Awareness,attitude, and distribution of high blood pressure among health professionals

BackgroundBP control is suboptimal Worldwide. Little is known about attitudes of health professionals toward their BP status.AimTo estimate awareness, attitudes, and distribution of blood pressure among health professionals.Study designProspective cross-sectional survey.MethodsStudy was conducted among health professionals in two tertiary hospitals in Riyadh, KSA during December 2010. Socio-demographics, risk factors for high BP, awareness, and adherence to treatment were recorded.ResultsSix hundred and seventy-two subjects, 66.6% females, mean age 36.2 + 13.9 years. Prevalence of Hypertension (HTN) was 28%. 114 (60.6%) patients had self reported HTN in HTN group while 74 (11%) of total study population, were not aware that they have HTN which was detected on screening. Stress and lack of formal exercise were prevalent risk factors for HTN, present in 44.1% and 36.1%, of patients, respectively, while obesity was present in 19.4%. Many participants were not aware of recently recommended target value of blood pressure. 22.3% patients were irregular for their follow-up. 12.2% patients were not adherent to the treatment. Isolated systolic hypertension was more common in men. A point of serious concern was that relatively young health professionals, who were not known to be hypertensive did not monitor their BP, found to have HTN.ConclusionSuboptimal awareness and lack of adherence to the treatment for BP among health professionals is of serious concern, for increased chances of cardiovascular events. Physical exercise, correction of obesity and compliance with treatment may reduce the risk of HTN-related adverse outcome in this special subset of the population.     

新疆生产建设兵团育龄妇女叶酸知识知晓情况调查

目的:了解新疆生产建设兵团育龄妇女叶酸知识知晓情况。方法:采取整群分层、四阶段、概率比例抽样方法随机抽样,共调查育龄妇女7333人;对影响兵团育龄妇女叶酸知晓率的因素进行单因素和非条件Logistic逐步回归分析。结果:兵团育龄妇女的叶酸知晓率为31.37%;居住在师直、年龄25～34岁、汉族、受教育程度高、已婚、从事非农业、家庭年收入高、经常看书报杂志、近2年收到过生殖健康宣传材料的妇女叶酸知晓率高。结论:应积极采取叶酸增补干预措施,加强健康教育,重点加强农村、未婚和少数民族妇女叶酸知识的普及,促进经济发展,提高妇女受教育程度是提高育龄妇女叶酸知晓率的根本途径。     

泰安市儿童家长预防接种知晓率现况研究

[目的]了解泰安市城乡儿童家长预防接种知晓现况并进行比较分析。[方法]统一制定调查方案及调查问卷,采用分层抽样方法,分别在城市和农村对儿童家长进行面对面问卷调查,资料用SPSS11.5统计软件进行统计分析。[结果]在城市,"预防接种是否可以预防传染病"和"每次接种是预防何种传染病",儿童母亲和父亲的知晓率较高,分别为97.9%,98.2%和95.5%,92.1%,在农村,儿童母亲和父亲对"预防接种是否可以预防传染病"的知晓率较高分别为80.4%和92.3%。城乡儿童家长对许多预防接种知识的知晓率存在较大差异。[结论]城市和农村的儿童家长对预防接种知识的知晓率存在较大差异,应加大在农村宣传预防接种知识的力度。     

乡村妇联干部村医结核病防治知识培训效果分析

目的探讨结核病健康促进活动对基层妇联干部和村医对结核病防治知识的认知的影响。方法结防机构对石家庄市的8个县所有村的妇联干部和村医实施结核病防治核心知识培训,对其接受培训后的结防知识知晓率进行分析。结果经过培训,妇联干部和村医对结核病防治核心知识的知晓率均达到了99%以上,培训后小学与初高中学历被调查者知晓率有统计学差异。结论这种健康教育形式使妇联干部和村医对结防核心知识达到较高的知晓率,为其在基层群众中进一步开展结防知识健康促进活动起到了很好的师资作用。     

A preliminary study on the effect of pharmacist counseling on awareness of and willingness to quit smoking in Malaysian population

Objectives This paper presents an outcome of pharmacist counseling among Malaysian smokers for their awareness of and willingness to quit smoking. Method It was a cross-sectional study during a 3-day public health campaign at a shopping complex. Each self-referred participant was asked to complete a questionnaire apart from the question regarding improvement, and if any in their awareness and willingness to quit smoking, were asked to respond after counseling. Pharmacists counseled each participant about smoking cessation strategies and smoking related diseases. The data were analyzed by χ ² test. Results Among respondents, 25.5% had been smoking for more than 10 years, 31% for 5–10 years, 25.4% for 2–5 years and 18.3% for 1–2 years. The participants declaring no awareness about smoking were 22.9%, with little awareness 44.3%, having moderate awareness 25.7% and with considerable awareness were 7.1%. After counseling, 4.1% revealed unawareness, 17.8% little awareness, 43.8% moderate and 34.2% had considerable awareness on the above aspects. The post counseling awareness on smoking was observed to be significantly higher (P< 0.01). Among smokers studied, 67% showed willingness to quit smoking. Conclusion Increase in awareness of and willingness to quit smoking reflects that pharmacist counseling seems to be helpful in cessation of smoking.     

