scholarly journals Perceptions of Acute Malnutrition and Its Management in Infants Under 6 Months of Age: A Qualitative Study in Rural Bangladesh

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 117955651877169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasir Arafat ◽  
M Munirul Islam ◽  
Nicki Connell ◽  
Golam Mothabbir ◽  
Marie McGrath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Severe Acute Malnutrition ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Acute Malnutrition ◽  
World Health ◽  
Care Seeking ◽  
Care Workers

Background: World Health Organization guidelines advise community-based care (CBC) for “uncomplicated” severe acute malnutrition (SAM) infants <6 months old (u6m), whereas current national protocols refer to inpatient care. Our aim was to inform and shape future management strategies by understanding caregivers’ and different stakeholders’ perceptions on malnutrition among infants u6m on barriers/facilitators to future CBC. Methods: The methods used in this study are as follows: in-depth interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) in southern Bangladesh, thematic analysis of transcripts, and sample size by data saturation. Results: We conducted 5 FGDs with 29 caregivers, 4 with 29 health care workers, 4 key informant interviews each with community leaders and health supervisors. Five themes emerged. 1) Identification of SAM infants and care-seeking behavior: malnutrition was not noticed until severe, caregivers focused on clinical symptoms. Both allopathic and traditional healers were consulted. (2) Perceived causes of infant malnutrition: underlying illness, poor feeding practices, poverty, and local superstitions. (3) Views and preferences on treatment: hospitals and doctors were perceived as offering the best treatment, health care workers were also important, and respondents highlighted the need care of the caregiver/mother along with the infant. (4) Perceived benefits and risks of CBC: lower cost and greater accessibility were appreciated but worried about quality. (5) Community networks: wider family and social support networks were considered important aspects of care. Conclusions: There is considerable potential for CBC but needs to be better and earlier identification of at-risk infants, strengthening of health systems to avoid community options being perceived as “second best,” engagement with families and communities to tackle “upstream” determinants of SAM, and care for mother-infant pairs.

scholarly journals Management of severe acute malnutrition in children under 5 years through the lens of health care workers in two rural South African hospitals

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Moise Muzigaba ◽  
Brian Van Wyk ◽  
Thandi Puoane
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Severe Acute Malnutrition ◽  
Acute Malnutrition ◽  
Severe Malnutrition ◽  
Who Guidelines ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Poor Treatment ◽  
Children Under 5

Background: Despite the widespread implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the management of severe malnutrition in South Africa, poor treatment outcomes for children under 5 years are still observed in some hospitals, particularly in rural areas.Objective: To explore health care workers’ perceptions about upstream and proximal factors contributing to poor treatment outcomes for severe acute malnutrition in two district hospitals in South Africa.Methods: An explorative descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Four focus group discussions were held with 33 hospital staff (senior clinical and management staff, and junior clinical staff) using interview guide questions developed based on the findings from an epidemiological study that was conducted in the same hospitals. Qualitative data were analysed using the framework analysis.Findings: Most respondents believed that critical illness, which was related to early and high case fatality rates on admission, was linked to a web of factors including preference for traditional medicine over conventional care, gross negligence of the child at household level, misdiagnosis of severe malnutrition at the first point of care, lack of specialised skills to deal with complex presentations, shortage of patient beds in the hospital and policies to discharge patients before optimal recovery. The majority believed that the WHO guidelines were effective and relatively simple to implement, but that they do not make much difference among severe acute malnutrition cases that are admitted in a critical condition. Poor management of cases was linked to the lack of continuity in training of rotating clinicians, sporadic shortages of therapeutic resources, inadequate staffing levels after normal working hours and some organisational and system-wide challenges beyond the immediate control of clinicians.Conclusion: Findings from this study suggest that effective management of paediatric severe acute malnutrition in the study setting is affected by a multiplicity of factors that manifest at different levels of the health system and the community. A verificatory study is encouraged to collaborate these findings.

scholarly journals The role of health care workers in collaborating with traditional healers in primary health care. Part 1

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemare Troskie
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Plan ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Full Text ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Workers

