Ethics and Welfare in invertebrates: a stepping-stone to research and animal production / Ética y bienestar en invertebrados: una piedra fundamental en investigación y producción animal

Abstract Introduction: Even though only a few species are considered to be dangerous, pests or vectors, the majority of invertebrates produce a feeling of aversion in humans. This has contributed to the delay in the development of ethical considerations as regards this group in contrast with vertebrates, with the exception of cephalopods. Objective: In the present study, we provide an overview of the current situation on animal ethics and welfare in order to contribute to the development of a framework for ensuring invertebrate welfare. Methods: Today, animal welfare is multidisciplinary in nature to a very high degree as it includes ethology, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, nutrition, cognitive-neural, veterinary medicine, and ethics. Animal welfare is a complex concept, difficult to achieve successfully from one perspective. Results: As a consequence, we propose to include the five domains (nutrition, environment, health, behaviour and mental state) along with the three conceptions (basic health and functioning, affective state and natural living), as well as the 5R Principle (Replace, Reduction, Refinement, Respect and Responsibility) in seeking to achieve a comprehensive welfare state. Conclusions: We consider that in both research and animal production, the individual and collective ethical concerns coexist and, in fact, the main moral concern to account for is the collective one and that, within that collective view, the individual moral concern should be applied with responsibility and respect for the individual. Finally, we propose a practical example of invertebrate welfare production in sea urchin aquaculture with the aim of including animal production of invertebrates in this important discussion.

Resumen Introducción: Aunque sólo unas pocas especies son consideradas peligrosas, plagas o vectores, la mayoría de los invertebrados producen un sentimiento de aversión en el ser humano. Esto ha contribuido al retraso en el desarrollo de consideraciones éticas respecto a este grupo en comparación con los vertebrados, a excepción de los cefalópodos. Objetivo: En el presente trabajo, proporcionamos una visión general de la situación actual en materia de ética y bienestar animal con el fin de contribuir al desarrollo de un marco para garantizar el bienestar de los invertebrados. Métodos: Hoy en día, el bienestar animal es de naturaleza multidisciplinaria en un grado muy alto, ya que incluye etología, fisiología, patología, bioquímica, genética, inmunología, nutrición, cognitivo-neural, medicina veterinaria y ética. El bienestar animal es un concepto complejo, difícil de lograr con éxito desde una sola perspectiva. Resultados: Como consecuencia, proponemos incluir los cinco dominios (nutrición, ambiente, salud, comportamiento y estado mental) junto con las tres concepciones (Salud básica y funcionamiento, estado afectivo y vida natural), así como el Principio 5R (Reemplazar, Reducir, Refinar, Respetar y Responsabilidad) en la búsqueda de alcanzar un estado de bienestar integral. Conclusiones: Consideramos que tanto en la investigación como en la producción animal coexisten las preocupaciones éticas individuales y colectivas y, de hecho, la principal preocupación moral a dar cuenta es la colectiva y que, dentro de esa visión colectiva, se debe aplicar la preocupación moral individual. con responsabilidad y respeto por la persona. Finalmente, proponemos un ejemplo práctico de producción de bienestar de invertebrados en la acuicultura de erizos de mar con el objetivo de incluir la producción animal de invertebrados en esta importante discusión.

A Fase Terminal do Filho com Câncer: Percepções dos Profissionais Hospitalares / The Terminal Phase of Children with Cancer: Perceptions of Hospital Professionals / La Fase Terminal del Hijo con Cáncer: Percepciones de los Profesionales del Hospital

Resumo: O confronto com o câncer de um filho e a percepção da sua morte como inevitável dão lugar a experiências parentais relevantes para a pesquisa científica. Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar, por meio da percepção dos profissionais hospitalares, o modo como os pais experienciam a fase terminal e fim de vida do filho com câncer para melhor compreender os processos psicoemocionais experienciados por esses pais diante da cronicidade da doença e da morte do filho. No sentido de alcançar esse objetivo, realizou-se um estudo qualitativo de tipo fenomenológico envolvendo 17 profissionais de dois hospitais portugueses de referência em oncologia pediátrica. Os dados foram recolhidos com recurso a um guia de entrevista semiestruturada. Na percepção dos profissionais hospitalares, os resultados evidenciam que esses pais experienciam múltiplas dificuldades e preocupações na fase terminal da doença do filho e no pós-morte, bem como um sofrimento extremo e desestruturação biopsicossocial e espiritual na família. O conhecimento aprofundado da fenomenologia desses processos é essencial para o desenho e a implementação de intervenções emocionais, cognitivas, comportamentais e sociais mais ajustadas às dificuldades e preocupações parentais vividas no fim de vida e pós-morte.

