ORCID Profile
0000-0002-5048-9719
Current Organisations
Mahidol University
,
University of Bradford
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Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 30-11-2023
DOI: 10.5539/GJHS.V15N1P1
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In iduals with type 2 diabetes play a pivotal role in their health. Enhancing the self-management of diabetes can improve blood glucose control, and quality of life, and reduce diabetes-related complications. We have identified factors influencing the self-management of type 2 diabetes to inform strategies that may be applied in the long-term management of blood glucose control. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review of recent studies published between January 2010 to December 2020 to identify the available evidence on effective self-management strategies for type 2 diabetes. The databases used for the searchers were Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. We assessed English language publications only. The screening of titles was duplicated by two researchers. We then conducted a thematic analysis of the key findings from eligible publications to identify reoccurring messages that may augment or abate self-management strategies. RESULTS: We identified 49 relevant publications involving 90,857 participants. Four key themes were identified from these publications: In idual drive, social capital, Knowledge base, and Insufficient health care. High motivation and self-efficacy enabled greater self-management. The importance of family, friends, and the health care professional was salient, as were the negative effects of stigma and labelling. Enablers to good self-management were the level of support provided and its affordability. Finally, the accessibility and adequacy of the health care services emerged as fundamental to permit diabetes self-management. CONCLUSIONS: Self-management of type 2 diabetes is an essential strategy given its global presence and impact, and the current resource constraints in health care. In iduals with type 2 diabetes should be empowered and supported to self-manage. This includes awareness raising on their role in self-health, engaging broader support networks, and the pivotal role of health care professionals to inform and support. Further research is needed into the capacity assessment of healthcare systems in diabetes medicine, targeted low-cost resources for self-management, and the financial requirements that enable self-management advice to be enacted.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 11-04-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2022.754111
Abstract: Schools are vital settings for overweight and obesity prevention among children and adolescents. School Committee Members (SCMs) are crucial assets to engaging students with overweight and obesity prevention programs. This study aimed to determine factors contributing to overweight and obesity among high school students in Kiribati through the perception of SCMs. This prospective qualitative study was conducted in four randomly selected senior high schools in South Tarawa, Kiribati, from August to November 2020. With a purposive selection of 20 SCMs employed at the four high schools, both male and female participants consented to participate in the study. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used for data collection using focus group discussions (FGDs). Data were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Twenty participants were involved in FGDs with equal number of SCMs (n = 5) who attended FGDs for each school and 45% of them were female participants. Six themes were identified, namely, knowledge, behaviors, perceived status toward overweight and obesity, perceived action benefits, perceived barriers to practices, and proposed strategies to overweight and obesity prevention. These themes reveal that SCMs have a broad understanding and skill set for overweight and obesity causes and effects. However, the aptitude alone is not enough to prevent the occurrence, and thus, proposed feasible plans were voiced for responsible stakeholders to include in policy developments for overweight and obesity prevention. This study recognized that the knowledge-behavior gap is the main reason behind the failure in preventative strategic approaches among adolescents. As role models to students, SCMs and their schools should team up in implementing the public health policies and building mutual awareness and understanding with students and other specialist stakeholders for a more momentous and viable impact.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 21-01-2021
Abstract: Data cleaning is an essential part of any research work without which the validity and reliability of the data could come under the spotlight. Aim: to document common errors found during the cleaning of datasets and suggests ways of minimizing errors during data entry process, reducing human errors throughout data cleaning. Design and Setting: a case study based on the national Reproductive Health Assessment (RHA) data conducted in Solomon Islands in 2013. Objective: The main objective of the Solomon Islands RHA was to establish the health status of reproductive aged women between the ages of 15 & ndash 49 for the Solomon Islands. Method: data was collected using questionnaires and entered on to the SPSS database in the country by the local Solomon Islands research assistants who were trained by the Pacific Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Center (PSRHRC). The data was brought back to Fiji where the cleaning process took place. Results: findings of this case study showed that there were issues with the standardization of databases, database familiarization and data merging. Conclusion: more training is needed for researchers who are involved in data collection, data entry and data cleaning to minimize such errors which could give results which may not be a true representation of the indented study.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 06-01-2020
Abstract: Teachers are a key to success for school-based sex health education programmes however, they may not be able to consistently implement it due to a myriad of reasons. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of teachers regarding the delivery of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education in secondary schools in Fiji. A qualitative study design was used to collect the data from SRH education teachers in Suva, Fiji between July and August 2018. This study included teachers who taught sex education for at least two years. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were run using a semi-structure questionnaire among groups stratified by gender. Data collected were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. The study findings reveal that implementation of SRH education is vague, not mandatory and not comprehensive. Teachers acknowledged that SRH was not adequately covered in homes and underscored its importance for young people. Teachers viewed schools as ideal place for delivering sex education, however, could not consistently implement due to a lack of adequate information and skills, feared negative parental reaction, felt uncomfortable delivering sensitive topics and in most cases felt apprehensive to discuss sexuality issues in light of lack of training and resources. To improve SRH education delivery, there need to be a focus on strengthening capacity building of teachers through pre-service and in-service health education, improved monitoring, evaluation and context–specific resource development and allocation.
Publisher: Medknow
Date: 2022
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 22-09-2020
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-79353/V1
Abstract: Background: Malnutrition among under 5 years old children is a common public health issue in both developed and developing countries. As mothers are the key persons responsible for their young children, this study aimed to assess the levels and predictors of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of mothers of malnourished children less than 5 years old on South Tarawa, Kiribati. Methods: This study is a cross sectional prospective design. This study conducted in pediatric ward and public health clinics of 11 public health centers on South Tarawa in Kiribati and among 82 mothers with under 5 years old malnourished children who were admitted to the Pediatric ward and public health clinics. The knowledge, attitude and practice on breastfeeding, weaning, diet and immunization was collected using a self-administrated validated questionnaire. Bivariate correlation and linear regression were applied and the significance level for this study was 5%. Results: Majority of the mothers (66%) were 19-32 years old, 69.5% were Roman Catholics, 67% had attended high-school, 46% had husbands as breadwinners and 85% were married. The participants had a low level of knowledge and middle level of attitude and practice on breastfeeding, weaning, diet and immunization. Education level (r=0.319, p=0.004) and breadwinner at home (r=-0.239, p=0.031) were positively correlated with attitude. The results of linear regression were significant, F (2, 81) = 6.757, p= 0.002, r 2 = 0.146, suggesting that education level and breadwinner accounted for 15% of the variance in attitude score. Conclusion: This study showed the importance of mothers’ attitude towards malnutrition. Encouraging female education could be a potential target for future policies to reduce malnutrition in Kiribati.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-10-2022
DOI: 10.1002/NOP2.1434
Abstract: This study aimed to determine factors that influence the nursing workforce shortage and their impact on nurses. This study applied a systematic review design. Using Cochrane library guidelines, five electronic databases were systematically searched (Research 4 life—PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL) from 2010–2021. The remaining articles with pertinent information were presented in a data extraction sheet for further thematic analysis. A Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis Flow Diagram was adopted and used. The studies published from 2010–2021 and in English language were examined and included in the systematic review. Four themes were identified as factors influencing the nursing workforce shortage, including Policy and planning barriers, Barriers to training and enrolment, Factors causing nursing staff turnover and Nurses' stress and burnout. Nursing workforce shortage is a global challenge that roots in multiple causes such as in idual, educational, organizational and managerial and policy‐making factors.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 08-05-2021
Abstract: BACKGROUND: More than 60% of the world& rsquo s population is not physically active. Physical inactivity affects all sectors of the population including among healthcare professionals (HCPs). The objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding the concept, benefits and health consequences of physical activity (PA) among HCPs in Suva, Fiji. METHODS: This quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted among HCPs in Suva, Fiji between 1 July 2017 and 22 September 2017. All available HCPs including doctors, nurses and paramedics who were willing to take part in the study were included. A validated self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the level of KAP regarding PA. Data was analysed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 25. RESULTS: 126 HCPs participated in this study with the majority being female (73.8%), in the age range of 33 & ndash 42 years (47.6%), married (81.7%), from the nursing profession (54.0%) and within 0-5 years of experience (27.0%). The results showed that most of the participants (96.8%) had a high level of knowledge, positive attitudes (100%) and good practice (95%) regarding PA. CONCLUSION: Although the study participants had high levels of knowledge and positive attitudes towards PA, it is important to promote their practice. Using tailored behavioural change theories that focus on perceived benefits and barriers of PA may help decision-makers to promote PA in the workplace and among HCPs in Fiji.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 22-02-2022
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is malignant epithelial neoplasm that affects the oral cavity. Despite the large number of studies on OSCC in the literature, details on the demographic profile of these lesions in different populations are limited, especially amongst the Fijian population, thus this study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of OSCC cases diagnosed from 2011 to 2015 at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH), Suva, Fiji Islands. MATERIALS & METHODS: A retrospective quantitative study was carried out at the CWMH Histology department looking at OSCC cases diagnosed from 2011& ndash . All confirmed cases were included in the study and excluded cases were suspected cases that were pending diagnosis and children. An extraction sheet was used for data collection which was designed to meet the requirements of study finding. This data was entered in SPSS software and then analyzed using the simple analytical tool as bar graphs and tables.& nbsp RESULTS: There were 74 OSCC cases diagnosed in the study period. The occurrence of OSCC cases over the 5-year period was fluctuant with the year 2013 recording the highest number of cases (24 cases, 32%). During the reported period, more men suffered (53 cases, 72%) from this condition with the tongue (40%) being the commonest oral cancer site followed by the lip and vermillion border (28%). In iduals in the 40 to 60 years& rsquo age group (35 cases, 47.3%) were mostly affected with the I-taukei population (38 cases, 51.4%) recording the highest occurrence of OSCC. The results show that, the common occurrence is the tongue (40.5%) while the least presentation sight is Buccal mucosa/buccal sulcus area (8.1%). CONCLUSION: The study concluded that more men suffer from oral squamous cell carcinoma compared to woman and the ethnicity that was most affected was I-taukei population. More detailed record keeping and reporting of oral cancer is needed to help evaluate progress in controlling oral cancer in the Fiji Islands. This availability of geographic data would further assist the Ministry of Health of Fiji in data collection and planning of preventative activities
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1017/S1463423622000779
Abstract: Primary health care (PHC) physicians’ perceptions are vital to understand as they are the first-line health care providers in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk assessment and management. This study aims to explore PHC physicians’ perceptions on their roles and their perceptions on management and risk reduction approaches on CVD risk reduction and management in Fiji. This is a qualitative study conducted in the Suva Medical area among 7 health centers from 1 August to 31 September, 2021. Purposive s ling was used to recruit physicians who worked in the Suva medical area as PHC physicians with at least 6 months’ experience in the Special Outpatients Department clinics. In-depth interview were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire over the telephone and recorded on a tablet device application. The interview content was then transcribed, and thematic analysis was done. This study included 25 PHC physicians. From the thematic analysis, 2 major themes emerged with 6 subthemes. Theme 1 was CVD management skills with 3 subthemes including education, experience and trainings, beliefs and attitudes of physicians, self-confidence and effectiveness in CVD risk reduction and management. Theme 2 was roles and expectations with 3 subthemes including perceptions of effective treatment, perceptions of physicians’ roles and perceptions of patients’ expectations. Physicians generally see their role as central and imperative. They perceive to be important and leading toward combating CVDs. Physicians’ perceptions on their commitment to prevention and management of CVDs through their skills and knowledge, beliefs and motivation should be acknowledged. It is recommended that the physicians are updated on the current evidence-based medicine. Limitations include results that may not be the reflection of the entire physician and multidisciplinary community and the difficulties in face-to-face interviews due to the coronavirus diseases of 2019 pandemic.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1177/00469580221100148
Abstract: Introduction: This study aimed to determine the level and predictors of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) among barbers regarding health hazards associated with their profession in Fiji. Methods: A quantitative study was used to assess the levels and predictors of KAP using a structured questionnaire among 117 barbers who were chosen between June and November 2020 in Suva, Fiji. All those barbershops that operated at least for 6 months, were licensed, and 18 years and above were included. A self-administrative closed-ended structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The level of KAP was assessed using the modified Bloom’s cut-off points. A correlation test was used to determine predictors of KAP. Results: The majority of participants had a medium level of knowledge (62.4%), medium level of attitude (63.2%), and low level of practice (64.1%) towards health hazards associated with barbering the profession. However, 28.2% had low knowledge and attitude scores. The major source of knowledge was through the internet. The results of the correlation test showed that religion, education level, and weekly income were significantly correlated with knowledge ( .05) whereas age and weekly income was significantly correlated with the level of attitude of participants towards health hazards associated with their profession ( .05). Conclusion: Barbers had medium knowledge and attitude towards health hazards associated with the barbering profession while their practice was poor. These findings call for prompt and target group interventions such as strengthening enforcement, awareness, training on equipment decontamination and Good Hygiene Practices to be conducted.
