Psychological Distress Among Health Care Workers in Health Facilities of Mettu Town During COVID-19 Outbreak, South West Ethiopia, 2020

Background: During any of the infectious disease outbreak, health care workers were at increased risk of being infected, and psychological distress was a common phenomenon. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the psychological distress related to COVID-19 among healthcare workers in Mettu town.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from May 1–15, 2020 using convenient sampling techniques among 127 health care providers during COVID-19 pandemic in the Mettu town. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information. Depression and anxiety were evaluated as subscales from the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Psychological distress related to COVID-19 was measured using the Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R). Data analysis were done using SPSS version 24. Chi-square test was used to find the association between the outcome and demographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the significance of the association at P-value < 0.05.Result: Using IES-R scale, 40.2% of the participants reported to have the symptoms of psychological distress. The majority of the participants reported mild psychological distress (37%) followed by moderate psychological distress (29%). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of psychological distress were found to be higher among health care providers who reported to have depressive symptoms, and those who used alcohol, khat and tobacco in the past 3 months shows a significant association with psychological distress.Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic had exerted major psychological distress on health care providers. So the findings, seek attention for early psychological intervention needed to manage psychological distress in health care providers regarding identified factors

The association between indices of obesity and common clinical measures in adults with and without type 2 diabetes

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the differences amongst the anthropometric measurements, lipid profile, blood pressure and body shape in diabetics as well as non-diabetics.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study comprised of 309 subjects with 91 males and 218 females. Of this, there were 217 diabetics and 92 non-diabetics. The sample was taken from three hospitals in Trinidad. Lipid profile and blood pressure were taken from each facility’s physician’s notes while anthropometric measurements were taken from the patients themselves.Results: The diabetic group had elevated body mass index and waist to hip ratios were significant (P <0.05) when compared to non-diabetics. There was no significant association of lipid profile, blood pressure, waist circumference and waist to height ratios between diabetics and non-diabetics. As age increased, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus was more common. Out of 217 diabetics, 173 were of East Indian descent. With regards to gender, more males were found to be diabetics resulting from having an android body shape as compared to females (gynoid body shape).Conclusion: It was found that of all the anthropometric measurements used, waist to hip ratio was found to be the most effective indicator of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Trinidadians, while body mass index was found to be the least effective indicator.

Patient Safety Culture in Emergency Departments of Yemeni Public Hospitals: A Survey Study

Introduction: Quality and safety is an important challenge in healthcare systems all over the world particularly in developing parts.&nbsp;Objective: This survey aimed to assess patient safety culture (PSC) in emergency departments (EDs) in Yemen and identify its associated factors.&nbsp;Methods: A questionnaire containing the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) was distributed to ED physicians, nurses, and clinical, and non-clinical staff at three public teaching general hospitals. The percentages of positive responses on the 12 patient safety dimensions and the summation of PSC and two outcomes (overall patient safety grade and adverse events reported in the past year) were assessed. Factors associated with PSC aggregate score were analyzed.&nbsp;Results: finally, out of 400 questionnaires, 250 (64%) were analyzed. In total, 207 (82.3%) participants were nurses and physicians; 140 (56.0%) were male; 134 (53.6%) were less than 30 years old; and 134 (53.6%) had a university degree. Participants provided the highest ratings for the “teamwork within units” PSC composite (67%). The lowest rating was for “non-punitive response to error” (21.3%). A total of 120 (48.1%) participants did not report any events in the past year and 99 (39.7%) gave their hospital an “excellent/very good” overall patient safety grade. There were significant differences between the hospitals’ EDs in the rating of “handoffs and transitions” (p=0.016), “teamwork within units” (p=0.018), and “frequency of adverse events reported” (p=0.016). Staff working in intensive care units (8.4%, n=21) had lower patient safety aggregate scores.&nbsp;Conclusions: PSC ratings appear to be low in Yemen. This study emphasizes the need to create and maintain a PSC in EDs through the implementation of quality improvement strategies and environment of transparency, open communications, and continuous learning

COS Ambassadors

A collection of materials and resources for COS ambassadors