Using the theory of planned behaviour to explain hand hygiene among nurses in Hong Kong during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of human behaviour in controlling the spread of disease. Hand hygiene is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce the transmission of infections. AIM: The aim of the present study was to use the theory of planned behaviour to examine hand hygiene beliefs and behaviours among hospital nurses in Hong Kong during the outbreak of COVID-19. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted recruiting a sample of nurses working in public hospitals across Hong Kong to complete an online questionnaire examining attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control towards hand hygiene behaviour; hand hygiene beliefs and hand hygiene knowledge were also examined. RESULTS: A total of 122 nurses (73% female) participated in the study. Self-reported hand hygiene performance was 81.93% in the present sample and nearly two-thirds had engaged in post-registration infection control training. Findings revealed that subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were significantly and positively associated with hand hygiene behaviour through intentions. However, attitude had no effect on hand hygiene intention and behaviour in the present study. CONCLUSION: The theory of planned behaviour provides a useful and effective framework in explaining the hand hygiene behaviour of nurses working in Hong Kong public hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak. Continued commitment to improve hand hygiene practices is essential in the continued battle against the transmission of infectious diseases.

Prevalencia de Prevotella spp y Porphyromona spp en periodontitis crónica / Prevalence of Prevotella spp and Porphyromona spp in chronic periodontitis

Las enfermedades del periodonto tienen una etiopatogenia compleja y puede considerarse multifactorial. El factor etiológico esencial en la patología inflamatoria periodontal es la biopelícula dental y cuando el desequilibrio entre el huésped y los microorganismos cambia la complejidad de la flora. Ciertas bacterias como Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Prevotella loescheii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerrella forsythia, Campylobacter rectus, Eikenella corrodens y Treponema spp., han sido comúnmente relacionadas con la periodontitis crónica y son consideradas como indicadores de riesgo para la progresión de dicha enfermedad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue establecer la prevalencia de Prevotella spp y Porphyromona spp en los distintos estadios de periodontitis crónicas. Material y métodos: Se estudiaron 48 pacientes sistémicamente saludables con diagnóstico de periodontitis crónica. Se completó el consentimiento informado, se realizó historia clínica y examen periodontal. El estado periodontal se clasificó en distintos grados de severidad: leve, moderada y severa. Se tomaron muestras de dos sitios con mayor profundidad de sondaje con conos de papel absorbente estériles y se transportaron en un medio prerreducido. Para el aislamiento de Prevotella spp se utilizó agar Brucella más sangre ovina al 5%, hemina, vitamina K al que se agregaron vancomicina y kanamicina; Porphyromonas sp se aisló en el mismo medio con el agregado de bacitracina y colistina. Se sembraron 10 µl de muestra entera y las placas fueron incubadas en jarras de anaerobiosis por 5 a 7 días a 37ºC. Resultados: los distintos grados de periodontitis correspondieron a un 17% periodontits leve, 57% moderada y 26% severa. En el total de pacientes se determinó la presencia de Prevotella spp en el 54% de los casos y un 12,5% de Porphyromona spp. Conclusión: De los pacientes estudiados con periodontits crónica, un 52% correspondió al sexo masculino, un 57% de los casos correspondieron a periodontitis moderada. Se aisló Prevotella sp en todos los estadios de periodontitis crónica y Porphyromonas sp sólo en periodontitis severas (AU)

Periodontal diseases have a complex etiopathogenesis and can be considered multifactorial. The essential etiological factor in periodontal inflammatory pathology is the dental biofilm and when the imbalance between the host and the microorganisms changes the complexity of the flora. Certain bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Prevotella loescheii, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerrella forsythia, Campylobacter rectus, Eikenella corrodens and Treponema spp., Have been commonly related to chronic periodontitis and are considered as risk indicators for the progression of said disease. The objective of this work was to establish the prevalence of Prevotella spp and Porphyromonas spp in the different stages of chronic periodontitis. Forty eight systemically healthy patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis were studied. Informed consent was completed, a medical history and periodontal examination was carried out. The periodontal state was classified into different degrees of severity: mild, moderate and severe. Samples were taken from two sites with greater depth of probing with sterile absorbent paper cones and transported in a prereduced medium. For the isolation of Prevotella spp, Brucella agar plus 5% sheep blood, hemin, vitamin K to which vancomycin and kanamycin were added. For Porphyromonas spp, the same medium was used and bacitracin and colistin were added. 10 µl of the whole sample was seeded and the plates were incubated in anaerobic jars for 5 to 7 days at 37 ° C. Different degrees of periodontitis corresponded to 17% mild periodontitis, 57% moderate and 26% severe. In the total number of patients, the presence of Prevotella spp was determined in 54% of the cases and 12.5% of Porphyromona spp. Of the patients studied with chronic periodontitis, 52% corresponded to the male sex, 57% of the cases corresponded to moderate periodontitis. Prevotella spp was isolated in all stages of chronic periodontitis and Porphyromonas sp only in severe periodontitis (AU)