Cancer complicating systemic lupus erythematosus--a dichotomy emerging from a nested case-control study

We determined whether any individual cancers are increased or decreased in a cohort of 595 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) followed for up to 32 years at the University College London Hospitals Lupus Clinic, looking for any associated clinical or serological factors and the prognosis after cancer diagnosis

Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The disease was christened COVID-19 and the pathogen (an RNA virus) identified as SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).1,2 The virus is primarily spread through contact with small droplets produced from coughing, sneezing, or talking by an infected person. While a substantial proportion of infected individuals may remain asymptomatic, the most common symptoms in clinical cases include, fever, cough, acute respiratory distress, fatigue, and failure to resolve over 3 to 5 days of antibiotic treatment. Complications may include pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.3 Over five million confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been recorded globally with more than 300,000 deaths as at 25th May 2020. The United States of America has recorded the highest number of cases with more than 1.5 million and over 100,000 deaths.4 In Africa, more than 90,0000 cases have been reported with about 3,000 deaths. South Africa has recorded the highest number of cases with 23,615 cases and 481 deaths. Ghana confirmed its first cases of COVID-19 on 12th March 2020 and had as at 25 May 2020 recorded over 7,000 cases with 34 deaths.5 &nbsp

Evaluation of access and utilization of EPI services amongst children 12-23 months in Kwahu Afram Plains, Eastern region, Ghana

Introduction: High vaccination coverage is required to successfully control, eliminate and eradicate vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). In Ghana, access and utilization of vaccination services is generally good with complete vaccination coverage of 77%. However, sustaining high coverages in island communities such as Kwahu Afram Plains North (KAPN) is still a challenge.Methods: Study site and settings, an Island district. It targeted children aged 12–23 months. We used a modified WHO EPI 30 by 7 cluster sampling approach. Semi-structured questionnaires were employed for data collection. Wincosas and EpiInfo were used for data entry, management and analysis. The vaccination coverage, antigenspecific coverage calculated. The probability was set at 0.05 and  the value was calculated to determine statistical significance of association.Results: Of the 480 records of children analysed, fully vaccinated accounted 81.3%, partially 16.7% and not vaccinated at all 2.1%. Access was 97.3% and utilization 91.2% with Pentavalent 1-3 dropout rate of 8.8%. Coverage for specific antigens were: BCG (97.1%), OPV 1/Pentavalent 1/PCV 1/Rotarix 1 (97.3%), OPV2/ Pentavalent 2/PCV 2/Rotarix 2 (94.0%), OPV3/ Pentavalent3/PCV 3 (88.8%), MR (87.7%) and YF (87.7%). Vaccination card availability, higher educational level of mothers and lower parity levels were significantly associated (p < 0.05) positively with childhood vaccination status. Invalid doses were 21.6% of childhood total vaccinations. Key reasons accounting for non-vaccination were: distant place of immunization 34.4 % (31/90), mother being busy 14.4% (13/90), vaccine unavailability 10.0% (9/90) and fears of side reactions 8.9% (8/90).Conclusion: EPI childhood vaccination coverage for January, 2016 in KAPN District was high. There is the need to focus on counteracting the reasons identified to account for vaccination failure. This would improve and sustain vaccination coverage.Keywords: Immunization Programs, Utilization, Program Accessibility, coverage, vaccination, EP

Building the required skillsets for a resilient public health workforce: A decade of field epidemiology training in Ghana

The emergence and re-emergence of infectious and non-infectious diseases is a major issue of public health concern. The outbreak of Ebola, Lassa Fever, Meningitis and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to have a multisectoral public health workforce with the requisite skillsets to effectively address these situations.As part of the strategies to build these skillsets for public health professionals, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has assisted countries and territories to establish Field Epidemiology Training Programs. The aim of the FETP training is to provide the public health workforces with the ability to prevent, early detect and respond to threats with the skills to collect, analyse and interrupt disease information so that prompt action can be taken to save live

Are risk factors for non-communicable diseases in adolescents a problem in senior high schools in Accra?