Publisher: Scitechnol Biosoft Pvt. Ltd.
Date: 2018
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 29-10-2020
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2017
Publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.12688/F1000RESEARCH.18188.3
Abstract: Background: In Fiji, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Chronic kidney disease (CKD) are amongst the top four causes of premature mortality, disability and death. This study aims to identify the determinants of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in T2DM patients with CKD in Fiji in 2018. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Sigatoka Sub- isional Hospital (SSH) in Fiji in July-August, 2018 using a self-structured questionnaire to test KAP of 225 patients. The inclusion criteria were confirmed T2DM patients (Fijian citizens) with CKD, aged 30 years or above and attending Special Out-Patient's Department (SOPD) at SSH. Independent t-test and ANOVA was used to test differences between demographic variable and practice score while non-parametric tests were used for knowledge and attitude. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regressions were conducted. All tests were set at 5% level of significance. Results: From 249 questionnaires distributed, 225 responded thus response rate was 95%. The mean KAP level was high: knowledge, 23.3/30 (SD±3.25) attitude, 23.1/30 (SD±2.73) and practice, 7.1/10 (SD±2.04). A high level of knowledge was seen in those with university-level education (p .001), unemployed (p=0.05) and high average monthly income (p=0.03). Those aged 61-70 years had a 0.53-point lower attitude score (p=0.05) than other age categories, while those years had a 1.78-point lower attitude score (p=0.01) than other age categories. Fijians of Indian descent (FID) had lower attitude (p=0.002) and higher practice (p=0.001) scores. Conclusion: Patients with both T2DM and CKD at SSH have high levels of KAP. The determinants of KAP have been shown and thus, this study identified high-risk groups for low KAP, which can become the focus of future public health intervention.
Publisher: Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.
Date: 2017
Publisher: JCFCorp SG PTE LTD
Date: 30-07-2019
Abstract: OBJECTIVE : The aim was to identify the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice ( KAP) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) at Sigatoka Sub isional Hospital (SSH) in 2018 since no studies have been done on this issue so far in Fiji. METHODS : A quantitative, cross-sectional study including 225 patients was carried out July 1, 2018, through August 31, 2018, using a validated self-structured questionnaire. Fijians, aged 30 years or above, with confirmed T2D and CKD who were attending the Special Outpatient Department (SOPD) at SSH, were included in the study using a purposive s ling method to identify eligible participants. Data was gathered by a questionnaire that covered questions related to each aspect of KAP. RESULTS : The relation of native Fijians (iTaukei) to Fijians of Indian descent (FID) was approximately 1:1. The majority of participants had high levels of knowledge, attitude, and practice (61.8%, 63.6%, and 88.4%, respectively) . However, a few areas of low knowledge were evident, such as the relation between high blood pressure and renal status in people with diabetes and the need for renal transplant in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) abroad. Low attitude was apparent for the impact and management of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Low practice was evident regarding clinic attendance, self-monitoring, and opting for non-medical treatment. CONCLUSIONS : The majority of T2D patients with CKD had a high level of knowledge, but weaknesses were observed in the self-management of CKD and clinic attendance. This information should be considered by clinicians and policy-makers to improve management and treatment of CKD in T2D.
Publisher: MedCrave Group, LLC
Date: 30-10-2017
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 03-2022
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The barbers& rsquo work is associated to many infectious diseases which lead to major cause of morbidity and mortality in human& rsquo s population globally. This study aimed to determine barbers& rsquo practices and health hazards associated with their profession in Fiji. MATERIALS & METHODS: A cross sectional quantitative study was conducted to collect data from 50 observational sessions among barbers in Suva, Fiji in 2020. A s le of 25 barbers were randomly selected to participate in this study. A checklist was used to record and collect data. Out of the 25 barbershops observed none of them carried out any form of sterilization. RESULTS: Only 4 (16%) did some form of disinfection with home bleach and savalon randomly while 84% did not have any form of decontamination in place. The results further illustrate that 22 (88%) of the disinfection were not potent while 3 (12%) were unknown. Similarly, 22 (88%) had inappropriate methods of disinfection and 3 (12%) were questionable. None of the barbershops observed had supply of hot water and only 15 (60%) had sufficient privy and hand washing facilities. Furthermore, only 6 (24%) used PPEs compared to 19 (76%) were in non-compliance. CONCLUSION: This finding calls for immediate attention of authorities to enforce relevant laws and create awareness and training to improve standards in barbering profession.
Publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
Date: 03-2019
DOI: 10.12688/F1000RESEARCH.18188.1
Abstract: Background: In Fiji, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Chronic kidney disease (CKD) are amongst the top four causes of premature mortality, disability and death. This study aims to identify the determinants of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in T2DM patients with CKD in Fiji in 2018. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Sigatoka Sub- isional Hospital (SSH) in Fiji in July-August, 2018 using a self-structured questionnaire to test KAP of 225 patients. The inclusion criteria were confirmed T2DM patients (Fijian citizens) with CKD, aged 30 years or above and attending Special Out-Patient's Department (SOPD) at SSH. Independent t-test and ANOVA was used to test differences between demographic variable and practice score while non-parametric tests were used for knowledge and attitude. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regressions were also done. All the tests were set at 5% level of significance. Results: The mean KAP level was high: knowledge, 23.3 (SD±3.25) attitude, 23.1 (SD±2.73) and practice, 7.1 (SD±2.04). A high level of knowledge was seen in those with university-level education (p .001), unemployed (p=0.05) and high average monthly income (p=0.03). Those aged 61-70 years had a 0.53-point lower attitude score (p=0.05) than other age categories, while those years had a 1.78-point lower attitude score (p=0.01) than other age categories. Fijians of Indian descent (FID) had lower attitude (p=0.002) and higher practice (p=0.001) scores. Conclusion: Patients with both T2DM and CKD at SSH have high levels of KAP. Those with higher levels of education, the unemployed and those with high monthly income had higher knowledge, FID had low attitude but high practice scores, and the higher age category had lower attitude scores. The study identified high-risk groups for low KAP, which can become the focus of future public health intervention.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 25-11-2022
Publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
Date: 16-04-2019
DOI: 10.12688/F1000RESEARCH.18188.2
Abstract: Background: In Fiji, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Chronic kidney disease (CKD) are amongst the top four causes of premature mortality, disability and death. This study aims to identify the determinants of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) in T2DM patients with CKD in Fiji in 2018. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Sigatoka Sub- isional Hospital (SSH) in Fiji in July-August, 2018 using a self-structured questionnaire to test KAP of 225 patients. The inclusion criteria were confirmed T2DM patients (Fijian citizens) with CKD, aged 30 years or above and attending Special Out-Patient's Department (SOPD) at SSH. Independent t-test and ANOVA was used to test differences between demographic variable and practice score while non-parametric tests were used for knowledge and attitude. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regressions were also done. All the tests were set at 5% level of significance. Results: From 249 questionnaires distributed, 225 responded thus response rate was 95%. The mean KAP level was high: knowledge, 23.3/30 (SD±3.25) attitude, 23.1/30 (SD±2.73) and practice, 7.1/10 (SD±2.04). A high level of knowledge was seen in those with university-level education (p .001), unemployed (p=0.05) and high average monthly income (p=0.03). Those aged 61-70 years had a 0.53-point lower attitude score (p=0.05) than other age categories, while those years had a 1.78-point lower attitude score (p=0.01) than other age categories. Fijians of Indian descent (FID) had lower attitude (p=0.002) and higher practice (p=0.001) scores. Conclusion: Patients with both T2DM and CKD at SSH have high levels of KAP. The determinants of KAP have been shown and thus, this study identified high-risk groups for low KAP, which can become the focus of future public health intervention.
Publisher: ARC Publications Pvt Ltd.
Date: 2018
Publisher: Open Access Pub
Date: 08-09-2023
Publisher: Scitechnol Biosoft Pvt. Ltd.
Date: 2018
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2017
Publisher: Rural and Remote Health
Date: 04-07-2022
DOI: 10.22605/RRH7229
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-12-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-022-08898-Z
Abstract: Nurse team leaders are responsible for contributing to managing the quality of service delivery and facility output of their nurses to ensure there is a high quality of care delivered by the health system. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of public health nursing Team Leaders (TLs) and public health nursing Team Supervisors (TSs) on nurses’ development in Fiji. A qualitative study was used to gather information using in-depth phone interviews among TLs and TSs comprising Chief Midwifery Nursing Officer (CMNO), Director of Nursing (DON), Sub- isional Nursing Managers (SDNMs), acting SDNMs and Nursing Manager (NM) at Central health ision in Fiji. The data was collected through semi-structured open-ended questionnaires and were audio recorded. The data was analyzed using manual thematic analysis process. The study comprised of 26 participants, which included 10 TSs and 16 TLs. Four themes were identified for the results amongst TSs and TLs: ethical development professional development psychological development and recommendations. However, nine sub- themes were identified for TSs and eight sub-themes were identified for the result amongst TLs. This study highlighted that TLs and TSs elaborated on the need for the ethical, professional, psychological development, nursing development and also on the importance of policies and guidelines. Professional ethics should be integrated into the Continuous Profession Development (CPD) points that are used to renew yearly nursing licenses as well as exposing the need for having competencies on professional ethics in nurses’ logbooks. Further research is needed to determine the in-depth barriers.
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
DOI: 10.1016/J.PCD.2021.07.007
Abstract: To describe patterns of index (first ever) Lower Extremity Amputations (LEA) and to determine factors associated with their occurrence amongst Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients in Fiji. This cross-sectional study was conducted that adheres to the STROBE check lists for observational research among T2DM patients who experienced index LEA at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in Fiji between 2011 and 2015. Demographic and clinical variables were extracted from patient folders. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine factors associated with Major LEA. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. A total of 649 study participants were studied with the average age of index utation was 58.4 years (±9.6 years, range 30-91 years). The average duration of T2DM was 9.5 ± 5.7 years. LEAs were more common amongst males (55%) and indigenous Fijians (71.8%). One-third of index LEA (33%) were major utations. Factors associated with occurrence of Major LEA were poor Random Blood Sugar (RBS) levels (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.81), midfoot lesion (OR = 9.38 95% CI: 4.95, 19.52), septicaemia (OR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.28, 4.57), low haemoglobin level (OR = 0.78 95% CI: 0.72, 0.86), and history of hypertension (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40, 0. 84). Results indicate that diabetic patients with foot infections present late to tertiary level care. Our findings also show an urgent need to strengthen primary care interventions and surveillance of both diabetes and diabetic LEA.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-02-2023
DOI: 10.1007/S10995-023-03618-3
Abstract: This study aimed to determine the predictors of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards Family Planning (FP) among pregnant Fijian women. A cross-sectional study was conducted over two months in 2019 with adult pregnant women attending the Antenatal Clinic (ANC) at Ba Mission Hospital (BMH), Fiji. Data was collected using a self-administrated questionnaire. Statistical analysis included correlation tests and regression analysis in determining predictors of KAP. 240 pregnant women participated in this study with a mean age of 26.02 (± SD = 4.13). The results showed a moderate level of knowledge (mean 14.95, SD ± 3.15), positive attitude (mean 20.56, SD ± 5.68), and good practice (mean 4.97, SD ± 1.73). Linear regression identified that women with more than seven children had a knowledge score of 3.65, lower than null parity (t value = -2.577, p = 0.011). Women aged 20 to 24 had a 6.47 lower attitude score than women aged 18 to 19 (t value = -2.142, p = 0.033). Women in defacto relationships had a 2.12 lower attitude score compared to the married category (t value = -2.128, p = 0.034). Fijian women of Indian descent had a 1.98 lower attitude score than the I Taukei women (t value = -2.639, p = 0.009). Women aged 30–34 had 2.41 lower practice scores than those aged 18–19 (t value = -2.462, p = 0.015). This study found a medium knowledge of FP among pregnant women. These findings support a recommendation for further research to implement effective strategies.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 21-10-2021
Abstract: Despite evidence on the positive impact of trust in a doctor-patient relationship on health outcomes, there are limited studies conducted in Pacific Island Countries including Fiji. This study was conducted to assess the current level of patient trust in doctors and investigate its determinants in Fiji. Method: A random s le of 410 participants attending the outpatient services completed the self-administered structured questionnaire. The response rate was 91% (N=375) and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and analytic analysis using logistic regression. Result: Mean age of participants was 38years (±15yrs). The majority of patients had partial trust in their doctors compared to full trust (61.6% vs 38.4%). More than half of the participants perceived doctor’s communication behavior as fair rather than good (53.6% vs 45.6%). Those over 50 years (OR 1.96 p=0.007, 95% CI: 1.198–3.226) and those who perceived doctors’ communication behavior as good (OR 8.48 p=0.0001, 95% CI: 5.257–13.709) were significantly more likely to have full trust in the doctors. Conclusion: This study reveals that age and communication are determinants of trust in Fiji. In view of the current perception of the doctors’ communication behavior, Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services should implement policies to give equal importance to the communication skills of the doctors together with their clinical skills and enforce it in the medical schools.
