Pub Date : 2023-08-12DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2023.2244561
Ricky Soong, E. Bradford, Kenneth B Yeh, G. Olinger
{"title":"Using a Target Product Profile (TPP) to guide innovation for future In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) developments in the United States","authors":"Ricky Soong, E. Bradford, Kenneth B Yeh, G. Olinger","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2023.2244561","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2023.2244561","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74709625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-21DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2023.2223601
Bawa Singh, Sandeep Singh, J. Kaur, Kulwinder Singh, Abdul Wasi Popalzay
{"title":"Conflict and social determinants of health: would global health diplomacy resolve the Afghanistan healthcare conundrum?","authors":"Bawa Singh, Sandeep Singh, J. Kaur, Kulwinder Singh, Abdul Wasi Popalzay","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2023.2223601","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2023.2223601","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88404463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-05-28DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2023.2213752
S. Hinjoy, Royce Tsukayama, Jintana Sriwongsa, D. Kingnate, S. Damrongwatanapokin, Wattana Masunglong, Pitchapa Kleeblumjeak, Walaiporn Jiaranairungroj, K. Limpakarnjanarat, Sura Wisedsak
{"title":"Working beyond health: roles of global health security agenda, experiences of Thailand’s chairmanship amidst of the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"S. Hinjoy, Royce Tsukayama, Jintana Sriwongsa, D. Kingnate, S. Damrongwatanapokin, Wattana Masunglong, Pitchapa Kleeblumjeak, Walaiporn Jiaranairungroj, K. Limpakarnjanarat, Sura Wisedsak","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2023.2213752","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2023.2213752","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"104 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75665196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-09-16DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2022.2124185
R. Sah, B. Padhi, Abdelmonem Siddiq, A. Abdelaal, A. Reda, Basant Ismail Lashin, A. Mohanty, Najim Z. Alshahrani, A. Rodríguez-Morales
ABSTRACT Monkeypox (MPX) was a rare endemic disease in western and central Africa. In 1970, the first detected case of human MPX was reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it was detected outside Africa in 2003. Currently, there are about 31,799 confirmed MPX cases which led the WHO to declare the disease a public health emergency of international concern which is considered the seventh deceleration by the WHO between 2009 and 2022. Herein, we aim to review the history behind the outbreak of the disease, its mode of transmission, and the target of WHO deceleration, while providing recommendations for disease prevention. The disease is prevalent mostly in the United States with a total case number of 10,676 which is considered a high-risk country. Meanwhile, other countries are at moderate risk. The disease can be transmitted directly through contact with different body fluids, infectious lesions, or sexual activity. We conclude that there should be high public awareness to stop the transmission of the disease. In addition, there is a great need to follow the instructions provided by public health institutions since vaccines, till now, are available only for high-risk populations secondary to their shortage.
{"title":"Public Health Emergency of International Concern declared by the World Health Organization for Monkeypox","authors":"R. Sah, B. Padhi, Abdelmonem Siddiq, A. Abdelaal, A. Reda, Basant Ismail Lashin, A. Mohanty, Najim Z. Alshahrani, A. Rodríguez-Morales","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2022.2124185","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2022.2124185","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Monkeypox (MPX) was a rare endemic disease in western and central Africa. In 1970, the first detected case of human MPX was reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it was detected outside Africa in 2003. Currently, there are about 31,799 confirmed MPX cases which led the WHO to declare the disease a public health emergency of international concern which is considered the seventh deceleration by the WHO between 2009 and 2022. Herein, we aim to review the history behind the outbreak of the disease, its mode of transmission, and the target of WHO deceleration, while providing recommendations for disease prevention. The disease is prevalent mostly in the United States with a total case number of 10,676 which is considered a high-risk country. Meanwhile, other countries are at moderate risk. The disease can be transmitted directly through contact with different body fluids, infectious lesions, or sexual activity. We conclude that there should be high public awareness to stop the transmission of the disease. In addition, there is a great need to follow the instructions provided by public health institutions since vaccines, till now, are available only for high-risk populations secondary to their shortage.","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"85 1","pages":"51 - 56"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73131269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-27DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2022.2103446
Kyle A. Msall, Noor Lary
ABSTRACT This study explores the relationship between extremist propaganda and the process of radicalisation. Two theories of the radicalisation process are explored which include a linear approach and a non-linear approach. The Dabiq magazines published by ISIS were analysed qualitatively to understand the possible link between propaganda and radicalising future ISIS fighters. The findings found that the Dabiq magazines were in line with Sageman’s radicalisation process which is non-linear. All of the magazine issues contained various aspects that fit into the four stages of Sageman’s model which suggests that ISIS is attempting to radicalise future enlistments by using multiple methods within the Dabiq issues.
