Health Belief Model Theory Application on Voluntary Counseling and Testing among Homosexual Men in Bandung Greater Area

Background: The number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases is high and is constantly increasing. Homosexual men as a transmission niche is not only significant in terms of numbers, but also in natural aspects of anal sex, tropism of HIV-1, and high-risk behavior. Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) is important for accelerating diagnosis and management plan; yet the uptake on high-risk population in Indonesia is low. A behavior-reasoning theory, Health Belief Model (HBM), attempts to explain whether or not individuals engage in certain health behavior. This study tries to assess participation rate of VCT, to portray HBM variables perception, and to depict significance of HBM variables towards VCT uptake or VCT intention. Methods: This study was conducted in October-November 2014 using cross-sectional design; 127 respondents were gathered according to Respondent Driven Snowball Sampling. This study used an internet-based questionnaire derived from Champion’s 1984 mammogram HBM questionnaire. Privacy and compensation were obtained. The Chi square test and logistic regression of HBM variables were done. Results: The VCT uptake was low (15.7%). Certain sexual experience and commitment were significant (Commitment to Men p=0.027, Oral Sex experience with men p=0.001, Anal Sex Experience with men p=0.038). Chi Square test revealed significance on Perceived Susceptibility, Perceived Benefit, and Cues to Action. Conclusions: Uptake of VCT is considerably low compared with total high risk population and other similar studies. Personal Susceptibility to HIV/AIDS is recommended to be emphasized; while VCT Benefit and Cues to Action in young homosexual men communities are better encouraged. [AMJ.2016;3(4):595–604]DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n4.94

Health Belief Model Theory Application on Voluntary Counseling and Testing among Homosexual Men in Bandung Greater Area

Background: The number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases is high and is constantly increasing. Homosexual men as a transmission niche is not only significant in terms of numbers, but also in natural aspects of anal sex, tropism of HIV-1, and high-risk behavior. Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) is important for accelerating diagnosis and management plan; yet the uptake on high-risk population in Indonesia is low. A behavior-reasoning theory, Health Belief Model (HBM), attempts to explain whether or not individuals engage in certain health behavior. This study tries to assess participation rate of VCT, to portray HBM variables perception, and to depict significance of HBM variables towards VCT uptake or VCT intention. Methods: This study was conducted in October-November 2014 using cross-sectional design; 127 respondents were gathered according to Respondent Driven Snowball Sampling. This study used an internet-based questionnaire derived from Champion’s 1984 mammogram HBM questionnaire. Privacy and compensation were obtained. The Chi square test and logistic regression of HBM variables were done. Results: The VCT uptake was low (15.7%). Certain sexual experience and commitment were significant (Commitment to Men p=0.027, Oral Sex experience with men p=0.001, Anal Sex Experience with men p=0.038). Chi Square test revealed significance on Perceived Susceptibility, Perceived Benefit, and Cues to Action. Conclusions: Uptake of VCT is considerably low compared with total high risk population and other similar studies. Personal Susceptibility to HIV/AIDS is recommended to be emphasized; while VCT Benefit and Cues to Action in young homosexual men communities are better encouraged. [AMJ.2016;3(4):595–604]DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n4.94

Predictor of Mortality in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Patients with Central Nervous System Opportunistic Infections

Background: Indonesia’s increase of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases is one of the fastest. Mortality cases of AIDS also increase per year. Central nervous system (CNS) opportunistic infection is one of the most likely manifestations on advanced stage of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS patients. Common CNS opportunistic infections are toxoplasma infection and tuberculous meningitis (TBM). The study aimed to analyze the predictor of mortality in AIDS patients with CNS opportunistic infections.Methods: This study reviewed 151 medical records from AIDS patients with CNS opportunistic infection admitted to the Department of Neurology, Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung from 2007-2012. This study was conducted from April to November 2013. Patients’ clinical manifestations (seizure, headache, altered consciousness), laboratory examination (CD4+ level count) and treatment history (antiretroviral or ART and cotrimoxazole) were collected. Chi-square and logistic regression test were used to determine the mortality predictor in patients.Results: Mortality rate was 37.7%. Clinical manifestations from patients were seizure 29.8%, altered consciousness 66.2%, and headache 88.7%. Patients had cotrimoxazole treatment 44.4% and 38.4% patients had ART. CD4+ level count data from 86 patients were obtained, 94% had CD4+ level count ≤200. Bivariate analysis showed altered consciousness had significant mortality predictor (Odd ratio (OR): 29.944; 95% Confidence interval (CI) 6.9–129.945; p<0,0). Multivariate analysis showed ART had highest predictive mortality value (OR: 2.968; 95% CI 1.236–7.126; p=0.015).Conclusions: Altered consciousness and no antiretroviral treatment are mortality predictors in AIDS patients with CNS opportunistic infections. [AMJ.2016;3(4):577–82] DOI: 10.15850/amj.v3n4.94

