Parental Experiences and Health Education Perceptions Raising Children with Orofacial Clefts

Congenital abnormalities, such as cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P), are a significant global public health issue that contribute to newborn morbidity and mortality, difficulties in social integration, psychological problems for affected persons, parents, and families. Available health education information and resources on CL/P care for parents and families in Ghana are however minimal. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the health education perceptions of parents of children born with CL/P to identify and understand experiences of common psychosocial challenges, potential risk, and protective factors used by parents. Five research questions were designed to examine the health education and psychosocial experiences of parents and caregivers in Ghana using the socioecological model (SEM) as the theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 21 participants consisting of parents and caregivers of children aged between 0-12 years born with CL/P. Iterative manual coding, continuous member checking and triangulation was used for thematic data analysis. Emergent themes consisted of health education gaps and needs in cleft care, sociocultural stigma and psychosocial challenges, social challenges in educational and community settings, and lack of support facilities, organizations, and government policies. This research highlights the need for comprehensive health education and support at all levels of the SEM to improve healthcare and educational services for affected parents and families. This research is significant for the formation of positive social change through multi-agency partnerships that would enhance the knowledge and well-being of affected parents and caregivers to promote a more inclusive society in Ghana

Informed Consent under the Ghana Health Service Patients Charter: Practice and Awareness

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Pediatric patients’ reasons for visiting dentists in all WHO regions

Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact are the four oral healthrelated quality of life (OHRQoL) dimensions (4D) or areas in which oral disorders impact pediatric patients. Using their dentists’ assessment, the study aimed to evaluate whether pediatric dental patients’ oral health concerns ft into the 4D of the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) construct.Dentists who treat children from 32 countries and all WHO regions were selected from a web-based survey of 1580 international dentists. Dentists were asked if their pediatric patients with current or future oral health concerns ft into the 4D of the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) construct. Proportions of all pediatric patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs were computed

Exposure to family planning messages and contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in Sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-sectional program impact evaluation study

Many women of reproductive age in sub Saharan Africa are not utilizing any contraceptive method which is contributing to the high burden of maternal mortality. This study determined the prevalence, trends, and the impact of exposure to family planning messages (FPM) on contraceptive use (CU) among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We utilized the most recent data from demographic and health surveys across 26 SSA countries between 2013 and 2019. We assessed the prevalence and trends and quantified the impact of exposure to FPM on contraceptive use using augmented inverse probability weighting with regression adjustment. Sensitivity analysis of the impact estimate was conducted using endogenous treatment effect models, inverse probability weighting, and propensity score with nearest-neighbor matching techniques. The study involved 328,386 women of reproductive age. The overall prevalence of CU and the percentage of women of reproductive age in SSA exposed to FPM were 31.1% [95% CI: 30.6-31.5] and 38.9% [95% CI: 38.8-39.4] respectively. Exposure to FPM increased CU by 7.1 percentage points (pp) [95% CI=6.7, 7.4; p<0.001] among women of reproductive age in SSA. The impact of FPM on CU was highest in Central Africa [6.7 pp; 95% CI: [5.7-7.7; p<0.001] and lowest in Southern Africa [2.2 pp; 95% CI: [1.3-3.0; p<0.001]. There was a marginal decline in the impact estimate among adolescents (estimate=6.0 pp [95% CI=5.0, 8.0; p<0.001]). Exposure to FPM has contributed to an increase in CU among women of reproductive age. Programs that are geared towards intensifying exposure to FPM through traditional media in addition to exploring avenues for appropriate use of electronic media remain critical

Impact of mobile health on maternal and child health service utilization and continuum of care in Northern Ghana