Rural and urban South African women's awareness of cancers of the breast and cervix

Objective : The investigation sought to establish the awareness of breast and cervical cancers among women of African descent, in both rural and urban areas, especially considering the oppression and deprivation experienced by this group. Design : Two groups of randomly selected women in a rural ( n = 70) and urban ( n = 70) area were interviewed using a structured questionnaire assessing their knowledge and attitudes regarding breast and cervical cancer and screening options. Results : The age range of the sample was 21-59 years with a mean of 35.23 years. Almost one-fifth of the women had not heard of these cancers, and almost half were unaware of the breast self-examination technique. Over one-third did not know about tests for breast cancer and more than half were unaware of tests for cervical cancer. Generally lower awareness levels were found in older and rural women who were also significantly more inclined to consult traditional healers (than doctors) about lumps in their breast or abnormal cervical bleeding. Conclusion : The findings are of great concern and represent a significant challenge in post-apartheid South Africa. The need for vigorous health promotion programmes cannot be sufficiently emphasised, especially in view of the benefits of early detection and treatment. There also needs to be particular focus on rural women, considering the inadequate health care resources in their communities and the socio-economic hardships facing them. Women in these communities must be empowered with knowledge about their health and illness prevention options.     

New Zealand community attitudes toward people with epilepsy

PURPOSE: International surveys on knowledge and attitudes toward people with epilepsy suggest that public opinion is improving in many countries. This study aimed to discover how New Zealand compared with other countries, and how subgroups within the New Zealand population compared with each other, by conducting a survey of community knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy. METHODS: Telephone interviews were conducted on a random sample of 400 persons older than 17 years, drawn from a mid-sized provincial town and its hinterland. RESULTS: Ninety-five percent of respondents had heard or read about epilepsy; 73% knew someone with epilepsy; and 67% had seen an epileptic seizure. Somewhat less knowledgeable were young people, the less educated, lower socioeconomic status (SES), and those of Maori or non-European ethnicity. Attitudes toward people with epilepsy were favorable, with only 5% objecting to their child marrying a person who sometimes had seizures. Less-positive attitudes were found among some older people. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with those in other Western countries, New Zealanders are well informed about epilepsy, and their attitudes toward it are mainly positive. Continuing public education about epilepsy is still necessary, especially among the young, the non-European, and older people.     

计划生育技术人员有关增补叶酸预防胎儿神经管缺陷的KAP调查分析

目的:调查四川省基层计划生育技术人员对育龄妇女增补叶酸预防神经管缺陷的知晓率, 对增补叶酸的态度、是否愿意向育龄妇女推荐的行为等情况, 为实施叶酸预防神经管缺陷的干预措施提供科学依据。方法: 调查指标包括叶酸的知识、增补叶酸的方法、时间和剂量以及相应的态度和行为, 设计调查问卷, 对507名计划生育专业技术人员进行现场调查, 收集有效答卷485份, 数据录入计算机, 进行统计学分析。结果: 53. 8%的被调查人员知道叶酸来源, 不同职称组没有统计学差异。增补叶酸最佳时间的知晓率为45 .8%, 正确补充剂量的知晓率约30 .0%, 且不同技术职称、不同工作单位的人员均显示出显著性差异(P<0. 01)。89. 7%的人认为有必要增补叶酸, 75 .1%的人愿意向育龄妇女推荐。结论: 对于育龄妇女实施增补叶酸的措施, 计划生育技术人员有积极的态度和行为, 但正确补充叶酸的知晓率较低, 影响干预措施的落实。需要进一步有针对性地加强计划生育技术人员有关增补叶酸知识的培训。     

Changes in public attitudes toward epilepsy in Hungary: results of surveys conducted in 1994 and 2000

Our study investigated public attitudes toward epilepsy, and knowledge and understanding of epilepsy in Hungary. We compared changes of public attitudes in the last six years, hypothesizing a trend of positive changes because of recent national initiatives for acceptance and integration of people with epilepsy (e.g., participation of Hungary in the "Out of the Shadows" world campaign). We also studied how the demographic background of the respondents affects awareness, understanding, and attitudes toward epilepsy. Using a questionnaire design, we conducted a public opinion poll with a representative sample of 1,000 people in 1994 and 6 years later, in 2000. Hungarian respondents were most prejudiced regarding employment of people with epilepsy. In recent years, significant decreases in prejudice rates were found regarding all attitude aspects (marriage, children associating, work). Significant background effects of demographic variables were also apparent: differences by age, education, residence, and family status were found. Some culture-specific characteristics of understanding epilepsy could be observed. Significant positive attitude changes from 1994 to 2000 confirm the need for and potentialities of education of the public and informational initiatives. Demographic influences and culture-specific characteristics could be of relevance in designing public education for different target groups.