scholarly journals Assessment of knowledge of drug-food interactions among healthcare professionals in public sector hospitals in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259402
Author(s):  
Emmanuella Chinonso Osuala ◽  
Boikhutso Tlou ◽  
Elizabeth Bolanle Ojewole

Background Foods and the nutrients they contain can interact with drugs and thereby interfere with their therapeutic safety and efficacy. Adequate knowledge of healthcare professionals (HCPs) about drug-food interactions can help in preventing potential drug-food interactions among patients. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of HCPs about common drug-food interactions. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among 459 HCPs from three public hospitals in eThekwini district, KwaZulu-Natal between November 2018, and January 2019. Informed consent was obtained from the HCPs, and a structured questionnaire was thereafter administered. Data were analysed using SPSS® version 25. Factors associated with knowledge of the HCPs were determined using logistic regression analysis. Results Of the 459 participants, 22.2% (n = 102) were doctors, 11.3% (n = 52) pharmacists, 63.8% (n = 293) nurses and 2.6% (n = 12) dietitians. Most of the HCPs were females 79.7% (n = 366), the mean age of the HCPs was 38.61±0.48. The knowledge score of the HCPs was 22.66±0.25 out of an overall score of 46. The HCPs poorly identified food types that interact with drugs and correct administration time of drugs relative to meals. Being a pharmacist (OR: 14.212, CI: 4.941–40.879, p<0.001), doctor (OR: 5.223, CI: 2.146–12.711, p<0.001), or a dietitian (OR: 5.476, CI: 1.103–27.191, p = 0.038) was associated with higher knowledge of drug-food interactions. Conclusion The HCPs in this survey had low drug-food interaction knowledge. These findings suggest the need for additional training and educational courses for the HCPs on drug-food interactions.

Author(s):  
Krutarth R. Brahmbhatt ◽  
Amul B. Patel

Background: Antimicrobial-resistant organisms are spreading worldwide, and the pipeline for new antimicrobials remains meager. The next generation of doctors must be better prepared to use antimicrobials more sparingly and appropriately.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students of GMERS Medical College Junagadh from January to May 2017. Self-administered structured close ended questionnaire in English was used. Pearson’s correlation co-efficient, t test and ANOVA were used as tests of significance.Results: Total 130 students participated in the study. Participation of females (48.5%) and males (51.5%) was almost equal. Almost 60% participants had adequate knowledge about antimicrobial resistance. The mean antimicrobial resistance knowledge score of participants was 22.7 (SD: ±5.27, min: 8, max: 37).Conclusions:Important finding of the study was that just one forth of the participants agreed that information they have received so far in medical course regarding antimicrobial resistance is adequate. The budding doctors should receive correct, adequate information regarding antimicrobial resistance.  


Author(s):  
S. Deepa ◽  
Twinkle Agrawal ◽  
Teny Attokaran ◽  
Farah Naaz Fathima ◽  
Avita Rose Johnson

Background: Millions of women face significant barriers in menstrual hygiene management due to inadequate awareness, misconceptions and erroneous practices. The objectives of the study were to assess the awareness, perceptions and practices regarding menstruation and their associated factors among youth of a peri-urban college in Bangalore Urban district.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among both male and female students studying in a degree college. A pre-designed, face-validated structured questionnaire was administered to all students present on the day of the study.Results: Of the 758 students, 372 (49.1%) were male and 386 (50.9%) were female. The mean age was 19.35±1.40 years. A consolidated score above 50% i.e. 07/14 was considered adequate for knowledge. The mean knowledge score was 7.51±2.52. Overall 389 (51.3%) students had adequate knowledge. Awareness levels were significantly better among females (72.3%) than males (29.6%). Among the female students, 384 (99.5%) were aware of sanitary napkins, 165 (42.7%) of menstrual cup, 12 (3.1%) of tampon and 254 (65.8%) of reusable cloth, however majority (96.9%) preferred use of sanitary napkins. Among the female students, 42.6% were expected to follow some social and cultural restrictions during menstruation. Main source of information regarding menstruation and various menstrual products was internet. Misconceptions documented regarding menstruation included the belief that menstrual blood is poisonous (75.2%). Positive attitude towards menstruation was low both among male students (21.5%) and female students (48.4%).Conclusions: Awareness levels were poor among males than females. Practices regarding menstrual hygiene were adequate. However, misconceptions were widely prevalent among both genders indicating the need for health education among college-going childhood.