Publisher: African Journals Online (AJOL)
Date: 19-05-2023
DOI: 10.4314/AJHS.V36I1.6
Abstract: Background: Water is essential in everyday life hence, there is a need for it to be available in quality and quantity to all. This study aimed to review relevant published studies on water accessibility and safety in Ghana from 2015 to 2022 to determine the plausibility of Ghana achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 by 2030. Methodology: A systematic review was conducted based on the PRISMA guidelines using four databases including ProQuest, Science Direct, Web of Science and Scopus. Studies with data on specified keywords and published in English from January 2015 to June 2022 were included in this study. Duplicated titles were removed and the title, abstract and full text of remained studies were reviewed by two independent coders. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes. Results: Ten studies met the criteria and the majority of them used qualitative design (60%). Five main themes were identified including causes of water contamination, the prevalence of waterborne diseases, types of water sources, implemented policies and challenges for policy implementation. The government implemented policies to provide safe and potable drinking water for the citizen and now, about 72% of the population have access to treated pipe water. Some challenges facing implemented policies include political interest in illegal mining, inadequate waste disposal facilities, and poverty. Conclusion: This study shows that Ghana can achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6.1which is "Access to clean and affordable water for all" by 2030. The government, public health organizations and stakeholders should work together to alleviate the challenges faced in achieving this goal.
Publisher: Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.
Date: 2016
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 11-07-2022
DOI: 10.1155/2022/4923686
Abstract: Background and objectives. Edentulism is a major public health concern globally relating to extensive loss of teeth. Due to paucity of study, this research aimed to explore the perception of edentulous patients (EDPs) and dental professionals (DPs) towards care and maintenance given to complete denture prostheses (CDP) in Fiji. Methods. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted among 30 EDPs attending dental prosthetic clinics (DPCs) at the four centres in Fiji and 28 DPs at the four DPCs under purposive s ling. Semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended questions was used for in-depth interview (IDI) with EDPs via telephone and focus group discussion (FGD) with DPs virtually via Zoom. Participant responses were recorded and thematic analysis was used to manually analyze the verbatim transcripts. Results. Five themes were identified as perceptions of EDPs towards care and maintenance of CDP in Fiji: patient perceptions towards CDP, CDP care and maintenance, communication between DPs and EDPs, challenges faced in CDP, and management strategies to CDP care and maintenance. Seven themes were identified as perceptions of DPs: CDP guidelines, post-denture insertion advice, care and maintenance, challenges while treating EDPs, management strategies to challenges faced, communication and teamwork, and recommendations to improving quality of CDP delivery in Fiji. Conclusion. Patients’ perception towards care and maintenance of CDP was low. It is highly recommended for EDPs to adhere to CDP advice given by DPs whilst for DPs, it had been recommended to provide written, oral, and visual forms of CDP care and maintenance advice to EDPs for effectiveness.
Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Date: 19-01-2023
DOI: 10.2174/18742106-V16-E221226-2022-36
Abstract: This research aims to determine the organizational preventative strategies implemented by dental clinics in Fiji during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study was conducted amongst Dental Officers (Dos) and Dental Managers (DMs) who were working at government dental clinics, private dental clinics, and the School of Dentistry and Oral Health clinic (SDOH), in the Central Division, Fiji. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used for data collection through in-depth interviews via zoom. A manual thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Thirty Dos and 17 DMs participated in this study. 16 themes emerged from data analysis: Major Strategies implemented, Staff perception about strategies in place, Triaging and Screening, Hand hygiene, Waiting room changes, Operational Capacity, Universal precautions, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), Disinfection and decontamination protocols, Ventilation, Sterilization, Pre-procedural mouth rinse, Waste management, Vaccination status, Bubbles and Adaptation of Protocols. The Dos were generally satisfied with the strategies implemented by the DMs. The DMs along with other Dos had used various guidance documents to devise tailor-made ones suited for dental clinics in Fiji. Various strategies were adopted from several guidelines and tailor-made Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for each workplaces were developed by the various DMs. The majority of Dos were in favor of and satisfied with the protocols in place. Future research can be conducted in other isions and include other health care professionals as well apart from just Dos and DMs.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 11-03-2022
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Screen-viewing among children has become a growing public health concern. There is no existing research done in Fiji on children& rsquo s screen viewing behaviour, therefore, this study aimed to determine the reasons and the perceptions of parents/caregivers in affecting screen viewing behaviour among children under 2 years in Suva Fiji. MATERIALS & METHODS: This cross-sectional mixed method study was conducted at three randomly selected Maternal Child Health (MCH) clinics among parents or accompanying guardians of children under two years old. Using proportional s ling, 361 participants who met the study criteria participated in this study. Data collection was carried out using a 20-item self-administrated questionnaire for quantitative study and a semi-structured open-ended questionnaire for the qualitative study through two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). Descriptive analysis was used for quantitative data and thematic analysis was applied for the qualitative data to emerge themes. RESULTS: Most children (32.8%) watched screens several times in a week, regardless of age. The main reason for children& rsquo s screen time is that it is a distraction tool (29.9%) followed closely by using it to calm child or to prevent negative behaviour (26%) and education (22%). The study found that most of the parents/ caregivers know that there are negative consequences of screen time on their children. Majority of these parents/ caregivers (66%) however think that the only effect is that related to children& rsquo s eye health and are unaware of the other health consequences. About 24% think that there is no negative effect at all on children engaged in screen viewing. The study also found that more than half (56%) of the parents (or caregiver guardians) think that screen viewing below the age of 2 years actually has positive consequences on children. Of these the vast majority (76.7%) think that screen viewing makes their children smart/ helps them to learn from a very young age. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlighted the main reasons of screen viewing among children under 2 years.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 20-05-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0251890
Abstract: Registered nurse has a vital role in delivering healthcare services to in idual, family and community. One of the main challenges that health system facing globally is the shortage of nursing workforce. Vanuatu as a Pacific county is also facing the shortage issue and the impact on the registered nurses’ performance. A qualitative study was used to collect data from 25 registered nurses in three randomly selected hospitals in Vanuatu between 4 th to 14 th September, 2020. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data using face-to-face in-depth interviews. The data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis process. Four themes were identified including Difficult working conditions, Reinforcing factors and Perceived risks. Sub themes for difficult working condition were heavy workload, lack of workforce and unusual working hours. Sub themes for reinforcing factors were lack of support, lack of opportunities and advancement in nursing practice. Sub themes for perceived risks were stress, physical and mental risk, and social and family risks. This study has identify factors affected shortage of current nursing workforce and the impact it has on registered nurses. Broad themes and sub-themes were identified which highlighted the impact of nursing shortage to registered nurses and the effects on their performance which includes stress or moral distress from work overload and lengthy hours shift which impact the nurses’ physical, psychological, social, and family relationship, and lack of leadership support. The findings can be helpful to policy makers at the decision-making level to resolve the nursing workforce shortage and its effects in the future by refining and developing relevant policies that will address and strengthen the nursing workforce to meet the demand and improve delivery of quality health services to all in idual.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-09-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-022-08543-9
Abstract: Oral health can influence the quality of an in idual’s life. Patient’s perception of the service plays a vital role in understanding the reasons as to why a patient may be satisfied or dissatisfied with the service that they accessed at a dental setting. As no studies have been done in Fiji until now, this study aimed to explore the perceptions of patients on services provided by the largest dental clinic in the Central/Eastern ision in Fiji. A qualitative study was used to collect data from patients who visited the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) dental clinic in Suva Fiji from 5 th August to 31 st October, 2020. All patients above the age of 18 of both genders and from any ethnicity who visited the CWMH dental clinic during the period of data collection were included the study. A total of 25 participants were interviewed for this study using the in-depth interview method till data saturation occurred. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data using face-to-face in-depth interviews. The data were transcribed and analyzed using manual thematic analysis process to gather the themes and sub-themes for the results. A total of 25 patients were interviewed, with a majority ( n = 14) being men and 15 were of I-Taukei background. Five themes emerging from data analysis include: Waiting time before treatment, Cost of Treatment, Accessibility of services, Privacy and confidentiality and Range of treatment options. The patients had an expectation to get the best treatment but face many hurdles while trying to get the treatment that they expect. The shortfalls on the part of this dental clinic caused an onset of negative perception among its users. This study shows an overall dissatisfaction with regards to services delivery among the patients who use the CWMH dental clinic for dental care purposes. The decision makers need to look into the genuine concerns that have been raised by patients in order to create improvements in services delivery and create an array of satisfaction for its patients.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
Publisher: Scientific Research Publishing, Inc.
