by Hanan Elzeblawy Hassan, Mona Moawad Mohamed, Asmaa Salah Eldin Mohamed Saleh and Amal Abelazyeem Mohamed
Original Research
Background: Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology emphasized on the use of aseptic technique during all aspects of parenteral medication administration, medication vial use, injections, and glucose monitoring procedures to patient stations in hemodialysis settings and the use of medication in a syringe for more than one patient even if the needle is changed between patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess hemodialysis nursing staffs' knowledge and preventive measures practices regarding elderly viral hepatitis C and Bat Beni-Suef hemodialysis units. Setting: The study was carried out in two hemodialysis units at Beni-Suef University Hospital and Elwasta General Hospital in Beni-Suef Governorate. Subjects: A convenient sample of 76 hemodialysis nurses. Results: About 55.3% of the dialysis nurses have fair level of total knowledge about viral hepatitis B & C for elderly patients in the dialysis units, while 32.9% & 11.8% of had good and poor total knowledge, respectively. Moreover, 53% of the dialysis nurses have incompetent level regarding practices towards viral hepatitis B & C for the elderly patients in the dialysis units, while 47% of them have competent level of practices. There is highly significant positive correlation between dialysis nurses' knowledge and their practices towards viral hepatitis B & C for the elderly patients in the dialysis units (P=<0.01). Conclusion: There are statistically significant relation between dialysis nurses' knowledge and practices, as well, and their training program for improving nursing skills and participate in educational lectures before, their years of experience in nursing field, the opportunity to view the courses and medical journals and participate in scientific conferences for dialysis and kidney disease during the last 5 years. Recommendations: Modification of the ongoing training program regarding infection control to be more applied to hemodialysis units.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(5), 167-173. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-5-3
Pub. Date: November 10, 2023
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by Issaka Tiembré, Coulibaly Adama, Techi Sopi Mathilde, Djoman Christiane, Taha Raymond, John Tra and Dagnan N'Cho Simplice
Original Research
Since 2008, Côte d'Ivoire has recognized rabies as a notifiable disease and, in 2017, elevated it to one of the country's top five priority zoonoses. Despite the implementation of various measures and initiatives, the battle against rabies has been an ongoing struggle. This study aims to answer the question: What model, tailored to the unique characteristics of rabies and mortality determinants, can be recommended to expedite the progress towards its elimination in Côte d'Ivoire? The study introduces an integrated rabies control model specifically adapted to the disease's characteristics. The research was conducted through a mixed cross-sectional study spanning from January to September 2023. Data collection involved interviews, document reviews, and a narrative review of all rabies-related publications in Côte d'Ivoire from 2018 to 2023. Ethical guidelines were adhered to, including administrative approval, informed consent, and the preservation of confidentiality. The primary challenges identified in the fight against rabies in Côte d'Ivoire encompassed low dog vaccination rates, limited public awareness about the disease, and inadequate access to Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). A problem tree analysis elucidated the factors contributing to mortality, with a primary focus on insufficient dog vaccination coverage and inadequate public knowledge, leading to suboptimal PEP utilization. The proposed model to expedite rabies elimination in Côte d'Ivoire comprises a set of interventions designed to enhance PEP utilization while concurrently increasing dog vaccination coverage. Key elements of the model include bolstering geographical and financial accessibility, enhancing public knowledge, and instilling a sense of communal responsibility in the battle against rabies. In the absence of control over the disease's primary reservoir and vector, the integrated model of rabies control promotes the systematic implementation of PEP before any exposure to rabies, combined with extensive public awareness campaigns and improved PEP accessibility.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(5), 157-166. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-5-2
Pub. Date: November 06, 2023
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by George Sheriff
Original Research
Ethnic and racial disparities in perinatal depression care are well documented, but Black women's care information is significantly limited. This study aimed to identify barriers to Black postpartum depression care. Quantitative descriptive research was used to investigate and document the barriers to postpartum depression care faced by low-income Black women in Central Texas. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a self-made 5 point Likert Scale questionnaire were used to collect data from 12 participants. The result indicated that 41.7% of participants showed significant signs of postpartum depression. Just over 16.7% of postpartum depression participants strongly agreed that low-income prevents treatment. Additionally, the mean rank of 5.40 and a p-value of 0.35 further indicated that low income is the mean barrier to low-income Black maternal postpartum care in Central Texas. Prior literatures have detailed mental health care disparities across various racial and ethnic groups, but none have addressed the barriers of postpartum depression care. This study present evidence of barriers to postpartum depression care among low-income Black women residing in Central Texas. Because of the limited nature of current studies on Black maternal depression and care needs in Central Texas, this study provides clinicians, researchers, and educators with the evidence needed to guide future research on this demographic. A limitation in this study was that the EDPS score was used instead of a trained mental health professional to identify postpartum depression participants. Therefore, future researchers are recommended to recruit a larger number of participants with a known diagnosis of postpartum depression.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(5), 152-156. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-5-1
Pub. Date: October 23, 2023
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