Author(s):  
Arya Lokesan Ratnam ◽  
Jayasree Anandabhavan Kumaran

Background: Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) is one of the key components of National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).The success of national health programs on family planning depends on how well ASHAs are trained and perform. Therefore it’s essential to assess the knowledge of ASHA workers. This study intends to assess the awareness of family planning services among ASHA workers in a municipality of northern Kerala.Methods: This is a cross sectional study conducted among ASHA workers working in a municipality in Kannur District, during a study period of two weeks (July 1- July14, 2017). Data was collected using a semi structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 software and the results were expressed in terms of means, frequencies and percentage.Results: Majority (42.1%) of the ASHAs belongs to the age group of 42- 45 years and none of them were below 30 years. The mean population catered by ASHA workers were 1250. All of them were experienced for at least 7 years.Conclusions: All ASHA workers had satisfactory knowledge about family planning services. Despite this some of the ASHA workers don’t have adequate knowledge about ECPs, Progesterone only pills and non-contraceptive uses of condom. Hence it is essential to ensure that they are getting proper training from qualified personnel at regular intervals. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-13
Author(s):  
Sanjay Prasad Gupta ◽  
Shristi Rauniyar

Introduction: An orthodontic emergency is a problem arising from an orthodontic appliance and the patient may experience pain and discomfort, where an unscheduled appointment might be required to resolve the issue. Dental care settings invariably carry the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to the nature of procedures performed. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards management of orthodontic emergency during COVID-19 pandemic among orthodontic professionals. Materials and Method: In this descriptive cross sectional study, evaluation of the knowledge, attitude and practice towards management of orthodontic emergency during COVID-19 pandemic were done by administering the online semi-structured questionnaire consisting of 20 questions to 120 orthodontic professionals of the Nepal through online platforms. The filled online forms were then documented for further evaluation. Result: This study found that among the total of 120 participants, 74 (61.66%) were male while 46 (38.33%) were female. The mean age of the participants was 36.4±6.45 years while mean years of experiences was 6.15±5.55 years. Most of the orthodontists think that poking distal wire or ligature wire (87.5%) followed by periodontal abscess (85.8%) around the loose band as the most common orthodontic emergencies. Majority of the orthodontists recommended that, the patient should be triaged by telephone or through video call (79.1%), ask the patient to take picture and send to identify the type of problem (74.1%) while offer any interim self-care advise to solve the problem (58.3%) before face to face consultation. Around 57.5% of orthodontists were practicing only for urgent and emergency cases during this pandemic and lockdown. Conclusion: This study showed that most of the orthodontic professionals had adequate knowledge about orthodontic emergency problems and had positive attitude towards their profession but the practice was limited due to COVID-19 pandemic and the risks involved in this.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-215
Author(s):  
S Sanjel ◽  
S Tuladhar ◽  
K Khanel

Background Blood and certain body fluids pose the greatest threat to health due to sharp injuries spreading blood borne pathogens that cause serious illness when transmitted. Despite the high sickness rate, sanitation staff lacked awareness regarding protections from contacting soiled materials while handling biomedical wastes. Objective The study aims to find out the knowledge and practices on preventive measures of blood borne diseases among non-medical attendants. Method Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to find out the knowledge and practices on preventive measures on blood borne diseases among all the 53 non-medical personnel in Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University Hospital. Respondents scoring ≥50% on knowledge score were taken as having adequate knowledge. A Nepali version of pre-tested structured and semi-structured questionnaire was used to conduct interview. Participation in the study was voluntary and written consent was taken before inquiry. Outcomes were measured in both descriptive and inferential ways. Result The adequate knowledge was found among 86.8% of the respondents on the blood borne diseases whereas 50.9% of them had proper practice on it. Although, there is poor positive correlation between the mean knowledge score and literacy, the correlation was significant (r = 0.341, p < 0.05). Alike, the mean practice score and work experience demonstrated significant correlation (r = 0.319, p <0.05). Conclusion Although knowledge score of male was high, female had higher practices score. Both knowledge and practice score increased due to the participation in the training programs and increment in experience. There was significant positive correlation between the mean knowledge score and literacy, and the mean practice score and work experience. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/kumj.v11i3.12506 Kathmandu Univ Med J 2013; 43(3):210-215


