Patient Health Literacy and Communication with Providers Among Women Living with HIV: A Mixed Methods Study

AIDS and Behavior - In this mixed-methods study, we examine the relationship between provider communication and patient health literacy on HIV continuum of care outcomes among women living with HIV...     

Synthesis and in vitro anti-proliferative evaluation of naphthalimide–chalcone/pyrazoline conjugates as potential SERMs with computational validation

A series of naphthalimide-chalcone/pyrazoline conjugates was prepared and evaluated for their anti-breast cancer potential against estrogen responsive, i.e. MCF-7 (ER+), and triple-negative, i.e. MDA-MB-231 (ER−), cell lines. The structure-activity-relationship (SAR) was deduced based on the influence of linker length, substituents on the phenyl ring and the generated functionalities, on anti-proliferative activities. Docking simulations further delineate the type of interactions of the designed molecules with the selected targets. This report discloses the scope of triazole tethered naphthalimide-chalcone/pyrazoline conjugates as anti breast cancer agents.

Design, synthesis and anti-proliferative evaluation of naphthalimide–chalcone/pyrazoline conjugates.     

Covid-19 pandemic: chronicle of responses and experiences of the infection prevention and control committee at a tertiary hospital in southwest Nigeria

Since the advent of 2019-Corona virus Disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria in February 2020, the number of confirmed cases has risen astronomically to over 61,307 cases within 8 months with more than 812 healthcare workers infected and some recorded deaths within their ranks.Infection prevention and control is a key component in ensuring safety of healthcare workers in the hospital as healthcare-associated infection is one of the most common complications of healthcare management. Unbridled transmission of infection can lead to shortage of healthcare personnel, reduced system efficiency, increased morbidity and mortality among patients and in some instances, total collapse of healthcare delivery services. The Infection Prevention and Control Committee is a recognised group by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention with their core programmes including drawing up activities, procedures and policies designed to achieve above-stated objectives before, during and after any disease outbreak, especially emerging and re-emerging ones such as the 2019 Coronavirus Disease. In this report, we highlight the roles played by the Infection Prevention and Control Committee of the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within and outside the hospital community and the lessons learned to date.     

Beyond information access: Support for complex cognitive activities in public health informatics tools

Public health professionals work with a variety of information sources to carry out their everyday activities. In recent years, interactive computational tools have become deeply embedded in such activities. Unlike the early days of computational tool use, the potential of tools nowadays is not limited to simply providing access to information; rather, they can act as powerful mediators of human-information discourse, enabling rich interaction with public health information. If public health informatics tools are designed and used properly, they can facilitate, enhance, and support the performance of complex cognitive activities that are essential to public health informatics, such as problem solving, forecasting, sense-making, and planning. However, the effective design and evaluation of public health informatics tools requires an understanding of the cognitive and perceptual issues pertaining to how humans work and think with information to perform such activities. This paper draws on research that has examined some of the relevant issues, including interaction design, complex cognition, and visual representations, to offer some human-centered design and evaluation considerations for public health informatics tools.     

Early Term Delivery and Breastfeeding Outcomes

Objective

Higher rates of adverse outcomes have been reported for early term (37 0 to 38 6 weeks) versus full term (≥?39 0 weeks) infants, but differences in breastfeeding outcomes have not been systematically evaluated. This study examined breastfeeding initiation and exclusivity in early and full term infants in a large US based sample.

Methods

This secondary analysis included 743 geographically- and racially-diverse women from the Measurement of Maternal Stress Study cohort, and 295 women from a quality assessment at a hospital-based clinic in Evanston, IL. Only subjects delivering?≥?37 weeks were included. Initiation of breastfeeding (IBF) and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) were assessed via electronic medical record review after discharge. Associations of IBF and EBF with early and full term delivery were assessed via univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Among 872 women eligible for inclusion, 85.7% IBF and 44.0% EBF. Early term delivery was not associated with any difference in frequency of IBF (p?=?0.43), but was associated with significantly lower odds of EBF (unadjusted OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.466, 0.803, p?<?0.001). This association remained significant (adjusted OR 0.694, 95% CI 0.515, 0.935, p?=?0.016) after adjusting for maternal diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cesarean delivery, maternal age, race/ethnicity, parity, Medicaid status, NICU admission, current smoking, and delivery hospital.