{"title":"A link between radicalisation models and extremist propaganda","authors":"Kyle A. Msall, Noor Lary","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2022.2103446","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2022.2103446","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study explores the relationship between extremist propaganda and the process of radicalisation. Two theories of the radicalisation process are explored which include a linear approach and a non-linear approach. The Dabiq magazines published by ISIS were analysed qualitatively to understand the possible link between propaganda and radicalising future ISIS fighters. The findings found that the Dabiq magazines were in line with Sageman’s radicalisation process which is non-linear. All of the magazine issues contained various aspects that fit into the four stages of Sageman’s model which suggests that ISIS is attempting to radicalise future enlistments by using multiple methods within the Dabiq issues.","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"1 1","pages":"44 - 50"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91347491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-07-27DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2022.2102527
Kenneth B Yeh, Eric Du, G. Olinger, Donna S. Boston
ABSTRACT Biotechnology is gaining priority along with other rapidly evolving disciplines in science and engineering due to its potential for innovating the modern military. The broad nature of biotechnology is directly relevant to the military and defence sector where the applications span clinical diagnostics, medical countermeasures and therapeutics, to environmental remediation and biofuels for energy. Although the process for a commercial biotech research and development (R&D) pipeline and the Department of Defence (DOD) acquisition cycle both aim to result in products, they follow two distinctly different pathways. In the biotech industry, the pipeline progresses from basic to applied science that includes design and R&D, commercialisation and product launch, where market forces and financial returns on investment drive priorities. Along the way, the scientific and iterative nature of R&D often results in several candidates for a given assay, drug, therapeutic or vaccine, many of which are unsuccessful or wind up in the so-called valley of death. The DOD acquisition process is a multi-phase and often multi-decade cradle-to-grave product lifecycle engrained in mission requirements, warfighter needs and creating legacy programmes of record. The biotech industry is composed of many small R&D and ‘big pharma’ companies that meet DOD’s unique medical mission requirements. These small R&D companies considered that non-traditional DOD acquisition partners are developing new innovations in biotechnology, but the complex DOD acquisition process is challenging for these small start-ups to navigate. Technology solutions that gain support through DOD acquisitions are able to successfully develop their products and bridge the valley of death by obtaining much needed funding for advanced development, test and evaluation, and demonstration through clinical trials. Our analysis profiles three case histories involving private-public partnerships that yielded biotech products developed through the DOD acquisition cycle that continues to meet current and future medical mission requirements.