Abstract: Coping with children's cancer and the perception of their inevitable death give rise to parental experiences that are important to study. This study aimed to investigate, based on hospital professionals' perspectives, how parents experience the terminal phase and end of life of their children suffering from cancer to better understand the psycho-emotional processes these parents experienced in face of the chronicity of the disease and their children's death. To achieve this objective, a qualitative phenomenological study was carried out involving 17 professionals of two Portuguese hospitals that are reference in pediatric oncology. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview guide. From the perspective of hospital professionals, results show that these parents experience multiple difficulties and concerns in the terminal phase of their children's disease and postmortem, as well as the extreme suffering and biopsychosocial and spiritual disruption of the family. A deeper understanding of the phenomenology of these processes is essential to design and implement better adjusted emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social interventions aimed at the parental difficulties and concerns experienced at the end of life and after death.

Resumen: El enfrentamiento del cáncer de un hijo y la percepción de su muerte como inevitable dan lugar a experiencias parentales importantes que deben ser estudiadas. Este estudio pretende identificar desde la percepción de los profesionales del hospital cómo los padres viven la fase terminal y el final de la vida de su hijo con cáncer con el fin de comprender mejor los procesos psicoemocionales que viven estos padres ante la cronicidad de la enfermedad y la muerte de su hijo. Para ello, se realizó un estudio cualitativo, con enfoque fenomenológico, en el que participaron 17 profesionales de dos hospitales portugueses de referencia en oncología pediátrica. Para recoger los datos se aplicó un guion de entrevista semiestructurada. En cuanto a la percepción de los profesionales del hospital, estos padres experimentaron múltiples dificultades y preocupaciones en la fase terminal de la enfermedad de su hijo y postmuerte, así como un sufrimiento extremo y una desestructuración biopsicosocial y espiritual en la familia. El conocimiento en profundidad de la fenomenología de estos procesos es esencial para elaborar e implementar intervenciones emocionales, cognitivas, conductuales y sociales más acordes a las dificultades y preocupaciones parentales que se experimentan al final de la vida y la postmuerte.

PERIOPERATIVE CONCERNS OF VENTRICULOATRIAL SHUNT-A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 40 CASES.

Background: Ventriculo -peritoneal [VP] shunt is the most commonly used cerebrospinal ?uid (CSF) diversion procedure for the management of hydrocephalus. However, when the absorption of CSF from the peritoneum is defective, it results in abdominal distension with CSF ascites. In such cases, an alternate diversion procedure - the ventriculo-atrial [VA] shunt – may be performed. However, this procedure is also associated with several perioperative problems like arrhythmias, air embolism and infection. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 40 cases on the perioperative concerns of VA shunt procedures, performed in our institute, was done. Indication of the shunt, preoperative status & work -up, intraoperative adverse events & management and immediate post-operative complications were assessed. Out of the 40 patients, there were 25 male Results: s and 15 females and there were a total of 12 paediatric patients. Blocked shunt, abdominal infection and CSF ascites were common indications for VA shunt. All patients received general endotracheal anaesthesia with preoperative hypovolemia correction. Intraoperative tachycardia and arrhythmia were noted. Various Conclusion : preoperative concerns like distended abdomen and compromised respiration increase risk of VA shunt procedures. A better understanding of the underlying disease pathology and anticipation of related complications along with cautious and meticulous management can help prevent most of the complications of VA shunt procedure and thereby improve outcome

Immunogenicity of mucosal COVID-19 vaccine candidates based on the highly attenuated vesicular stomatitis virus vector (VSVMT) in golden syrian hamster