Conclusions for Practice

Despite comparable breastfeeding initiation frequencies, early term infants were significantly less likely to be exclusively breastfed compared to full term infants. These data suggest that women with early term infants may benefit from counseling regarding the potential for breastfeeding difficulties as well as additional breastfeeding support after delivery.

     

Contact dermatitis in Nigeria

Contact dermatitis of the feet is common in Nigeria. 136 patients with dermatitis of the feet were investigated; 83 had positive patch tests. 59 to chemicals in shoes; 22 reacted to rubber chemicals and 16 to chromate, 53 had negative patch tests. The causal mechanisms and treatment methods are described.     

Substance use and substance use disorders in Africa: An epidemiological approach to the review of existing literature

The relationship between man and substances that have abuse potentials, and whose use has been associated with the development or progression of substance use disorders has continued to evolve in terms of geography, economic implications, and time. History shows that local plants with psychoactive constituents can get exported worldwide through global travel, commerce, or even conquest. Time and globalization also change people’s relationship with substances of abuse; hence, an area that was initially alien to certain substances might evolve to becoming a trafficking hub, and then a destination. A case in point is Africa where a rapidly increasing prevalence of substance use/abuse and substance use disorder among adolescents and young adults is putting enormous strain on the economy, healthcare system, and society at large. However, there appears to be a paucity of scientific literature and data on the epidemiology, risk assessment, and contributing factors to substance use and the development of substance use disorders across Africa. In this narrative review, we examine extant literature (PubMed, Google scholar, Medline) for information on the prevalence, trends, and influencers of substance use and the development of substance use disorders. This is with a view of understanding the determinants of substance use and factors that influence the development of substance use disorders in the region, and how this information can be channeled towards developing a comprehensive intervention and treatment program.     

Trace metal toxicity in some food items in three major markets in Ado-Odo/Ota LGA,Ogun State,Nigeria and associated health implications

BackgroundMany of the markets in Nigeria are open, where foodstuffs are laid bare on flat trays and open baskets, directly exposing them to environmental contaminants. This study aimed at determining whether some food items on sale around an industrialized area of Ogun State are contaminated with trace metals.MethodsSeven different food items – Clarias gariepinus (roasted, fresh and smoked) Bos taurus (dried and fresh beef), zobo leaf (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus) were sampled from three major markets, namely: Lusada, Atan and Ota in Ado-Odo/Ota LGA of Ogun State. They were analyzed for Lead, Cadmium, Nickel, Manganese and Zinc using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.ResultsCd was not detected in most of the food items across the markets. Pb, Ni and Mn were detected in very high concentrations above the maximum allowable limits by international regulatory agencies. Zn was the only metal that was generally below regulatory limits in food items across the three markets. The Estimated Daily Intake (EDI) and Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) values were generally higher than values acceptable in food.ConclusionSome of the food items consumed in this area are not entirely safe from metal toxicity and this may have serious health consequences.     

Effect of kolanut on the pharmacokinetics of the antimalarial drug halofantrine

Objective To study the effect of the concomitant consumption of kolanut, a caffeine-containing nut, on the pharmacokinetics of halofantrine. Methods A single dose of 500 mg halofantrine hydrochloride was orally administered either alone or concomitant with 12.5 g kolanut to 15 healthy male volunteers in a Latin-square randomized crossover design with a wash-out period of 6 weeks between treatments. Blood samples were collected and analyzed by HPLC for halofantrine and the active metabolite N-desbutylhalofantrine. Results Concomitant intake of kolanut with halofantrine significantly decreased C_max and AUC of both halofantrine and the metabolite desbutylhalofantrine, while no significant effect was observed for t _max and t _1/2 of the compounds. In the case of halofantrine, C_max decreased from 179 ± 119 to 98 ± 32 ng/ml, and the AUC was reduced from 17,450 ± 4,611 to 11,821 ± 4,069 ng·h/ml. C_max of desbutylhalofantrine decreased from 124 ± 41 to 62 ± 23 ng/ml and the AUC from 13,341 ± 4,749 to 7,359 ± 3,018 ng·h/ml when kolanut was co-administered. Conclusions Co-administration of halofantrine and kolanut caused a significant decrease in the plasma concentrations of halofantrine and the active metabolite desbutylhalofantrine probably during adsorption of the drug due to complex formation. This indicates that caution should be exerted when the drug is taken together with caffeine-containing nutrients.