{"title":"Biotechnology and Biodefense Enterprise: An Industry Perspective on Defence Acquisition","authors":"Kenneth B Yeh, Eric Du, G. Olinger, Donna S. Boston","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2022.2102527","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2022.2102527","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Biotechnology is gaining priority along with other rapidly evolving disciplines in science and engineering due to its potential for innovating the modern military. The broad nature of biotechnology is directly relevant to the military and defence sector where the applications span clinical diagnostics, medical countermeasures and therapeutics, to environmental remediation and biofuels for energy. Although the process for a commercial biotech research and development (R&D) pipeline and the Department of Defence (DOD) acquisition cycle both aim to result in products, they follow two distinctly different pathways. In the biotech industry, the pipeline progresses from basic to applied science that includes design and R&D, commercialisation and product launch, where market forces and financial returns on investment drive priorities. Along the way, the scientific and iterative nature of R&D often results in several candidates for a given assay, drug, therapeutic or vaccine, many of which are unsuccessful or wind up in the so-called valley of death. The DOD acquisition process is a multi-phase and often multi-decade cradle-to-grave product lifecycle engrained in mission requirements, warfighter needs and creating legacy programmes of record. The biotech industry is composed of many small R&D and ‘big pharma’ companies that meet DOD’s unique medical mission requirements. These small R&D companies considered that non-traditional DOD acquisition partners are developing new innovations in biotechnology, but the complex DOD acquisition process is challenging for these small start-ups to navigate. Technology solutions that gain support through DOD acquisitions are able to successfully develop their products and bridge the valley of death by obtaining much needed funding for advanced development, test and evaluation, and demonstration through clinical trials. Our analysis profiles three case histories involving private-public partnerships that yielded biotech products developed through the DOD acquisition cycle that continues to meet current and future medical mission requirements.","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"30 1","pages":"37 - 43"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77125669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-05DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2022.2069142
Hassan Farhat, J. Laughton, P. Gangaram, Kawther El Aifa, Mohamed Chaker Khenissi, Ouissem Zaghouani, M. Khadhraoui, I. Gargouri, Guillaume Alinier
ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine whether the Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service (HMCAS) personnel fulfil the pre-hospital readiness requirements for hazardous material and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (HazMat-CBRN) incidents. This cross-sectional study performed an online assessment of non-specialist paramedics’ behaviour and knowledge about HazMat-CBRN incident management, followed by a ‘HazMat-CBRN incident management’ course with pre-and post-activity assessments. The validity and reliability of the knowledge assessment questions were also tested. The pre-and-post course assessement responses revealed certain deficiencies in staff knowledge. The multiple linear regression and paired groups t-test demonstrated that this was rectified after the training intervention. The results indicate that the implemented course helped HMCAS staff acquire a satisfactory level of knowledge to ensure their readiness for safe and effective responses to potential HazMat-CBRN incidents in Qatar.
{"title":"Hazardous material and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incident readiness among prehospital care professionals in the State of Qatar","authors":"Hassan Farhat, J. Laughton, P. Gangaram, Kawther El Aifa, Mohamed Chaker Khenissi, Ouissem Zaghouani, M. Khadhraoui, I. Gargouri, Guillaume Alinier","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2022.2069142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2022.2069142","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine whether the Hamad Medical Corporation Ambulance Service (HMCAS) personnel fulfil the pre-hospital readiness requirements for hazardous material and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (HazMat-CBRN) incidents. This cross-sectional study performed an online assessment of non-specialist paramedics’ behaviour and knowledge about HazMat-CBRN incident management, followed by a ‘HazMat-CBRN incident management’ course with pre-and post-activity assessments. The validity and reliability of the knowledge assessment questions were also tested. The pre-and-post course assessement responses revealed certain deficiencies in staff knowledge. The multiple linear regression and paired groups t-test demonstrated that this was rectified after the training intervention. The results indicate that the implemented course helped HMCAS staff acquire a satisfactory level of knowledge to ensure their readiness for safe and effective responses to potential HazMat-CBRN incidents in Qatar.","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"431 1","pages":"24 - 36"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82869485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-15DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2022.2047092
Diana Aguirre, Casey Perez, Edwin K Burkett
ABSTRACT Social determinants of health are an important aspect of improving health outcomes. Militaries have deployed global health engagement activities to meet security objectives from peacetime through post-conflict. Two frameworks, the Social Model of Health and the U.S. Institute of Peace Strategic Framework for Stabilisation and Reconstruction, have similarities and are reviewed in this paper. Drawing similarities between the two presents opportunities for targeted, well-planned global health engagement activities that may bring stronger health outcomes. Military global health efforts must work with civil affairs experts and civilian partners within the host nation health context to target the most amenable social determinants of health elements that may enhance security and stability in that society.
