Incidence and Causes of Cellulitis Among Patients at Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in Upolu, Samoa in 2019.

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence and causes of cellulitis in patients who visited the only tertiary hospital in Samoa, i.e., Tupua Tamasese Meaole (TTM) Hospital, in 2019. METHOD: Of the total of 14,198 patients who presented to TTM Hospital in 2019, a chart review of all 258 patients who presented with cellulitis was conducted. All charts with the final primary admitting diagnosis of cellulitis were extracted. No exclusion criteria were employed, and raw data were analyzed manually. RESULTS: Of the 14,198 patients who sought care at TTM Hospital in 2019, 258 patients received care for cellulitis. This represents an incidence rate of 1.8%. Most patients were male (62.4%). Those in the age group of 41 to 80 years old accounted for 79.5% of the total. The leg (94.6%) was the major site of infection. Of those who had blood cultures drawn, 76.4% had negative results. Of the 56 patients with positive microbial growth, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species accounted for a combined total of 71.4% of the cases. The mainstay of antibiotic treatment was flucloxacillin alone or in conjunction with other antibiotics (92.2%). Of the many comorbidities affecting patients, diabetes (44.2%) was the most prevalent. Hospital admission, ranging from three to 10 days was needed in 63.5% of patients. CONCLUSION: The incidence rate of cellulitis at TTM in 2019 was 1.8%, which was marginally higher than noted in other parts of the world. Male patients and people over the age of 40 years are affected the most. The leg is affected the most mainly by Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species. Flucloxacillin is the main antibiotic used to treat cellulitis at the TTM Hospital. From the data analyses, it is inferred that a large proportion of patients who presented had moderate to severe cellulitis.

Developing Trust in Collaborative Research: Utilizing Indigenous Pacific Methodologies to Create Dialogue Within Research Teams.

This article explores the processes involved in developing international, cross-cultural research teams. Scholarship on Indigenous and Pacific Methodologies demonstrate the importance of employing methodologies that center Indigenous approaches to research and relationships. This article explores using these methodologies within research teams as a preliminary step in developing sustainable and impactful international, cross-cultural research teams. Although this is not a formal study, the article reports that the importance of building trust within research teams as an essential step in addition to building trust with communities.

Translating the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Score into Samoan using a modified back translation methodology.

BACKGROUND: Although Samoan women have a high prevalence of obesity and multiple parity which are risk factors of pelvic organ prolapse, there is no prevalence data on this condition. AIMS: Translate the Pelvic Organ Prolapse-Symptoms Score (POP-SS) from English into Samoan, MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standardised methods for translating questionnaires, individual face to face audio-recorded interviews in which women completed the POP-SS using a Think Aloud method, analysis using a Framework approach. RESULTS: The POP-SS was successfully translated in to Samoan, an additional information leaflet was developed to support women's understanding of what prolapse is, 14 Samoan women were recruited of which 13 were interviewed and completed the POP-SS, results of POP-SS (scores), results of think aloud, results in terms of research experience. CONCLUSIONS: A Samoan version of the POP-SS is now available for further evaluation of its psychometric properties prior to wider use. The team continue to collaborate on their work on establishing the prevalence of prolapse whilst building local research capacity.

Lessons learned from developing a Samoan health education video on pelvic organ prolapse.

Pelvic organ prolapse affects an estimated 40% of parous women in developed countries, but there is no prevalence data in Samoa. The impacts of pelvic organ prolapse include urinary incontinence and bowel incontinence, with many women being asymptomatic. Samoan women have high prevalence of risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse, such as obesity and parity. There are non-surgical and surgical interventions for pelvic organ prolapse. Limited sexual and reproductive health education in Samoa hinders women's knowledge of the pelvic organs and what is considered normal. This short report describes the process of developing and producing an educational video on pelvic organ prolapse in Samoan and English and the lessons learned from the process.