by Virginia C. Hughes
Original Research
Persons diagnosed with a terminal illness are faced with a panoply of arduous challenges and decisions that intrinsically affect their quality of life. Terminal patients have the option to end their life under the auspices of Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in ten states and the District of Columbia. Physician-assisted suicide can be described as a physician facilitating a patient’s death by providing the necessary means and/or information to enable the patient to perform the life ending act. States that allow PAS include California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. A logistic regression study was conducted to investigate factors that may impact PAS laws including Catholicism, cancer mortality rate, pancreatic cancer rate, cervical cancer rate, colon cancer rate, brain cancer rate, leukemia, and liver cancer rate. The unit of analysis was state. Statistical significance was found with the liver cancer and cervical cancer rates (P<.05). This paper delineates PAS state laws and provides insight for the origins of laws, timelines, and moral discourse.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(1), 38-43. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-1-6
Pub. Date: February 19, 2023
by Begna Dugassa
Original Research
Background: Violence and public health have always been viewed as distinct, non-overlapping social issues. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that violence is contagious, has incubation periods, is predictable, and is preventable. For example, in Ethiopia, racist ideas are instilled in formal and informal schools. Those ideas resulted in consecutive collective violence that ravaged Oromia-Ethiopia. Therefore, societies must think and act “upstream” to prevent violence. Objectives: This study aims to collect and evaluate the causes of violence against children and their relationship to public health to give theoretical and practical justifications and methods for “Upstream” solutions. Methodology: Using a systemic thinking framework, captured the underlying causes of violence against children and its public health repercussions. Findings: Violence in general and violence against children is an enduring problem. Racist theories taught in schools inform the Ethiopian government to covertly and overtly promote collective violence. The Ethiopian government collectively attacked the Oromo people, their institutions, and their leadership and legalized structural inequalities. Collective violence has eroded social protective factors, increased risks, and widened violence against children. Violence against children is a multiplier of social problems. Unless we apply public health strategies, slash the risks, and foster the development of protective social conditions, the problem will aggravate. Conclusions: The significant causes of violence against children are racist theories, collective violence, climate change, and poverty. Understanding the causes of violence through public health lenses offers theoretical and practical tools to foster peace. If Oromos can freely determine their affairs, they will better identify their problems and solutions. The Oromo people's efforts to self-determine their affairs are part and parcel of strategies to widen their choices, tackle structural violence, and progressively create healthy social conditions where children's growth and development can flourish.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(1), 25-37. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-1-5
Pub. Date: February 15, 2023
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by Alembi Osanya Ayub, Dr Joyce C. Kirui and Dr. Eliphas Gitonga
Original Research
Background: Ministry of Health in Kenya National STEPS survey observed, 56% of Kenyans had never been checked for blood pressure, 90% of those on treatment still had their blood pressure uncontrolled and of major concern is complications of hypertension account for over 50% hospitalization and 40% of hospital mortalities [1]. Objective: This study determines Medication adherence health information needs among patients on hypertensive management at Kenyatta National Hospital; Nairobi County, Kenya. Methods: Random sampling was used to select 259 study participants. Systematic sampling was used so that every 2nd patient from the sampling frame was interviewed, the Morisky Medication adherence scale - 8 scale was used. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used and chi-square test and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Most patients with difficulty in adhering to medication plan had raised blood pressure on clinic day. 88.7% forgot taking medicine the previous day, 71.9% stopped or changed medication dosage without consulting the doctors, 66.7% stopped or skipped using medicine whenever blood pressure was well or controlled, 57.6% feel harassed adhering to treatment plan, and 55.9% forget taking medication when travelling. Conclusion: Health Information on adherence to medication plan was found to be inadequate. Patient factors affect adherence to medication plan, patients with adherence challenges had their blood pressure outside normal ranges on the clinic day. It is recommended that the Kenya Ministry of Health and Kenyatta National hospital improve medication adherence through provision of health information on medication adherence.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(1), 18-24. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-1-4
Pub. Date: February 13, 2023
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by Precious Patrick Edet and Vincent Mendy
Original Research
