Belize has the highest rates of HIV infection in Central America and is experiencing a generalized epidemic. The Garífuna, a minority ethnic population, is at risk for HIV. This study uses survey data from Gar...Belize has the highest rates of HIV infection in Central America and is experiencing a generalized epidemic. The Garífuna, a minority ethnic population, is at risk for HIV. This study uses survey data from Garífuna men and women to examine the frequency of multiple partnerships as well as sociodemographic characteristics and behavioral constructs correlated with having multiple partners. A high proportion of respondents reported having multiple partners, but rates were significantly higher for men, and men had a higher mean number of partners than women. A high proportion of respondents reported having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the last year, with more men reporting a history of STIs than women. Regression results show the importance of improving men and women’s perceived susceptibility for HIV and encouraging them to know their HIV status. Reinforcing a social norm for partner reduction would also benefit men. Study findings support the need for HIV counseling and testing in Garífuna communities as well as STI prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This study demonstrates that reducing multiple partnerships among Garífuna men and women is critical for reducing the spread of HIV in Belize.展开更多
Isoniazid preventive therapy(IPT) is the administration of isoniazid(INH) to people with latent tuberculosis(TB) infection(LTBI) to prevent progression to active TB disease. Despite being life-saving for human immunod...Isoniazid preventive therapy(IPT) is the administration of isoniazid(INH) to people with latent tuberculosis(TB) infection(LTBI) to prevent progression to active TB disease. Despite being life-saving for human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)-infected persons who do not have active TB, IPT is poorly implemented globally due to misconceptions shared by healthcare providers and policy makers. However, amongst HIV-infected patients especially those living in resource-limited settings with a high burden of TB, available evidence speaks for IPT: Among HIV-infected persons, active TB- the major contraindication to IPT, can be excluded with symptom screening; chest X-ray and tuberculin skin testing are unreliable and often lead to logistic delays resulting in increased numbers of people with LTBI progressing to active TB; the use of IPT has not been found to increase the risk of the development of INH mono-resistance; IPT is cost-effective and cheaper than the cost of treating cases of active TB that would develop without IPT; ART and IPT have an additive effect on the prevention of TB, and both are safe and beneficial even in children. In order to sustain the recorded gains from ART scale-up and to further reduce TB-related morbidity and mortality, more efforts are needed to scale-up IPT implementation globally.展开更多
Background:Avian influenza(AI)is a global public health threat.Understanding the knowledge that butchers have about it and the precautionary practices they take against it is crucial for designing future preparedness ...Background:Avian influenza(AI)is a global public health threat.Understanding the knowledge that butchers have about it and the precautionary practices they take against it is crucial for designing future preparedness programs.This study aimed to identify the social determinants of knowledge and precautionary measures of AI among butchers in the Kathmandu district in Nepal.Methods:The study was based on a cross-sectional study design using structured interview questionnaires and checklists to observe social determinants and the precautionary measures of 120 butchers aged 15 years and above from the Kathmandu district.Results:The majority of the respondents were male(69.2%)and more than half(53.3%)were from the age group of 25-39 years(mean:31.08,SD:±9.82).Nearly two-thirds(61.3%)of the respondents had a‘poor knowledge’,and the remaining had‘some knowledge’,about AI.More than half(55.4%)of the respondents were in the category of displaying‘poor practice’towards AI and the remaining half were in the‘satisfactory practice’category.None of the respondents had‘adequate knowledge’or displayed‘good practice’.The respondents in the>25 years of age group were less likely[OR 0.169;95%CI(0.056-0.512)]compared to those in the<25 years age group to have a poor knowledge about AI;and the respondents with‘primary education’were more likely[OR 3.265;95%CI(1.326-8.189)]to have a poor knowledge about AI as compared to those who had a secondary or above level of education.Respondents who did not know the correct definition of AI were more likely to follow poor practices[OR 4.265;95%CI(1.193-15.242)];and the respondents who did not know the risk groups associated with AI were also more likely to follow poor practices[OR 3.103;95%CI(1.191-8.083)].Conclusion:This study points out the need to address butchers to improve their knowledge of,and more importantly their compliance with,the precautionary measures to prevent avian influenza.展开更多
文摘Belize has the highest rates of HIV infection in Central America and is experiencing a generalized epidemic. The Garífuna, a minority ethnic population, is at risk for HIV. This study uses survey data from Garífuna men and women to examine the frequency of multiple partnerships as well as sociodemographic characteristics and behavioral constructs correlated with having multiple partners. A high proportion of respondents reported having multiple partners, but rates were significantly higher for men, and men had a higher mean number of partners than women. A high proportion of respondents reported having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the last year, with more men reporting a history of STIs than women. Regression results show the importance of improving men and women’s perceived susceptibility for HIV and encouraging them to know their HIV status. Reinforcing a social norm for partner reduction would also benefit men. Study findings support the need for HIV counseling and testing in Garífuna communities as well as STI prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This study demonstrates that reducing multiple partnerships among Garífuna men and women is critical for reducing the spread of HIV in Belize.