Date: 2016
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2020
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 17-07-2020
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-42255/V1
Abstract: Background: Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) remains a challenge globally. High school youths without Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), are more likely to engage in high risk sexual behaviors than their peers in schools with CSE. Fiji continues to have very poor adolescents SRH indicators. This study aimed to gauge the perceptions of students towards the delivery of SRH education in schools in Fiji. Methods : A qualitative study design was used to collect data from students in Year 11-13 in public secondary schools in Suva, Fiji in 2018. Schools with equal ethnic mix were selected. A semi-structured open–ended questionnaire was used to guide Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). A male research facilitator conducted FGD with males while a female research facilitator facilitated that amongst the females. Data collected was analyzed thematically. Results: Seven FGDs were conducted. A total of 46 students (29 males) participated with the age range from 17-19 years old. Eight themes emerged: current SRH education students’ knowledge on adverse consequences of SRH sources of SRH information need for sex education provision of SRH education in schools characteristics of teachers of SRH education age-appropriate incremental sex education and ideal version of SRH. Conclusions: The study shows that Fijian students desired a lot more from sex education than what is currently offered for sexual decision-making. There is a need for mandatory and comprehensive sex education for young people.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 06-12-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2021.759654
Abstract: Background: Road Traffic Injuries (RTIs) cause approximately 1. 35 million deaths annually, and is the leading cause of death among people between ages 5 and 29. Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) deal with Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) and have contact with RTI victims at a daily basis, they possess an excellent perspective on preventing RTI. This study aimed to explore LEOs perceptions on risk factors and preventive measures of RTI in Vanuatu. Methods: This study employed qualitative methods that used Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to gather data from 25 LEOs between October 14th and November 30th, 2020. Self-identified Ni-Vanuatu LEOs who have been serving for over 6 months and residing at the study setting were included in this study. Purposive s ling was used to recruit study participants from three municipalities in Vanuatu. A semi-structured open ended questionnaire was designed to guide the FGDs. Data obtained were sorted out using thematic analysis processed with some preconceived themes based on theory, and also allowing the data to determine new themes. Results: Data saturation was reached from conducting 5 FGDs with 25 LEOs who were traffic officers and municipal wardens. Five main themes and sixteen subthemes were generated from the study. The main themes include driving and alcohol, the challenges to effective enforcement, barriers to effective care and support for RTI victims, measures for road traffic control and promoting road traffic safety. The respondents perceived that addressing resources issues and the legislations on road traffic control act and vehicle regulation act will enhance prevention of RTI. Conclusion: This study explored the risk factors of RTI and the barriers to effectively prevent RTI in Vanuatu. The study also generated suggestions of a combination of road traffic control measures that could be implemented to prevent RTI. Future research should look at effective strategies of preventing RTIs in resource deficit settings.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 04-04-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2022.779266
Abstract: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is known as a major cause of mortality globally. Diabetes self-management refers to daily activities undertaken to control or reduce the impact of diabetes on health and well-being to avoid further illness. Health Care Workers' (HCWs) can assist patients to be aware of self-care and solve the challenges diabetes presents. The management of diabetes can improve once HCWs promote measures that facilitate self-care activities by providing necessary information and supporting patients' initiatives to make lifestyle changes. This study aimed to explore HCWs perceptions on factors affecting diabetes self-management among T2DM patients of Fiji. A qualitative study design was conducted to explore HCWs perceptions on factors affecting diabetes self-management using two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in Labasa, Fiji in 2021. The study settings were the Diabetic Hub Center, special outpatient department Labasa hospital and Nasea health Center Labasa. The study settings are located in an urban area. These health facilities provide special outpatient clinics to T2DM patients including clinics for other medical conditions. Nasea Health Center had 1,300 patients, the special outpatient's department Labasa hospital had 560 patients and the diabetic hub center Labasa had 295 patients at the time of the study. These patients either had T2DM or T2DM with other medical conditions. Purposive s ling was employed to recruit HCWs. The data were collected using an interview guide in semi-structured interviews and the interviews were audio recorded. The recorded data was transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis process. The participants were 9 HCWs with age range of 25-49 years. A counselor, a medical officer, physiotherapist, nurses and dieticians were among the HCWs. Three major themes and seven sub themes were identified. These included Theme 1- “availability of services” with the sub themes of clinical services for T2DM and other support services available for T2DM patients. Theme 2- “barriers and challenges to diabetes self-management” with the sub themes of health system factors, socioeconomic factors and health system factors. Theme 3- “Needs for diabetes management” with the sub themes resources and skilled personnel. The findings of this study demonstrate health system challenges such as lack of material resources and human resources compounded the factors affecting diabetes self-management. HCWs training as diabetes educators and developing policy on diabetes self-management are highly recommended to facilitate diabetes self-management.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
Publisher: Medip Academy
Date: 14-08-2023
DOI: 10.18203/2320-6012.IJRMS20232496
Abstract: A literature review is a key part of all academic research that informs researchers of the existing body of knowledge. Reviews conducted systematically are becoming more appealing to the researcher about two reasons. Firstly, they are robust, strong, comprehensive and reproducible and can appropriately serve the background review of any primary research. Secondly, they are qualified to be a stand-alone piece of academic work that contributes to the scientific body of knowledge. Although researchers and students in higher education who wish to write their dissertations are informed about the need for generating a literature review for primary research, when it comes to conducting a full systematic review, they may have some confusion and doubt on the distinction between a traditional literature review and a systematic review. This paper aims to clarify what a systematic review entails and take the readers' attention through the practical steps in conducting a systematic review. So, more of a practical step-by-step guide, rather than theoretical discussion of content, has been included. This paper would benefit early-career researchers, undergraduate students and many post-graduate students who wish to write their papers or dissertations based on a systematic review.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 08-2022
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2022-060896
Abstract: To explore the perception of healthcare workers (HCWs) on diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and foot care in Rotuma, Fiji. Using a qualitative study design, two focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among HCWs. A semistructured open-ended questionnaire was used to guide the discussion session. Each FGD was audiorecorded and was transcribed. The transcriptions were then manually analysed using thematic analysis. Rotuma hospital, Fiji. HCWs who were working in Rotuma hospital for at least a year and were involved in clinical foot care of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were included. There were five main themes, namely, depth of knowledge, quality of care in practice, factors of influence on practice, lack of resources and capacity building. Participants had superficial knowledge that showed lack of in-depth scientific knowledge. A lack of staffing in the clinics affected the delivery of service. Additionally, patients defaulting clinics, late presentations with DFU and traditional medicine also affected the quality of healthcare service in clinics. There was also a need for a multidisciplinary team to prevent and manage DFU. HCWs mostly advised on glycaemic control and ignored offering foot care advice in clinics due mainly to the lack of sound knowledge on foot care. There was also a lack of resources, infrastructure, space and professional development opportunities, which negatively impacted how HCWs deliver foot care services to patients. HCWs lack significant in-depth knowledge on DFU and foot care. In addition, these are the availability of traditional medicine that delays presentations to hospital, further reducing the quality of services. HCWs need to keep their knowledge and skills updated through regular in-service training on foot care. Resources, infrastructure and supply chains need to be maintained by those in power to ensure HCWs deliver quality foot care services.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 29-08-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2022.877624
Abstract: Health Care Workers (HCWs) are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection with their efforts while protecting the greater community and also exposed to hazards, such as psychological distress, fatigue, and stigma. This study aimed to explore the perception of frontline HCWs on barriers of managing COVID-19 in Fiji. A qualitative study method was approached to conduct this study among the HCWs who worked on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic based at ten purposively selected health facilities in the Suva sub ision in the Central Division of Fiji. The Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH), the Fiji Centre for Communicable Diseases (Fiji CDC), Twomey hospital laboratory, and CWMH laboratory did the main control and most of the operations of other isions were monitored from these settings. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data using in-depth interviews. The participants' responses were audio-recorded and were later transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of twenty-nine HCWs took part in the in-depth interview and the responses were grouped into four themes, which include: workload, poor communication, lack of resources, and hindrance to education. It was also found through this study that some of the HCWs felt tired, frustrated, got rude to patients, and found it difficult to handle situations, which affected them mentally and physically stressed. Managing the COVID-19 cases has been attributed to the presence of many barriers, such as workload, tiredness, frustration, and sometimes difficult-to-handle situations, and the HCWs were indeed affected mentally and physically. Regular training for HCWs and more awareness programs would help the general public to follow the preventive measures, which reduces the cases and would help the HCWs manage COVID-19 well.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 28-02-2022
Abstract: BACKGROUND: The prevalence of edentulism which is a major public health concern globally relating to extensive loss of teeth had reduced. For Edentulous Patients (EDPs), Complete Denture Prostheses (CDP) therapy is a known mode of treatment to improve the overall health and the Oral Health Related-Quality of Life (OHRQoL) with appropriate care and maintenance for its longevity. AIM: This literature review had been conducted containing the aim to gather the proficiency and ideas related to the factors that affect the care and maintenance of CDP and how it benefits the EDPs related to good CDP care practices. METHODS: Numerous electronic databases which included Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar and Open Grey literature in English language was used to search for the articles from January 1st 2005 to October 1st 2021 on factors that influenced care and maintenance of CDP. Associated article titles were chosen which was narrowed down to abstract of interested articles and the final 20 preferred full articles were reviewed. The selected articles in this study was analyzed using thematic analysis and their themes were grouped accordingly. RESULTS: Five themes were thematically identified as factors affecting care and maintenance of CDP: social and cultural factors, economic and demographical factors, policy related factors, physical factors and health service related factors. All articles reviewed demonstrated that every factor is highly essential when it comes to taking appropriate care and maintenance of CDP for EDPs. CONCLUSION: The current evidence suggests that social, cultural, economical, demographical, policy, physical and health service related factors all significantly constitute towards effective care and maintenance of CDP for EDPs. Furthermore, the results derived from this research is essential in the development of effective post-operative guidelines for appropriate care and maintenance of CDP.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 24-03-2021
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) kills more than 4.9 million adults yearly, and it is one of the major threats to global public health for low- and middle-income countries that mostly affects the adult population. Kiribati is currently facing the increasing prevalence of morbidity and mortality from T2DM. OBJECTIVE: To find out the level of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards T2DM among healthy adults in South Tarawa, Kiribati. METHODS: This cross sectional study was conducted on South Tarawa, Kiribati at three randomly selected public health clinics from September 25 to November 20, 2017. Non-diabetic patients from both sexes who aged 18 years and above were selected by a simple random s ling technique to participate in this study. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data and SPSS (version 22) was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to study the characteristics of the population and level of KAP. RESULTS: 405 person participated in this study. Majority of the participants were in the age range of 18-24 years (30.4%), were females (66.2%) and had ever married (68.6%). The study revealed that the mean knowledge score was 20.47 (& lusmn .49) which shows that participants had moderate level of knowledge towards T2DM. The mean score for attitude score was 61.06 (& lusmn .48) which shows that participants had high level of attitude towards T2DM. The mean practice score was 4.57 (& lusmn .01) which shows that participants had a low level of practice towards T2DM. CONCLUSION: A great emphasis on health education regarding symptoms, risk factors modification and prevention is T2DM are necessary.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 06-03-2022
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 09-01-2020
DOI: 10.1155/2020/3675684
Abstract: Background . Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) remains a challenge globally. This study aims to gauge the perceptions of parents towards the delivery of SRH education in mainstream public secondary schools in Fiji. Methods . The qualitative study design was used to collect the data from parents in Suva, Fiji, from July to August 2018. A semistructured questionnaire was developed to run Focus Group Discussion (FGD) among parents residing in Suva who had school-attending children from years 11 to 13. Parents were recruited from five schools with the help of students. Twenty-six parents of which 10 were males, aged between 38 and 65, participated in this study. Consent was obtained from each participant prior to the data collection stage. Data collected were transcribed verbatim and were analyzed thematically. Ethical approvals were obtained before collecting the data. Results . Seven themes emerged which included the provision of school-based sex education, parental involvement with school-based sex education, sex education at home, age-appropriate incremental sex education, ethnic variations regarding sex education, barriers and facilitators for the delivery of school-based sex education, and perceived ideal version of sex education. Conclusions . Findings from this study suggest for policy and programs to match parents, schools, and students’ expectations. Effective interventions need to involve and help parents to take a more active part to change policy, program, and advocacy for relevant SRH education.
Publisher: Medknow
Date: 2022
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 25-05-2023
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Physiotherapy is a dynamic profession that employs various therapeutic strategies to help people regain movement and function in their bodies. Physiotherapists provide comprehensive care for patients with different medical and surgical conditions. This study aimed to assess the perceptions regarding physiotherapy among the general population of Gujrat, Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: This descriptive cross-sectional survey was carried out among the general population of Gujrat from March to June 2021. Non-probability s ling technique was used to select the 126 participants & years of age. A self-structured Likert scale questionnaire was developed to collect data. The responses were analyzed through Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). P-value less than 0.05 was considered as level of significance. RESULTS: Majority of participants (75.4%) were from the age group 20-29 years and 90(71.4%) of the participants had either undergraduate or postgraduation education. Out of 126 participants, 103(81.75%) participants were highly aware and had adequate awareness regarding physiotherapy, whereas 20(50.9%) participants showed moderate awareness and 3(2.4%) of participants showed a deficient level of awareness. No association was seen between awareness and variables including age, gender, socioeconomic status, and education. CONCLUSION: General population of Gujrat were highly aware of physiotherapy. Education plays an impactful role in better understanding of physiotherapy, so further steps should be taken to increase positive perception in different socioeconomic statuses, including advertisements, social media c aigns and seminars.
Publisher: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre
Date: 12-2019
Publisher: Rural and Remote Health
Date: 07-01-2020
DOI: 10.22605/RRH5308
Publisher: MedCrave Group Kft.