Background: We assessed risk factors of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among adolescents in a senior high schoolDesign: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2016Setting: Senior High School in AccraParticipants: Adolescents in senior high schoolInterventions: Adolescents were interviewed with a structured questionnaire designed using the WHO STEPS framework. Data on tobacco use, alcohol consumption, physical activity and physical measurements of respondents were taken.Main outcome measures: risk factors of noncommunicable diseases among adolescentsResults: A total of 360 adolescents in the school were assessed. Mean age was (17±1.21) years with minimum age being 13 and maximum 19 years. Females were 51% (184/360). About 75% (271/360) reported low physical activity, 15% (55/360) were overweight or obese (95%CI: 0.0317-0.078), 7.0% (25/360) consumed alcohol (95%CI: 0.054-0.111) and 2.5% (9/360) smoked tobacco (95%CI: 0.013- 0.048). Majority of the respondents (346/360) were exposed or at risk of developing at least one risk factor. However, no one was found to be at risk of all five risk factors assessed. Females were three times more likely to be overweight or obese compared to their male counterparts (OR:3,95%CI:1.581-5.624)Conclusion: We found that majority of the children had low physical activity and more than 90% of the respondents had at least one NCD risk factor.Keywords: noncommunicable diseases, risk factors, physical activity, tobacco use, consumption of alcoholFunding: This work was funded by the author

Evaluation of surveillance system for pneumonia in children below five years, Tema Metropolis, Ghana, 2012 – 2016

Background: We evaluated the pneumonia surveillance system in Tema Metropolis to determine whether it is meeting its objectives and to assess its attributes.Design: Descriptive primary and secondary data analysisData Source: We interviewed health staff on the system’s operation and resources. We also extracted 2012-2016 surveillance dataset for under-five pneumonia cases and deaths from the District Health Information Management System for review.Participants: Health staffIntervention: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated guidelines for evaluating surveillance systems was used to assess system attributes. Main outcome measure: state of the pneumonia surveillance system in TemaResults: A suspected case was defined as fast breathing in any child < 5 years old. The case definition was easy to apply, even at the community level. From 2012 to 2016, a total of 3,337 cases and 54 deaths (case fatality rate 1.6%) was recorded from 13 (23.6%) of 55 health facilities. Two epidemics were missed by the district because data were not being analysed. There were no laboratory data on antimicrobial resistance. Although reporting timeliness increased from 28.1% in 2012 to 83% in 2016, data inconsistencies existed between reporting levels.Conclusion: The surveillance system for under-five pneumonia in Tema Metropolis is simple, stable, flexible, timely,but of low sensitivity and acceptability, and only partly meeting its objectives. Major shortcomings are lack of laboratory data, non-use of data and low representativeness.Keywords: Under-five Pneumonia, Surveillance System Evaluation, Tema, GhanaFunding: The study was supported by a grant to author DB by the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) -CDC CoAg 6NU2GGH00187

Pengaruh Perceived Support, Personal Attitude dan Perceived Behavioral Control terhadap Entrepreneurial Intention Mahasiswa Tangerang

Berangsur para pelaku usaha yang mengalami penurunan pemasukan selama pandemi akibat dari kebijakan pemerintah berusaha bertahan dengan mengurangi pengeluaran melalui sumber daya manusia. Hal ini membuat penggangguran dan kemiskinan yang ada di Indonesia mengalami lonjakan yang signifikan. Salah satu upaya menanggulangi permasalahan tersebut adalah dengan meningkatkan niat kewirausahaan yang masih cenderung rendah sebesar 3,55 persen pada tahun 2021 menurut Kementrian Perindustrian. Peran pemerintah dan institusi pendidikan dalam meningkatkan niat kewirausahaan secara nyata nampak dalam strategi UMKM dan Koperasi. Walaupun upaya ini gencar dilaksanakan, nyatanya berdasarkan survei yang dilakukan SKATA hanya sebanyak 25 persen sudah memulai berbisnis dari 82,1 persen responden yang merasa tertarik untuk berwirausaha. Salah satu penyebab sedikitnya yang memulai berbisnis karena tidak mendapat dukungan keluarga. Pada wilayah Tangerang sendiri, lulusan mahasiswa kewirausahaan masih minim dan kebanyakan pekerja merupakan buruh atau karyawan sebanyak 689.945 orang dibandingkan pengusaha sebanyak 193.661 orang di tahun 2017 berdasarkan Statistik Tangerang Kota. Penelitian dilakukan untuk mengetahui niat dari mahasiswa aktif terhadap karir berwirausaha yang di dasari oleh Theory of Planned Behavior. Jenis desain yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah descriptive design dan single cross-sectional design. Sampel data penelitian ini dikumpulkan menggunakan metode judgmental sampling. Dari data yang terkumpul, sebanyak 139 data responden yang digunakan dalam melakukan pengukuran variabel perceived educational support, perceived relational support, perceived structural support, personal attitude, dan perceived behavioral control terhadap entrepreneurial intention. Hasil hipotesis yang diterima pada penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa variabel perceived relational support, personal attitude dan perceived behavior control memiliki pengaruh positif terhadap entrepreneurial intention