Nurses’ Knowledge of Blood Culture Sampling Procedure

Background: False-positive blood culture results due to contaminated samples have shown to increasepatients’ health costs, including the use of broad spectrum antibiotics and prolonged hospital length ofstay. While previous research have suggested that increasing staff knowledge on proper specimen collectionlowers contamination rates significantly, staff’s current knowledge of hospital-recommended samplecollection procedure have yet to be assessed in Dr. Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study on 81 Emergency Department nurses in Dr. HasanSadikin General Hospital, Indonesia. Subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to measuretheir knowledge of blood culture sampling procedure in accordance with the hospital’s standard operatingprocedure.Results: Among 81 subjects enrolled, 51 managed to adequately describe the prerequisites in proper bloodculture sampling procedure and their purpose as dictated by Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital’s standardoperating procedure.Conclusions: Up to 67% of nurses conducting blood sampling procedure in Dr. Hasan Sadikin GeneralHospital’s Emergency Department understood the prerequisites of hospital-recommended blood culturesampling procedure and their purpose

Nurses’ Knowledge of Blood Culture Sampling Procedure

Background: False-positive blood culture results due to contaminated samples have shown to increase patients’ health costs, including the use of broad spectrum antibiotics and prolonged hospital length of stay. While previous research have suggested that increasing staff knowledge on proper specimen collection lowers contamination rates significantly, staff’s current knowledge of hospital-recommended sample collection procedure have yet to be assessed in Dr. Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study on 81 Emergency Department nurses in Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Indonesia. Subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire in order to measure their knowledge of blood culture sampling procedure in accordance with the hospital’s standard operating procedure. Results: Among 81 subjects enrolled, 51 managed to adequately describe the prerequisites in proper blood culture sampling procedure and their purpose as dictated by Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital’s standard operating procedure. Conclusions: Up to 67% of nurses conducting blood sampling procedure in Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital’s Emergency Department understood the prerequisites of hospital-recommended blood culture sampling procedure and their purpos

Comparison of microarray-predicted closest genomes to sequencing for poliovirus vaccine strain similarity and influenza A phylogeny

AbstractWe evaluate sequence data from the PathChip high-density hybridization array for epidemiological interpretation of detected pathogens. For influenza A, we derive similar relative outbreak clustering in phylogenetic trees from PathChip-derived compared to classical Sanger-derived sequences. For a positive polio detection, recent infection could be excluded based on vaccine strain similarity

Risk factors associated with nasopharyngeal carriage and density of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Staphylococcus aureus in young children living in Indonesia

Abstract Background Potentially pathogenic bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Staphylococcus aureus are commonly carried in the nasopharynx of young children. Host and environmental factors have been linked with pathogen carriage, and in many studies rural children have higher carriage rates than their urban counterparts. There are few published data on what factors contribute to increased pathogen density. The objectives of this study were to identify risk factors for nasopharyngeal carriage and density of S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis, and S. aureus in young children in Indonesia. Methods Risk factor analysis was done using data on bacterial carriage and participant characteristics from a cross-sectional study that enrolled 302 children aged 12–24 months living in urban or semi-rural areas of Indonesia. Associations between host factors and odds of pathogen carriage were explored using logistic regression. Characteristics identified to be independent predictors of carriage by univariable analysis, as well as those that differed between urban and semi-rural participants, were included in multivariable models. Risk factors for increased pathogen density were identified using linear regression analysis. Results No differences in carriage prevalence between urban and semi-rural children were observed. Multiple children under the age of 5 years in the household (< 5y) and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms were associated with S. pneumoniae carriage, with adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of 2.17 (95% CI 1.13, 4.12) and 2.28 (95% CI 1.15, 4.50), respectively. There was some evidence that URTI symptoms (aOR 1.94 [95% CI 1.00, 3.75]) were associated with carriage of M. catarrhalis. Children with URTI symptoms (p = 0.002), and low parental income (p = 0.011) had higher S. pneumoniae density, whereas older age was associated with lower S. pneumoniae density (p = 0.009). URTI symptoms were also associated with higher M. catarrahlis density (p = 0.035). Low maternal education (p = 0.039) and multiple children < 5y (p = 0.021) were positively associated with H. influenzae density, and semi-rural residence was associated with higher S. aureus density (p < 0.001). Conclusions This study provides a detailed assessment of risk factors associated with carriage of clinically-relevant bacteria in Indonesian children, and new data on host factors associated with pathogen density