Oral Health Knowledge and Practices among Diverse University Students with Access to Free Dental Care: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate oral health knowledge and practices among under-graduate university students from various disciplines with access to free dental care. Materials and Methods: A total of 709 questionnaires were filled out. Data collected included: demographic data, oral health knowledge, and self-reported oral health practices and dental service utilization. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis were performed;significance level was set at P < 0.05. Mean age was 20.8 ± 1.5 years. Results: There were (90.1%) of students who considered the toothbrush an oral hygiene aid, (91.1%) thought fluoride was beneficial to teeth, and almost (80%) students believed smoking has harmful effects on oral health. Regarding oral health practices, nearly half of the samples reported twice daily tooth-brushing, one-third received regular dental check-ups, and half visited the dentist because of pain or bleeding gums;fear was the main reason for not visiting the dentist. Females primarily visited the dentist for esthetic reasons (70%) and males upon complaint (59.8%). Oral health knowledge and practices among university students were poor. Conclusion: Dental students showed higher knowledge and better practices among disciplines studied. It is also important that dental hygienists take an active role in educating students in the aspect of oral health.

Validating a tool to assess eye health knowledge, attitude and practice in Cambodia and Vietnam

AIM: To develop an eye health knowledge, attitude and practice(EH-KAP) field-based assessment tool for use in implementing effective eye health care services.METHODS: An instrument development and validation study. A Vietnam EH-KAP dataset were used to identify and eliminate redundant questions to develop a standardized tool. Face validity was assessed by the KAP survey team. Internal validity(congruency/criterion) was assessed by comparing descriptive analysis of two datasets(n=531;n=38) collected from the same sampling frame at different time points. Weighted scores were calculated for each construct. Kappa values for test-retest and inter-observer agreement were calculated to check the reliability of responses. The modified version was assessed by analysing the raw and ungrouped data. Responses were weighted and agreement was tested by comparing construct scores.RESULTS: Totally 38 respondents were included in this validation process(mean age 58.5 y). Mean scores for knowledge were 9.15(old questionnaire n=531) and 5.05(modified version). For attitude, the scores were 2.23 and 2.42, and for practice the scores were 3.33 and 2.21. Testretest agreement was between 62% to 93%(Kappa 0.24 to 0.86) for the ungrouped raw data, and 55% to 72%(Kappa 0.42 to 0.65) for KAP domain. Inter-observer Kappa value for ungrouped data was 0.37 and 0.45 for the weighted scores.CONCLUSION: This standardized tool applied at critical time points can assess trends in KAP within the same population and for comparison across groups. If used alongside a Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness(RAAB), this tool provides a comprehensive perspective on eye-health of a population.

Effects of Health Education with Problem-Based Learning Approaches on the Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Coping Skills of Women with High-Risk Pregnancies in Plateau Areas

Objective: Given the unique cultural background, way of life, and physical environment of the Tibetan Plateau, this study aims to investigate the effects of health education using problem-based learning (PBL) approaches on the knowledge, attitude, practice, and coping skills of women with high-risk pregnancies in this region. Methods: 76 high-risk pregnancy cases were enrolled at Tibet’s Linzhi People’s Hospital between September 2023 and April 2024. 30 patients admitted between September 2023 and December 2023 were selected as the control group and were performed with regular patient education. 46 patients admitted between January 2024 and April 2024 were selected as the observation group and were performed regular patient education with problem-based learning approaches. Two groups’ performance on their health knowledge, attitude, practice and coping skills before and after interventions were evaluated, and patient satisfaction were measured at the end of the study. Results: There was no statistical significance (P P P Conclusions: Health education with problem-based learning approaches is worth promoting as it can help high-risk pregnant women in plateau areas develop better health knowledge, attitude and practice and healthier coping skills. Also, it can improve patient sanctification.