Optimalisasi Business Process pada Blue Agency Social Media Management (FNS Group)

FNS Group merupakan sebuah perusahaan di bidang photography industry yang beroperasi di berbagai kota besar di Indonesia serta Singapura yang memiliki visi untuk menyediakan layanan pada industri fotografi komersial dengan menjadi pemimpin yang andal dan berkomitmen. Berdiri sejak 2014, FNS Group dikembangkan oleh Bapak Danny Lim selaku Chief Executive Officer hingga sekarang memiliki berbagai jenis lini bisnis yang dinaungi. FNS Group pada tiap lini bisnisnya memberikan layanan jasa fotografi untuk tujuan yang berbeda ­ beda, yaitu kebutuhan komersial, dokumentasi event dan juga management social media. Kebutuhan komersial meliputi keperluan periklanan, billboard, packaging dan juga kampanye promosi yang dibutuhkan client untuk pemasaran. FNS Group beroperasi di daerah Jakarta Barat yang merupakan kantor pusat dan sekaligus sebagai studio yang memiliki berbagai tema untuk kebutuhan foto dan video. Peran penulis selama praktik kerja magang di FNS Group dari tanggal 08 Februari sampai dengan 17 Mei 2022 adalah sebagai social media database inputter dan secara berangsur menjadi social media staff. Posisi ­ posisi tersebut merupakan pelaksanaan business process berdasarkan pengetahuan dasar terkait aktivitas bisnis yang diperoleh penulis ketika berkuliah, yang terdiri dari : mengelola akun media sosial perusahaan, menginput database dan juga membuat konten yang ditujukan untuk masing ­ masing akun bisnis client. Harapannya, dengan adanya penulis melakukan praktik kerja magang maka akan meningkatkan dan mengembangkan proses bisnis pada Blue Agency di perusahaan FNS Group dimasa yang akan datang

Factors contributing to road crashes among commercial vehicle drivers in the Kintampo North Municipality, Ghana in 2017

Objective: The study assessed driver, vehicular and road-related factors associated with road crashes (RC) in the Kintampo North Municipality.Design: Cross-sectional studySetting: Kintampo North MunicipalityData source: Demographics, vehicular and road usage information on registered drivers at Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU) and Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) in Kintampo North MunicipalityMain outcome: involvement in road crashes and related factorsResult: A total of 227 drivers were approached for this study. None of them declined participation. They were all males. Most were between 28-37 years (30%). The proportion of drivers that reported RC ever involvement in at least one RC was 55.5% (95% CI: 8.0%, 62.1%). In the bivariate analysis, drink and drive changed lane without signalling, ever bribed police officer, drove beyond the maximum speed limit, paid a bribe at DVLA for driving license, violation of traffic signals were found to be associated with RC involvement (p<0.05). Drivers who violated traffic signals had 2.84 odds of being involved in road crashes compared to those who did not [aOR; 2.84 (95%CI:1.06,7.63)]Conclusion: The proportion of drivers ever involved in road crashes was high. The major factor that is associated with RC involvement was a violation of the traffic light signals. Continuous driver education and enforcement of road traffic regulations by the appropriate authorities could curb the road crash menace in the Municipality.Keywords: commercial drivers, road crashes, vehicle, road signs, traffic light signalFunding: The authors funded this work