ORCID Profile
0000-0003-0410-9743
Current Organisations
James Cook University
,
James Cook University Cairns Campus
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Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2007
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2020
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 29-11-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PGPH.0000680
Abstract: Healthcare associated infections are the most common complication of a person’s hospital stay. Contemporary infection prevention and control programs are universally endorsed to prevent healthcare associated infections. However, western biomedical science on which contemporary infection prevention and control is based, is not the only way that staff and patients within healthcare settings understand disease causation and/or disease transmission. This results paper reports on one aspect of a study which ascertains perceptions of disease transmission and how these influence infection prevention and control practice at Atoifi Adventist Hospital Solomon Islands. Photovoice was used as the primary data collection method with staff and patients. The germ theory and hospital hygiene processes were only one of many explanations of disease transmission at the hospital. Many social, cultural and spiritual influences played an important role in how people understood disease to be transmitted. Although infection prevention and control models based on western science continue to form the premise of reducing healthcare associated infections in Solomon Islands and locations across the globe, local social, cultural and spiritual beliefs need to be considered when planning and implementing infection prevention and control programs to ensure success.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2010
DOI: 10.1071/HI10015
Publisher: International Federation of Infection Control
Date: 12-11-2019
DOI: 10.3396/IJIC.V16I1.007.20
Abstract: Implementing sustainable infection prevention and control (IP& C) programs in developing countries is challenging. Many developing countries experience high burdens of disease and political instability. In addition, they are affected by geographical and climatic challenges, and have unique social, cultural and spiritual beliefs, all of which contribute to a higher prevalence of healthcare associated infections. The aim of this integrative review is to identify existing solutions to the challenges faced by developing countries when implementing IP& C programs. An extensive literature review was conducted to explore improvements in infection control in rural hospitals in developing countries. Three electronic databases were searched for relevant articles written between 1980 and 2018, published in peer reviewed English language journals, and relating to hospitals, not community settings. The findings indicate that developing countries continue to face many challenges in implementing IP& C programs. Limited success has been described with some IP& C program components but it is clear that little original research on the topic exists. Notably scarce are studies on the influences that culture, religious and spiritual beliefs have on IP& C program implementation. This review highlights opportunities for further research into healthcare workers perceptions of disease causation and infection transmission, and the role this plays in the effective implementation of an IP& C program. By exploring these opportunities appropriate and culturally sensitive solutions may be identified, which can assist with the design and implementation of culturally relevant IP& C programs in these settings.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.IDH.2022.09.001
Abstract: To describe and analyse the infection prevention and control (IPC) curricula within Public Health degrees across Australian and New Zealand Universities and identify foundational IPC knowledge deficits. A cross-sectional study of public health and related programs across tertiary education institutions within Australia and New Zealand was conducted to comprehensively illustrate the current inclusion of IPC core and elective courses and identify areas of IPC content deficit. Australian (n = 32) and New Zealand (n = 9) universities were audited, consisting of 217 public health ublic health related degrees within Australia and 45 within New Zealand. Within Australia 41% of public health degrees and 49% in New Zealand did not offer any IPC content as core or elective subjects. Public health tertiary education in Australia and New Zealand is lacking in equipping and imbedding IPC skills and knowledge in public health graduates. This highlights the need for a framework guiding mandatory IPC content within Australian and New Zealand public health programs.
No related grants have been discovered for Vanessa Sparke.