Labor Motivation and Its Influence on Workers’Productivity-A Secondary Publication

The productivity of an institution is achieved,in large part,by creating a harmonious environment that reflects the satisfaction,empowerment,and collaborative spirit of each employee.From this perspective,management will consider upgrades using all tactics that allow for the achievement of these goals,including direct effort and the involvement of all stakeholders.The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between work motivation and the productivity of workers in the communal board of the Barrio Sur corregimiento in the province of Colón.Using the questionnaire as an instrument,as well as the descriptive method,allowed for the report and evaluation of the characteristics of the workers,indicating interpersonal deficits and distancing in the motivations that drive administrative action.By incorporating different approaches previously analyzed and developed by different authors familiar with the subject,it was possible to achieve substantial results,such as the need to implement administrative strategies that harmoniously incorporate workers,showing that,despite motivation problems,the work environment where one works is very important in the performance of their duties.Managing to motivate the direct participation of the workers selected as part of the sample,who showed full satisfaction with the results framed within the framework of individual improvement and,above all,the commitment to the institution to improve its work.

Front Line Health Workers’ COVID-19 Lived Experiences: A Case of Levy Mwanawasa Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia

Introduction: Frontline health workers who work in COVID-19 isolation treatment centers are susceptible to developing mental health issues due to the overwhelming workload and stress associated with their job. Thus understanding their lived experiences provides insights that helps alleviate health worker burnout and improving their quality of life thereby leading to an efficient delivery of health care services during a pandemic. Aim: To understand the lived experiences of front line health workers during the COVID-19 pandemics at Levy Mwanawasa Teaching University Hospital. Design and Methods: A qualitative interpretative phenomenological study design was used. Purposive sampling method was adopted to select the 14 participants who took part in the study. The data were collected through face-to-face, audio-taped interviews using an in-depth interview guide, after which the responses were transcribed verbatim before using NVIVO to generate codes. The data were analyzed using thematic method. Results: The lived experiences of the participants were found to be mainly negative with few positive experiences. Their lived experiences were mainly negative emotional and psychological experiences including fear, anger, depression, frustration, anxiety and sadness. The thoughts that were identified included thoughts of surviving through the pandemic, thoughts of getting infected, and dying. The frontline health workers also experienced some personal and professional changes as they offered health services in the COVID-19 wards. The personal changes reported included;social limitations and collapse of extra income business while the professional changes included a change in the way health services were delivered, a gain in knowledge and skills and shaping of a career path. The main challenges experienced were limited resources (man power, resuscitation equipment, drugs, personal protective equipment), limited literature on the disease and limited social interactions. Conclusion and Recommendations: Relevant stakeholders should come on board in order to offer support during a pandemic or a similar situation so as to better the experience of frontline health workers with particular attention directed towards the provision of adequate resources to enable them deliver their services effectively. Frontline health workers perspectives and opinions should be taken into account by the institution’s administrators and policymakers when planning for and managing a pandemic.

Workers’Cerebrocortical Activity in Hot and Humid Condition:An Electroencephalogram Study

Hyperthermal environments can harm workers’health and safety.However,it is difficult to include effective protection into standards because heat-related impacts vary significantly accord-ing to individual workers and multiple factors.Studies suggested obvious relationship between en-vironment condition and bio-electricity signal,including electroencephalogram(EEG)signal.We used a detector with 64 electrodes to perform dedicated EEG measurements of nine individual sub-jects to analyze human cerebral activity under hyperthermal(35℃,80%RH)and standard condi-tions(25℃,30%RH).Amplitude changes of the frequency wavebands were analyzed using statist-ical analysis.Seven participants showed increasing beta activity due to high temperature and high humidity in the primary somatosensory cortex(electrode C3)and the temporopolar region(elec-trode FT 8).The amplitude value of alpha wave is increased from 0.194 to 0.213 while the amp-litude value of beta wave is increased from 0.144 to 0.160.Value is decreased due to hyperthermal environment for most people.The results of this study could be used to inform the development of wearable equipment to monitor the health of on-site workers,which is fundamental to improve worker safety and wellbeing.