COVID-19 is caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Current systemic vaccines generally provide limited protection against viral replication and shedding within the airway. Recombinant VSV (rVSV) is an effective vector which inducing potent and comprehensive immunities. Currently, there are two clinical trials investigating COVID-19 vaccines based on VSV vectors. These vaccines were developed with spike protein of WA1 which administrated intramuscularly. Although intranasal route is ideal for activating mucosal immunity with VSV vector, safety is of concern. Thus, a highly attenuated rVSV with three amino acids mutations in matrix protein (VSVMT) was developed to construct safe mucosal vaccines against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. It demonstrated that spike protein mutant lacking 21 amino acids in its cytoplasmic domain could rescue rVSV efficiently. VSVMT indicated improved safeness compared with wild-type VSV as the vector encoding SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. With a single-dosed intranasal inoculation of rVSVΔGMT-SΔ21, potent SARS-CoV-2 specific neutralization antibodies could be stimulated in animals, particularly in term of mucosal and cellular immunity. Strikingly, the chimeric VSV encoding SΔ21 of Delta-variant can induce more potent immune responses compared with those encoding SΔ21 of Omicron- or WA1-strain. VSVMT is a promising platform to develop a mucosal vaccine for countering COVID-19.

Head and Neck Cancer Survivors’ Perceptions of Cancer Treatment and Posttraumatic Growth

@#Introduction: Cancer patients’ perception on the treatment they received is vital to determine their adherence to cancer treatment, but important data on how this variable affects posttraumatic growth (PTG) experience by cancer patients is lacking. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the degree of PTG among a cohort of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors who were within first year of diagnosis and determined the association between perception of cancer treatment received (expectation and satisfaction with cancer treatment received and the feeling about the adverse effects) and PTG controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: HNC survivors were recruited from two oncology referral centres, and they were administered socio-demographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, the Malay version of the Cancer Therapy Satisfaction Questionnaire (CTSQ) (to assess the satisfaction, expectation and feeling about the adverse effects of cancer treatment received) and the Malay version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGi-SF) (to measure the degree of PTG). Results: A total of 200 HNC survivors participated in the study. The mean total PTGI-SF score was 39.5 (standard deviation [SD] = 9.3). Greater degree of positive expectation of cancer treatment and satisfaction with cancer treatment received significantly contributed to higher level of PTG, whereas feeling about side effects of treatment was not associated with PTG, after controlling for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Conclusion: Incorporating psychosocial interventions (such as education on cancer treatment and counselling) into the treatment regimen may facilitate development of PTG and hence, safeguard the mental well-being of HNC patients.

Adaptation needs and concerns of senior citizens living in old age homes

Context: Adaptation needs of senior citizens are not well explored in research, especially among people living in old age homes situated in developing countries like India. Aim: The aim of the study was to understand the needs and concerns of senior citizens living in old age homes and its effect on their adaptation. Subjects and Methods: Using the purposive sampling method, fifteen residents of an old age home and their three caregivers were interviewed to describe their views and experiences. The tools used were the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and an in-depth interview schedule. Statistical Analysis: Qualitative data were analyzed using Atlas ti. 7 for identifying major themes and subthemes. Results: The results showed that the major needs and concerns of senior citizens were unmet medical needs, difficulty to handle negative attitudes of staff, difficulty to adapt with new environment and culture, and emotional issues. Conclusion: Findings indicate the importance of addressing the adaptation needs of the elderly living in old age homes.

Covid-19 One Year on: Exposure to Infection, Covid-related Functional Difficulties and Concerns Among Medical Students From a Malaysian Medical School

@#Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced revolutionary changes in the delivery of medical education and imposed much stress on medical students and academicians. This study aimed at evaluating the level of exposure to COVID-19, COVID-related functional difficulties and concerns experienced by medical students, approximately one year after COVID-19 became significant health and socio-economic issues in Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study using self-administered online questionnaire, was conducted among the undergraduate medical students of a private university in Malaysia. Results: A total of 243 medical students participated. They reported low level of exposure to COVID-19 infection. Majority of them demonstrate moderate level of difficulties in learning (median score of 3, highest score = 4) and high levels of COVID-related concerns (median scores of 4 to 5, highest score = 5). Lowest household income category was a significant predictor of high level of functional difficulties (OR = 3.878, 95%CI: 1.651, 9.110); whilst female gender was a significant predictor of high level of COVID-related concerns (OR = 7.400, 95%CI: 1.920, 28.514). Conclusion: One year following the onset of COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, medical students still reported significant functional difficulties in learning and demonstrated high levels of COVID-related concern. Collaborative efforts to mitigate the problems need to be intensified with emphasis on the delivery of online medical education and special attention to female and lower socio-economic group students to prevent detrimental consequences to medical students and medical education. Multi-center and longitudinal studies are recommended.

