Advances in Preventive Medicine

Parental acceptance of routine childhood immunization is critical to protecting children's health, as high vaccination-coverage rates lead to decreased rates of vaccine-preventable diseases. However, to communicate effectively with parents about vaccines and vaccine-preventable diseases, it is necessary to assess their vaccine-related attitudes and concerns continually. Recently the Palestine Ministry of Health has recorded epidemics of measles and mumps. Poor compliance with vaccination has been attributed to multiple factors including physician inadequacy advocating for vaccination and public mistrust of vaccinations...

Background: Adolescent girls in developing countries do not have proper information, and proper information is covered up by sociocultural boundaries resulting in various morbidities. This study aimed to determine level of knowledge and its associated factors regarding menstrual hygiene amongst adolescent school girls in Dang district, Nepal. Methods: Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted between April and October 2019 among 406 adolescent girls studying in grades 8-10 between ages of 10-19 years in Dang district, Nepal...

Background: Eye injuries are one of the most common work-related injuries among certain occupations, including welders. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors influencing eye injuries among welders in Accra, Ghana. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we recruited 382 welders in Accra from two welding sites. Systematic sampling was used to select participants. A pretested semistructured questionnaire was used to collect demographic information, history of eye injuries, ownership, and use of eye protective equipment and workplace characteristics...

Background: Although there is an increase in having antenatal care (ANC), still many women lack recommended ANC contacts in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was aimed at determining spatial patterns and associated factors of not having ANC visits using the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) 2016 data. Methods: A two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique was employed based on EDHS data from January 18 to June 27, 2016. A total of 7,462 women were included in the study...

Introduction: Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients are markedly higher. In addition, plasma NGAL levels were increased in patients with acute and chronic heart failure as a complication of myocardial infarction. In this study, we investigated whether there is a difference between the prognostic use of plasma NGAL levels in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF)...

Background: The incidence of abortion in Ghana ranges from 27 per 1000 to 61 per 1000 women, causing gynecological complications and maternal mortality. The use of modern contraceptives and its associated factors among women aged 15-49 years have been documented. However, utilization of modern contraceptives specifically among women with induced abortion history is underreported. This study therefore aimed at determining the proportion and identifying predictors of contraceptives use in this underreported population...

Background: Women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are more likely to develop an increased risk of invasive cervical cancer. Morbidity and mortality due to cervical cancer could be reduced with early detection through cervical screening. Though uptake of cervical screening was investigated in Ethiopia, inconsistent findings were reported. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to estimate the pooled prevalence of cervical cancer screening uptake among HIV-positive women and its associated factors in Ethiopia...

Background: While completion of the Child Welfare Clinic (CWC) schedule for children remains a crucial factor in the prevention of illness and promotion of better child health, there has been low attendance among caregivers in Ghana. This study examined knowledge of 220 caregivers of children aged 24-59 months on CWC and other factors influencing attendance in the Garu-Tempane District of Northern Ghana. Methods: This health facility-based descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among caregivers of children using a structured questionnaire...

Background: In developing countries, there are several adult tuberculosis (TB) patients suffering from profound undernutrition. Undernutrition is a significant risk factor for developing tuberculosis. In the world, TB is one of the top ten and leading causes of death. To appropriately intervene death of adult TB patients, it is crucial to understand the magnitude of undernutrition and its associated factors among them. The study assessed undernutrition and mortality among adult tuberculosis patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia...

Background: Menstrual hygiene management has not been sufficiently addressed in developing countries. In many Nepalese societies, menstrual practices are still surrounded by sociocultural restrictions and taboos resulting in adverse health outcomes for adolescent girls. The purpose of this study was to determine menstrual hygiene practice and sociodemographic as well as socioeconomic factors associated with good menstrual hygiene practice amongst adolescent school girls in Dang district, Nepal...

Background: Motorcycle road traffic accidents (RTA) constitute an increasing public health challenge with victims more likely to sustain fatal injuries compared with other types of RTA. The aim of this study was to analyze motorcycle RTA-related morbidity and mortality among victims admitted to hospitals in Guinea from 2015 to 2017. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on hospital records from six districts (Boké, Kindia, Mamou, Faranah, N'Zérékoré, and Siguiri) from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017...

Introduction: Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of osteoporosis compared to the general population. We aimed to improve the osteoporosis screening rate in the IBD patient population of the gastroenterology (GI) fellows' continuity clinics. Methods: Baseline preintervention data were collected on patients seen from July through September of 2018. Four simplified criteria for osteoporosis screening were extrapolated from 3 national guidelines...

Background: It is essential to follow World Health Organization drug prescribing indicators to ensure rational prescribing in every health care setting. Objective: To evaluate the prescriptions in the endocrinology department, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), recommended Ghana guidelines for diabetes management and rational therapy. Methods: Concurrent and retrospective study design was used. The prescriptions of 100 diabetes patients were assessed for the type of medicine, dosage form, number of drugs, diabetes type, and deviation from standard guidelines...

Oral diseases are highly prevalent and a global burden. Accordingly, their prevention appears essential. Recently, different strategies have been developed, mainly focusing on the presence of singular oral diseases or conditions. This article aims to construct a contemporary concept of individualized preventive care in dentistry whereby the focus is switched from viewing oral health in isolation to viewing the patient as a whole. The basis for individualized prevention measures is the case-oriented profile, including the synthesis of risk- and need-oriented parameters...

Introduction: The purpose of this paper is to describe development and preliminary assessment of an instrument designed to assess facilitators and barriers of provider-provided, place-based exercise prescriptions, including provider attributes, perceptions, knowledge, and resource needs. Although the American Medical Association-Supported "Exercise is Medicine" initiative encourages the practice of exercise prescription among member providers, only a small proportion engages in this practice...

Background: Population-specific epidemiologic data on human Papillomavirus infection, which are limited in most of the SubSaharan African countries, are necessary for effective cervical cancer prevention. This study aimed to generate population-specific data on human Papillomavirus infections, and determine which of these, self-collected and provider-collected specimens, gives a higher estimate of the prevalence of human Papillomaviruses, including vaccine and non-vaccine-type human Papillomavirus...

Objectives: To identify among Canadian adults who have ever been dependent upon cannabis, the prevalence of risk and protective factors associated with (1) cannabis remission, (2) the absence of psychiatric disorders or addictions in the past year (APD), and (3) positive mental health (PMH). Method: Data from Statistics Canada's nationally representative 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health ( n = 20, 777, of whom 336 have a history of cannabis dependence) was used...

Background: Hepatitis B virus is a global problem, with 66% of all the world population living in areas where there are high levels of infection. HBV is the leading risk factor for HCC globally and accounts for at least 50% of cases of HCC. Medical and health science students, being part of the health-care system, are exposed to the infection as a risk as other health-care workers when they come in contact with patients and contaminated instruments. Objective: The main aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of hepatitis B virus infection prevention and its associated factors among health science students in Woldia University...

Background: Healthcare-associated infection is a major public health problem, in terms of mortality, morbidity, and costs. Majorities of the cause of these infections were preventable. Understanding the potential risk factors is important to reduce the impact of these avoidable infections. The study was aimed to identify factors associated with healthcare-associated infections among patients admitted at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital, Harar, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 433 patients over a period of five months at Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital...

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is defined as the birth weight of live born infants below 2500 g, regardless of gestational age. It is a public health problem caused by factors that are potentially modifiable. The purpose of this study was to determine the socioeconomic, obstetric, and maternal factors associated with LBW in Lumbini Provincial Hospital, Nepal. Methods: The study was conducted using case control study design with 1 : 2 case control ratio...