Open Access Pub publishes peer-reviewed, free-to-read open-access articles. Showing
articles matching health care workers — open any to read the full text,
or download the PDF or XML.
Apr 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-5526.jmid-20-3248
I. Kheder SalahCorresponding author
Faculty of Pharmacy, National University, Khartoum, Sudan
Objective This study conducted to assess health care practitioners’ knowledge and perceptions of hand hygiene among health professional working in clinical settings in Khartoum State - Sudan. with the specific objective of determining the association between their stance on hand hygiene and the general demographic characteristics of these health-care professionals. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study conducted between July and November 2017 using a modified form of WHO questionnaire for knowledge and perception that was included 22 items was sent online to health care workers via social media. The data obtained entered and analyzed by SPSS version 24. Chi-square and test of independence were used as a test of significance. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all purposes. Result 437 hospital staff were responded to the questionnaire. (99.3%) was found to have good knowledge. 197(45.2%) had good perception and 239(54.8%) had fair perception. Formal hand hygiene training was found to have no association with knowledge levels of hand hygiene, but the fair perception was higher in the respondents who didn’t receive formal training. Conclusion The present study highlights the hand hygiene knowledge and perception. Most health care workers were found to have good knowledge, and the majority was found to have a fair perception. Formal hand hygiene training courses were found to have no association with knowledge but it may be reflected in practice. The importance of training sessions regarding hand hygiene was noticed in the perception level.
Feb 2024 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-24-4928
Theofilou ParaskeviCorresponding author
The present study focuses on the investigation of fatigue, social support and quality of life that characterizes social workers. Furthermore, the study aims to highlight the effect of demographic and occupational characteristics on the above factors. A total of 400 social workers with an average age of 39.05 years took part in the research. Most were women, single, residents of cities of more than 100,000, and health care workers. Participants were asked to answer online questionnaires (FAS for fatigue, MSPSS for social support and GHQ-28 for quality of life). From the analysis of the data, it was found that the level of fatigue of the social workers is at low levels. At the same time, the level of occurrence of negative symptoms is also low, with physical symptoms appearing more often than the rest. Participants receive a high level of support from their environment, and more so from the "significant other" in their life. Finally, it was found that the fatigue, social support and quality of life of social workers is affected by the age of the social workers, the total years of service, gender, marital status, place of residence, employer and position of responsibility.
Oct 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-22-4294
MA AdeniyiCorresponding author
Department of Community Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti state
Aim Covid 19 is a pandemic that has ravaged the world resulting in thousands of deaths. This study aims to assess the knowledge, risk perception, and attitude of health care workers (HCWs) to the pandemic. Methodology This was a hospital based descriptive cross sectional study conducted among health care workers who were staff of the hospital. Data collected includes socio demographic characteristics, data on knowledge, risk perception and attitude. Results A total of 288 HCWs participated in the study. Participants had good knowledge at 95.6%, major source of knowledge includes internet/social media 68.8%, radio 34.6% and television 28.3%. About 92.6% of the respondents also had positive attitude while 89.75 of the respondents had a positive risk perception. Conclusion Overall, there was a high level of knowledge, high positive attitude and a high risk perception in the study. Consequently, to ensure that this high level is maintained, there is need for continuous health education and promotion.
Apr 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-20-3296
Rezapour BarataliCorresponding author
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Assistant Professor, PhD in Health education and promotion, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Preventable factors such as infectious diseases (pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria), malnutrition and neonatal complications are still the leading cause of child mortality worldwide 1 In 2013, it is estimated that 6.3 million babies born worldwide died before the age of 5, and approximately 9.2% of these deaths were due to diarrheal diseases 23 in simple, accessible ways, and effective treatment can reduce diarrhea-related mortality and make hospital admissions unnecessary, and the role of mothers is the most important 4. Since the presentation of Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) in 1979, mortality has reduced. Diarrhea has had a steady downward trend 5. If mothers who have children under 5 years of age, used correctly ORS, they could easily resolve the problem of dehydration in acute diarrhea 6. Mothers didn’t use correctly ORS because of their Low literacy and lack of knowledge and wrong attitude about ORT7. Some health care workers provide mothers’ required equipments, regardless of their educational needs, and mothers may not use ORS. In this study, health workers identified mothers' educational needs and subsequently they trained them about using ORS at home in acute diarrhea in children under 5 years of age.