Psychosocial concerns predict longitudinal trajectories of distress in newly diagnosed cancer patients

INTRODUCTION@#Unmet psychosocial concerns are associated with emotional distress among cancer patients. This longitudinal study aimed to identify specific psychosocial concern profiles and trajectories of emotional distress, and examine their association among newly diagnosed adult cancer patients across the first year of diagnosis.@*METHODS@#Adult patients aged 21-64 years were screened to determine their eligibility for this study. Psychosocial concerns and psychological distress were measured using the Problem List and the Distress Thermometer, respectively (n = 221). Latent transition mixture analysis was used to determine specific psychosocial concern profiles and trajectories of emotional distress, and examine associations with adjustments made for demographic and medical variables.@*RESULTS@#Two classes of psychosocial concerns were identified: low (81%) and high (19%) concerns. Two trajectories of distress were identified: low stable (69%) and high stable (31%) trajectories. Patients in the high concerns class were significantly more likely to demonstrate the high stable trajectory of distress.@*CONCLUSION@#Our findings highlight the importance of concurrent assessment of multiple psychosocial concerns and screening of emotional distress throughout a cancer patient's treatment journey. Such assessments can effectively guide interventions to address individual concerns and alleviate emotional distress among newly diagnosed cancer patients.

Gathering patients and rheumatologists' perceptions to improve outcomes in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

Abstract Objective Therapeutic targets in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (IIM) are based on the opinions of physicians/specialists, which may not reflect the main concerns of patients. The authors, therefore, assessed the outcome concerns of patients with IIM and compared them with the concerns of rheumatologists in order to develop an IIM outcome standard set. Methods Ninety-three IIM patients, 51 rheumatologists, and one physiotherapist were invited to participate. An open questionnaire was initially applied. The top 10 answers were selected and applied in a multiple-choice questionnaire, inquiring about the top 3 major concerns. Answers were compared, and the agreement rate was calculated. Concerns were gathered in an IIM outcome standard set with validated measures. Results The top three outcome concerns raised by patients were medication side effects/muscle weakness/prevention functionality loss. The top three concerns among rheumatologists were to prevent loss of functionality/to ensure the quality of life/to achieve disease remission. Other's outcomes concerns only pointed out by patients were muscle pain/diffuse pain/skin lesions/fatigue. The agreement rate between both groups was 41%. Assessment of these parameters guided the development of an IIM standard set which included Myositis Disease Activity Assessment Visual Analogue Scale/Manual Muscle Testing/fatigue and pain Global Visual Analogue Scale/Health Assessment Questionnaire/level of physical activity. Conclusion The authors propose a novel standard set to be pursued in IIM routine follow-up, which includes not only the main patients/rheumatologist outcome concerns but also additional important outcomes only indicated by patients. Future studies are necessary to confirm if this comprehensive approach will result in improved adherence and ultimately in better assistance.

Severity of depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate health science students in Abha, Saudi Arabia

Background and aims: The medical education process is perceived to be challenging and stressful, posing a danger to the lives of university students, leading to physical, psychosocial health issues and low academic achievement. This study aims to determine the level of depression, anxiety, and stress, and associated factors among undergraduate health science students in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted at health science departments in Al-Ghad International Colleges (GIC) and King Khalid University (KKU). A pretested self-administered questionnaire was completed by a convenient sample of 350 students. The Scale 21 (DASS-21) inventory of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress was used. Results: There were 60% female and 40% male students in the study. Most students reported mild to extremely severe symptoms of depression (47.2%), anxiety (56%), and stress (39.1%). KKU students displayed more depression (52%) than GIC students (42.3%) with a statistically significant difference (p=0.026). The findings showed that the relationship between depression and anxiety (r=0.781, p<0.01), depression and stress (r=0.693, p<0.01), stress and anxiety (r=o.794, p<0.01) was positive. A study found that depression, anxiety, and stress scores were significantly higher among female and second-year and below students. Conclusions: It can be inferred that among health science students, depression, anxiety, and stress are prevalent. It is critical to improve mental health among undergraduate students. The results suggest that psychological problem assessment and therapy services for undergraduate students should be implemented. We suggest more research studies to get a better understanding of the experience of students with psychological problems based on the study outcomes.