The Reconstruction and Development Plan as well as the National Health Plan of the ANC supports the reorganisation of health services. OpsommingDie Heropbou en Ontwikkelingsprogram sowel as die Nasionale Gesondheidsplan van die ANC staan die herorganisasie van gesondheidsdienste voor. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.

scholarly journals Factors for late initiation of antenatal care in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saidi Mgata ◽  
Stephen Oswald Maluka
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Antenatal Care ◽  
Health System ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
Dar Es Salaam ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Care Workers

Abstract Background Antenatal care (ANC) provided by a trained health care provider is important for monitoring pregnancy thereby reducing potential risks for the mother and child during pregnancy and delivery. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least four ANC visits to all pregnant women. While the proportion of women who attend at least one ANC in low-income countries is high, most pregnant women start their first ANC attendance very late. In Tanzania only 24% of pregnant women start their first ANC attendance before the fourth month of pregnancy. While factors for the utilization of antenatal care in general have been widely studied, there is paucity of studies on the factors affecting timing of the first ANC attendance. This study aimed to understand individual, community, and health system factors that lead to the delay in seeking ANC services among pregnant women in Ilala Municipal in Dar es Salaam region, Tanzania. Methods A qualitative exploratory study, using in-depth interviews with 20 pregnant women and five health care workers was conducted in three different health facilities in Dar es Salaam Tanzania. Thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data. Results Individual perceptions of antenatal care, past experience with pregnancy, fear of pregnancy disclosure, and socio-cultural beliefs were the key individual and social factors for late ANC attendance. Shortage of trained health care workers, lack of spouse’s escort and health providers’ disrespect to pregnant women were the main health system barriers to early ANC attendance. Conclusions This study concludes that community members should be sensitized about the importance of early ANC attendance. Additionally, while spouse’s escort policy is important for promoting PMTCT, the interpretation of the policy should not solely be left to the health providers. District and regional health officials should provide correct interpretation of this policy.

scholarly journals A super-spreader of SARS-CoV-2 in incubation period among health-care workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaojie Wei ◽  
Yufeng Yuan ◽  
Zhenshun Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Incubation Period ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
World Health ◽  
Doctor Who ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Potential Sources ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractSince the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China in December 2019, it has been characterized as a pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO). It was reported that asymptomatic persons are potential sources of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We present an outbreak among health-care workers incited by a doctor who cared a patient with COVID-19 in a Hospital in Wuhan, Hubei, China, which indicates existence of super-spreader even during incubation period.

scholarly journals Traditional healers and cancer prevention

Curationis ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Steyn ◽  
A Muller
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Traditional Healers ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Prevention Of Cancer ◽  
Knowledge Of Cancer ◽  
Provide Health Education

The increase in the incidence of cancer in South Africa necessitates the expansion of preventative efforts. This study shows that traditional healers in Atteridgeville are consulted by a range of people in their communities, have a basic knowledge of cancer, provide health education to their patients and are willing to participate in cancer preventative strategies. They are therefore ideally suited to augment the services of westernized health care workers. The issue of professionalization is explored and a procedure is suggested whereby the training of traditional healers can be enhanced so as to facilitate their professionalization and their collaboration with other health care workers in the prevention of cancer.

scholarly journals The Good COPD Guidelines

2004 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-16
Author(s):  
Dennis Bowie
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
World Health ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
The Third ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Prevalent Disease ◽  
Health Organization

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is becoming an increasing problem for health care workers. The World Health Organization predicts that in the year 2020, this disease will be the fifth most prevalent disease worldwide, up from 12th place, and it will be the third most common cause of death, up from sixth place in 1997 (1). Hospitalization and mortality rates for COPD continue to rise in Canada (2). Therefore, the burden of COPD on Canadians, the health care system and physicians is obvious.

scholarly journals Modeling Predictive Age-Dependent and Age-Independent Symptoms and Comorbidities of Patients Seeking Treatment for COVID-19: Model Development and Validation Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingxiang Huang ◽  
Dina Radenkovic ◽  
Kevin Perez ◽  
Kari Nadeau ◽  
Eric Verdin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Hospital Setting ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
The World