{"title":"Stability, security, and the social determinants of health","authors":"Diana Aguirre, Casey Perez, Edwin K Burkett","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2022.2047092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2022.2047092","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Social determinants of health are an important aspect of improving health outcomes. Militaries have deployed global health engagement activities to meet security objectives from peacetime through post-conflict. Two frameworks, the Social Model of Health and the U.S. Institute of Peace Strategic Framework for Stabilisation and Reconstruction, have similarities and are reviewed in this paper. Drawing similarities between the two presents opportunities for targeted, well-planned global health engagement activities that may bring stronger health outcomes. Military global health efforts must work with civil affairs experts and civilian partners within the host nation health context to target the most amenable social determinants of health elements that may enhance security and stability in that society.","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"23 1","pages":"13 - 23"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79303660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-13DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2022.2038035
M. R. Hollman, J. Pearce
ABSTRACT Terrorists have worked directly with tobacco companies and used tobacco sales to fund traditional terrorist activities. This familiarity with tobacco, coupled with the high mortality rate of tobacco indicates terrorists may use tobacco investing as a means of covert legal killings (CLK), which refers to the terrorist intention of mass killing in a targeted group using legal means. To provide insight into tobacco investors’ motives this study 1) quantifies annual death rate for leading mortality-causing industries in America.; 2) identifies eight companies responsible for the highest CLK; 3) compares investment returns for eight high-mortality companies to the S&P 500 from 2009 to 2019 to determine if tobacco is the most likely target for terrorist-based CLK. The top three highest mortality rate companies and thus best CLK investments from a terrorist perspective were tobacco companies: Altria Group Inc., Reynolds America Inc., and Imperial Brands. Together, these tobacco companies are responsible for >436,800 American premature deaths/year, yet tobacco investments performed worse than the S&P500 over the last decade. It is clear that for CLK investors, tobacco is the most efficient means of investing to kill Americans. Questionable tobacco investor intentionality, combined with the recent advancement in CLK theory makes it reasonable to assume that some tobacco investors are terrorists using their wealth to specifically target and kill Americans. To determine how widespread this practice is, future work is needed to evaluate CLK tobacco investors against the Terrorist Screening Database.
{"title":"Investing to kill: return on investment of tobacco companies compared to high-mortality and neutral industries","authors":"M. R. Hollman, J. Pearce","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2022.2038035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2022.2038035","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Terrorists have worked directly with tobacco companies and used tobacco sales to fund traditional terrorist activities. This familiarity with tobacco, coupled with the high mortality rate of tobacco indicates terrorists may use tobacco investing as a means of covert legal killings (CLK), which refers to the terrorist intention of mass killing in a targeted group using legal means. To provide insight into tobacco investors’ motives this study 1) quantifies annual death rate for leading mortality-causing industries in America.; 2) identifies eight companies responsible for the highest CLK; 3) compares investment returns for eight high-mortality companies to the S&P 500 from 2009 to 2019 to determine if tobacco is the most likely target for terrorist-based CLK. The top three highest mortality rate companies and thus best CLK investments from a terrorist perspective were tobacco companies: Altria Group Inc., Reynolds America Inc., and Imperial Brands. Together, these tobacco companies are responsible for >436,800 American premature deaths/year, yet tobacco investments performed worse than the S&P500 over the last decade. It is clear that for CLK investors, tobacco is the most efficient means of investing to kill Americans. Questionable tobacco investor intentionality, combined with the recent advancement in CLK theory makes it reasonable to assume that some tobacco investors are terrorists using their wealth to specifically target and kill Americans. To determine how widespread this practice is, future work is needed to evaluate CLK tobacco investors against the Terrorist Screening Database.","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"2010 1","pages":"7 - 12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74306580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-01-24DOI: 10.1080/23779497.2021.2023321