Psychological perceptions and preparedness during novel coronavirus disease - 2019 (covid-19) pandemic - a multinational cross-sectional study among healthcare professionals

Abstract Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused serious repercussions both physically and mentally. The crisis has laid an enormous workload on the global healthcare fraternity. This article has attempted to study the emotional and psychological status of the medical and dental fraternity across seven Asian countries (India, Malaysia, the Gulf Cooperation countries (GCC) and, others) and also deduce the degree of mental preparedness as they spearhead the war against COVID-19. A cross-sectional, descriptive online survey was carried out among potential participants from online forums and other health-related social communities. Bivariate analysis with descriptive statistics was applied to decipher the results. A total of 788 complete responses were analyzed. The response rate was 77.1%. Results revealed the perception of the Healthcare Professionals about COVID-19 and its implications in their personal and professional lives. Many categories from psychological and emotional standpoints were analyzed. Older HCPs (above 35 years) reported high levels of stress at the workplace (p = 0.002). About 43.5% of the HCPs from India reported that they have not received any specialized training on containing COVID-19 or any contagious disease. Intense emotional stress was reported by the HCPs when colleagues get infected. The medical professionals (61.7%) exhibited more work stress compared to their dental counterparts. Analyzing the psychological and emotional status of HCPs is imperative especially in this COVID-19 situation. Similar analyses are crucial to gauge the quality of our healthcare system and take necessary actions like training the workforce, revamping the infrastructure, and regulating the workflow.

Resumo O novo Coronavírus 2019 (COVID-19) tem causado sérias repercussões tanto físicas como mentais. A crise colocou uma enorme carga de trabalho sobre a comunidade global de saúde. O objetivo foi estudar o estado emocional e psicológico da comunidade médica e dentária em sete países asiáticos (Índia, Malásia, os países da Cooperação do Golfo (GCC) e, outros) e também deduzir o grau de preparo mental à medida que conduzem a guerra contra a COVID-19. Foi realizado um estudo transversal e descritivo online entre potenciais participantes de fóruns online e outras comunidades sociais relacionadas com a saúde. Foi aplicada uma análise bivariada com estatística descritiva para decifrar os resultados. Foram analisadas um total de 788 respostas completas. A taxa de resposta foi de 77,1%. Os resultados revelaram a percepção dos Profissionais de Saúde sobre a COVID-19 e as suas implicações na sua vida pessoal e profissional. Foram analisadas muitas categorias do ponto de vista psicológico e emocional. Os HCP mais velhos (acima de 35 anos) relataram níveis elevados de stress no local de trabalho (p = 0,002). Cerca de 43,5% dos HCP da Índia relataram não ter recebido qualquer formação especializada sobre a contenção de COVID-19 ou qualquer doença contagiosa. O estresse emocional intenso foi relatado pelos HCPs quando os colegas foram infectados. Os profissionais médicos (61,7%) exibiram mais stress de trabalho em comparação com os seus homólogos dentários. A análise do estado psicológico e emocional dos HCP é imperativa, especialmente nesta situação de COVID-19. Análises semelhantes são cruciais para avaliar a qualidade do nosso sistema de saúde e tomar as ações necessárias como a formação da força de trabalho, a renovação das infra-estruturas, e a regulação do fluxo de trabalho.