Aug 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2324-7339.jcrhap-18-2202
AA OkechukwuCorresponding author
Department of Pediatrics, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.
Background: Ideally, disclosure of HIV status to infected children and adolescents should involve both health care workers and parents/caregivers. Most studies on disclosure in children have focus mainly on parents/caregivers with little information on health care workers. We conduct this study to evaluate the practice, perception of the healthcare workers in our health facility on disclosure to infected children and adolescents. It is envisaged that such information will help in the design of better strategies on disclosure in our environment. Methods: A cross sectional hospital based study was conducted among health care workers at the special treatment clinic, and heart to heart unit of the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada from January to March 2017 for the above objective. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on disclosure among the healthcare workers, which include among others: their bio-data, knowledge, perception, and practice on disclosure in the two service areas of the hospital. Results: Of the 80 health care workers interviewed, 60(75.0%) were females, 11(13.8%) were doctors, 9(11.3%) nurses, 17(21.3%) monitoring/evaluation/record clerks, and 16(20.0%) were either voluntary counseling and testing counselors or adherence counselors. Their mean age and duration in service in the two areas were 39.70±7.10 and 7.93±4.99 years respectively. Over half 48(60.0%) of the health care workers were unaware of the hospital having guideline on disclosure, 64(80.0%) have not been trained, and 68(85.0%) does not know any key information on disclosure. While all 80(100%) felt that disclosure was a good practice for better adherence, only 16(20.0%) had actually disclosed, with 6(37.5%) not seeking any formal permission from parent/caregivers before disclosing. Ages 8-16 years was recommended by 60(75%) as the appropriate age to disclose, however 28(35.0%) recommended age 14-16 years. Over half of the respondents 58(72.5%) admitted that disclosure should be a shared responsibility between themselves and the caregivers, most however perceive their role as only preparing the parents/caregivers for disclosure, and providing ongoing counseling to both the parents/caregivers and the children and adolescents. Lack of training on disclosure, and none availability of guideline in the health institution were major setback on the ability of the healthcare providers to fully participate in disclosure process. Conclusion: While healthcare providers support the idea of disclosing at mid and late adolescent, their perceived role was that of support and provision of ongoing counseling. Lack of training and none availability of disclosure guideline affects their perceived role. There is need to train and retrain healthcare workers on disclosure guideline, and making such guideline available in the health facilities.
Jun 2015 DOI 10.14302/issn.2381-862X.jwrh-14-622
E. Evensen AnnCorresponding author
Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 100 North Nine Mound Road, Verona, WI
Basic Life Support in Obstetrics (BLSO®) is a novel, simulation-based, emergency obstetrics training program for health care workers who perform deliveries infrequently, such as paramedics and nurses. Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO®) is intended for regular maternity care providers such as physicians and certified nurse midwives. This paper describes a pre/post study of 111 learners in two ALSO and two BLSO courses taught in Addis Ababa, Bonga, and Jimma, Ethiopia in October, 2012. The study objective was to assess the effectiveness of ALSO and BLSO training programs to improve Ethiopian health care workers’ confidence in managing common obstetrical problems. A previously-validated survey tool was given immediately pre- and post-course and six months post-course. The survey tool included demographic questions and Likert scales to self-assess comfort managing 13 common obstetric emergencies including postpartum hemorrhage, maternal resuscitation, and preeclampsia. Ninety-seven ALSO and BLSO learners completed pre- and immediate post-training questionnaires. Nineteen ALSO learners completed the 6 month post-training questionnaire. Immediately post-course, participants in ALSO and BLSO courses reported increased comfort in all 13 areas assessed. ALSO participants had increased comfort at 6 months in all areas except breech delivery. Participation in a novel emergency obstetrics training program increases Ethiopian health workers’ self-assessed confidence in addressing common obstetrical emergencies. This increase in confidence persists in most topic areas for at least six months. This paper describes the first formal evaluation of BLSO and contributes to the growing body of evidence regarding the value of ALSO training in a low- and middle-income country.