Investigation on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Oral Health among Medical College and University Undergraduate

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the status of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of oral health among medical undergraduate students, and provide reference for implementing oral health interventions. Methods: A total of 528 undergraduate students enrolled in Fuzhou Medical College from February 2023 to September 2023 were selected as the research subjects. Their oral health KAP were investigated, and the oral health behavior habits of different types of medical students were compared, and possible influencing factors were analyzed. Results: The total awareness rate of oral health knowledge among medical students is 77.0%, with an average score of 3.85 ± 1.16 points. The overall positive rate of oral health attitudes among medical students is 80.0%, with an average score of 3.19 ± 0.72 points. The total qualified rate of oral health behavior is 65.9%, with an average score of 4.61 ± 1.23 points. The scores of oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among medical students are related to gender, major, smoking status, and oral health status. The frequency of brushing teeth in the female group was higher than that in the male group, while the habit of brushing teeth before bedtime and the frequency of timely replacement of toothbrushes when deformed were lower, with statistical significance (p 0.05). The frequency of timely replacement of toothbrushes varies among medical students from different majors, and the difference is statistically significant (p 0.05). People who have a habit of eating hot and cold food have a higher frequency of brushing their teeth every day, and the difference is statistically significant (p 0.05). Non smokers have a better habit of brushing their teeth before bedtime and a higher frequency of timely replacement when their toothbrush deforms, with a statistically significant difference (p 0.05). The frequency of using fluoride toothpaste or medicated toothpaste, having a habit of unilateral chewing, and timely replacement of toothbrushes when deformed in patients with existing oral problems is higher than that of those without oral problems, and the difference is statistically significant (p 0.05). Conclusion: The knowledge, attitude, and behavior of oral health among medical students in this school are above average. Students with different genders, dietary and smoking habits, and oral health status have different oral health behavioral habits. It is recommended to include oral health education in mandatory courses for various medical majors.

A Health State Prediction Model Based on Belief Rule Base and LSTM for Complex Systems

In industrial production and engineering operations,the health state of complex systems is critical,and predicting it can ensure normal operation.Complex systems have many monitoring indicators,complex coupling structures,non-linear and time-varying characteristics,so it is a challenge to establish a reliable prediction model.The belief rule base(BRB)can fuse observed data and expert knowledge to establish a nonlinear relationship between input and output and has well modeling capabilities.Since each indicator of the complex system can reflect the health state to some extent,the BRB is built based on the causal relationship between system indicators and the health state to achieve the prediction.A health state prediction model based on BRB and long short term memory for complex systems is proposed in this paper.Firstly,the LSTMis introduced to predict the trend of the indicators in the system.Secondly,the Density Peak Clustering(DPC)algorithmis used todetermine referential values of indicators for BRB,which effectively offset the lack of expert knowledge.Then,the predicted values and expert knowledge are fused to construct BRB to predict the health state of the systems by inference.Finally,the effectiveness of the model is verified by a case study of a certain vehicle hydraulic pump.

Knowledge Practical Attitude of Health Professionals on Breast Cancer at the Hospital of the District of the Commune IV of Bamako

Introduction: The level of knowledge and attitude of health professionals about breast cancer are important determinants. General objective: To study the knowledge, attitude and practice of health professionals of the hospital of the district of the commune IV on breast cancer. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, prospective, descriptive, qualitative and quantitative study. The study period was from 01 October 2022 to December 2022. Results: In one week of survey, 110 health workers (intern, obstetrician nurse, general practitioners and specialists) received the survey sheet, 80 health workers informed it, a participation rate of 73%. The male sex was most represented at 63.75% with a sex ratio of 1.76. The average age was 39.59 years with extremes of 22 and 61 years. The clinical signs evoked by the participants were: breast nodule (81.25%), followed by breast discharge (48.75%). In relation to risk factors: interns and obstetrician nurses had no good knowledge, 51.72% of general practitioners had good knowledge, 43.48% of specialist doctors had good knowledge, and 5.88% of the wise had good knowledge. Conclusion: Breast cancer is a common pathology around the world, health professionals are at the forefront of the fight against breast cancer, and this fight cannot be effective without trained personnel.

