International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-006, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence of dog gastrointestinal parasites and risk perception of zoonotic infection by dog owners in Wondo Genet, Southern Ethiopia

Octavius Jones¹, Nigatu Kebede²*, Tesfu Kassa², Getachew Tilahun², Chanda Macias³

¹University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53726, Tel. (909) 820-3326.

²Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P. O. Box 1176, Tel. +251112763091.

³Department of Biology, Howard University, 415 College Street N.W., Washington D.C. 20059,Tel. (202) 806-6950.

Accepted 20 January, 2019

Abstract

Gastrointestinal parasites in dogs that inhabit in close proximity to humans have been shown to increase the risk of infection to humans, especially those living in rural areas. This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth species found in partially owned/stray dogs and the potential impact these infection rates had on the surrounding communities in Wondo Genet, Southern Nations and Nationalities Region of Ethiopia. Coprological and postmortem examination and questionnaire survey were the methods used. A structured questionnaire on 50 households was designed to gather information on dog ownership, management and related risks. Randomized collection of 269 fecal samples was taken and analyzed using the Kato-Katz methodology to determine intestinal helminth infection rates. Postmortem examination was done on 13 stray dogs to determine the presence of adult worms. Very few households (22%) were aware that canine parasites could be transmitted to humans but none of them could provide correct information on the mode of transmission. None of the dog owners had treated their dogs using anthelmintics. Almost all owners had fed their dogs’ raw carcass of a dead animal and condemned offals. Necropsy of 13 stray dogs revealed 90.7% of them were infected with at least one intestinal helminth parasite. No trematodes were found in the intestine of these dogs. The following cestodes were identified: Echinococcus granulosus (61.5 %), Taenia pisiformis (74.7%), Taenia hydatigena (69.2%), Taenia ovis (30.8%), Dipylidium caninum (46.8%) and Mesocestoides (84.6%). Other intestinal worms in dogs were Toxocara canis (53.9%), Tirchuris vulpis (70.3%) and Ancylostoma caninum (73.9%). Most helminths were recovered from the second intestinal segment. The findings showed that the high levels of ignorance among community members about canine parasites and transmission coupled with significant infection rates among the dogs in the community show that immediate action needs to be taken to decrease infection rates in dogs and to raise education levels of the community bout zoonotic diseases.

Key words: Dog, helminthes, intestinal parasites, prevalence, Wondo Genet, zoonoses.

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Risk for unplanned early hospital re-admission for patients with respiratory tract diseases: A retrospective study

Tzu-Chun Chen¹ and Su-Hsien Chang²*

¹Department of Health, Tainan Hospital, No.125 Zhongshan Rd., Tainan City 70043, Taiwan, Republic of China.

²Department of Elder care, Tainan Institute of Nursing, No. 78, Sec 2, Minzu Rd., Tainan City 700, Taiwan, Republic of China.

Accepted 12 January, 2019

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify unplanned hospital re-admission risk factors in patients with respiratory tract diseases in Taiwan. This was a retrospective study. Study subjects were patients with primary diagnosis of respiratory tract diseases, which were defined by using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Eight hundred and seventy-six respiratory tract diseases patients were discharged from the hospital, and 14.78% (n = 64) of them were re-admitted within 14 days after discharge. Results found that unplanned hospital re-admission among respiratory tract diseases patients were statistical correlated with subjects’ ways of discharge from hospital, clinical re-visit compliance, receiving services from discharge plan team workers, intubation number, and previous hospital length of stay. The significant predictor was early re-hospitalization after discharge. However, results provide important information for measure intervention outcomes to prevent unplanned hospital re-admission among respiratory tract diseases.

Key words: Unplanned hospital re-admission, respiratory tract diseases, risk factors.

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-009, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Socio-economic inequalities in the risk of diseases and associated risk factors in India

Mohammad Hifzur Rahman* and Abhishek Singh

International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai – 88, India.

Accepted 13 January, 2019

Abstract

Extant literature is full of studies on socio-economic inequalities in maternal and child health in India but studies on inequalities in risk of diseases are limited. We use data from India Human Development Survey (IHDS) conducted in 2004-05 to test two hypotheses: first, diabetes and high blood pressure are associated with affluence; and second, tuberculosis and mental illness are associated with poverty. We use rich-poor ratio, concentration curves, adjusted concentration indices, dominance test, and binary logistic regression to test the aforementioned hypotheses. The findings suggest that diabetes and high blood pressure are indeed associated with affluence. But we could not find evidence to support our second hypothesis. Also, rich and poor were equally likely to get cancer or the heart diseases. Indeed, the risk factors were disproportionately distributed, particularly to the disadvantage of the poor.

Key words: Disease, affluence, poverty, concentration curves and indices, dominance.

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-007, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prescription errors prevalent in four units of a university teaching hospital in Nigeria

Oyedunni S. Arulogun*, Simon K. Oluwole and Musibau A. Titiloye

Department of Health Promotion and Education, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 22 January, 2019

Abstract

Errors in prescription in medical practice are a source of adverse events that can be prevented. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of prescription errors and predisposing factors in four units (medical out-patient, general out-patient, wards, accident and emergency) of the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan. Twelve error descriptors developed from literature review were used to review the 1866 prescription sheets randomly selected from the pharmacy points for the year 2006 while 10 in-depth interviews were conducted to identify the predisposing factors. Dispensing practices were also observed for detection and correction of prescription errors. A total of 1424 (76.3%) prescription errors were detected which comprised illegitimacy (52.2%), omission (23.7%), style (18.5%), wrong dose (4.9%) and irrational prescription (0.8%). More of the errors (33.6%) were found among the prescriptions from the wards while only 10% of the errors were detected and corrected during the process of dispensing. The in-depth interviews revealed that workload and non-conducive work environment adversely affected productivity of prescribers and dispensers. Regular in-service training for prescribers and dispensers, equitable distribution of workload and institution of a quality assurance mechanism for monitoring the drug use system in this institution is advocated.