Evaluation of Occupational Risk Factors for Healthcare Workers through Analysis of the Florida Workers’ Compensation Claims Database

The purpose of this study is to evaluate occupational risk factors for nurses and CNAs by analyzing the Florida workers’ compensation claims database. Risk factors for the cause of injury, nature of injury, body part injured, and demographic and lifestyle factors were evaluated for a sample of CNAs, nurses, and restaurant servers. The results identified falls, lifting, being struck, and pushing and pulling as major causes for injury among nurses and CNAs as compared to servers. Regarding the nature of injury, sprains and strains constituted the majority of claims for nurses and CNAS with the lower back being the body part most commonly injured in a claim. The results of this study indicate that nurses and CNAs are at far greater risk for physical injury than injury or illness from chemical or biological exposures. It is recommended that emphasis must be placed on interventions for musculoskeletal injuries such as falls and lifting, taking into account environmental factors such as age and lifestyle factors that further exacerbate risk for injury.

Analysis of Health Workers’ Perceptions on Medical Waste Management in Tanzanian Hospitals

This paper presents the perceptions of health workers (HWs) on medical waste management (MWM) issues in Tanzanian hospitals. The perceived total waste generation rates were lower than the actual measurements. Administrators perceived lower rates than implementers. The results indicated three categories of medical waste which are given due attention, that is, sharps waste, pathological and infectious waste. Other wastes like radioactive, chemical, pharmaceutical, pressurized containers receive very little attention. Container colour coding and labelling was negligible, while improvised containers are still in use. Medical waste is transported within hospitals manually, with little efforts on mechanized transportation. Poor waste storage was observed, while the prominent medical waste treatment technologies are medium temperature incinerators. Off-site transportation of medical waste is practiced, where the waste is finally dumped or buried. The hospitals are currently utilizing public-private partnership schemes for MWM in only one aspect of off-site transportation. Three main problems which require high attention include: Weaknesses in hospital management, poor MWM infrastructure, and lack of skills and knowledge on MWM among HWs. Knowledge and awareness among HWs on health hazards associated with poor MWM is low (with exception of cholera, HIV and typhoid). Few PPE types are supplied and used in the hospitals, leading to poor diseases prevention. There is also low knowledge among HWs on administrative issues related to MWM in Tanzanian hospitals.

An analysis of contributing mining factors in coal workers’pneumoconiosis prevalence in the United States coal mines,1986-2018

In the United States,an unexpected and severe increase in coal miners’lung diseases in the late 1990s prompted researchers to investigate the causes of the disease resurgence.This study aims to scrutinize the effects of various mining parameters,including coal rank,mine size,mine operation type,coal seam height,and geographical location on the prevalence of coal worker’s pneumoconiosis(CWP)in surface and underground coal mines.A comprehensive dataset was created using the U.S.Mine Safety and Health Administration(MSHA)Employment and Accident/Injury databases.The information was merged based on the mine ID by utilizing SQL data management software.A total number of 123,589 mine-year observations were included in the statistical analysis.Generalized Estimating Equation(GEE)model was used to conduct a statistical analysis on a total of 29,707,and 32,643 mine-year observations for underground and surface coal mines,respectively.The results of the econometrics approach revealed that coal workers in underground coal mines are at a greater risk of CWP comparing to those of surface coal operations.Furthermore,underground coal mines in the Appalachia and Interior regions are at a higher risk of CWP prevalence than the Western region.Surface coal mines in the Appalachian coal region are more likely to CWP development than miners in the Western region.The analysis also indicated that coal workers working in smaller mines are more vulnerable to CWP than those in large mine sizes.Furthermore,coal workers in thin-seam underground mine operations are more likely to develop CWP.