Farmers’ Knowledge and Awareness towards the Use of Agrochemicals in Vegetable Cultivation, Fako Cameroon

Agrochemicals are contemporary, omnipresent tool used in vegetable cultivation. Farmers’ knowledge and awareness of the proper usage of agrochemicals are critical for mitigating the negative effects on human health. This cross-sectional study was aimed at assessing the usage knowledge, risk awareness of toxicological and chemical classes, proper handling and use practices for agrochemicals homologated for use in vegetable farming, and the occurrence of health-related symptoms as a result of exposure among these farmers. The study included 93 vegetable growers from agricultural hotspot towns in Fako, southwest Cameroon. The field study, ran from November 2021 to December 2023, using a questionnaire to collect information on farmers demographic, and their knowledge of pesticide classes, and the related risk of associated with the handling of agrochemicals. Results show that all vegetable farmers, particularly those engaged in agribusiness, employ pesticide inputs to maximize production. Six pesticides, two fertilizer types, and one unknown substance were identified. While 23 active compounds were found, the most utilized were abamectin, emamectin (10.46%), dimethoate (9.30%,) and ethoprophos (8.13%). Two active chemicals, dimethoate and methalaxyl, are illegal yet remain in circulation. Toxicological classes I and II, with the greatest harmful effect on human health, were the most commonly utilized (64.27%). Thirty-nine percent of farmers never use personal protection equipment when working with agrochemicals, demonstrating a significant gap in knowledge and awareness of agrochemicals and their various applications and handling procedures in the field. The government should implement an intensive specialized educational program for on-field farmers with incentives in order to promote sustainable agriculture methods that ensure environmental and human safety.

Knowledge,attitude,and practices toward osteoporosis among Jordanian nurses

Objective:To identify the level of knowledge,attitude,and practice(KAP)toward osteoporosis among Jordanian nurses.Methods:A cross-sectional design was adopted in this study.A convenience sample of 443 Jordanian nurses were recruited from the public and private healthcare settings in Jordan.The assessment tool used in the current study contained 35 items,measuring KAP among Jordanian nurses toward osteoporosis.The correlation Pearson test and regression test were used to analyze data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences,version 21.Results:The total KAP scores were 33.53,37.65,and 22.7,respectively.These results revealed that Jordanian nurses have a moderate level of KAP toward osteoporosis.Conclusions:Jordanian nurses showed a moderate KAP toward osteoporosis,which should be improved as an effective step to reducing the growing incidences of osteoporosis.The lack of KAP holds a serious and growing impact on the Jordanian health sector and patients’health in terms of cost,healthcare resources,and social life.Nurses can play a valuable role in educating patients on bone fracture causes,perceived percentage,risks,and prevention,as well as in helping them with nutrition and lifestyle recommendations.

Knowledge, Practices, and Environmental and Occupational Health Risks Associated with Electronic Waste Recycling in Cotonou, Benin

Objective: The e-waste recycling is increasing worldwide, yet there remain outstanding environmental and occupational health concerns. Most research conducted on e-waste recycling has focused on only few countries (e.g., China, Ghana), thus there is a need to increase understanding of e-waste workers’ (recyclers’) knowledge and practices in other locations, that is purpose of this study. Methods: In a cross-sectional study conducted in Cotonou, Benin, 45 e-waste recyclers were interviewed from September to November 2018. Survey data was collected concerning their demographics, professional practices, and knowledge of occupational and environmental risks associated with e-waste recycling. Results: Most participants reported the following methods of material recovery of electronic items in declining orders: dismantling (97.8%) > sorting (91.1%) > incinerating (88.9%). Only 44.2% of the recyclers reported wearing ≥ 1 piece of personal protective equipment (PPE). More than 90% of e-waste workers noted that they disposed the e-waste in natural sites. About half, 46.7% believed that e-waste can pollute water and 71.1% considered that it can pollute air and soil. Recyclers reported several diseases including respiratory (67.4%), heart (62.8%), eye (65.1%), kidney (41.9%) and cancers (30.2%) could be linked to their work, respectively. Interestingly, we also found associations between the number of electronic items dismantled per month and self-report symptoms from the e-waste recyclers such as finding blood in urine and stool, wounds, dizziness, and itchy skin. Our results also indicated associations between the number of hours worked per day and blood in urine, dizziness, itchy skin and airway obstruction. Conclusion: To our knowledge this is the first study to interview e-waste workers in Benin. Doing this increase understanding of their work practices and knowledge to help inform intervention and prevention activities.