Preocupaciones del profesorado sobre la inclusión de alumnos con discapacidad en aulas ordinárias / Preocupações do professor sobre a inclusão de alunos com deficiência nas salas de aula de educação regular / Teachers' concerns about the inclusion of students with disabilities in regular education classrooms

Este estudio tiene como objetivo principal conocer las preocupaciones de los profesores de los diferentes niveles educativos, en el caso de que alumnos con discapacidad fueran escolarizados en sus aulas. Se ha contado con la participación de 400 profesores. La información se ha recogido a través de un cuestionario elaborado ad hoc basándonos en la escala "Concern about Inclusive Education Scale" (CIE), ampliándola y adaptándola al contexto español. Los resultados muestran las principales preocupaciones de los profesores de la Comunidad Valenciana y apuntan a la necesidad de profundizar en este tema para poder diseñar una formación específica que ayude a los profesores a hacer frente a las inquietudes con las que se enfrentan en su labor docente.

O objetivo principal deste estudo é o de conhecer as preocupações dos professores em diferentes etapas da educação, no caso de alunos com deficiência serem colocados em suas salas de aula. Participaram deste estudo, 400 professores. A informação foi recolhida através de um questionário ad hoc baseado na escala Concern on Inclusive Education Scale (CIE), estendido e adaptado ao contexto espanhol. Os resultados mostram as principais preocupações dos professores da Comunidade Valenciana e apontam a necessidade de aprofundar este tema, a fim de projetar uma formação específica que ajude os professores a lidar com as preocupações que enfrentam em seu trabalho de ensino

The main objective of this study is to know the concerns of teachers at different levels of education, in the event that students with disabilities were placed in their classrooms. 400 teachers participated. The information was collected through an ad hoc questionnaire based on the "Concern about Inclusive Education Scale" (CIE), extended and adapted to the Spanish context. The results show the main concerns of teachers in the Valencian Community and suggest the need to study this subject in greater depth in order to design specific training that helps teachers to deal with the concerns they face in their work.

Physicians’ Attitude Towards Artificial Intelligence In Medicine, Their Expectations And Concerns: An Online Mobile Survey

@#The application of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise in the healthcare industry. However, the study on the physicians’ perspectives is still lacking. The study aimed to examine physicians’ attitudes, expectations, and concerns regarding the application of AI in medicine. A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2019 among physicians in a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia. The survey used a validated questionnaire from the literature, which covered: (1) socio-demographic profile; (2) attitude towards the application of AI; (3) expected application in medicine; and (4) possible risks of using AI. Comparison of the mean score between the groups using a t-test or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). A total of 112 physicians participated in the study: 64.3% from the clinical departments; 35.7% from the non-clinical specialties. The physicians from non-clinical departments had significantly higher mean attitude score (mean = 14.94 ± 3.12) compared to the clinical (person-oriented) departments (mean = 14.13 ± 3.10) and clinical (technique-oriented) departments (mean = 13.06 ± 2.88) (p = 0.033). The tech-savvy participants had a significantly higher mean attitude score (mean = 14.72 ± 3.55) than the non–tech-savvy participants (mean = 13.21 ± 2.46) (p = 0.01). There are differences in the expectations among the respondents and some concerns exist especially on the legal aspect of AI application in medicine. Proper training and orientation should precede its implementation and must be appropriate to the physicians’ needs for its utilization and sustainability.

Logistical concerns faced by frontliners in obstetrics and gynecology during the COVID-19 pandemic in a COVID-19 referral hospital in the Philippines / Philippine Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Introduction@#The COVID 19 infection has greatly affected health care delivery in the Philippines. However, the concerns of healthcare workers have yet to be explored@*Objective@#This study determined the logistical concerns of the residents and fellows of an academic government hospital that serves as a COVID‑19 referral center in the Philippines@*Methods@#This is a cross‑sectional, online survey administered to the trainees of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology@*Results@#Eighty‑seven participants were included in the study. Mean age was 30.7 ±3.7. Most were single, female and resident doctors. Eighty‑one percent agreed there was easy access to food and water during duty and that the food and water provided by the hospital were adequate. Fiftyfour percent agreed that they feel safe going to and from the hospital.  However, fifty‑five percent  disagreed to feeling safe from COVID‑19 within the hospital. A high majority of the participants agreed that they have access to personal protective equipment but  only fifty‑eight percent  agreed that the supply was adequate. The top 5 logistical concerns identified were: (1) safety and security, (2) food, (3) supply of personal protective equipment, (4) water, and (5) transportation@*Conclusion@#Although provisions on basic needs and protective equipment were adequate, trainees still felt unsafe from COVID‑19 within the hospital. Both the government and hospital administrators must continue to work together to improve strategies to address concerns of frontliners

