3950 were received from the 12 participating countries. The mean age was 21.68 ± 2.62 years. About two-thirds of the responses were from female participants and those studying for Bachelor of Pharmacy degrees. Overall, the findings show moderate academic resilience, which varied across countries. The median (IQR) of the total ARS-30 was 114 (103−124). Females exhibited lower negative affective and emotional response subscale levels than males. There were significant cross-country variations in the ARS-30 and all subscales. The highest overall levels were reported for Sudan, Pakistan, and Nigeria and the lowest were reported for Indonesia and Türkiye. Students in private universities tended to have higher overall ARS levels than public university students. Higher academic performance was significantly associated with ARS levels, whereas those with excellent performance exhibited the highest ARS levels. Students with exercise routines had higher ARS levels than those without exercise routines. Finally, students who were engaged in extracurricular activities had higher ARS levels than those who did not participate in these activities. Conclusion The study offers insights into the factors affecting academic resilience in pharmacy students across several countries. The findings could guide interventions and support activities to improve resilience and academic outcomes
Assessment of mental wellbeing of undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 countries: The role of gender, lifestyle, health-related, and academic-related factors
No full textBACKGROUND: Pharmacy students will assume future roles as frontline healthcare providers. Therefore, evaluating their current state of mental wellbeing and its associated factors is essential for better planning students' support initiatives. This study aimed to assess mental wellbeing and its associated factors among undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 countries during the pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students in 14 countries in Asia and the Middle East. The validated Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (the 14-item WEMWBS) was adopted to assess mental wellbeing. Data collection was performed online between February and April 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 2,665 responses were received, mainly from females (68.7%) with a higher presence of private universities (59.1%). About 34.9% had low mental wellbeing levels, while 57 and 8.1% had medium, and high levels, respectively. Binary logistic regression showed that males (AOR: 1.34; CI 95%: 1.11–1.61; p < 0.01) and students with no chronic illnesses (AOR: 2.01; CI 95%: 1.45–2.80; p < 0.001) were more likely to have higher mental wellbeing. Also, participants who did not engage in any exercise (AOR: 0.71; CI 95%: 0.52–0.98; p = 0.04) and those in public universities (AOR: 0.82; CI 95%: 0.69–0.97; p = 0.02) were less likely to have higher mental wellbeing. Additionally, students who had interest/passion for pharmacy (AOR: 1.69; CI 95%: 1.07–2.68; p = 0.02), and those who known pharmacists inspired (AOR: 1.81; CI 95%: 1.06–3.12; p = 0.03), were more likely to have higher mental wellbeing compared with those who had no specific reason for their choice to study pharmacy. The participants with excellent (AOR: 1.87; CI 95%: 1.29–2.70; p = 0.001) or very good self-reported academic performance (AOR: 1.57; CI 95%: 1.12–2.22; p = 0.01) were more likely to have higher mental wellbeing compared to those with fair academic performance. CONCLUSION: More than a third of the participants had low mental wellbeing. Various demographic, lifestyle, medical and academic factors appeared to affect students' mental wellbeing. Careful consideration of these factors and their integration into the pharmacy schools' plans for student support services and academic advising would be essential to improve students' mental wellbeing
Assessment of Knowledge, Perception, Experience and Phobia toward Corticosteroids Use among the General Public in the Era of COVID-19: A Multinational Study
No full textBackground: Corticosteroids play a significant role in managing the vast majority of inflammatory and immunologic conditions. To date, population-based studies on knowledge and attitudes concerning corticosteroids are scarce. This study aims to comprehensively assess knowledge, perception, experience and phobia toward corticosteroid use among the general population in the era of COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect the data from 6 countries. Knowledge and corticophobia scores, descriptive statistics and logistic regression were computed. Results: A total of 2354 participants were enrolled in this study; the majority were females (61.6%) with an average age of 30. Around 61.9% had been infected previously with COVID-19, and about one-third of the participants had experience with corticosteroid use. The mean knowledge score was relatively satisfactory (8.7 ± 4.5 out of 14), and Corticophobia ranked a high score in all countries. Age, female gender, and history of COVID-19 were positively correlated with developing corticophobia. Conclusion: Our study highlights that the general knowledge about steroids was satisfactory. However, the phobia toward its use upon indication is high. Therefore, enhancing awareness and providing essential counseling regarding the rational use of corticosteroids may reduce corticophobia
