A retrospective cohort study on the probability of developing pulmonary tuberculosis among UP-PGH employees

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is an occupational hazard among healthcare workers due to nosocomial exposure. In the Philippines where shortage in health workforce is common, occurrence of tuberculosis can adversely affect the healthcare delivery and patient care. The risk of developing Pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) among employees is important information for stakeholders to develop and implement hospital work policies.OBJECTIVE: To determine the probability of developing PTB among PGH employees assigned in areas with high and low patient load and the risk factors that increase the chance of having the disease.METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study using chart review of employees who consulted due to cough from 2009-2011 and followed up from the year of consult to December 2015. Medical records were retrieved from the University of the Philippines-Health Services, Philippine General Hospital. Data analysis was done using Stata version 14. Logistic regression analysis was done to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervalsRESULTS: A total of six hundred thirty six (N=636) employees with cough were included in the study (57%, high patient load area and 43%, low patient load area). Forty PGH employees (6%) were diagnosed with PTB during the study period. The overall incidence was 5.3% with a higher rate reported for employees assigned in high patient load areas (7.3%) compared to low patient load areas (3.8%). Logistic regression analysis showed that male sex (RR: 2.68, 95% Cl: 1.19-6.01) and smoking habit (RR: 2.37, 95% Cl: 1.07-5.28) were associated with increased risk of developing PTB among PGH employees.CONCLUSION: The probability of developing PTB is similar for hospital employees assigned to both high and low patient load areas. The factors associated with an increased risk of PTB among PGH employees include male sex,smoking habit, and the presence of pre-existing comorbid diseases such as hypertension.

Small group processing for facilitators in family medicine

This article discusses some methods by which the facilitator can evaluate effectiveness of small groups in promoting learning. The paper focuses on evaluation of the small group process using the sociogram and Bales' checklist. Additionally, it presents checklists for evaluating facilitation skills. Combination of the tools presented in this article and revision of the content of the checklists to make it more context-specific and attuned to the realities of your small group settings is suggested to maximize the evaluative potential of these tools.