Date: 19-05-2023
DOI: 10.15406/MOJPH.2023.12.00416
Abstract: Background: Women and the adolescents girls in low-middle income countries continue to be the most vulnerable in iduals in times of disasters such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with emphasis on their Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) yet hardly many studies choose to identify gaps that could improve and bring about well-informed interventions during crisis that do not affect other essential services. Hence, this study aimed to identify the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic mitigation measures on access and utilization of sexual reproductive health services and its related SRH outcomes among women and female adolescents in Kenya. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed to collate findings on the given study using 8 databases. Total of 1352 presumably pertinent publication were retrieved of which 20 studies met the study’s inclusion criteria which included studies with quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods study designs in full text and in English without duplicates. Using a data extraction table, thematic analysis was carried out to yield the study findings. Results: Two themes were identified including service access related outcomes with the sub-themes of maternal health services and HIV/AIDS services and pandemic specific stressors with the sub-themes of Covid-19 mitigation stressors and socio-economic stressors. The findings implied that, women of reproductive age SRH access and utilization was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic’s mitigation responses with adverse SRH adverse health outcomes. Conclusion: In conclusion, the Covid-19 pandemic adversely affected sexual reproductive health services among women and female adolescents in Kenya. The given main findings indicated and recognized the existence of improper set policies and mitigative measures during crisis management, affecting essential services such as SRH.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-04-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.PEDN.2022.04.015
Abstract: To explore the perception of mothers about Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) and their risk factors affecting children Under 5 Years (U5Ys) in Fiji. This was a qualitative study done in the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) Clinic in Ba Hospital, Fiji. Mothers who had brought in their children with ARIs were selected through a purposive s ling method. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to guide in-depth interviews. The interviews were transcribed and the thematic analysis was done to look at the themes and sub-themes that emerged. A total of 30 mothers were interviewed. There were five themes that were derived from the interviews including the mothers' perception of ARIs treatment methods perceived barriers services provided by IMCI clinic and recommendations and suggestions. The mothers were familiar with the causes, risk factors and able to recognize severity of ARIs based on the local context. They mostly relied on traditional and home remedies for ARIs. Most mothers preferred injections for treatment for their child. There were many perceived barriers of ARIs prevention such as traditional norms and poor social support. Most mothers stayed in rural areas which caused poor accessibility to health care services. Few mothers had issues with poor attitude and skills of health care workers. There are multiple factors that are barriers in reducing the risks of ARIs. There needs to be policies implemented to support the health of children in the communities as well as social support structures. This study provides a clear picture of the perception of the mothers regarding ARIs in children under five years old. With this information at hand, it is easier to answer the question regarding the perceptions of the mothers of ARIs and the risk factors and design tailored interventions to prevent ARIs among children.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1017/S1463423621000888
Abstract: By 2040, the predicted global cancer burden is expected to be more than 27 million new cancer cases per year. Understanding primary health care workers’ (HCWs) perception on cancer can highlight new ways in which cancer advocacy can be increased. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of primary HCWs in Lautoka, Fiji, towards common cancers with focus on knowledge, risk perceptions, barriers and preventive approaches. The study used a qualitative method approach. The study was conducted among primary HCWs at four purposively selected health centres in Lautoka Sub ision, Fiji, from 1 March 2021 to 1 April 2021. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with primary HCWs. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data, and the FGDs were audio-recorded. These audio recordings were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The responses from the four FGDs with six primary HCWs in each group emerged four major themes. These themes were cancer knowledge, health professional training, barriers and challenges and awareness strategies. Primary HCWs were not fully aware about common cancers and were not confident to discuss about cancer with their patients which is an important role of primary HCWs in cancer management. This lack of knowledge was attributed to less training received in primary care setting. Barriers to accessing cancer screening included misconceptions about cancer, negative attitudes from patients, stigmatization, lack of resources at health facility and less informed health staff. Community outreach programmes, opportunistic screening, community HCWs and the concept of a cancer hub centre were awareness strategies highlighted by primary HCWs. Lack of knowledge about common cancers among primary HCWs is a concern that is depicted well in this study. This low knowledge was attributed to lack of training on cancers received by primary HCWs. Guidelines on cancer screening and diagnosis can be developed by the health ministry to assist primary HCWs in detecting patients at pre-cancerous stage.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 03-11-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 30-03-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12875-022-01668-0
Abstract: Public health prevention strategies have been developed to overcome the disease burden. Despite all the available resources, there have been several challenges in keeping up with the practices in Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) risk management. The aim of this study is to explore Primary Care Physicians’ (PCP) perceptions on barriers to CVD risk management and strategies to overcome these barriers in Suva, Fiji. This is a qualitative study conducted in the Suva Medical area among 7 health centers from August 1st to September 30th, 2021. Purposive s ling was used to recruit participants who provided in-depth and detailed information. From those physicians who worked in the Suva medical area as Primary Health Care (PHC) physicians, those who had at least 6 months experience and those who had some Special Outpatients Department (SOPD) exposure, in-depth interview was conducted using semi-structured questionnaire over the telephone and recorded in a mobile app. The interview content was then transcribed and thematic analysis was done. This study included 25 PHC physicians. From the thematic analysis, 2 major themes were developed including perceived barriers to CVD risk management and some of the strategies to overcome these barriers. Some of the barriers identified include patient factors such as non-compliance, physician factors such as time-constraints and lack of training, and health system factors such as poor medical records system and lack of basic resource. The strategic support systems include patient expectations, physician’s encouragement, utilization of resources, laws and legislations and continuing evidence-based medicine. Physicians’ perceptions on the barriers and the strategies to overcome those barriers in CVD risk management plays an important role. The barriers include those of physician factors, patient factors and the health system as a whole. It is suggested to encourage shared-decision making in CVD management, enhance physician support and reinforce policies and research to bring about positive change and improvements in the quality of care.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 25-03-2022
DOI: 10.5539/GJHS.V14N5P1
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Drug shortage is a global problem that adds extra burden to health systems with additional costs and posing risks to patients who fail to receive the medicines they need. Aim This study aimed to describe drug shortage and its effects on service delivery among Key Informants (KIs) in Fiji. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this quantitative cross-sectional study, the information on drug shortage per month was collected through the stock status report and pharmacy records of the main referral hospital in Fiji, the Colonial War Memorial hospital (CWMH) from 1st June to 30th November 2015. Purposive s ling was applied to reach 50 KIs who met the study crietria. A pilot tested structured questionniare was used to collect data and descriptive statistic was used to analyze data. RESULTS: The results showed the most frequent out of stock items were antibiotics (49) followed by vitamins (18) and antihypertensive (17). The frequency of total drugs on shortage ranged from 29 to 50 items per month with an average rate 10% (n=40) drug shortages per month. Additinally, 98% (n=49) of the KIs indicated that drug shortage increased workload of staff and 90% (n=45) indicated that the standard treatment was deviated or alternatives were sought due to shortage of drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study revealed that drug shortage was experienced in CWMH during the study period and had an impact on the clinical service delivery. There is a needed to focus on the use, selection, procurement and storage and distribution of medicines at CWMH.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-03-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12955-022-01953-7
Abstract: Oral health-related problems are highly prevalent and, like many other diseases, affect Quality of Life. Although most primary schools in Fiji have supervised school brushing programs and have regular screenings these preventive aspects are missing in secondary schools. To assess the internal consistency reliability, face and content validity of the Child-OIDP questionnaire and determine the oral health-related quality of life in 15-year-olds in Suva, Fiji. A cross-sectional prospective study was carried out on 15-year-old children from four secondary schools in Suva, Fiji from 2014 to 2015. All students enrolled in the 10th and 11th year of studies were included. Multi-stage cluster s ling was used to identify the participants and the s le size of 367 was calculated. The Child Oral Impact on Daily Performance (Child-OIDP) self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data and data was analyzed using Epi-Info (3.5.1). A total of 281 students (76.6%) responded, of whom 47.0% experienced at least one impact. Cronbach’s alpha for the Child-OIDP frequency items was 0.70 and the corrected item-total correlation ranged from 0.13 to 0.57. The most common performances that were affected were eating (27.8%) and relaxing (12.8%). Performances that were severely and most severely influenced were social contact (23.1%), smiling (16.7%) and relaxing (16.7%). The most common conditions leading to impacts were dental sensitivity (38.4%), dental caries (23.5%) and toothache (21.4%). The original version of the Child-OIDP is a reliable index with acceptable internal consistency when used directly in the Fiji setting, however, further studies to validate the tool will be useful. Oral impacts were prevalent, but not severe.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 08-2021
DOI: 10.2147/PPA.S322731
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: Medknow
Date: 2021
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 21-05-2021
DOI: 10.5539/GJHS.V13N8P1
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Regular PA is one of the most important practices that a person can do to stay healthy. Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Workforces are facing health issues such as non-communicable diseases (NCDs) due to sedentary lifestyle. OBJECTIVE: To identify the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards PA amongst medical academic staff at Fiji National University (FNU). METHODS: This is a mixed methods study design conducted amongst all academic and senior management staff at the 5 schools at College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) at FNU in 2019. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data which was authenticated and face and content validated in a pilot study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to guide Focus Group Discussion (FGD) amongst senior managers at CMNHS. Descriptive analysis was conductedfor quantitative data while thematic analysis was done to analyze the qualitative data. RESULTS: The knowledge on PA was seen to be at a medium level 19.2 (& lusmn .8), while attitude was found to be of high level 32.62 (& lusmn .86) followed by practice seen as a good practice 11.93 (& lusmn .39) amongst academic staffs of CMNHS. Four major themes were identified from the qualitative including types of PA available in schools, university contribution towards PA, barriers of PA in CMNHS and recommendations for PA. CONCLUSION: CMNHS needs to strengthen the wellness approaches that increase opportunities towards promoting or engaging into PA related work. Further research is warranted to determine on effective ways to increase PA among academic staff atCMNHS.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-02-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12884-022-04455-Y
Abstract: Antenatal Care (ANC) is an opportunity to provide care to prevent potential maternal and new born mortality and morbidity and reduce new born mortality and morbidity. There has been an increase in the number of women receiving early ANC over the last two decades, however, in many developing regions such as Fiji, women are still delaying initiation of ANC. Therefore, the aim of this study is primarily to explore reasons for delayed initiation of ANC appointments and to explore knowledge and perception of pregnant mothers towards early antenatal appointments in Fiji. The study uses a qualitative approach. Data was collected among pregnant women more than 18 years of age after 12 weeks of gestation attending their first ANC clinic at the Ba Mission Hospital (BMH) from February 28 to April 2, 2020. Heterogenous purposeful s ling method was used to select 25 pregnant women for the study. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used for face to face in-depth interviews. Data was analyzed manually using thematic content analysis after verbatim transcription of the interviews. The mean age of the participants was 25.8 ± 5.9 years (age range of 19–40 years). The average gestational age of those making a booking for a consultation was 5.4 ± 1.4 months with a range of 4 to 8 months. The majority of women were multigravida (64%) and multiparous (40%). The main themes that emerged from the study were: i) perception of early ANC booking ii) perceived barriers of early ANC booking and iii) enabling factors of early ANC booking. Even though pregnant women have a good knowledge of when to initiate ANC, the practice of early booking was influenced by many other factors. The results of this study highlight the need to change the current booking system. Efforts are needed to attract the hard-to-reach women through outreach visits and increased communication between health care workers and the community with the use of community resources such as community health workers and traditional birth attendants. The media should be used to create awareness on timing and importance of early ANC visits at a community level.