2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (04) ◽  
pp. 535-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
Said Hafizullah Fayaz ◽  
Michiyo Higuchi ◽  
Tomoya Hirosawa ◽  
Mohammad Abul Bashar Sarker ◽  
Zakhro Djabbarova ◽  
...  

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of health care workers (HCWs) towards universal precautions (UPs) and to look into any associations between knowledge and practice. Methodology:A cross-sectional study was undertaken between August and October 2012, involving 300 HCWs from four national public hospitals in Kabul, Afghanistan. A self-administered questionnaire assessing the knowledge and practice of UPs was used. Results: Among the 300 respondents, the mean knowledge score was 5.2 with a standard deviation (SD) of 1.5. On the practice score, the mean was 8.7 (SD = 2.2). A total of 90.6% and 70.8% of HCWs believed that UPs were necessary in contact with urine/feces and tears, respectively, although UPs are not necessary in these cases. On the other hand, 57.8% reported that they always recapped the needle after giving an injection, and 31.8% did not always change gloves in between patients. There were no associations between the knowledge and self-reported practice of UPs. Conclusions: The HCWs in Kabul had inadequate knowledge and poor practice of UPs. Training for HCWs is needed to encourage them to adhere to practice based on improved knowledge.


Author(s):  
Emrah Ersoy ◽  
Esra Saatçi ◽  
Cüneyt Ardiç

INTRODUCTION: Adequate knowledge about body mass index (BMI), which is a traditional method of measuring obesity, and about obesity-related pregnancy risks will possibly decrease obesity-related pregnancy complications in women contemplating pregnancy. In this study, we aimed to determine knowledge levels of women contemplating pregnancy about BMI and pregnancy risks related with obesity. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, our sample was 211 married women age 18 to 45 years old who visited a family physician in Fındıklı Center of Goitre Research and Treatment between June to August 2020. Patients completed the questionnaire including sociodemographic data, questions about BMI and questions about effects of obesity on pregnancy via the face-to-face interview method. The data was analyzed using statistical analysis program. RESULTS: The mean age of participants (n=211) was 31.7 ± 5.9 years. Of the participants, 40.3% (n=85) stated that they received pre-pregnancy counseling and 37.4% (n=79) had BMI score between 25 to 29.9. The mean BMI knowledge score of participants was 0.99±0.69 out of 5, and the mean BMI knowledge score of participants who received preconceptional counselling was significantly higher than those who did not (p=0.01). The mean BMI knowledge score of participants who stated 'high' or 'very high' risk level for each complication during pregnancy of a morbid obese woman was significantly higher than those of the remaining groups (p<0.05). In case of that a morbid obese woman loses weight before pregnancy, the mean BMI knowledge score of participants who stated 'lower' or 'much lower' risk level for each complication during pregnancy significantly higher than those of the remaining groups (p<0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In our study, we determined women who contemplating pregnancy had inadequate BMI knowledge levels, but had adequate awareness about effects of obesity on pregnancy and potential pregnancy risks related obesity. The conversation of family physicians about BMI with their patients will ensure them to realise their own weight as well as effective prevention and management of obesity, and will increase awareness of women contemplating pregnancy about obesity related pregnancy risks.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maha M. AlRasheed ◽  
Hatoon AlAli ◽  
Abdulrahman F. Alsuwaid ◽  
Suhail Khalaf ◽  
Sondus I. Ata ◽  
...  