Background: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana are the most used substances among U.S. adolescents, and racial disparities exist. Data on substance use among Mississippi adolescents is limited. We examined racial and gender disparities in current cigarette, electronic vapor products (e.g., e-cigarette), alcohol, and marijuana use among Mississippi adolescents. We hypothesized that the prevalence of current cigarette, electronic vapor products, alcohol, and marijuana use among Mississippi adolescents differed significantly by race and gender. Methods: We analyzed data from the 2019 Mississippi Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) for 1,417 participants. We examined associations between current cigarette, electronic vapor products, alcohol, and marijuana use by race (non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White) and gender (male and female) using Chi-Square tests. Results: Among Mississippi adolescents, the prevalence of current cigarette (9.7% vs. 3.7%), electronic vapor products (30.9% vs. 12.3%), and alcohol (34.6% vs. 18.2%) use were significantly higher among Whites compared to Blacks, respectively (p<0.001). Prevalence of current cigarette (8.7% vs. 4.9%, p=0.0018) and electronic vapor products (23.6% vs. 18.9%, p=0.0409) use were significantly higher among males compared to females, respectively. There was no significant racial difference in marijuana use and no gender differences for marijuana and alcohol use. Conclusion: Racial and gender disparities in substance use exist among Mississippi adolescents. Target interventions are needed to address substance use disparities among Mississippi adolescents.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(1), 13-17. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-1-3
Pub. Date: February 09, 2023
by Hanan Elzeblawy Hassan, Fatima Hosny Abd-ELhakam, Rasha El-Syed Ebrahim and Momen Zakria Mohammed
Original Research
Background: Female genital mutilation/cutting has complicated social and cultural foundations that outweigh the requirements and ideas of individuals. FGM/C is seen as a normal part of female socialization in societies that practice it. The reasons for continuing FGM/C in these societies include religious obligations, beauty in the form of smooth and small genitalia, delighting future families and sexual partners, having social significance, and being accepted for marriage. Aim: the study was conducted to assess Upper Egyptian females' knowledge about FGM/C. Subject & Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was used. The study population consisted of 2837 females in family health centers (FHCs) in different sitting at Beni-Suef. Α Structured Interviewing Questionnaire sheet was used to collect data. Results: The mean age of the studied participants was 22.6±5, 77.2% knew that FGM/C has other names, 76.9% of females knew that FGM/C practice is illegal and 79.1% knew that the government makes an effort to reduce FGM/C practice. Most (87.3%) of participant females knew that FGM/C complications and health problems. Concerning immediate health consequences, 59.5% mentioned bleeding, 49.2% and 16.1% mentioned severe pain and psychological trauma, respectively. As regards, long-term health consequences, 48.8% and 51.9% of females mentioned psychiatric consequences and sexual consequences, respectively, while almost all did not know that labor problems are among the long-term consequences of FGM/C. Conclusion: Most females did not know that FGM/C has more than one type and almost all did not know that FGM/C has four types. Most of females knew that FGM/C practice is illegal and knew that the government makes an effort to reduce FGM/C practice. Most of participant females knew that FGM/C causes complications and health problems. Recommendations: Development of an educational programs and brochures for mothers about FGM is required to increase their awareness.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(1), 5-12. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-1-2
Pub. Date: January 16, 2023
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by Weiyun Ji, Yanping Yang, Tianjiao Pei, Mengli He, Xuan Li and Baofeng Duan
Original Research
Objective: To explore the effect of traditional Chinese medicine emotional nursing on anxiety and depression in patients with atrial fibrillation. Methodology: A total of 68 patients with atrial fibrillation complicated with anxiety and depression admitted to our hospital from September 2020 to August 2021 were selected as the research objects. They were divided into the control group and the observation group by convenience sampling, 34 cases in each group. The control group was given routine nursing, while the observation group was given traditional Chinese medicine emotional nursing on the basis of routine nursing. The nursing satisfaction, SAS score and SDS score of the two groups before and after intervention were compared and analyzed. Results: The nursing satisfaction score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group, and the SAS score and SDS score of the observation group were lower than that of the control group, and there were significant differences (P < 0.05). Conclusion: For patients with atrial fibrillation, traditional Chinese medicine emotional nursing can effectively reduce or eliminate patients' negative emotions, effectively improve patients' nursing satisfaction, which is worthy of promotion and application in clinical practice.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2023, 11(1), 1-4. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-11-1-1
Pub. Date: January 03, 2023
1077 Views2 Downloads