Publisher: The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Date: 08-2019
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 22-02-2021
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Globally, family planning is one of the most important public health issues in both developed and developing countries due to high unmet needs. OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) towards family planning among women of reproductive age in Suva, Fiji. METHODS: The study applies a cross-sectional quantitative method using a self-administered questionnaire to collect data. Using random s ling, a s le of 325 women was used for the study and they were sought from three health clinics in Suva, Fiji. The questionnaire was administered to the respondents who met the inclusion criteria and they provided information that mostly involved rating the different issues and identifying their level of KAP. This data was analyzed using the statistics program SPSS version 25. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 31.53 (& lusmn .35) years. A majority of the participants (64.6%) belonged to a Christian church while 65.2% belonged to iTaukei ethnic group. Approximately half of them (45.6%) had a high level of knowledge while 53.5% had moderate knowledge with only 0.9% reporting that they had poor knowledge. In terms of attitudes, 54.2% of the participants had high level or positive attitudes towards family planning with only a small proportion of 0.3% had low level or poor attitudes. In terms of practice, a majority of the participants (65.9%) had medium level of practice towards family planning while 24.6% showed a poor level with 9.5% having a high or good level of practice towards family planning. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified that women had medium level of knowledge and practice towards family planning, but their attitude was relatively high. Using behavioral change models such as health belief model (HBM) that focus on perceived benefits and barriers may help to promote KAP towards family planning among Fijian women.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-04-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10995-022-03443-0
Abstract: Antenatal Care (ANC) plays a pivotal role in improving child and maternal health. Even though antenatal coverage in Fiji is more than 95%, the majority of pregnant women fail to initiate ANC within the first trimester. Thus, the research aimed to determine factors that are associated with late antenatal booking among pregnant women who delivered in Ba Mission Hospital (BMH) in Fiji in 2019. Secondary data analysis was done using SPSS version 24 on 340 pregnant women who had delivered in BMH from January 1 to December 31, 2019 and met the eligibility criteria. A data extraction sheet was used to collect information on socio-demographic, obstetric, and medical factors. The prevalence of late booking in BMH in 2019 was 79.7%. The results of the bivariate analysis showed that being from I-taukei ethnicity (AOR: 2.36 p = 0.003), an unmarried woman (AOR: 2.5 p = 0.004), and women with < eight ANC visits (AOR: 3.7 p < 0.001) during the pregnancy were significant predictors of late antenatal booking. Multivariate analysis showed that only < eight ANC visits were a significant determinant of late antenatal booking (COR: 3.6 p < 0.001). The burden of late antenatal booking in Ba is higher than those of some other developing nations. Efforts are needed to create community awareness on the importance of early ANC booking. The significant factor identified should inform policymakers on how to influence pregnant women to come for an early booking for ANC.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 06-12-2022
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Wearing dentures helps rehabilitate the oral health status for the older people. Due to lack of previous data, this objective of this study was to determine the level of utilization and satisfaction of complete denture treatment at dental clinics in Fiji. MATERIALS & METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on 85 edentulous patients and dentures at the Fiji National University (FNU) teaching dental clinic from 2010-2016.Patients who utilized the dentures fabricated at FNU and identified as complete denture patients from 2010-2016 were included in this study. Data was collected using the denture assessment form and Oral Health Impact Profile for Edentulous Patients (OHIP-EDENT) questionnaire. Correlation test was done and p less than 0.05 was considered as level of significance. RESULTS: Participants were between the age range of 40-79 years with majority being male (54%). Greater level of satisfaction noted among 60-69 years male participants and those wearing the dentures for 3-4 years than other groups. Difficulty in chewing (40%) and food catching underneath the denture (33%) were common denture related complains. One thirds of participants reported of uncomfortable dentures while 24% had sore spots due to their dentures. More than two thirds of them, (71%) were unable to eat and enjoy food and for most patients, the vertical dimension (94%), esthetics assessment (94%), tooth selection (91%), boarder extension (78%), posterior seal (99%) and centric relation (99%) were acceptable. Patients with acceptable vertical dimension (46.1& lusmn .6), acceptable esthetics (45.8& lusmn .9) and boarder extension (48.0& lusmn .2) showed greater satisfaction level compared to those with unacceptable denture characteristics. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted that satisfaction among recent denture wearers was low and majority participants portrayed poor understanding regarding denture aftercare and hygiene. It can be recommended for the teaching institutes and dental clinics to evaluate the quality of treatments and help to improve the quality of services being provided to the patients. Further study is needed to determine the in- depth perceptions of denture wearers. It also can be recommended for the patients to take heed of the post operative denture hygiene instructions being given.
Publisher: Oman Medical Journal
Date: 15-09-2020
DOI: 10.5001/OMJ.2020.128
Abstract: Objectives:People abuse substances like drugs, alcohol, and tobacco for different reasons, including pleasure, improved performance and vigilance, relief of depression, curbing hunger, and weight control. In this review, we sought to identify the determinants and prevention strategies that have been undertaken to minimize the issue of substance abuse. Methods: The systematic review was conducted following the Cochrane Library Guidelines and PRISMA checklist. We searched six online databases to identify studies from January 2000 to July 2017. Results: Only peer-reviewed studies published in the English language that had full text accessible were included. We reviewed 19 studies only one was quasi-experimental and the majority were descriptive studies. The determinants of substance abuse identified include personal, faciliatory romotor, environmental, and social factors. The prevention strategies identified use culturally appropriate and gender-sensitive treatments, and identify sources of strength in families, community, in idual, and even spiritual. Conclusions: Substance abuse poses significant public health risks and therefore requires adequate interventions such as educating and informing in iduals of the health risks associated with substance abuse and must be considered locally to promote the well-being of people.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 13-10-2022
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Child undernutrition is a key public health issue that both causes and contributes to disease and death. Undernutrition accounts for 45% of under-five deaths globally most of which occur in Low- and Middle-income countries (LMIC). Malnutrition has a substantial and long-lasting effect on in iduals, families, communities and the entire nation. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of undernutrition in under-five children in Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: This systematic review was done following the Cochrane library guidelines. A search of literature written in English language and published between 2000 and 2022 was done using PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE and ProQuest databases. The initial search resulted in 760 studies. These were exported to End note version 9 to remove duplicates. Titles and abstracts were screened for studies that met the inclusion criteria. Finally, 11 studies that met the inclusion criteria were thoroughly assessed and data that were relevant to this systematic review were captured. The study findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The prevalence of undernutrition was between 1.0% and 43.3%. The highest prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting were 43.3%, 29.3% and 41%, respectively. Factors associated with undernutrition were age, sex, birth order, recent acute diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection, maternal literacy level, maternal income & $20 and socio-economic class among others. CONCLUSION: Under-five undernutrition is a huge public health issue in Nigeria. Prevalence of undernutrition varies widely across geo-political zone with a myriad of associated risk factors. Multi-level and multidisciplinary interventions are required to sustainably address the determinants of under-five undernutrition.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 28-08-2023
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0285998
Abstract: Hypertension remains a public health challenge worldwide however, the prevention, detection, treatment and management of this condition are not highly prioritized. Health knowledge has an important impact on in idual’s health. The ability to actively participate in screening, diagnosis and management of hypertension are influenced by patient’s knowledge of hypertension. To understand why hypertension is so difficult to control, it may be of benefit to gain an understanding of the patient’s perspective. Hence, the aim of the study is to explore the perceptions of patients on prevention and diagnosis of hypertension in Fiji. The study used a qualitative method approach. The study was conducted at the four purposively selected health centers in the Lautoka/ Yasawa medical sub ision. A purposive s ling was used which included all the patients who attended the SOPD, age more than 18 years and above, diagnosed with hypertension for 6 months or more and attended clinic at one of the 4 selected health centers. Semi-structured open-ended interview guide were used to collect data among patients through in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used manually to analyze the data using four steps that is immersion in the data, coding the data, creating categories and identifying themes / subthemes. Twenty-five SOPD patients took part in the in-depth interview and the responses were grouped into two themes. The themes emerged included hypertension knowledge and diagnosis of hypertension in a closed family and self. Subthemes derived from the hypertension knowledge were measures of awareness, hypertension aetiology, risk perception, origin of information and concept of prevention. Sub themes derived from the diagnosis of hypertension in a closed family were perception when first diagnosed, hypertension in relation and hypertension impact. Patients’ knowledge on etiologies and risk factors of hypertension were generally poor. Majority of the participants learnt about hypertension in hospitals and few over radios and television. Diagnosis in a closed family triggered worrisome, fear and fright on some patients. Majority of the patients have less knowledge about various risk factors of hypertension. Worrisome, fearful, frightful, frustration and sadness were some of the reactions and emotions highlighted by the patients. It is important to design culturally tailored interventions that address the psychological and behavioral needs of the patients. Recommendation to conduct further studies to understand the perception of hypertension among the general public.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 16-12-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0277970
Abstract: Understanding patients’ perspective to get an insight into cancer, and how best the public health systems can battle with this disease is the way forward in this current world. This study aimed to explore patients’ knowledge about common cancers, barriers to assessing cancer information and cancer preventative approaches in Fiji. The study used a qualitative method approach that was conducted among patients who attended Special Outpatients (SOPD) at the four selected health centres in Lautoka Sub ision, Fiji from 1 st March to 30 th April 2021. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used to guide in-depth interviews. These audio recordings were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. All interview transcripts were read and similar words and phrases were assigned numbers which were grouped together to identify themes and sub themes. Twenty-eight patients took part in the in-depth interview and the responses were grouped into four themes including cancer knowledge, diagnosis of cancer in a close friend/family, barriers of communication and optimizing cancer awareness. Patients’ awareness about common cancers and cancer risk factors was low. Many barriers for cancer screening were highlighted including stigmatization, fear, worry, death, lack of information, herbal medicine use, lack of resources and delay in diagnosis. Awareness strategies highlighted by participants included community outreach programs, house to house visits, opportunistic screening, engagement of community health care workers and the concept of a cancer hub centre. It is evident that there is a range of views from patients towards cancer and it is important to understand these perceptions to better guide public health interventions concerning cancer. This puts more focus on the need to invest more in information, education, and communication material for public c aigns that target a variety of people for a wider reach.
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 20-01-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0260900
Abstract: Overweight and obesity among high school students is a growing distress not only to the in idual wellbeing of a person but also to the productivity of communities and economic expense of both developed and developing nations. This study aimed to determine factors contributing to overweight and obesity among high school students in Kiribati through the perception of students. This qualitative study was conducted in four (4) randomly selected senior high schools on South Tarawa, Kiribati from August to November, 2020. A purposive s ling was used to select thirty-two (32) students enrolled into form levels 4–7. A semi-structured open-ended questionnaire was used for data collection using face-to-face in-depth interviews. Data was transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis method. This research revealed that the participants were 21 (65.6%) were females and 11 (34.4%) males from form levels four with 9 (28.1%) participants, five with 9 (28.1%) participants, and form seven with 14 (43.8%) participants. Five themes identified including determinants and prevention of overweight and obesity, education and health system factors, stigma, and being fat comes with high risk. These themes collectively elaborate on the essentials of overweight and obesity that are obtained from perspectives of students. A strong cultural belief and practice has caused misperception of overweight and obesity among students with knowledge-behavior gap recognized as the main reason behind the failure in lifestyle changes among adolescents. Strengthen healthy behavioral lifestyle, improve awareness, and support feasible preventative strategies is recommended to all students.
Publisher: Rural and Remote Health
Date: 10-06-2022
DOI: 10.22605/RRH6976
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 28-11-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0276805
Abstract: Early booking or registration into Antenatal Care (ANC) can be defined as initiation of ANC before 12 weeks of gestation and is important for the best health outcome of the mother and the baby. Delayed initiation of ANC has been linked to increased rate of maternal and fetal mortality. There is international consensus that ANC should begin within first trimester yet pregnant women delay initiation of ANC. Health Care Workers (HCWs) understanding of reasons for this can improve patient provider relationship. This study aims to explore the perception of the HCWs in Fiji towards early antenatal booking. A qualitative study was employed using four Focus-Group Discussions (FGDs)with the HCWs who provide health care service for pregnant women in Ba Mission Hospital (BMH) in 2020. Each group comprised of medical officers, mid-wives and registered nurse who were chosen purposively. A semi-structured open ended questionnaire was used to guide the discussion. Data was transcribed and analyzed manually using thematic content analysis using the following process: familiarization, coding, identifying themes, reviewing and refining, integration and interpretation. There was a total of 18 HCWs for the FGDs. The mean age of the participants was 37.4±11.8years. The three themes identified were: knowledge of HCWs on early booking, their perceived barriers and perceived enabling factors to early antenatal booking. The FGDs identified that the HCWs had adequate knowledge on early initiation of ANC and that there were a range of barriers to early initiation of ANC. The HCWs also suggested factors that could enable women to book early. Based on the study it can be concluded that the HCWs have a positive perception of early antenatal booking, however, there are various factors that contribute to delayed antenatal booking. The barriers to early ANC are both an opportunity and a challenge to strengthen and review the maternal services offered. The enabling factors should be reinforced from an in idual level to the health system and the general context. The implications of the barriers and enabling factors identified in this study is to implement evidence-based policies to improve early antenatal booking in Ba, Fiji.