Maternal and child mortality are of public health concern. Most of these deaths occur in rural communities of developing countries. Technology for maternal and child health (T4MCH) is an intervention introduced to increase Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services utilization and continuum of care in some health facilities across Ghana. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of T4MCH intervention on MCH services utilization and continuum of care in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District in the Savannah Region of Ghana. This is a quasi-experimental study with a retrospective review of records of MCH services of women who attended antenatal services in some selected health centers in the Bole (comparison district) and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba (intervention district) of the Savannah region, Ghana. A total of 469 records were reviewed, 263 in Bole and 206 in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba. A multivariable modified Poisson and logistic regression models with augmented inverse-probability weighted regression adjustment based on propensity scores were used to quantify the impact of the intervention on service utilization and continuum of care. The implementation of T4MCH intervention increased antenatal care attendance, facility delivery, postnatal care and continuum of care by 18 percentage points (ppts) [95% CI - 17.0, 52.0], 14 ppts [95% CI 6.0%, 21.0%], 27 ppts [95% CI 15.0, 26.0] and 15.0 ppts [95% CI 8.0, 23.0] respectively compared to the control districts. The study showed that T4MCH intervention improved antenatal care, skilled delivery, postnatal services utilization, and continuum of care in health facilities in the intervention district. The intervention is recommended for a scale-up in other rural areas of Northern Ghana and the West-African sub-region

Frequency of Four-dimensional Oral Health Problems across Dental Fields - a Comparative Survey of Slovenian and International Dentists.

Objectives To compare the frequency of patients' oral health problems and prevention needs among Slovenian and international dentists with the aim to validate the four oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) dimensions across six clinical dental fields in all World Health Organization (WHO) regions. Methods An anonymous electronic survey in the English language was designed using Qualtrics software. A probability sampling for Slovenia and a convenience sampling strategy for dentist recruitment was applied for 31 countries. Dentists engaged in six dental fields were asked to categorize their patients' oral health problems and prevention needs into the four OHRQoL dimensions (Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact). Proportions of patients' problems and prevention needs were calculated together with the significance of Slovenian and international dentists' differences based on dental fields and WHO regions. Results Dentists (n=1,580) from 32 countries completed the survey. There were 223 Slovenian dentists (females: 68%) with a mean age (SD) of 41 (10.6) years and 1,358 international dentists (females: 51%) with a mean age (SD) of 38 (10.4). Pain-related problems and prevention needs were the most prevalent among all six dental fields reported by dentists; Slovenian (37%) and 31 countries (45%). According to Cohen, differences between Slovenia, the broader European Region, and 31 countries were considered non-significant (<0.1). Conclusion According to the dentists' responses, the frequency of patients' oral health problems and prevention needs are proportionate between Slovenia and 31 countries, regionally and globally. The four OHRQoL dimensions can be considered universal across all dental fields

Why Patients Visit Dentists – A Study in all World Health Organization Regions

The dimensions of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact are the major areas where patients are impacted by oral diseases and dental interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether dental patients' reasons to visit the dentist fit the 4 OHRQoL dimensions

Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital with and without respiratory symptoms

Background: COVID-19 is primarily known as a respiratory illness; however, many patients present to hospital without respiratory symptoms. The association between non-respiratory presentations of COVID-19 and outcomes remains unclear. We investigated risk factors and clinical outcomes in patients with no respiratory symptoms (NRS) and respiratory symptoms (RS) at hospital admission. Methods: This study describes clinical features, physiological parameters, and outcomes of hospitalised COVID-19 patients, stratified by the presence or absence of respiratory symptoms at hospital admission. RS patients had one or more of: cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose or wheezing; while NRS patients did not. Results: Of 178,640 patients in the study, 86.4&nbsp;% presented with RS, while 13.6&nbsp;% had NRS. NRS patients were older (median age: NRS: 74 vs RS: 65) and less likely to be admitted to the ICU (NRS: 36.7&nbsp;% vs RS: 37.5&nbsp;%). NRS patients had a higher crude in-hospital case-fatality ratio (NRS 41.1&nbsp;% vs. RS 32.0&nbsp;%), but a lower risk of death after adjusting for confounders (HR 0.88 [0.83-0.93]). Conclusion: Approximately one in seven COVID-19 patients presented at hospital admission without respiratory symptoms. These patients were older, had lower ICU admission rates, and had a lower risk of in-hospital mortality after adjusting for confounders