Assessment of Health Workers’ Concern about COVID-19 Pandemic: Implication for Surveillance Activities among Primary Health Care Workers in Oyo State, South-Western Nigeria

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 has continued to threaten the existence of the human race. The novelty and unstable epidemiologic pattern of the virus had generated so much concern among the global health experts. These concerns were found to be escalated among the frontline health care workers to the extent of impeding the timeliness of the response activities. To slow down the spread of the already established community transmission through the surveillance activities, the concern of the health workers at the community level needs to be addressed. Therefore, this study assessed the concern about COVID-19 pandemic among primary health workers in Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods: This was an online cross-sectional survey conducted among primary health care workers in Oyo State between March and April 2020. Using a two-stage sampling technique, we recruited 284 respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire linked to the Google form was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25;bivariate analysis was done using Chi-square and binary logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of health workers’ concern at 5% level of significance. Results: The mean age of respondents was 45.0 ± 9.0 years. The proportion of the respondents who had good knowledge of COVID-19 was 52.5%. In the domains of concern, 66.9%, 53.2%, 51.4%, and 46.5% of the respondents expressed government-related, self-satisfaction related, work-related and social-status related concerns respectively. Male respondents were less likely to express concern about COVID-19 compared with their female counterparts (aOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.20 - 0.76). Nurses/midwives (aOR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.05 - 0.85) had lesser likelihood of expressing concern about COVID-19 while middle staff (aOR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.18 - 5.39) and income earner of ≥N200,000 (aOR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.34 - 3.92) had higher likelihood of expressing concern about COVID-19. Conclusion: The study highlights an average knowledge of COVID-19 among the respondents. Government-related and self-satisfaction related concerns were expressed by the majority of the Primary Health Care (PHC) workers. Now that the second wave of COVID-19 is moving with much more fatality across much of Africa, including Nigeria, it is therefore imperative to address these concerns through a holistic policy that addresses the welfare, safety and capacity building of the health care workers (HCWs).

Community Workers’Social Support and Sleep Quality during the Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19):A Moderated Mediation Model

To explore the relationship between social support and sleep quality of community workers in Wuhan during the coronavirus disease 2019(the COVID-19 infection epidemic),this research constructed a mediating effect model to explore the mediating psychological mechanism of social support influencing sleep quality of front-line community workers.A total of 500 front-line community workers in Wuhan were investigated.We used the perceived social support scale(PSSS),the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale(CD-RISC),the perceived stress scale(PSS),and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI)to measure social support,psychological resilience,perceived stress and sleep quality.Specifically,the higher the PSQI,the worse the sleep quality.Pearson correlation structural equation model was used to analyze the relationship between these factors.The results showed that:(1)There was a significant negative correlation between social support,psychological resilience,and perceived stress of community workers and PSQI,that means,the higher the level of social support,psychological resilience,and perceived stress,the higher the sleep quality.(2)Social support positively predicted psychological resilience and perceived stress,and perceived stress negatively predicted PSQI.(3)Social support can affect sleep quality through the mediating role of psychological resilience and perceived stress,and the mediating role includes two paths:the single mediating role of perceived stress and the chain mediating role of psychological resilience-perceived stress.(4)Gender moderates the relation-ship between social support and perceived stress,and the influence of social support on perceived stress of women is higher than that of men.Gender moderates the relationship between psychological resilience and PSQI,and only women’s psychological resilience had a negatively predictive effect on PSQI,while men did not,which means that psychological resilience of female frontline community workers can positively predict sleep quality.This research reveals the relationship between social support and sleep quality and its mechanism and verifies that social support can indirectly affect physical health through psychological resilience and perceived stress.It provides reference suggestions and intervention guidance for improving the sleep quality of community workers.