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-10-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-021-07176-8
Abstract: Cervical cancer is the thirdly vast usual cause of cancer in women, and the second vast majority cause of death among women aged 14 to 44 years, both in developed and developing countries. This paper aims to explore the perception of women and Health Care Workers (HCWs) about health care related factors affecting the Pap smear services among women who are screened in the Women Wellness Centre (WWC) in Suva, Fiji. This study used a qualitative method in July–September 2019 in which women screened for cervical cancer used in–depth interviews whereas HCWs used Focus Group Discussion (FGD) in WWC in Suva, Fiji. This study used purposive maximum variation s ling where participants are selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Semi–structured open ended questionnaires were used to collect the data among participants. Data coding was done until theoretical saturation was reached. Thematic analysis was used and all the text has been coded, themes were abstracted from the coded text segments. A total of 20 women screened for cervical cancer and 5 HCWs were present during the duration of the study. Health care system was a factor recognized by both groups to have been a cause for the hindrance of cervical screening. There were 8 themes identified from the study, 3 themes from the women screened for cervical cancer and 5 from HCWs. Nearly all the participants reported about the compromised of cervical cancer screening services delivery because of factors such as lack of equipment and supplies, shortage of staff, long distances to health facilities, turnaround time and delay of results which affect the uptake of cervical cancer screening services. While improvement has been made in the distribution of cervical cancer screening in WWC, a number of barriers and factors affect service uptake and delivery. Investments to be made in order to address the identified barriers such as turnaround time, long distances to health facilities, shortage of supplies and staff in order to improve uptake of cervical cancer screening services.
Publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
Date: 21-01-2019
DOI: 10.12688/F1000RESEARCH.17732.1
Abstract: Background: In Kiribati, malnutrition is the leading cause of death for children aged less than 5 years. The purpose of this study was to explore contributing factors among mothers of malnourished children under 5 years old in Kiribati. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in an urban area of South Tarawa among mothers of malnourished children aged less than 5 years in 11 public health centers in 2016. The study included 9 focus group discussions, with a sub s le of 3 to 4 in each group, having a total of 35 participants. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, data was collected and thematic analysis was applied to analysis the data. Results: Seven main themes were identified including knowledge, behaviors, perceived severity, perceived benefits to action, perceived barriers and cultural related issues. These encompassed a variety of reasons which could explain the malnutrition in children of those particular mothers. Conclusion: In order to tackle malnutrition in Kiribati, it is crucial to identify the main factors that are hindering this preventable disease. This study provides information essential to enhanced decision making, health care delivery planning and has policy implications for the improvement of quality of health care in Kiribati.
Publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
Date: 09-04-2019
DOI: 10.12688/F1000RESEARCH.17732.2
Abstract: Background: In Kiribati, malnutrition is the leading cause of death for children aged less than 5 years. The purpose of this study was to explore contributing behavioral factors among mothers of malnourished children under 5 years old in Kiribati. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in an urban area of South Tarawa among mothers of malnourished children aged less than 5 years in 11 public health centers in 2016. The study included 9 focus group discussions, with a sub s le of 3 to 4 in each group, having a total of 35 participants. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, data was collected and thematic analysis was applied to analysis the data. Results: Seven main themes were identified including knowledge, behaviors, perceived severity, perceived benefits to action, perceived barriers and cultural related issues. These encompassed a variety of reasons which could explain the malnutrition in children of those particular mothers. Conclusion: In order to tackle malnutrition in Kiribati, it is crucial to identify the main factors that are hindering this preventable disease. This study provides information essential to enhanced decision making, health care delivery planning and has policy implications for the improvement of quality of health care in Kiribati.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 27-06-2023
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0287886
Abstract: Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) has had significant impact on dentistry in Fiji. Due to lack of previous study, this study aims to explore the perspective of Dental Officers (DOs) and Dental Managers (DMs) on the effects of COVID-19 on dental service delivery in Fiji Islands. This qualitative study was conducted amongst 30 DOs and 17 DMs between 9th August to 12th September, 2021. It was conducted in the government dental clinics, private dental clinics and the School of Dentistry and Oral Health clinic (SDOH), in the Central Division, Fiji. The study settings were randomly selected. Purposive s ling method was used for the selection of participants who met the study criteria. Semi-structure open ended questionnaires were used for data collection through in-depth interviews via zoom. Manual thematic analysis of the data was conducted to derive themes and codes. The participants interviewed for the study included more female DOs (66.7%) and male DMs (58.8%). Seven themes emerged from data analysis: range of services delivered, appointment versus walk-in patients for aerosol generating procedures (AGPs), impact of pandemic on clinic opening hours, impact of COVID-19 on patient numbers, quality of services delivered, resources and infrastructure, perceptions about the burden of disease. COVID-19 has significantly affected dental service delivery. Mostly emergency dental services were delivered. AGPs were delivered on appointment basis. Most participants stated the quality of services had improved. Participants stated that they were not given adequate resources and the infrastructure was not up to standard to provide dental services during the pandemic. The dental disease burden had increased during the pandemic as per the participants. Future research can be conducted amongst other dental professionals in other isions of the country.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 21-10-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12887-022-03665-9
Abstract: Childhood immunization has been globally recognized as the single most effective strategy in preventing childhood diseases and mortality. The perceptions of healthcare workers are important as their behavior and attitudes influence parental decision–making process. This research aimed to explore the factors that influence healthcare workers’ experience and perceptions about delivering childhood immunization in Fiji. A qualitative study was conducted in three randomly selected health centers in Suva, Fiji from March 1st to April 5th, 2021. Five focus group discussions were conducted with healthcare workers who were chosen purposively, had worked in the health center for at least 6 months and included either gender. Those that did not consent or did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. The interviews were guided by semi–structured open–ended questionnaire and were recorded into a digital voice recorder. The data were coded, sorted, and then categorized into themes, and transcribed onto Microsoft Word. Thematic analysis was utilized to sort the key phrases from the recorded interviews. There were a total of 22 participants for the focus group discussions, with their ages ranging from 25 to 51 years, included 3 medical officers, 1 nurse practitioner and 18 registered nurses. Three major themes emerged, which included: healthcare worker factors, parental factors and health system factors. Subthemes identified from the healthcare worker factors were worker knowledge and attitudes. The subtheme for parental factors that emerged were defaulters, parental attitudes, perceived behavior and religious beliefs. For health system factors the subthemes were service delivery, registration, infrastructure, staff turnover, staff training and changes to the immunization schedule. Some of the perceived barriers reported by the healthcare workers were parental religious beliefs, parental knowledge and attitude, social or physical factors (finances, transportation, childcare and work conflicts), access to health services, immunization services and policies, hours of operation, waiting time and missed opportunities. Health workers acknowledged that they have an important role to play in immunization as they are the source of information and motivation for parents. Further studies are needed to be conducted nationally to determine the perceptions of healthcare workers towards immunization and how the services can be improved on a national level.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 10-12-2022
DOI: 10.5539/GJHS.V14N2P8
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Given the characteristics of the adolescence life stage, the physical and social wellness dimensions remain a challenge. The aim of this study was to determine adolescent perceptions of physical and social wellness in secondary schools in Fiji. MATERIALS & METHODS: Four purposively selected secondary schools in Suva, Fiji were part of this qualitative cross sectional study in 2019. Fijian students enrolled into years 11 to 13 in the selected schools were invited to participate. Participants were purposively s led. Data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were generated through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 25. RESULTS: A total of 350 high school students, with the mean age of 17.5 (SD = & lusmn .9), participated in the study. The majority (48%) had very high scores for physical wellness and a fifth of the participants (28%) had low scores. In terms of social wellness, about a third (28.9%) scored low whilst the majority (40.3%) had high scores of social wellness. CONCLUSION: This study adds to the pool of knowledge for wellness increases chances of improvement in adolescent program development specifically in terms of physical and social wellness. Appropriate interventions are recommended to improve physical and social wellness in high school students in Fiji.
Publisher: JCFCorp SG PTE LTD
Date: 30-07-2019
Abstract: OBJECTIVE : This study aims to explore the perceptions and ex- periences of healthcare providers regarding the role of healthcare system factors on glycemic control among type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients in Fiji in 2018. METHODS : Nineteen healthcare providers (physicians and nurses) from three randomly selected urban healthcare centers in Suva, Fiji, were selected through purposive variation s ling to participate in three focus group discussions (FGDs). The participants in this study were healthcare providers working in diabetes clinics, and medical officers and nurse team leaders from the selected healthcare centers. The data were analyzed by means of thematic analysis using Attride-Stirling's thematic network analysis framework. RESULTS : The majority of the participants (52.6%) were nurses, most of them female (84.2%), with a mean age of 39 years (SD ±9.2). A large part of the participants had been working in the diabetes clinics for more than 5 years (52.6%) and had more than 10 years' experience (52.6%) in their current employment. Five main healthcare system factors that may affect glycemic control were identified during thematic analysis: 1. Healthcare workforce (shortage of staff, high workload). 2. Medicine, consumables, and equipment (regular stock-outs of basic diabetes medicines and consumables, poorly equipped diabetes clinics). 3. Service delivery (lack of effective diabetes service delivery, continuum of care). 4. Healthcare information system (inadequate, not fully functional, unreliable). 5. Infrastructure (lack of supportive diabetes clinic infrastructure and processes). CONCLUSIONS : Healthcare system factors influence glycemic control among T2D patients. Understanding these factors is important in order for healthcare providers to deliver an effective and efficient service for diabetes patients in Fiji.
Publisher: Pacific Society for Reproductive Health Charitable Trust
Date: 31-08-2018
Abstract: Background: There are more than two hundred million women in developing countries of childbearing age who do not use modern contraceptives but wish to avoid pregnancy. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Fiji remains moderately high at 2.6 children per woman. This survey was conducted to identify the fertility preferences of pregnant women attending the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) Antenatal Clinic, in Suva, Fiji Islands. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 2,203 pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic of CWMH in Suva between May 2014 and December 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Using purposive s ling, those who met the study inclusion criteria were asked to answer the questionnaire. The collected data was analysed using SPSS and descriptive statistical analysis and the results are shown in tables and graph format. Results: The majority of participants were aged 20 to 24 years old (36.3%) and more than two thirds of them were married (88.1%). Ninety-one percent of the participant’s partners were employed and 58.3% of them were living together for 0 to 4 years. Fifty one percent were 20 to 24 years at the time of first sexual intercourse. The best spacing time to wait between pregnancies was reported to be 3 years (37.4%), followed by 2 years (27.3%) and 4 years (12.8%). One third of participants (34.5%) preferred to have one child after this pregnancy. A majority of participants were planning to have 3 to 4 children (48.6%) when they were nulliparas. Importantly 50.3% of women did not want any more children after this pregnancy highlighting an unmet contraception need. Conclusion: The results of the study highlighted the fertility preference of pregnant women in Fiji and the factors affecting it. This study will give insights to decision makers to develop interventions based on the influencing factors which can affect promoting family planning among Fijian women.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 15-05-2021
DOI: 10.5539/GJHS.V13N7P1
Abstract: BACKGROUND: An outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), has influenced every aspect of life. Healthcare workers, especially dentists, are at a high risk of getting infected due to close contact with patients Aim: to identify factors that can affect the psychological health of dental professionals during the COVID & ndash 19 pandemic. METHOD: This systematic review was conducted for the full-text English articles focusing in the field of dentistry, specifically looking at the impact of COVID & ndash 19 on the psychological health of dental professionals, from January 1st 2020 to April 1st 2021. RESULTS: A total of 677 papers were retrieved, reduced to 136 following removal of duplicates. The abstracts were screened using the eligibility criteria, and 52 were found to match the criteria. After screening the full-text articles, 32 were excluded, resulting in a total of 20 studies. The significant findings and conclusions from these studies were extracted and grouped under themes. CONCLUSION: The 3 major factors responsible for affecting the psychological health of dental professionals during the COVID & ndash 19 pandemic include: fear of contagion, subjective overload, and perceived job insecurity and loss of income. There is a need for countries to enact measures that ensure positive mental wellbeing of dental professionals, so that they do not take any adverse action or decisions. Furthermore, should another pandemic or viral outbreak occur in the future, policies and strategies designed and implemented, will ensure dental professionals continue to deliver service without significant psychological distress.
Publisher: Canadian Center of Science and Education
Date: 03-01-2021
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Diarrhoea remains a serious health problem among children under five years (U5y) in the world. Though diarrhoea is a preventable disease, U5y are often at high risk to diarrhoea infection. OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictors of diarrhoeal disease among children U5y, in Mataniko informal settlements, in Honiara, Solomon Islands. METHODS: A prospective cross sectional study was conducted at three out of the six randomly selected Mataniko informal settlements situated along the Mataniko River corridor, in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Caregivers with children U5y were included in this study. A total of 205 caregivers being interviewed using a pre-tested survey questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, followed by binary logistic regression to explore the relationship between the investigated variables. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that 45.9% of all caregivers had reported that their U5y children had suffered with at least one episode of diarrhoea within the last 2 weeks prior to the study. Age of children, number of U5y children per caregiver, and fortnightly income level below $1500 (SBD) were significantly associated with under-five diarrhoea (p& .05). CONCLUSION: This study showed different factors which were associated with U5y diarrhoea in Solomon Islands. To address these exposures, relevant programmes and preventive strategies should be considered.