Indigenous Knowledge, Practices, Beliefs and Social Impacts of Porcine Cysticercosis and Epilepsy in Iringa Rural

Porcine Cysticercosis (PCC) and Human Cysticercosis (HCC)/Neurocysticercosis (NCC) are a burden to the community owing to the reduced value of animals, associated costs of treatment, decreased labour productivity and social discrimination. There is limited knowledge on the management and prevention of PCC and epilepsy in Iringa rural. Therefore, the present study aimed at assessing indigenous knowledge, practices, attitudes and social impacts of PCC and epilepsy in Iringa rural district. A total of 588 people participated in the survey whereby 306 were pig farmers, 223 non-pig farmers and 59 families with epileptic individuals. It was found that 49.8% (χ2 = 0.003, DF = 1, p = 0.954) of pig keepers were aware of PCC, whereas the remaining 50.2% were not aware (χ2 = 25.5, DF = 1, p χ2 = 3.814, DF = 1, p = 0.51). People in Iringa rural believe epilepsy is caused by evil spirits, witchcraft and/or inheritance. It was concluded that there was limited knowledge on T. solium cysticercosis and epilepsy. This ignorance is the cause of poor practices, negative beliefs and attitudes that negatively affect the social life of People with Epilepsy (PWE) in communities. This study recommends that health education to raise awareness on cysticercosis/taeniosis and epilepsy should be one of the intervention measures for elimination of cysticercosis and epilepsy in Iringa rural district.

Knowledge about Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Practice of What Is Known among Ghanaian Youth, a Mixed Method Approach

Most young person will become sexually active before their 20th birthday having to battle with early and unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortions, maternal deaths and injuries. This study examined young person’s sexual knowledge, attitudes and practices and their levels of utilization of sexual reproductive health. Our study progresses beyond current research of reporting only sexual behaviour among youth to have insight into sexual and reproductive health update drivers yielding new empirically robust results for the Ghanaian case for sexual and reproductive health service uptake. The descriptively cross sectional design was employed in sampling 170 youth (150 surveyed and 20 Interviewed) using the stratified sampling technique together with a purposive selection of one key informant. Test of significance and associations were performed with the Chisquare test. In all 45.2% (77/170) of youth (10 - 24) had had sexual experience in life time. In respect of in-school youth, 42% (63/150) had had sexual experience whiles 70% (14/20) out-of-school youth had had sexual intercourse in life time. A total of 28.8% (49/170) of all the youth had sexual intercourse in the last six months with only 40.1 (20/49) using condom for protection. Parental discussion of contraceptive methods (29.3%) and sexual and romantic relationship (28.0%) was the least sexual and reproductive health area discussed among in-school youth. Youth knowledge of the available sexual reproductive health service was statistically associated with reproductive health service utilization (X2 = 0.00, P ≤ 0.05). A concerted effort is required from government, NGO, Civil society organizations and religious bodies to help translate youth knowledge about sexual health into responsible sexual life and protective sex.

Mothers’ Knowledge, Beliefs, and Practices on Causes and Prevention of Anaemia in Children Aged 6 - 59 Months: A Case Study at Mkuranga District Hospital, Tanzania

Aims: Anaemia in children aged 6 - 59 months is an important public health problem associated with increasing hospital costs, lengths of hospital stay, and development of complications later in life. Due to the significant caregiver roles of mothers, the level of mothers’ knowledge, beliefs and practices are important in addressing anaemia in children. This study investigated knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices of select mothers on anaemia and linked these with known factors for anaemia. Methodology: The case study was conducted at Mkuranga District Hospital, Paediatric Ward between December 2014 and April 2015. A cross-sectional design was used to recruit a convenience sample of 40 mothers whose children had a confirmed diagnosis of anaemia (through routine laboratory testing). Results: Within the sample, the majority of children were male (52.5%);aged 6 - 39 months (87.5%);and had a diagnosis of severe anaemia (75.0%) according to the World Health Organization’s definition. Over one third (35%) of mothers reported a prior history of anemia in their other children, and the majority (55%) had heard about anaemia prior to their child’s hospitalization. Maternal anaemia was reported by 67.5% of mothers. Mothers reported that maternal anemia (17.5%) and feeding practices (32.5%) are known contributing factors to anaemia in children. Mothers reported that anemia could be prevented (55.0%) and cured by herbal preparations (47.5%). In addition, some mothers indicated that anaemia was caused by witchcraft (22.5%) and eating lemons (2.5%). Conclusion: Severe anaemia was high among the studied population which aligned with their hospitalization status. Findings suggested potential gaps in control and management of anemia in children possibly related to low awareness or incorrect knowledge of the relationship between maternal and child anaemia. The findings also highlighted important cultural beliefs related to anaemia. There is an imperative for culturally and socially appropriate knowledge translation and exchange with mothers in order to impact on the prevention and control of anaemia in children in Tanzania.