Barriers and Facilitators of Adherence to Anti-Diabetic Therapy in Pregnant Women with Diabetes: Health Care Workers’ Perspectives

Global prevalence of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy in women of 20 - 49 years was estimated to be 16.9% and affecting 21.4 million live births, in 2013, 90% of which occurred in developing countries. The cornerstone of anti-diabetic therapy is diet, physical activity and medications. The study utilized a qualitative descriptive design using key informant interviews from August 2016 to November 2016 to explore challenges of adherence to anti-diabetic therapy in pregnant women with diabetes at a central hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe. Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the respective local and national ethical review boards. All participants gave verbal and written informed consent. A sample of eight key informants directly involved in the care of pregnant women with diabetes was purposively selected for key informant interviews. Key informants should have worked with diabetic pregnant women for at least one year. Sample size was determined by data saturation. Interviews followed a semi structured questionnaire that had sections on the burden of diabetes in pregnancy, challenges of adherence, challenges in management and possible solutions to challenges faced. All interviews were conducted in a private room. Detailed notes were taken during the interviews which were also being audiotaped. Trustworthiness was achieved by observing credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability. Thematic analysis was done. Thematic analysis was done manually. The stages of data analysis followed were data organization, familiarization, transcription, coding, developing a thematic framework, indexing, displaying and reporting. Major themes identified were barriers and facilitators of adherence to anti-diabetic therapy. Categories under barriers were financial barriers, lack of health education, lack of trained personnel, shortage of staff and lack of collaboration among practitioners. Categories under facilitators of adherence were subsidization of care, formal training of professionals, promoting collaboration and establishment of a unit dedicated to the care of pregnant women with diabetes. Barriers and solutions identified should be utilized to develop frameworks to promote adherence to anti-diabetic therapy incidence of adverse perinatal outcomes.

Health Workers’ Preparedness towards Integrating Mental Healthcare into Primary Health Settings: Evidence from Nigeria

Background: The global drive to scale up mental health services and eliminate the treatment gap requires incorporating mental health services into primary health care (PHC). Primary health care provides comprehensive, continuous, and coordinated care and if need be provides referrals to higher levels of care. However, for these services to meet the basic objective of PHC, it is necessary to determine healthcare workers’ preparedness for caring for the mentally ill. Therefore, this study aimed to examine health workers’ preparedness for integrating mental healthcare into primary settings in a rural community in Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive research design was used to conduct the study among all 215 primary healthcare workers within Nkanu West Local Government Area (LGA). The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire constructed by the author. A pilot study was conducted on 10% of the sample population. Cronbach’s Alpha formula was used to estimate the reliability coefficient (0.85). The collected data were analysed with descriptive statistical frequencies and percentages. Results: Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Findings show that healthcare workers’ preparedness to care for the mentally ill at the primary healthcare centre is quite low. It was also found that mental illness is still shredded by stigma as a result of poor awareness. Consequently, there is still a persistent pervasive belief system that Mental illness is a form of retribution from the gods for one’s wrong deed in the study area. Conclusion: It was concluded that few of the respondents were prepared for the care of the mentally ill which might be a result of poor awareness about mental health and the negative stereotype given about mental health. From the analysis, it can be deduced that health workers exhibit some degree of positive attitude towards care of the mentally ill, though, mental illness is associated with stigmatization due to a lack of public understanding of mental disorders. There was strong support for integrating mental health into primary health care by health care providers. Therefore there is a need for community education and building of the capacity of healthcare workers for integration of the care of the mentally ill to be feasible in PHC centres.

Waste Management Workers’ Safety Concerns during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ghana

Waste management is one of urgent challenges in the world. In rapidly growing cities of developing countries like Accura, Ghana, waste collection is done without sufficient protection of workers. This situation became worse when the COVID-19 pandemic began to threaten the health and safety of waste collection workers. This paper aims to examine waste management workers’ safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. To better understand waste management workers’ safety concerns during the pandemic, we used the questionnaire survey. Our questionnaire survey was conducted among 60 waste management workers in Accra, the capital city of Ghana. The study then discusses how municipal waste management authorities can ensure safety of waste management workers during the pandemic. Our results showed that 58% of the respondents were worried about the COVID-19 pandemic, while 20% were not even sure of the existence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Besides their worry, we also found that about 40% of the respondents had access to face masks/shields at their workplace, and 30% had hand sanitizers. This paper highlights that providing more advanced safety protocols in terms of workers daily operations and safety measures will enable a safe working environment for the workers even in terms of future pandemics.

