by Eshetu Bekele Worku
Original Research
Background: Over the past decades active community engagement in health research has gained significant attention in people-centered health systems throughout the world. Yet there is little evidence about how best to enhance active community engagement in setting priorities for health research, particularly from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study presents the approaches employed to identify health research priorities and the lesson learnt from the Northern Cape Province in South Africa. Methods: A combination of approaches involving the Essential National Health Research (ENHR), and the World Café consultation processes with the support of experts’ ideas used to enhance key stakeholders (n=41) participation towards the identification of health research priorities for the province. A document on the burden of diseases, health systems challenges and population health status indicators was presented and critically reviewed at the workshop. Results:The top ten health research prority areas for the province identified with active community engagement. More than 90% of the prioritised research areas are operational research which are linked to health services delivery challenges including health systems issues, burden of diseases, health program effectiveness, and the social determinants of health. Conclusion:Active community engagement in setting research priorities for health is a necessary first step to improve the delivery of good quality, equitable and accessible healthcare services for all citizens. However, the current limited resource capacities both in terms of funding and human resources for health research is a concern; and may hamper the effective translation of research priorities to actual action.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(1), 23-29. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-1-5
Pub. Date: March 08, 2017
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by Murad Alkhalaileh, Abd Al-Hadi Hasan, Naeem S Al-Kariri and Ali H Abu Ibaid
Original Research
Objective: This study aimed to assess the patients' satisfaction with health services provided at Outpatients' ophthalmology clinic Department at Saint John Hospital.Methods: The design of this study is descriptive, analytical. 309 participants were recruited from the Outpatients' eye Department at Saint John Hospital.Results: Five dimensions of patients' satisfaction were considered in this study; namely, access to care, physical environment, patients' expectations, waiting time in addition to information and interaction. The overall patients' level of satisfaction was 63.9%. The patients' expectation dimension reported the highest level of satisfaction (68.1%), while, the waiting time dimension reported the lowest level of satisfaction (58.5%). The study illustrated important differences in satisfaction in relation to patients' socio-demographic characteristics, health status and organizational characteristics.Discussion: The study revealed that, there were statistically significant differences in the overall satisfaction with old patients, females, low educated, patients with low income and patients with chronic diseases are more satisfied than their counterparts.Conclusion: The study recommended that reducing the patients' time in the outpatient clinic, introducing improvement on existing physical environment of the department and improving the way of communication and interaction between health care providers and patients are important factors for improving the patients' level of satisfaction.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(1), 15-22. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-1-4
Pub. Date: February 28, 2017
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by Kashini ANDREW, Chinedu John-Camillus IGBOANUSI, Istifanus Anekoson JOSHUA and Musa YAKUBU
Original Research
Primary health workers have been shown to write off depressed patients and most have the perception that depression cannot be managed. Data on attitudes towards elderly depression and care options at primary health care level especially in Nigeria and rural Africa is lacking. This study assessed the attitudes of primary health care workers towards elderly depression in Kubau, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: It was a cross sectional descriptive study carried out in June 2012, of the total health workers directly involved in patient care in Kubau. Information on the socio-demographics of the respondents, knowledge, attitudes and care options were obtained using a modified Depression Attitude Questionnaire, interviewer - administered. The collected data was cleaned and entered into SPSS version 16 and the results presented as tables and charts with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Most health workers had a good attitude towards depression and most (70%) thought elderly depressed patients could be managed, 88.3 % were willing to take time to detect and diagnose depressed patients. Conclusion: The study revealed a good attitude towards depression in the elderly among healthcare workers in Kubau, Nigeria.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(1), 12-14. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-1-3
Pub. Date: February 24, 2017
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by Jemberu Alemu, Gezahegne Mamo, Venkataramana Kandi and Mahendra Pal
Original Research
A retrospective study was carried out to evaluate the progress towards millennium development goals and to generate preliminary epidemiological information on tuberculosis (TB) in Gambella town hospital and its surroundings in Southwestern Ethiopia. The medical records of all TB patients registered from 2009 to 2014 were assessed retrospectively. A total of 2519 TB patients were registered for the last 6 years and treated in Gambella Regional Hospital. The sex proportion of male TB patients was 60.18 % (1516/2519). The mean and the standard deviation of age was 23.8±13.18. The age group between 15-44 years in both sexes was most frequently affected with both forms of TB (pulmonary tuberculosis and extra pulmonary tuberculosis), 1660 (65.9%) followed by 0-14 years of age 508 (20.2%). Of 2519 tuberculosis cases registered in the last 6 years, 637(25.3%) of them were extra pulmonary tuberculosis cases and the rest 1884 (74.79%) were pulmonary tuberculosis cases. Out of 2519 TB cases registered during the six years, 1516 (60.18%) were males, and higher tuberculosis cases were registered (χ2 =4.191; p=0.022). The annual trends of TB for both sexes were gradually declined in the last six years. In conclusion, the retrospective study showed that although there was reduction in the number of both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis cases in the study area, what should not be undermined is the importance of regular prognostic evaluation among tuberculosis cases. Hence, we re-emphasize that Tuberculosis Control Program should give attention to control of tuberculosis and HIV-TB co-infection in Gambella Region.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(1), 6-11. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-1-2
Pub. Date: February 07, 2017
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by Sanjeev Kumar Shah, Abinash Upadhayay, Deependra Kaji Thapa, Sanal T.S, Raju Ghimire and Harsha Raj Dahal
Original Research
Background: Comprehensive studies of family planning (FP) in displaced camps are relatively uncommon. This paper examines family planning knowledge, attitudes, and practices among in earth quake displaced population of Sindupalchok district of Nepal. Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning and affecting factors for used of FP. Methodology: From January to March 2016 a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted of 566 married women of age (15-49) years. Multi-stage sampling technique was used and data were collected for socio-demographics, practice of FP methods, knowledge, and attitude. Statistics were calculated for selected indicators. Results: The mean age of participants was 31.55 years. About 65.3 % of women reported using any method of family planning in the past, compared with 85.5 %of women reporting current usage of family planning methods. Recognition of at least one family planning method was nearly universal i.e.97.61%. Age, education status and age at marriage were significantly associated (p< 0.05) with contraceptive usage. It was observed that participants who were at the age group of 15-24 years had positive attitude by 2 and 11 time more than participants of age of 25-34 years and above 35 years respectively. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that respondents have a high knowledge and a positive attitude towards, family planning methods. Spousal discussion can be a crucial step towards increasing men¡¯s participation in family planning issues. Distance to health facility play major role in utilization of FP methods.
American Journal of Public Health Research. 2017, 5(1), 1-5. DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-5-1-1
Pub. Date: January 17, 2017
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