Publisher: Pacific Society for Reproductive Health Charitable Trust
Date: 20-08-2018
Abstract: IntroductionIn recent decades we have noted a marked increase in caesarean section (CS) rates in both developed anddeveloping countries. Institutional data indicate a rise in CS rates in Fiji however published data in thisregard is lacking. This study aims to estimate the prevalence and identify the characteristics of CS atColonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) in 2016.MethodologyThis is a retrospective audit of 1625 women who underwent CS at CWMH from 1st January 2016 to 31stDecember 2016. A data collection form was developed to collect data from the birth register book. Thedata collected included patients’ demographic characteristics, indication for CS, surgeon hierarchy, andwound check review. Data was analyzed using SPS and the results were presented in tables and graphs.ResultsOf the1625 CS patients who met the study criteria, the majority were I-Taukei (77% n=1148) and 20-34years old (60% n=887) and Primigravida (45.5%, n=739). Caesarean delivery was mostly performed bysenior registrar (n=1002 62%). Of 1625 CS 87.7% (n=1409) were emergency CS and 13.3% (n=216) wereelective CS. Fetal distress was found in 56% (n=911) of all CS cases. , followed by obstructed labour(15.6%) and foetus mal-presentation (13%). More than half of patients (n=537 59.0%) were considered asnon-reassuring for fetal distress. In obstructed labour group 81.1% (n=223) were first stage obstruction.Breech was most common mal-presentation (n=192 86%). The results of the study revealed that there wasa high compliance rate (n=1435 97%) of non-private CS mothers (n 1478) followed at CWMH for awound check following caesarean.ConclusionIn 2016 CWMH recorded it highest rate of CS births and while it just at the newly defineoptimum CS rate, it is part of a rising trend in CS rates in CWMH. In this respect there is aconcern that the majority of CS was done on first time mothers with at least secondary leveleducation, this trend as this would suggest an ongoing trend to increasing CS rates. There is aneed to define fetal distress and arrested labour amongst these women to reduce unnecessary CS.Further studies are needed to explore the impact of this CS rate on hospital budget and resourcesand therefore the implications of a rising trend.
Publisher: Sciencedomain International
Date: 19-12-2018
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1177/20552076231159191
Abstract: This research aims to explore the perception of dental officers (DOs) and dental managers (DMs) on the use of teledentistry and digital platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji. This qualitative study was conducted among 30 DOs and 17 DMs. The study was conducted in private dental clinics, government dental clinics and the School of Dentistry and Oral Health clinic (SDOH), in the Central Division, Fiji that were selected randomly. The participants were selected using the purposive s ling method using the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data was collected through in-depth interviews via zoom using a self-developed semi-structure open-ended interview questionnaire. Manual thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Five themes emerged from data analysis: utilization of teledentistry and media during the pandemic, usefulness of teledentistry, confidence with teledentistry and digital platforms-associated risks, digital platforms for record keeping, and teledentistry promotion and training. Teledentistry was mostly utilized by private practitioners and the oral surgery department. Practitioners were not in favour of teledentistry as they thought it was putting them at risk. Majority of DOs and DMs were not utilizing teledentistry except for a few private dental practitioners and the oral surgery department. Future research can be conducted in other isions and include other healthcare professionals.
Publisher: Medwin Publishers
Date: 2017
Publisher: OMICS Publishing Group
Date: 2018
Publisher: MedCrave Group, LLC
Date: 19-09-2017
Publisher: Research Square Platform LLC
Date: 28-07-2020
DOI: 10.21203/RS.3.RS-47923/V1
Abstract: Background Diabetes is a global health problem reaching pandemic proportions. In Fiji, diabetes has a prevalence rate of 15.6% in 2011which is estimated to rise to 19.3% in 2020. The aim of this study was to determine the proportion of poor glycaemic control level and its determinants among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods This retrospective study was conducted in three selected health centres in Suva, Fiji with the following inclusion criteria: adult T2DM ≥ 18 years old registered during 2011 to 2016 on treatment for 1year had 4 clinic visits and had a recent HbA1c result in 2017. Logistic regression analysis was performed and p 0.05 considered as significant. Results There were 200 female (59.2%) and 138 male (40.8%) T2DM patients in this study with a mean age of 56.5 years ( SD = ± 9.9). Most of T2DM patients have poorly controlled random blood sugar (RBS), 67.1% and fasting blood sugar (FBS), 63.0%. Two-thirds (65.4%) had associated medical conditions. The proportion of poor glycaemic control (HbA1c 7%) was 77.2%. Mean HbA1c was 8.6% (± 2.04). RBS, FBS, cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significant ( p 0.05) determinants of poor glycaemic control. Conclusions Health care workers dealing with T2DM patients should consider the clinical determinants of poor glycaemic control for a more effective diabetes management.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-06-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-022-08136-6
Abstract: Edentulism is a state of having no teeth in the oral cavity, an irreversible condition popularly known as the marker of disease burden on the oral health. For edentulous patients (EDPs) Complete Denture Prostheses (CDP) is a means to improve oral health. Due to limited studies in this area, this research aimed to explore the challenges faced by the EDPs during CDP service delivery in Fiji. A directed descriptive qualitative study was conducted among EDPs attending Dental Prosthetic Clinics (DPCs) at the four centres in Fiji under purposive s ling. A semi-structured questionnaire with open ended questions was used for in-depth interview with EDPs who had worn CDP for 1 year via telephone. Participant responses were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed manually using thematic analysis. A total of 30 EDPs participated in the study. Six themes were identified as challenges faced by the EDPs during CDP service delivery in Fiji: lack of information, non-compliance, overwhelmed by illness, reduction on quality of life (QoL) financial barriers to CDP treatment care and personal acceptance. 77% of EDPs felt they did not receive adequate information on CDP when attending DPCs which indicated the non-compliance nature irrespective of using and cleaning CDP on a daily basis. The Dental Professionals (DPs) at the DPCs gave their full support in attending to the CDP challenges faced by the EDPs in Fiji during the review clinics. The EDPs expressed a variety of challenges that was faced while seeking appropriate CDP services in Fiji. The findings demonstrate the need to explore approaches to develop patients’ engagement practices during CDP service delivery by the Dental professionals (DPs), which leads to effective oral health promotion in Fiji for CDP wearers.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2023
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-07-2021
Abstract: From a clinical perspective, effective and efficient communication is part of a strategy to ensure doctors are providing high-quality care to their patients. Despite the positive impact of effective doctor–patient communication on health outcomes, limited information is available on this in Fiji. This study was carried out to determine the current patients’ perception of doctors’ communication behaviour and identify factors affecting the doctor–patient communication in Fiji. This mixed-method study was conducted in the outpatient setting of three randomly selected health centres in the Suva Sub ision, Fiji. For the quantitative phase, systematic random s ling was used to select the 375 participants who completed the structured questionnaire of those, 20 participants were selected for the qualitative interview. From the patients’ perception, 45.6% of them perceived doctors’ communication behaviour as good, 53.6% as fair, and 0.8% as poor communication behaviour. Qualitative findings highlight factors such as the attitude of the doctors, their approach, their interaction with the patients, and them providing an explanation as important factors during doctor–patient communication. In Fiji, the majority of patients perceived doctors’ communication behaviour as fair to good and the doctors’ skills were important for effective doctor–patient communication. This study highlighted the importance of doctor–patient communication and suggested that doctors might not be practicing patient-centred care and communication thus, they need to upgrade their patient-centred communication skills.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 18-10-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-022-08620-Z
Abstract: Reviewing job satisfaction is crucial as it has an impact on a person’s physical and mental wellbeing, as well as leading to a better organizational commitment of employees that enhances the organizations succession and progress as well as better staff retention. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of job satisfaction amongst Dental Health Professionals (DHPs) in Fiji and associated factors. This study used a phenomenological qualitative method approach commencing from August to November, 2021. The target group for this study were the DHPs who provide prosthetic services. This study was conducted among DHPs from 4 purposively selected clinics in Fiji. A semi- structured open-ended questionnaire was used to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to transcribe and analyze the audio qualitative data collected from the interviews. Twenty-nine DHPs took part in the in-depth interview and the responses were grouped into three themes. The findings from the study indicate that DHPs are most satisfied with their teamwork and the relationship they have with their colleagues and co-workers, followed by the nature of the work and the supervision they received. The participants indicated that they were less satisfied with professional development opportunities and least satisfied with their pay and organizational support they receive. The results of this study have identified gaps and areas for improvement of job satisfaction for DHPs who provide prosthetic services in Fiji such as need for more career and professional development pathways, improved infrastructure to support prosthetic service delivery in Fiji and improve remuneration for DHPs. Understanding the factors that affect satisfaction levels and being able to act accordingly are likely to lead to positive outcomes both for DHPs and their organization.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 02-07-2019
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 04-08-2022
DOI: 10.1177/09720634221114671
Abstract: To identify challenges faced by dental interns in the workforce and to suggest Pacific Island Countries (PIC) on further research in this area. A comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, Scopus and ProQuest databases was conducted using relevant keywords. All studies, published from 1st January 2000 to 31st January 2021, were taken into consideration. Removal of duplicates and screening the full-text articles using eligibility criteria were used to finalise the number of articles. The significant findings and conclusions were extracted and grouped under themes. A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria, involving dental interns, medical interns, postgraduate and undergraduate. Five themes were identified as the main challenges faced by dental interns in the workplace including workplace bullying, handling medical emergencies, community placement, lack of interdisciplinary approach and poor record keeping. There is a need for PIC to conduct research and surveys, to identify the challenges its dental interns may be facing. This will create an ideal foundation from which strategies and initiatives can be implemented and enforced in the dental internship programme. Ensuring that oral health services are delivered efficiently and oral status of the Pacific is not compromised.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 10-05-2021
DOI: 10.3389/FPUBH.2021.671197
Abstract: Background: Adolescent population face a number of health concerns which calls for objective and comprehensive assessment of their wellness during their critical development phase. This study aimed to determine adolescent wellness and its predictors amongst adolescents in secondary schools in Fiji. Methods: This quantitative cross sectional study was conducted in four purposively selected schools in Suva and the greater Suva area, Fiji, between August and September, 2019. Students of Fijian nationality, enrolled into years 11-13 in the selected schools were purposively selected. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on four dimensions of wellness including physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. Spearman's Rho correlation was conducted to test for associations. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were applied to analyze the data by the SPSS software version 25. A p -value & 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 350 students participated in the study. Mean raw scores for wellness dimensions were as follows: physical = 51 (out of 60), psychological = 63 (out of 80), social = 42 (out of 50), and spiritual = 34 (out of 40). For overall wellness, two significant differences were observed: students of Fijian Itaukei descent (193.68 ± 14.2) and participants with a family income of $40,000-50,000 (199.08 ± 12.60) ( p = 0.04) had a higher overall wellness score. There were three significant differences observed for psychological wellness dimension Fijians of Indian descent (64.68 ± 9.30), participants enrolled into year 13 (64.68 ± 9.30) and those with a family income of $40,000-50,000 had higher psychological score. For social wellness, a significant difference was observed: Itaukei participants had higher scores (43.34 ± 4.42) when compared to other ethnic groups ( p & 0.05). In terms of spiritual wellness, a significant difference was observed for ethnicity: Itaukei participants had a higher mean score (35.59 ± 4.26) when compared to other ethnic groups ( p & 0.05). Strong correlations were observed for all dimensions of wellness. Conclusions: Findings of this study highlighted different factors affecting adolescents' wellness in Fiji. It is recommended that health education and awareness program be carried out for developing adolescent wellness by considering these factors. It is also recommended that parental and family support are provided to adolescents.
Publisher: Science Publishing Group
Date: 2017
Location: Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Location: Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Masoud Mohammadnezhad.