Construction Activity Analysis of Workers Based on Human Posture Estimation Information

Identifying workers’construction activities or behaviors can enable managers to better monitor labor efficiency and construction progress.However,current activity analysis methods for construction workers rely solely on manual observations and recordings,which consumes considerable time and has high labor costs.Researchers have focused on monitoring on-site construction activities of workers.However,when multiple workers are working together,current research cannot accu rately and automatically identify the construction activity.This research proposes a deep learning framework for the automated analysis of the construction activities of multiple workers.In this framework,multiple deep neural network models are designed and used to complete worker key point extraction,worker tracking,and worker construction activity analysis.The designed framework was tested at an actual construction site,and activity recognition for multiple workers was performed,indicating the feasibility of the framework for the automated monitoring of work efficiency.

Variations, effectiveness and its associated factors of a nationwide web-based hypertension management training project in China: insights from a government-led campaign for 1.2 million lay health workers

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effectiveness of a large-scale,web-based,in-service hypertension management training project among lay health workers(LHWs)at primary care health(PHC)settings in China,and to examine the factors contributing to the of effectiveness.variations METHODS We used data from a web-based national hypertension management training project implemented in 2018,it was designed to facilitate LHWs to learn,understand,and apply the relevant knowledge and skills in hypertension management through providing training courses by use of the web-based platform with unified standards.All LHWs were required to parti-cipate in the exams before and after training to acquire scores for the use of evaluating their performance of hypertension man-agement knowledge.We first used descriptive analysis to present the variations of effectiveness in hypertension management knowledge among LHWs by important subgroups.Afterwards,we used multilevel logistic regression to examine the individual regional factors contributing to the variations and quantify the magnitude of how these factors affected training effectiveness.and RESULTS There were 1,208,610 LHWs who completed training and were certificated.Nationally,the scores of LHWs in-creased significantly from 62.87±21.14 out of 100 in the pre-test to 88.30±11.31 in the post-test by 25.43(95%confidence interval[CI]:25.40-25.47).Training contents involved in antihypertensive medication showed the lowest score(54.36)in the pre-test and soared the most after training,up to 84.22 by 54.94%.Individual factors associated with disparities in the knowledge of hyperten-sion management decreased substantially after training,which included sex,age,education,practice type,professional level,and hierarchy of working institutions.Geographical variations were shown at the provincial level,with the majority of them being ex-by factors at the regional level.plained CONCLUSIONS Accessible web-based training modality,government efforts,accompanied with experiences derived from the training,could be generalized to other low-and middle-income countries in facilitating the hypertension management capacity of LHWs.Localization and evaluation is warranted on the way to its further application.

Unveiling health rights:A call to action for sex workers'HIV care in the Philippines

We are writing in response to the article titled“Addressing the needs and rights of sex workers for HIV healthcare services in the Philippines”[1].The article calls for attention on the significant challenges faced by sex workers in the Philippines in accessing HIV healthcare.We appreciate the article’s effort to examine these issues in depth.We would like to present a constant flow of thoughts in this letter while highlighting the positive aspects,potential obstacles,and additional points that contribute to this ongoing discussion.