文摘Isoniazid preventive therapy(IPT) is the administration of isoniazid(INH) to people with latent tuberculosis(TB) infection(LTBI) to prevent progression to active TB disease. Despite being life-saving for human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)-infected persons who do not have active TB, IPT is poorly implemented globally due to misconceptions shared by healthcare providers and policy makers. However, amongst HIV-infected patients especially those living in resource-limited settings with a high burden of TB, available evidence speaks for IPT: Among HIV-infected persons, active TB- the major contraindication to IPT, can be excluded with symptom screening; chest X-ray and tuberculin skin testing are unreliable and often lead to logistic delays resulting in increased numbers of people with LTBI progressing to active TB; the use of IPT has not been found to increase the risk of the development of INH mono-resistance; IPT is cost-effective and cheaper than the cost of treating cases of active TB that would develop without IPT; ART and IPT have an additive effect on the prevention of TB, and both are safe and beneficial even in children. In order to sustain the recorded gains from ART scale-up and to further reduce TB-related morbidity and mortality, more efforts are needed to scale-up IPT implementation globally.
文摘Background:Avian influenza(AI)is a global public health threat.Understanding the knowledge that butchers have about it and the precautionary practices they take against it is crucial for designing future preparedness programs.This study aimed to identify the social determinants of knowledge and precautionary measures of AI among butchers in the Kathmandu district in Nepal.Methods:The study was based on a cross-sectional study design using structured interview questionnaires and checklists to observe social determinants and the precautionary measures of 120 butchers aged 15 years and above from the Kathmandu district.Results:The majority of the respondents were male(69.2%)and more than half(53.3%)were from the age group of 25-39 years(mean:31.08,SD:±9.82).Nearly two-thirds(61.3%)of the respondents had a‘poor knowledge’,and the remaining had‘some knowledge’,about AI.More than half(55.4%)of the respondents were in the category of displaying‘poor practice’towards AI and the remaining half were in the‘satisfactory practice’category.None of the respondents had‘adequate knowledge’or displayed‘good practice’.The respondents in the>25 years of age group were less likely[OR 0.169;95%CI(0.056-0.512)]compared to those in the<25 years age group to have a poor knowledge about AI;and the respondents with‘primary education’were more likely[OR 3.265;95%CI(1.326-8.189)]to have a poor knowledge about AI as compared to those who had a secondary or above level of education.Respondents who did not know the correct definition of AI were more likely to follow poor practices[OR 4.265;95%CI(1.193-15.242)];and the respondents who did not know the risk groups associated with AI were also more likely to follow poor practices[OR 3.103;95%CI(1.191-8.083)].Conclusion:This study points out the need to address butchers to improve their knowledge of,and more importantly their compliance with,the precautionary measures to prevent avian influenza.