Knowledge, Health Beliefs and Screening Status of Prostate Cancer among Middle-Aged and Elderly Men

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine and evaluate the level of prostate cancer knowledge and health beliefs among middle-aged and elderly men. Methods: In this descriptive study carried out in December 20, 2015 through January 20, 2016, we enrolled 147 men aged 50 - 70 years old. Data were collected by using three questionnairs including knowledge, health beliefs, and screening status of prostate cancer. Results: Our findings showed that only 20.4% of interviewers had experience of digital rectal examination or prostatic specific antigen test for prostate cancer screening. The prostate cancer knowledge was found to be significantly high in prostate cancer examinees compared to non-examinees. The correct answer rate of prostate cancer knowledge was only 44.7% at average. Despite of good perceived seriousness about prostate cancer, the screening rate was only 20.4% and the examinees indicated significantly high perceived sensitivity compared to non-examinees. The level of the perceived barrier was lower in men who had experience in health examination or prostate cancer examination than without experience. Conclusion: The significant factors including age, educational level, income and cancer insurance status need to be considered in nursing education program in order to deliver accurate knowledge about prostate cancer. Also, the effective interventions are necessary to increase sensitivity and reduce barriers of prostate cancer and screening.

Knowledge and Practice of Menstrual Health and Hygiene among Young People in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Background: The periodic shedding of the lining of a woman’s uterus is referred to as Menstruation, or a menstrual period. Over a period of three to five days, the uterine lining breaks down into a bloody substance. It then passes down through the cervix and exits through the vagina. Menstrual health knowledge is regarded as having knowledge of what menstruation is and the need for effective management of health during menstruation and proper menstrual hygiene management. This study seeks to assess the knowledge and practice of menstrual health and hygiene and availability of resources for effective menstrual hygiene management among young people in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among 169 young males and females of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Theological Seminary, Jos, North, Plateau State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used in this study and data was collected using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0. Findings: Majority of 70 (41.4%) respondents fall within the age range of 20 - 24 years old, 64 (37.9%) were within 25 - 29 years. There were more females (96, 56.8%) than males (73, 43.2%). Twenty (11.8%) were married, 149 (88.2%) were single. More than three quarters (78.1%) had good knowledge of Menstrual Hygiene. Of this, 64.4% are males and 88.5% are females. 18.3% of respondents had fair knowledge. Of this, 30.1% are males and 9 (9.4%) are females. 6 (3.6%) of respondent’s had poor knowledge of menstrual hygiene (4 (5.5%) of males and 2 (92.1%)) of females). Two-thirds of the female respondents had good practice of menstrual hygiene, while a third of the respondents had the poor practice of menstrual hygiene. Conclusion: There was good knowledge and practice of menstruation and menstrual hygiene among young people. Knowledge influences practice and the perception of young people to sensitive concepts like menstrual health and hygiene management. Reproductive health programs that reflect this should be taught in schools and communities.

Current state and influencing factors in airbag management among emergency department nurses:A multicenter study