Key words: Prescription error, health workers, drugs.

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 8 (3), pp. 001-010, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Community attitudes towards male involvement in home based care activities for people living with HIV and AIDS in Maseno Division, Western Kenya

R. K. Makori¹*, R. O. Onyango¹, R. Kakai¹ and J. O. S. Osero²,

¹School of Public Health and Community Development (ESPUDEC), Maseno University, P. O Box 333, Maseno, Kenya.

²Department of Public Health, School of Health Sciences, Kenyatta University, P. O. Box 43844, 00100Nairobi, Kenya.

Accepted 21 January, 2019

Abstract

Home-based care has emerged as an effective method of providing cost-effective and compassionate care to those infected with HIV and AIDS. Traditionally, women have been in the forefront in the provision of care for those infected with HIV/AIDS. However, there was low male involvement in home-based care services and little research has been done. This paper assesses community attitudes towards male involvement in home-based HIV care activities in Western Kenya. It is a cross-sectional descriptive study. Current activities were used as major dimensions to select all the functioning support groups from a list of all HIV and AIDS care givers in Maseno division obtained from the Ministry of Health in Kisumu. Simple random sampling was then used to select 14 support groups which were involved in HIV and AIDS care and support. The study was done in the month of May 2008. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from a sample of 248 caregivers, selected from registered support groups, in Maseno division of western Kenya. A three stage thematic approach was used to analyze the qualitative data .Quantitative data was cleaned, coded, entered and analyzed using SPSS (Version 12.0) computer software. Statistical procedures carried out included descriptive and inferential analyses. Overall, 29% of the caregivers were male, 75% took care of close relatives and 59.7% of the respondents had not received formal training on home-based care. Male caregivers performed significantly fewer nursing activities compared to the general activities. Although 92% agreed that men should be involved in care giving, the study further revealed that there is low level of male involvements (µ=1.97, SD= 0.95), statistically significant association between community attitude and level of male involvement in HBC activities (r = -0.39, p = 0.001) and statistically negative attitude towards male involvement (χ² =34.526, p=0.001) in home-based HIV care activities. Full participation of males’ involvement in HIV home care is hindered by the negative attitude from men and the community at large. There is need to address it through seminars and workshops that should be organized by the government and non-governmental organizations to improve and encourage males in giving home-based care services.

Key words: Male involvement, home based care (HBC), community attitude, people living with HIV and AIDS(PLWHA).

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 8 (2), pp. 001-004, February, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study on outbreak of dengue from Bihar, India-establishing new foci, attributable to climatic changes

Ragini Mishra¹* and Prashant Kumar²

¹State Health Society, Bihar, India.

²District Epidemiologist, Patna, Bihar, India.

Accepted 12 January, 2019

Abstract

Dengue fever (DF) is a mosquito-borne viral infection which is emerging fast in terms of mortality and morbidity in humans worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical countries. DF is characterized clinically by headache, retro-orbital pain, myalgia, arthralgia, integumentary rashes, and sometimes with haemorrhagic manifestations. Aedes aegypti, the main vector species of dengue fever/dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) is commonly found in urban areas which can be attributed to the availability of breeding sites such as water storage containers due to poor management of water and limited supply of drinking water, non degradable tyres, long lasting plastic containers and ineffective community participation in eliminating the breeding places. However, new foci are a major concern for public health by affecting the epidemiology of this disease such as rural and semi-urban areas, which may be linked to climate change. Climate change has led to unusual rainfall pattern leading to excess rain in some parts and deficient rainfall in other parts. This is accompanied by overall rise in average temperature which favors fast circulation of the vector and consequently of dengue virus in the environment. Thus, epidemiological, environmental and entomological observations were made to confirm the aetiology of a focal outbreak of dengue fever in rural and semi-urban areas providing breeding sites for larval growth. The present research aimed to record outbreak of dengue from new foci from Bihar, India, and correlates it with climate change. Bihar was said to be free from dengue but in September, 2010, outbreaks have been reported specially from three districts: Patna, Munger and Begusarai. The epidemiological investigation of probable cases showed clustered distribution of cases in adjacent houses and streets and absence of travellers to dengue endemic regions, though many cases of migration was also noted during early phase of outbreak. Cases reported from Patna were mostly related to migration from different areas in order to get better treatment facilities. Entomological investigations were carried out in 60, 94 and 75 houses in the districts of Patna, Munger and Begusarai respectively. The index of House, Container and Breteau from Patna, Munger and Begusarai found were 20, 40 and 29, 11.11, 43 and 31, and 26, 91.48 and 56, respectively, thereby indicating the high receptivity of Munger to DF/DHF transmission which can subsequently be confirmed with the number of cases reported from there. The environmental investigations included in this study were average temperature, humidity and rainfall of three affected districts. The averages temperatures during the outbreak from Patna were 32.21 (maximum) and 25.09 (minimum), from Munger were 32.39 (maximum) and 25.19 (minimum) and from Begusarai were 32.33 (maximum) and 25.43 (minimum). The rate of humidity from Patna were 86.29 (morning) and 82.43 (evening), from Munger were 84.97 (morning) and 82.86 (evening) and from Begusarai were 84.12 (morning) and 83.43 (evening). The rate of rainfall in the year 2010 was 226.9, 220.00 and 224.45 mm for Patna, Munger and Begusarai respectively. The reasons for death may be attributed to absence of herd immunity in new foci.

Key words: Rural areas, new foci of dengue, Aedes aegypti, house index, container index, Breteau index, climate change.