This study aimed to assess healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and concerns toward gene therapy in Saudi Arabia. We conducted an online cross-sectional survey via convenience sampling during the period from December 2018 to March 2019. A total of 419 (358 pharmacists and 61 physicians) responded to our questionnaire. Three hundred and nine (73.7%) were male, and the mean (±SD) age of 32.0 ± 7.7 years. The mean knowledge scores of all participants, pharmacists, and physicians were 3.8 ± 1.9, 3.8 ± 1.9, and 3.7 ± 1.9, respectively (P = 0.73). Higher knowledge score was associated with younger age (Coefficient: −0.03; P = 0.02), male (Coefficient: 0.57; P = 0.01), master's degree (Coefficient: 0.93; P = 0.003) and Ph.D. holders (Coefficient: 1.10; P = 0.01), and participants graduated from Canada (Coefficient: 2.10; P = 0.01).Moreover, about half of the respondents (55%) were concerned about gene therapy, and genetics training at college was considered the best gene therapy education method by 69.4%. Attitude score was not significantly associated with the profession (P = 0.88) but positively correlated with the knowledge score (rho= 0.4; P &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, pharmacists and physicians showed limited knowledge with a positive attitude toward gene therapy. Therefore, educational programs on gene therapy need to be considered, focusing primarily on the safety, and social acceptance of such new therapeutic management.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Balkew Asegidew Tegegn ◽  
Betregiorgis Zegeye Hailu ◽  
Birhanu Damtew Tsegaye ◽  
Gashaw Garedew Woldeamanuel ◽  
Wassie Negash

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate Tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment contributes to unfavorable health outcome among TB patients. Improving quality of healthcare service helps to avert TB related morbidity. Despite these facts, the level of quality of service is not known in the hospitals. Hence, the present study was conducted to assess the quality of care delivered to TB patients among publichospitals.METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 15 to April 30, 2019 in North Shewa Zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia. All TB patients who had follow-up in the hospitals were included. This resulted in the involvement of 82 TB patients. Data was collected by trained data collectors using facility audit, clinical observation checklists, structured questionnaire and in-depth interview. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Binary logistic regression analysis was done to identify the predictors of patients’ satisfaction.RESULTS: In this study, 82 respondents with a mean age of 36.48 (±13.27) years were participated. The mean quality score for structural dimension was 59.5%, and 53.7% of participants were found to be satisfied in outcome dimension. The mean score for process dimension of quality of service were 67.9%. Having TB symptoms were significantly associated with the level of patientsatisfaction towards TB care [AOR = 0.217, p = 0.015].CONCLUSION:Quality of TB services from structural and outcome dimension were low and higher in process dimension. Thus, careful attention on the quality of services will help to reduce the burden of TB.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Anu Olowookere ◽  
Adegboyega Adeleke Abiodun ◽  
Joseph Gbenga Omole ◽  
Akinwumi Oluwole Komolafe ◽  
Akintunde Julius Olowookere ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Postmortem examination is necessary to diagnose the cause of sudden death, and family caregivers are expected to consent to this examination. This study assessed knowledge, attitude, practices and willingness of family caregivers to consent to postmortem examination of their relative if they die suddenly in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study of family caregivers of our patients that completed an interviewer administered semistructured questionnaire assessing their knowledge, attitude, practices and willingness to consent to postmortem examination of their relative if they die suddenly. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.RESULTS: A total of 224 caregivers were interviewed. The mean age (SD) was 34.95 (11.74), ranging 22-75 years. They were parents (32.6%), siblings (37.9%), spouses (11.2%) and other relatives (18.3%). Only 17% had adequate knowledge, 44.6% positive attitude and 11.2% good practices to postmortem examination of sudden death. The majority (75.9%) would consent to postmortem examination of their relatives if they die suddenly. Sociodemographic variables associated with willingness to consent to postmortem examination after relative’s sudden death include being male (AOR 3.61; 95%CI 3.09-8.92; p=0.001), having tertiary education (AOR 4.83; 95%CI 1.01-8.29; p=0.034), Christianity (AOR 2.59; 95%CI 1.25-5.35; p=0.010) and skilled worker (AOR 1.43; 95%CI 1.33-3.80; p=0.020).CONCLUSION: Some family caregivers would not consent to postmortem examination of their relatives when they die suddenly. Sensitization programs targeting family caregivers are necessary to increase knowledge and enhance prevention of sudden death as well as improve willingness to consent to postmortem examination when their relatives die suddenly.


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