BACKGROUND The emergency department(ED)plays a critical role in establishing artificial airways and implementing mechanical ventilation.Managing airbags in the ED presents a prime opportunity to mitigate the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia.Nonetheless,existing research has largely overlooked the understanding,beliefs,and practical dimensions of airway airbag management among ED nurses,with a predominant focus on intensive care unit nurses.AIM To investigate the current status of ED nurses'knowledge,beliefs,and practical behaviors in airway airbag management and their influencing factors.METHODS A survey was conducted from July 10th to August 10th,2023,using convenience sampling on 520 ED nurses from 15 tertiary hospitals and 5 sary hospitals in Shanghai.Pathway analysis was utilized to analyze the influencing factors.RESULTS The scores for ED nurses'airway airbag management knowledge were 60.26±23.00,belief was 88.65±13.36,and behavior was 75.10±19.84.The main influencing factors of airbag management knowledge included participation in specialized nurse or mechanical ventilation training,department,and work experience in the department.Influencing factors of airbag management belief comprised knowledge,department,and participation in specialized nurse or mechanical ventilation training.Primary influencing factors of airbag management behavior included knowledge,belief,department,participation in specialized nurse or mechanical ventilation training,and professional title.The belief in airbag management among ED nurses acted as a partial mediator between knowledge and behavior,with a total effect value of 0.513,and an indirect effect of 0.085,constituting 16.6%of the total effect.CONCLUSION ED nurses exhibit a positive attitude toward airbag management with relatively standardized practices,yet there remains room for improvement in their knowledge levels.Nursing managers should implement interventions tailored to the characteristics of ED nurses'airbag management knowledge,beliefs,and practices to enhance their airbag management proficiency.

How knowledge of hepatitis B disease and vaccine influences vaccination practices among parents in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Objective:To assess the influences of the knowledge of parents about hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection and the benefit of HBV vaccination on the practice of HBV vaccination among children.Methods:A prospective cross-sectional study recruited parents whose children,aged 12-24 months,received HBV vaccination at Commune Health Centers(CHCs)in Ho Chi Minh City from Feb.2016 to Jul.2017.Parents were interviewed using a questionnaire that included 11-item binary knowledge questions and checked their children’s vaccination cards.Results:A total of 768 parents had a mean age of(30.8±5.1)years.The mean knowledge score of the 11-item questions was(7.0±2.4).The knowledge score was positively associated with full and timely HBV vaccination.In addition,children who received complete and timely HBV vaccination were significantly more likely to live in rural areas(Adjusted OR 4.02,95%CI 2.79-5.79,P<0.001).Also,children whose parents received vaccination information from health care providers,and had knowledge about HBV risk,had a higher rate of full and timely HBV vaccination(Adjusted OR 1.60,95%CI 1.13-2.29,and Adjusted OR 1.47,95%CI 1.01-2.13,P all<0.05).Conclusions:Parents possessed a great deal of incorrect knowledge about HBV.More health education from health care providers should target parents living in specific locations and focus on the benefits of HBV vaccine.

Diet-nutrition-related cancer prevention knowledge and beliefs of Sudanese in Khartoum: A descriptive study

Cancer appears to pose a major threat to the health of the Sudanese population. It is the third leading cause of death in the Sudan after malaria and pneumonia, accounting for 5% of all deaths. In 2005, approximately 22,000 people in the Sudan died from cancer and 17,000 of these people were less than 70 years old. This study was designed to: 1) assess nutrition knowledge and selected dietary beliefs related to cancer in Sudanese residing in Khartoum;2) identify perceived barriers to the adoption of eating behaviors consistent with those recommended for cancer prevention;and 3) describe the food preferences and dietary practices in Sudanese residing in Khartoum. An interviewer-administered questionnaire elicited demographic information, cancer-related food and nutrition knowledge, food preferences, selected dietary beliefs, barriers to healthy eating and food practices from 182 participants between the ages of 18 and 35 years. More than 50% of females and males correctly identified the food lowest in fiber from a given list. Respondents were knowledgeable about the fat content of their traditional foods, but unaware of the different types of fat. Only 8.8% of the respondents thought that consumption of fruits and vegetables reduced cancer risk. Resondents perceived nutritionists as the most reliable source of information about nutrition and cancer, and the media as the best source of information on nutrition and healthy cooking. “Samin”, feta cheese, a variety of stews, “Zalabia”, lean meat, brown bread, sesame oil, dried okra, fried fish, and chicken were described as preferred food items by respondents. Daily salt/ sodium intake was described by 44% and 39% of the male and female respondents, respectively, as “high” (>2400 mg/day). The findings of this study have clear implications for aggressive nutrition education intervention programs with emphasis on the traditional foods of the Sudan.

