Effects of academic programs on stressors and coping strategies among university students

This study investigated the psychological aspects of stress and coping strategies among college students in the post-implementation period of Ghana’s free senior high school (SHS) policy. Focusing on the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Ghana, the research surveyed 270 students from diverse programs. Using psychological tools like the perceived stress scale and the brief coping orientation to problem experienced (COPE), the study employed statistical methods, including mean, standard deviation, Pearson product correlation, and hierarchical linear and multiple regression, to analyze the data. The findings revealed commonalities and differences in stressors and coping techniques across academic programs, indicating that the unique demands of each program influenced students’ experiences. The study did not find a significant moderating effect of gender on the stressor-coping relationship. The results highlighted the importance of recognizing program-specific variations for targeted stress management support, illustrating the interplay between stressors, coping mechanisms, and academic programs. The study concluded by emphasizing the psychological implications of these findings, offering valuable insights into the complexities of stress and coping among college students, particularly within the context of educational reforms

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Elective cancer surgery in COVID-19-free surgical pathways during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: An international, multicenter, comparative cohort study

PURPOSE As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19–free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19–free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19–free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19–free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score–matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19–free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19–free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks

Assessing the interdependency among effectiveness, satisfaction and efficient use of the Lightwave Health Information Management System (LHIMS) by health professionals in Ghana

Abstract Background The success of an electronic health records (EHR) system is dependent on the effectiveness, satisfaction, and efficient use of these systems by health professionals. This paper explores the interdependency among effectiveness, satisfaction, and efficient use of Lightwave Health Information Management Systems (LHIMS) which is an EHR by health professionals. Methods A non-interventional descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed for this research. The study used stratified random sampling for the selection of participants. The population for the study was all the health professionals in the Central Region of Ghana. The number of health professionals who responded to the questions was 1126. Results The findings suggest that understanding the interdependency of efficiency, effectiveness and satisfaction is crucial for the successful implementation and adoption of LHIMS in healthcare organisations. The study investigated the interdependence among effectiveness, satisfaction, and efficient use of the LHIMS by health professionals, and found a positive but weak significant relationship between these factors. Conclusion In conclusion, this study aimed to assess the interdependency among effectiveness, satisfaction, and efficient use of LHIMS by health professionals. The. results support a positive but weak significant relationship between satisfaction, effectiveness, and efficient use of the LHIMS. These findings have implications for policymakers and hospital management in their efforts to improve the use of LHIMS. Policymakers can focus on any one of the three usability areas to enhance LHIMS use, with visible effects across the other two domains

Assessing the efficient use of the lightwave health information management system for health service delivery in Ghana

Background In achieving the WHO’s Universal Health Coverage and the Global Developmental Agenda: Sustainable Development Goal 3 and 9, the Ministry of Health launched a nationwide deployment of the lightwave health information management system (LHIMS) in the Central Region to facilitate health service delivery. This paper assessed the efficient use of the LHIMS among health professionals in the Central Region.Methods A non-interventional descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed for this research. The study used stratified and simple random sampling for selecting 1126 study respondents from 10 health facilities that use the LHIMS. The respondents included prescribers, nurses, midwives and auxiliary staff. Descriptive statistics (weighted mean) was computed to determine the average weighted score for all the indicators under efficiency. Also, bivariate (χ2) and multivariate (ordinal logistic regression) analyses were conducted to test the study’s hypotheses.Results Findings revealed that the LHIMS enhanced efficient health service delivery. From the bivariate analysis, external factors; sex, educational qualification, work experience, profession type and computer literacy were associated with the efficient use of the LHIMS. However, training offered prior to the use of the LHIMS, and the duration of training had no association. At the multivariate level, only work experience and computer literacy significantly influenced the efficient use of the LHIMS.Conclusion The implementation of LHIMS has the potential to significantly improve health service delivery. General computing skills should be offered to system users by the Ministry of Health to improve literacy in the use of computers. Active participation in the use of LHIMS by all relevant healthcare professionals should be encouraged

Patient safety culture and satisfaction in Ghana: a facility-based cross-sectional study

Background Globally, one of the measures of high performing healthcare facilities is the compliance of patient safety culture, which encompasses the ability of health institutions to avoid or drastically reduce patient harm or risks. These risks or harm is linked with numerous adverse patient outcomes such as medication error, infections, unsafe surgery and diagnosis error.Objectives The general objective of this study was to investigate into the impact of patient safety culture practices experienced on patient satisfaction among patients who attend the Kwesimintsim Government Hospital in the Takoradi municipality.Methods This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study and a consecutive sampling technique was used to select 336 respondents for the study. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and processed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences, V.21. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out and result were presented using figures and tables.Results The study found that the overall patient safety compliance level observed by the respondents was poor (29.2%). The prevalence of adverse events experienced among the respondents was high (58%). The leading adverse events mentioned were medication errors, followed by wrong prescriptions and infections. The consequences of these adverse events encountered by the respondents were mentioned as increased healthcare costs (52%), followed by hospitalisation (43%), worsening of health conditions (41%) and contraction of chronic health conditions (22%). Patient safety cultural practices such as teamwork (β=0.17, p=0.03), response to error (β=0.16, p=0.005), communication openness (β=0.17, p=0.003) and handoffs and information exchange (β=0.17, p=0.002) were found to positively influence patient satisfaction.Conclusion The poor general compliance of the patient safety culture in the facility is unfortunate, and this can affect healthcare outcomes significantly. The study therefore entreats facility managers and various stakeholders to see patient safety care as an imperative approach to delivering quality essential healthcare and to act accordingly to create an environment that supports it