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and concerns to human papilloma virus vaccine among female nursing professionals in India

Background: To have a successful cervical cancer control programme in developing countries, nursing staff must be aware of the facts about the disease preventive methods and the prophylactic human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. The aims of the present study were to assess knowledge of, attitudes toward and concerns to HPV vaccine among female Sikkimese nursing staff in India.Methods: Between April 2012 and February 2013, a pre-designed, pretested, self administered multiple responses questionnaire survey was conducted among female Sikkimese nursing staff in India.Results: Overall, 77.4% nursing staff responded that they had ever heard of a HPV vaccine. Trainee nurses were significantly more aware of the vaccine than regular working nurses. Actual knowledge of the vaccine was poor. Recommended age of HPV vaccination was aware by only 38.7% and only 30% nurses knew number of doses of vaccine, while over 90% nursing staff were not aware of time schedule of the vaccine. According to summarized knowledge index only 13.5% nurses had actual knowledge of HPV vaccine. Sixty five percent nurses wanted to vaccinate themselves or to their daughters. Top three aspects of HPV vaccine that nursing staff were most concerned were effectiveness, effect duration and long term effects. Eighty four percent nurses wanted more education and training sessions about cervical cancer prevention and HPV vaccine.Conclusions: Nursing staff in India need to be updated urgently with continuing medical education about cervical cancer prevention and HPV vaccination.

Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms and Relationship with Work Posture among Staff of a Nigerian University

Background: Improper work postures have been associated with many detrimental health outcomes including musculoskeletal disorders. Emerging evidence however suggests that some of these health concerns may be lessened by reducing sedentary behaviour at work. Musculoskeletal disorders have been ranked top among the most prevalent health problems relating directly to working conditions. Aim:This study was thus aimed at determining the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms and their relationship with work posture among staff of the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A descriptive, cross sectional design was used in conducting this study among academic and non-academic staff of the University of Port Harcourt. 256 study participants were involved in this study. They were selected using the multistage sampling technique. A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was the study instrument. Collected data was transferred to the Microsoft Excel (2016) software for cleaning and coding. The Statistical Package for Social Science was used for analysis of the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were computed and statistical significance was set at <0.05. Results:Majority 172 (54.3%) of the respondents had experienced musculoskeletal pain that involved the head, neck, back and other regions of their bodies. Also, a statistically significant association was found to exist between work posture and the occurrence of pelvic and perineal pain. Dynamic postures while working was found to offer a protective effect against the occurrence of thoracic and abdominal pain (O.R. = 0.88). Conclusion and Recommendations:Work-related musculoskeletal disorder symptoms were found to be prevalent in this study. The relationship between work postures and the identified symptoms among the staff was also established. It was recommended that health information on alternation between sitting and standing working postures be passed on to staff working in the study area as well as a redesigning of the work-stations of the staff to adopt ergonomic standards necessary for preventing the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders

Development of perceived prenatal maternal stress scale

Background: Pregnancy is a state, which is often associated with extreme joy and happiness. Women undergo a number of physiological and psychological changes during pregnancy, which are often stressful if aligned with other adverse life events, compromising their health and well-being. However, there exists no comprehensive psychological instruments for measuring this stress. Objectives: The study was conducted to develop a multidimensional scale to assess prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) comprehensively. Methods: The initial phase of the study focuses on developing items and assessing the content validity of these items. The second phase focuses on pilot-testing and field-testing the newly developed perceived PNMS scale (PPNMSS) among 356 pregnant women belonging to different parity and trimester from November 2015 to October 2016. Results: The underlying factor structure of the 28-item PPNMSS had explored using exploratory factor analysis. The final scale is retained with 15 items having considerable item loading under four major factors as follows: perceived social support, pregnancy-specific concerns, intimate partner relations, and financial concerns. Reliability of each of these dimensions was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Convergent and divergent validity of the scale was assessed by correlating the scores with perceived stress scale and the World Health Organization (five) well-being index (1998 version). Conclusions: As a comprehensive scale, PPNMSS is efficient to measure PNMS, which facilitates an early detection of stress and depression among pregnant women and timely intervention by health care professionals.