Impact of the virtual anti-hypertensive educational campaign towards knowledge,attitude,and practice of hypertension management during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND One of the efforts to reduce hypertension rates in the community is through an educational campaign that refers to the NIH's National Heart,Lung,and Blood Institute curricula or abbreviated as NHLBI.However,during the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic,one of the hardest hit areas is health promotion,and there is a significant obstacle regarding the most effective way to transfer knowledge,attitude and practice towards society without transmitting the virus.AIM To evaluate the impact of the virtual anti-hypertensive educational campaign towards knowledge,attitude,and the practice of hypertension management in the primary care setting during the COVID-19 pandemic.METHODS An online action research with a randomized crossover-controlled trial using a pretest-posttest control group design.The study was conducted in October 2020-April 2021.The population in this study were patients with hypertension who were treated in the Mojo primary health care setting.A purposive sampling technique was done to receive 110 participants using an online questionnaire and invitation letter.RESULTS A total of 110 participants were included in the analysis,55 in the intervention group and 55 in the control group.Following the Virtual Anti-Hypertensive Educational Campaign implementation,the only parameter that showed significant improvement was knowledge and attitude(P<0.001).There is no significant change in the practice parameters(P=0.131).CONCLUSION The Virtual Anti-Hypertensive Educational Campaign implementation in our study population seems to be effective to improve knowledge and attitude of participants,nevertheless,this program seems to be ineffective to improve the practice of hypertension management aspect in participants.Future study with longer durations and more comprehensive programs need to be done to scrutinize the clinical impact of this program nationwide.

Analysis of Compliance and Barriers for Hand Hygiene Practices among Health Care Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic Management in Tertiary Care Hospital of India—An Important Step for Second Wave Preparedness

Introduction: Hands of health care workers play an important part in infection transmission in a healthcare setting infections. Even though it is a simple and effective procedure, it is many times ignored by the health care workers (HCWs) due to lack of knowledge and interest, time constraints, skin irritation, understaffing, etc. There are no specific drugs and vaccines available for COVID-19 pandemic management, so as control measures, hand hygiene is an essential measure. It will be helpful even for the second wave preparedness. So this study was planned for analysis of barriers and practices of hand hygiene among health care workers which determine the adherence of hand hygiene in medical practice. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study designed during COVID-19 pandemic management to analyze the barriers and knowledge, attitude and practices in health care workers for hand hygiene. Semi-structured questionnaires based study based on previous experience of seasonal flu outbreak was make to know barriers as well as to analyze the knowledge, attitude and practices of Health care workers. 215 participants were enrolled who were doctors, resident doctors, nurses, lab technicians, ward boys and food distributors. Results: The “Barriers” related questions’ analysis showed that hand hygiene facilities, with the supply of soap, hand rub, basins with adequate as well as clean water, are available at various places in the Hospital. In knowledge related questions, major gaps are found in 5 moments of hand hygiene and regarding aspects of alcohol-based hand-rub. Majority HCWs show a good attitude towards questions that hand hygiene is an important thing to do along with other works and they feel frustrated when others or they themselves omit hand hygiene. But the attitude toward hand hygiene when hands are not visibly soiled and when working with gloved hand showed a wrong attitude. There is a major gap in practices of hand hygiene. The majority feel hand hygiene is difficult due to work pressure, sometimes they forgot, they feel it difficult to adhere due to more steps during an emergency. Discussion: Hand hygiene is an essential part of COVID-19 pandemic management. Less compliance was observed due to a lack of knowledge and awareness. Such ignorance leads to an increase in Hospital-acquired infection. Conclusion: Good preparedness by Government and Institute for supplying adequate hand hygiene facilities in the work area for health care workers. But there were few gaps found in knowledge and attitude-related questionnaires and major gaps in practices were found which should be corrected by repeated training, awareness programs, demonstrations for hand hygiene and hands-on training. Conducting Periodic Webinar can be the most useful, convenient and safe method to provide training during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Role of traditional Chinese medicine in the initiative practice for health

To achieve awareness of the initiative practice for health concept in the Chinese population,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)doctors should popularize TCM culture and knowledge among young people,people with a low level of education,in low-income populations,and in rural populations.