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage and burden hospitals around the world. The epidemic started in Wuhan, China, and was subsequently recognized by the World Health Organization as an international public health emergency and declared a pandemic in March 2020. Since then, the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have had an unparalleled effect on all aspects of life. OBJECTIVE With increasing total hospitalization and intensive care unit admissions, a better understanding of features related to patients with COVID-19 could help health care workers stratify patients based on the risk of developing a more severe case of COVID-19. Using predictive models, we strive to select the features that are most associated with more severe cases of COVID-19. METHODS Over 3 million participants reported their potential symptoms of COVID-19, along with their comorbidities and demographic information, on a smartphone-based app. Using data from the >10,000 individuals who indicated that they had tested positive for COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, we leveraged the Elastic Net regularized binary classifier to derive the predictors that are most correlated with users having a severe enough case of COVID-19 to seek treatment in a hospital setting. We then analyzed such features in relation to age and other demographics and their longitudinal trend. RESULTS The most predictive features found include fever, use of immunosuppressant medication, use of a mobility aid, shortness of breath, and severe fatigue. Such features are age-related, and some are disproportionally high in minority populations. CONCLUSIONS Predictors selected from the predictive models can be used to stratify patients into groups based on how much medical attention they are expected to require. This could help health care workers devote valuable resources to prevent the escalation of the disease in vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals Hand Hygiene Guidelines for Front Line Health Care Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. 35-36
Author(s):  
Bhavanam Sai Rajendra
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Hand Hygiene ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
World Health ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Care Workers

Hand hygiene competence is one of the critical outcomes for health care workers who are working for covid patients.. Ensuring health care workers to reduce the risk of infections among nurses and health care workers. Adequate hand hygiene(HH) awareness for hospital staff like Nurses, ward technicians, health care workers should be implemented so as to reduce risks of facing infections. To assess the knowledge and awareness programmes to the front line warriors who are in direct contact with covid patients. A systematic review of studies published on January 1, 2009 based on, an online survey done in Canada where FIVE leading hospitals are actively involved and participated for Hand hygiene care. An online Data collection with simple and sample survey was conducted for Nurses, ward technicians, covid health care workers and Gram volunteers according to Guidelines given by World Health Organization’s SEVEN ( 7) hand washing steps. The Data collection was taken from 50 Nurses and 50 covid health care workers particularly working in rural areas of Parchur Mandal of Prakasam District in Andhra Pradesh state

scholarly journals Cost-effectiveness and return on investment of protecting health workers in low- and middle-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Risko ◽  
Kalin Werner ◽  
O. Agatha Offorjebe ◽  
Andres I. Vecino-Ortiz ◽  
Lee A. Wallis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
World Health ◽  
Decision Analytic Model ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Low And Middle Income

AbstractBackgroundIn this paper, we predict the health and economic consequences of immediate investment in personal protective equipment (PPE) for health care workers (HCWs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).MethodsTo account for health consequences, we estimated mortality for health care workers (HCW), and present a cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) analysis using a decision-analytic model with Bayesian multivariate sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation. Inputs were used from the World Health Organization Essential Supplies Forecasting Tool and the Imperial College of London epidemiologic model.ResultsAn investment of $9.6 billion USD would adequately protect HCWs in all LMICs. This intervention saves 2,299,543 lives across LMICs, costing $59 USD per HCW case averted and $4,309 USD per HCW life saved. The societal ROI is $755.3 billion USD, the equivalent of a 7,932% return. Regional and national estimates are also presented. In scenarios where PPE remains scarce, 70-100% of HCWs will get infected, irrespective of nationwide social distancing policies. Maintaining HCW infection rates below 10% and mortality below 1% requires inclusion of a PPE scale-up strategy as part of the pandemic response.DiscussionIn conclusion, wide-scale procurement and distribution of PPE for LMICs is an essential strategy to prevent widespread HCW morbidity and mortality. It is cost-effective and yields a large downstream return on investment.

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