Study on Influencing Factors of Mental Health of Mobile Young White-Collar Workers in China

Mobile young white-collar workers not only have the characteristics of mobile young people,but also have the characteristics of general white-collar workers.Under the influence of both,their mental health may be suffering from“double disadvantage”.So,based on an ecological model of the stress process,this paper tries to use the data of the questionnaire on the mental health of mobile young white-collar workers in Zhejiang Province to explore the influence of some factors in the middle workplace and residence place on the mental health of micro individuals.The results show that:(1)The working environment with high control and low freedom and the workplace discrimination against the mobile status will have a negative impact on the mental health of mobile young white-collar workers;(2)Financial anxiety in daily life will lead to a decline in the mental health level of mobile young white-collar workers;(3)Good organizational support and neighborhood social relations can significantly relieve life pressure,so as to effectively improve the mental health of mobile young white-collar workers.It can be seen that we also need to pay more attention to the mental health of mobile young white-collar workers in order to improve their situation.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practices among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Care Hospital on Needle Stick Injury

Purpose: Needle-stick injury (NSI) is one of the most potential occupational hazards for healthcare workers because of the transmission of blood-borne pathogens. As per recent data, around 30 lakh healthcare workers sustain Needle stick injuries each year. This study was conducted to assess healthcare workers’ knowledge, attitude and practices regarding needle stick injury. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Tertiary Care Hospital over the period of 3 months. The study population consisted of Intern Doctors, Post Graduate resident Doctors, Staff Nurses, laboratory technicians of Government Medical College and New Civil Hospital, Surat (n = 300). The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire via the means of Google Forms. Questionnaire was made with prior review literature. The data obtained were entered and analysed in Microsoft Excel. Results: The prevalence of NSI in our study was 46%, with a higher prevalence among the PG residents (72%). Overall scores regarding knowledge and attitude were better in PG residents (knowledge score > 7 in 71% and Attitude Score > 7 in 68% of PG Residents). Even though the PG residents scored highest in the knowledge category, the majority of them suffered needle stick injuries as a result of poor practice scores. Among those who had NSI (n = 139/300), 70% of study participants had superficial injuries, only 9% reported the incident, 18% got medical attention within 2 hours of the incident, and 7% followed up to recheck their viral markers status. Most incidents of NSI were due to hypodermic needles while recapping needles. Conclusion: Exposure to needle stick injuries and their underreporting remains a common problem. It is imperative that healthcare workers receive regular training on the proper handling of sharp objects. We can also draw the conclusion that preventing NSIs requires putting knowledge into practice.

Pattern of Eye Diseases among Tea Workers

Background: Bangladesh’s tea industry is essential to the country’s economic expansion. Since tea workers in Bangladesh are marginalized within our community, they have limited access to comprehensive eye care services. Productivity and well-being are cornerstones of comprehensive health care strategy. Ocular disorders are influenced by life expectancy, sociodemographic status, and the epidemiological transition. In this context, the state of ocular health and the many eye illnesses remain to be significantly addressed. Purpose: To evaluate the pattern of eye diseases among tea workers in a tea estate of Bangladesh. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was carried out in Halda Valley Tea Estate, Nazirhat, Fatickchari, Chattogram, Bangladesh, under the supervision of the Department of Community Ophthalmology, BSMMU, following ethical clearance and approval by the IRB board of BSMMU. With informed written consent and approval from the authority of the tea estate, a total of 110 tea workers were recruited. Socio-demographic characteristics, ocular findings, and patterns of eye diseases were determined and recorded. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 39.60 ± 11.63 years. The maximum (58.1%) study participants were 31 - 50 years old, female (64.5%), illiterate (82.7%), and tribal (71.8%) indigenes. Eye diseases were found in 94.5% of workers. Presbyopia (28.2%), cataracts (27.3%), and refractive error (26.4%) were the most common. Tea workers with eye diseases were significantly older than those who did not have any eye diseases (40.20 ± 11.57 vs. 29.17 ± 7.31 years, p Conclusion: A significant number of tea workers had eye diseases, of which presbyopia, cataracts, and refractive error were the most common.

