Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines最新文献

Introduction: Intestinal parasite infections (IPIs) remain a significant public health concern, particularly in developing countries, where they disproportionately affect vulnerable populations such as prison inmates. Despite their high prevalence globally, many intestinal parasites are still neglected in research and control efforts. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and intensity of intestinal parasite infections, evaluate the performance of diagnostic methods, and identify associated factors of intestinal parasite infection among inmates of Hossana prison.

Method: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Hossana Prison from March to July 2023. A total of 421 inmates were enrolled using a systematic random sampling technique. Data on socio-demographics and determinants were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Faecal samples were examined using direct wet mount, Kato-Katz, and formol-ether concentration techniques. SPSS was used for data analysis. Logistic regression analysis with adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% CI was used to assess the associations of independent variables with intestinal parasitic infections.

Results: The composite prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among inmates was 35.6%, with most soil-transmitted helminth infections of light intensity. The frequently detected parasites were Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, Giardia lamblia, and the hookworms. The formol-ether concentration technique (FECT) demonstrated higher sensitivity for detecting soil-transmitted helminths compared to other techniques. Factors significantly associated with intestinal parasitic infections included informal education (AOR = 3.06; 95% CI: 1.01-8.17; p = 0.049), occasional handwashing after using the toilet (AOR = 3.65; 95% CI: 2.65-5.12; p = 0.001) or before eating (AOR = 6.72; 95% CI: 2.44-18.55; p = 0.001), not trimming fingernails (AOR = 3.24; 95% CI: 1.24-8.46; p = 0.016), sleeping in groups (AOR = 4.34; 95% CI: 2.16-9.18; p = 0.001), and lack of prior health education on intestinal parasitic infections (AOR = 6.21; 95% CI: 3.93-10.94; p = 0.001).

Conclusion: The moderate prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among Hossana prison inmates is concerning, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. These should focus on improving sanitation and hygiene practices, providing regular health screenings and prompt treatment, modifying sleeping habits, maintaining personal hygiene, and offering health education on intestinal parasitic infection prevention strategies to reduce the spread of infections within the incarcerated population.

Background: Schistosomiasis causes significant morbidity in over 78 countries, including Ghana. In females, untreated urogenital schistosomiasis can progress to female genital schistosomiasis (FGS), with focal prevalence ranging from 11% to 73% in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This condition poses complex challenges for healthcare professionals. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare workers (HCWs) regarding FGS in two schistosomiasis-endemic districts in Ghana.

Methods: A cross-sectional mixed-method study was conducted in 36 health facilities, involving 252 HCWs from the Lower Manya-Krobo (LMK) and Shai Osudoku (SOD) districts. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) models with Huber-White robust standard errors in Stata 18. Additionally, 38 purposively selected HCWs were interviewed, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically (NVivo 20). A joint display analysis was used to integrate findings.

Results: HCWs in SOD had significantly higher knowledge scores (M = 55.9, SD = 9.8) than those in LMK (M = 41.4, SD = 17.1; t (250) = - 8.25, p < 0.001), while attitudes or practices did not differ significantly between districts. Robust regression analysis showed knowledge was higher among HCWs with > 5 years of practice (β = 7.21, 95% CI: 3.34-11.08, p < 0.001), general nurses β = 10.59, 95% CI: 5.07-16.12, p < 0.001) and midwives (β = 13.92, 95% CI: 7.46-20.38, p < 0.001); attitudes were lower in clinical settings compared to public health settings (β = - 7.08, 95% CI: - 9.63 to - 4.53, p < 0.001); and practices were among general nurses (β = 9.58, 95% CI: 4.84-14.33, p < 0.001) and midwives (β = 12.48, 95% CI: 7.35-17.61, p < 0.001) but lower among diploma holders (β = - 9.90, 95% CI: - 14.71 to - 5.09, p < 0.001) in clinical settings (β = - 5.96, 95% CI: - 9.49 to - 2.43, p = 0.001). Only 4.8% of HCWs in LMK and 9.5% in SOD reported facility capacity to diagnose and manage FGS. Qualitative findings confirmed a lack of FGS-specific interventions, including clinical guidelines and facility-level support.

Conclusion: Substantial gaps exist in HCWs' KAP and readiness to manage FGS, exacerbated by systemic deficiencies in training, and resources. Addressing these gaps requires integration FGS in regular in-service training for frontline HCWs; improved diagnostic and treatment capacity; ensure the availability of resources and tools; and strengthened district-level supervision to facilities.