Fred Tusabe, Maureen Kesande, A. Amir, Olivia Iannone, R. Ayebare, J. Nanyondo
ABSTRACT Hospital and community-acquired infections are escalating and pose significant public health unhealthiness worldwide. The advancements of telemedicine and automation of healthcare records are supported by cellphones, laptops and wearable devices. This study focused on the incidence of healthcare workers’ mobile phones becoming contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and their possible roles as vehicles of transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. A case study at two referral hospitals in Uganda between May and October 2020. Self-administered questionnaires were administered to participants after informed consent. Mobile phones of the participants in different departments of the hospitals were swabbed and samples were collected and transported to the microbiology laboratory for bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility tests. The point prevalence of Healthcare workers’ mobile phone bacterial contamination with one or more species was 93%. Organisms isolated were E. coli 5.6% (1), Micrococcus spp 11.1% (2), Coagulase-negative staphylococci, CoNS, 61.1% (11) and Bacillus spp 22.2% (4). About 45% of the organisms were multidrug-resistant. Resistance was major to penicillin, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin, respectively. The isolated E. coli was resistant to all antibiotics used in the study. Only 15% (2) of the participants disinfected their phones at least once a week and 8% cleaned their hands after using a mobile phone. Healthcare Workers’ mobile phones can act as fomites for the transmission of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. This study provides strong evidence for developing and strengthening disinfection protocols for mobile phones and does not underscore the importance of hand hygiene in the middle of a patient encounter especially when the HCW grabs a phone but doesn’t re-clean their hands before patient contact. Abbreviations: MDR, Multidrug-resistant; WHO, World Health Organization; IPC, infection prevention and control; HHC, hand hygiene compliance; JMEDICC, Joint Mobile Emerging Disease Intervention Clinical Capability
{"title":"Bacterial contamination of healthcare worker’s mobile phones: a case study at two referral hospitals in Uganda","authors":"Fred Tusabe, Maureen Kesande, A. Amir, Olivia Iannone, R. Ayebare, J. Nanyondo","doi":"10.1080/23779497.2021.2023321","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/23779497.2021.2023321","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Hospital and community-acquired infections are escalating and pose significant public health unhealthiness worldwide. The advancements of telemedicine and automation of healthcare records are supported by cellphones, laptops and wearable devices. This study focused on the incidence of healthcare workers’ mobile phones becoming contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and their possible roles as vehicles of transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. A case study at two referral hospitals in Uganda between May and October 2020. Self-administered questionnaires were administered to participants after informed consent. Mobile phones of the participants in different departments of the hospitals were swabbed and samples were collected and transported to the microbiology laboratory for bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility tests. The point prevalence of Healthcare workers’ mobile phone bacterial contamination with one or more species was 93%. Organisms isolated were E. coli 5.6% (1), Micrococcus spp 11.1% (2), Coagulase-negative staphylococci, CoNS, 61.1% (11) and Bacillus spp 22.2% (4). About 45% of the organisms were multidrug-resistant. Resistance was major to penicillin, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin and Gentamicin, respectively. The isolated E. coli was resistant to all antibiotics used in the study. Only 15% (2) of the participants disinfected their phones at least once a week and 8% cleaned their hands after using a mobile phone. Healthcare Workers’ mobile phones can act as fomites for the transmission of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. This study provides strong evidence for developing and strengthening disinfection protocols for mobile phones and does not underscore the importance of hand hygiene in the middle of a patient encounter especially when the HCW grabs a phone but doesn’t re-clean their hands before patient contact. Abbreviations: MDR, Multidrug-resistant; WHO, World Health Organization; IPC, infection prevention and control; HHC, hand hygiene compliance; JMEDICC, Joint Mobile Emerging Disease Intervention Clinical Capability","PeriodicalId":32212,"journal":{"name":"Global Security Health Science and Policy","volume":"12 1","pages":"1 - 6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86771747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：