Epidemiological Profile of Men Who Have Sex with Men: First Data about Male Sex Workers in Central African Republic (CAR)

Objectives: Sex work is not well documented among African men. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological profile of men who have sex with men (MSM) and eventually to determine the proportion of sex workers (SW) among them, as well as the proportion of MSM who have been victims of gender-based violence (GBV). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study coordinated by the Direction de la Médecine du Travail was carried out at the headquarters of the association ALTERNATIVES in Bangui Bangui from July 1 to October 31, 2021. Consenting MSM present during the study period were systematically included. Sociodemographic variables, those relating to the future vision of the activity and to GBV were collected and analyzed using Epi-Info version 7 software. Results: Forty MSM with an average age of 23 years and mainly secondary education (75.0%) were included. The vast majority of MSM were unemployed (85.0%). 45.0% had been victims of GBV and wanted to stop working as an MSM (47.5%), and almost 2/3 (65.0%) would accept another income-generating activity in exchange for the MSM. Violence was sexual (32.5%), economic (22.5%), physical (20.0%), verbal (12.5%) and psychological (12.5%). Conclusion: The MSM were mainly young, poorly educated, unemployed, and almost half were victims of GBV. The desire to change MSM activity to another income-generating activity alongside that of MSM shows that many of them are SW, workers in the informal sector. This must be taken into account in prevention activities, even if the data needs to be confirmed on a much larger sample.

Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence among Sex Workers in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR)

Background: Violence against women has become an international public health and human rights issue in recent decades. The violence suffered by sex workers is of little interest for research, yet it constitutes a major health and safety problem. We propose to assess the extent of the phenomenon of gender-based violence (GBV) among sex workers (SWs) in the city of Bangui in the CAR. Methodology: This is a descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological study covering the period from July to October 2021 carried out among SWs in Bangui, the capital of the CAR. Given that the SWs association had only 159 members in Bangui, an exhaustive sampling was retained. Were included in the study, any SW present during the data collection period and having given their written consent. The parameters studied were socio-demographic characteristics: age, sex, residence, level of education, marital status, and characteristics linked to violence: the notion of violence during their professional activity, the type of violence, the declaration and the declaration if necessary, the response and management of this violence. The data collected was analyzed using Epi info version 7 software. Results: Of the 159 SWs that counted the association, 108 had been included. The average age was 27.0 years with extremes of 14 and 46 years. The age groups of 25 to 34 years were the most represented (43.5%). Fifty-six SWs (51.9%) had reached the secondary level. Unemployed SWs were in the majority at 74.1%;Sixty-six (66) SWs in our sample (61.1%) had already been victims of violence during the exercise of their activity Sexual violence was the most represented (28.5%) followed by verbal violence (22.4%). Sixty-eight (62.9%) wanted to stop the professional activity of SWs and 93.1% would accept another income-generating activity in place of sex work. Conclusion: It is necessary to supervise SWs and protect them within the framework of respect for human rights, rather than criminalizing them and the exploiters flouting their human dignity and putting their lives in danger. .

Analysis of Hand Hygiene Knowledge,Compliance,and Influencing Factors Among Psychiatric Healthcare Workers

Objective:To evaluate the knowledge,compliance,and influencing factors of hand hygiene among psychiatric healthcare workers.Methods:68 healthcare workers who worked in the Department of Psychiatry between September 2023 and May 2024 were selected to assess their knowledge of hand hygiene and compliance by questionnaire as well as to analyze their influencing factors.Results:Knowledge of hand hygiene among healthcare workers was less than 90%,and doctors’knowledge was lower than that of nurses(P<0.05).The healthcare workers’compliance with hand hygiene was lower than 80%,and the adherence of doctors was lower than that of nurses(P<0.05).Analysis of influencing factors reveals that skepticism about the effectiveness of rapid disinfectants/hand washing,skin irritation from disinfectants/cleaning agents,and busy work schedules with time constraints are the main factors affecting healthcare workers’compliance with hand hygiene,with P<0.05 compared with the same group.Conclusion:Psychiatric healthcare workers’knowledge of hand hygiene as well as compliance with it is low,and there are various factors affecting it,so targeted training is required to strengthen their hand hygiene implementation.