Causes and Concerns of Diabetic Subjects with Lower Limb Amputation(s) in Trinidad

Aim:This study seeks to examine the major causative factors for lower extremities amputation (LEA) amongst a Trinidadian diabetic patients as well as to analyse the resulting concerns of said patients.Study Setting and Design: This study mainly comprised patients who were subject to or will be subject to lower limb amputations of differing degrees and were selected via a random stratified methodology. Questionnaire used was designed as to attain data on patient medical history as well as intrinsic and opinionated results.Methods:This study comprised 35 patients who were subject to LEAs of differing degrees and these patients were selected via a random stratified methodology. After obtaining informed consent questionnaire were used to attain subjective and objective data as it pertains to the cause and effects of lower limb amputations. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS to test for distribution and correlations. Results: A number of factors were taken into account and measured as it pertained to the cause of having an amputation. Our study noted that the major factors like diet, alcohol consumption and infection became the reason for amputation.Conclusions:The data of this study showed that the patients are to ensure better self-care and preventative lifestyle changes are to be implemented as to prevent the need for amputations.

Concerns for Older Adult Patients with Acute Hip Fracture

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify concerns among older adult patients with acute hip fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed with 152 consecutive patients with hip fracture. Details were obtained on perioperative concerns about hip fracture using a questionnaire that was specifically designed for this study and was administered face to face upon admission. The study inclusion criteria were age older than 65 years and having experienced femur neck, intertrochanteric, or subtrochanteric fracture. The exclusion criteria were not understanding the study purpose, having difficulty communicating, or refusing to participate. RESULTS: Older adult patients with acute hip fracture expressed concerns regarding excessive pain, medical staff, postoperative recovery, rehabilitation, and hospital expenses. In addition, fear of falling from the bed and anxiety regarding re-fracture were the patients' most significant concerns. CONCLUSION: Older adult patients reported fear of falling from bed and re-fracture as primary concerns. To overcome these concerns, fracture liaison services to prevent re-fracture should be introduced and enforced.

Concerns of physical education teachers according to professional development cycles and sociodemographic characteristics / Preocupações de professores de educação física conforme os ciclos de desenvolvimento profissional e caracteristicas sociodemográficas

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to analyze concerns of teachers according to professional development cycles and sociodemographic variables. The sample was composed of 92 permanent Physical Education teachers from municipal and state networks of Maringá city (Paraná). For data collection, a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Teacher Concerns Scale were used. For data analysis, Anova for independent samples and the t-test for repeated measures were employed. Results showed smaller concern as to the self dimension compared to the task and task impact dimensions. Moreover, teachers in the renewal cycle were more concerned with the task dimension than those in the consolidation cycle. Assessing sociodemographic variables, teachers working for the state network and female teachers showed a higher index of concern with the "task" dimension, while teachers working at only one school showed greater concern with the self dimension. It is concluded that the concerns present similar behavior with career advancement and that sociodemographic variables have a low impact on teacher concern level.

RESUMO O objetivo desse estudo foi analisar as preocupações dos professores conforme os ciclos de desenvolvimento profissional e as variáveis sociodemográficas. A amostra foi composta por 92 professores de Educação Física efetivos das redes municipal e estadual do município de Maringá (Paraná). Para a coleta de dados utilizou-se um questionário sociodemográfico e a Escala de Preocupações dos Professores. Para a análise dos dados empregou-se os testes anova para amostras independentes e para medidas repetidas e teste t. Os resultados evidenciaram menores preocupações docentes com a dimensão consigo quando comparados com as dimensões tarefa e impacto da tarefa. Além disso, os professores do ciclo de renovação apresentaram maior índice de preocupação com a dimensão tarefa que os docentes do ciclo de consolidação. Ao avaliar as variáveis sociodemográficas, observou-se que professores vinculados à rede estadual de ensino e do sexo feminino demonstraram maior índice de preocupação com a dimensão tarefa, enquanto os docentes que atuavam em apenas uma escola demonstraram maior preocupação com a dimensão consigo. Conclui-se que as preocupações apresentam comportamento semelhante com o avanço da carreira e que variáveis sociodemográficas tem baixo impacto de influência no nível de preocupação docente.