ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of dental health care workers (DHCWs) towards infection control procedures, to examine DHCWs' practising behaviour in respect of infection control, and to determine whether a relationship exists between knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. METHODS: Within this systematic review, study quality was assessed in line with selection criteria relating to study design, participants, interventions and outcome measures. Following data extraction, the heterogeneity of study design, targeted participants, sample size and outcome measures precluded a quantitative analysis. Qualitative data synthesis followed. RESULTS: Overall, the quality of the studies reviewed was poor. Only 71 studies meeting the selection criteria were identified. Data indicated that over the period of the review there have been substantial improvements with compliance in some areas of infection control in dentistry, for example glove wearing. However, other aspects, such as the effective management of needlestick injuries, remain problematic. CONCLUSIONS: More rigorously designed studies are required to assess accurately dental team members' adherence to infection control guidelines.
Subject(s)
Guideline Adherence , Infection Control, Dental , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Attitude of Health Personnel , Clinical Competence , Dental Auxiliaries , Dental Waste , Dentists , Disinfection , Gloves, Surgical , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Infection Control, Dental/methods , Infection Control, Dental/standards , Medical Waste Disposal , Needlestick Injuries/prevention & control , Occupational Diseases/prevention & control , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Protective Devices , Research Design , Sample Size , Sterilization , VaccinationABSTRACT
To better understand the increased morbidity and mortality of asthma in Hawaii, a profile was established from questionnaires completed by 76 asthmatics in a residential area and by 204 asthmatics attending emergency rooms. The general profile differed from profiles on other islands and mainland USA in that allergens were more important and exercise less. Variations occurred in the profile in association with ethnicity, time in Hawaii, and prescribing habits. The Chinese did not recognize infection as a trigger; the Filipinos had little familial asthma, less pollen sensitivity, and used few steroids; and the Japanese were sensitive to Kona weather but not to pollen. The newcomers (military) who were sensitive to pollen and less to emotion and exercise, rated their attacks more severe and used more nebulizers and steroids. Certain other relationships emerged such as house dust as a trigger and the increased use of steroids. Asthmatics of two civilian ERs used fewer nebulizers and steroids. In conclusion, Hawaii's increased morbidity and mortality of asthma should be examined further in terms of ethnicity, infection, house dust, and prescribing habits.
Subject(s)
Asthma/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aerosols , Aged , Asthma/drug therapy , Asthma/mortality , Child , Child, Preschool , Dust , Ethnicity , Female , Hair , Hawaii , Humans , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Pollen , Statistics as Topic , Steroids/therapeutic use , Theophylline/therapeutic use , Tropical ClimateSubject(s)
Cardiomyopathies/etiology , Galactosidases/blood , Gangliosidoses/complications , beta-Galactosidase/blood , Cardiomyopathies/diagnosis , Female , Follow-Up Studies , G(M1) Ganglioside , Gangliosidoses/diagnosis , Heart Failure/etiology , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Mitral Valve Insufficiency/etiology , Neuraminidase/deficiencyABSTRACT
Dust was collected from 41 homes distributed in valleys, on ridges, near freeways and along shorelines. Acari were found in 40 of the 41 beds of these home in high concentration; Dermatophagoides represented 92.6%; all were D. pteronyssinus.
Subject(s)
Mite Infestations/epidemiology , Dust , Hawaii , Humans , Socioeconomic FactorsABSTRACT
Treatment of 16 SLE patients with levamisole resulted in significant reduction of a variety of clinical parameters of the disease. Clinical improvement was both subjective and objective. Thus, levamisole may represent a possible alternative or adjunctive approach to SLE therapy. Although proper assessment of its actual quantitative importance in the treatment of Lupus must await large scale studies under double-blind conditions, nevertheless, these preliminary results are very encouraging.
Subject(s)
Levamisole/therapeutic use , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/drug therapy , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , Antibodies, Antinuclear , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Levamisole/adverse effects , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/diagnosis , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/mortality , Morbidity , Neutrophils , Prednisone/therapeutic use , Rosette FormationABSTRACT
A 23-year-old woman with a nine-month history of SLE, uncontrolled with high daily doses of steroids, was treated with the T-cell immunostimulant drug, levamisole. Following a single oral three-day course of therapy with this agent her immunologic parameters and clinical manifestations underwent marked regression. Continuous two-weekly course of this drug at three days per course have allowed rapid reduction of her steroid and resulted in complete remission of her symptoms. The theoretical considerations for the use of levamisole dovetailed perfectly with the observed response to this agent.
