Health information and its influence on the perception of tuberculosis (TB) patients: Current policies and practices at Brooklyn Chest Hospital

Magister Administrationis - MAdminHIV and TB are major problems in the South African context and the burden of these diseases is proving detrimental to the development of the country. These diseases have been evident in the country for many years and in recent times the infection rates of TB and HIV has been alarming. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified TB as a problem and the world was to actively implement strategies to combat this epidemic. The issue with TB control strategies is the emergence of HIV which has been the largest contributing factor to the increase in the TB burden in South Africa and many countries like it. South Africa has made great strides in the control of HIV in areas such as mother to child transmission, awareness programs, initiation of ARVs and medical male circumcision which have proven to be successful. In contrast, the TB burden does not share the same fate. The number of deaths caused by TB is continuously rising, as well as the number of new Multi-drug resistant TB cases. Furthermore the emergence of Extreme –drug resistant TB is seen as a sign of a failing health system. Policy makers are now faced with fact that the Directly Observed Therapy Short course (DOTS) program for the prevention of TB is inadequate in an area with a high HIV prevalence, which is what South Africa is faced with. The research objectives are therefore to identify if knowledge from South African TB policies are being disseminated to people who suffer from TB, also to measure if a lack of knowledge may have an impact on treatment success. A policy analysis was done of 5 South African TB policies to identify areas of the policies which are patient specific. The TB policies emphasized a patient-centred approach and the researcher used this concept to motivate that patient-specific areas must be known by the patients. The specific areas identified were: TB specific areas, Treatment specific areas, Adherence specific areas and information/education specific areas. Based on the policy analysis a case study was conducted at Brooklyn Chest Hospital to measure implementation of the policies on the ground. The study found that education was adequate in areas around TB diagnosis, treatment length, signs and symptoms, and family education. The participants lacked knowledge in areas such as TB contacts, monitoring of TB disease, education of TB prior to diagnosis and a high prevalence of non-adherence and multiple cases of TB were found among the participants. Also, the Chi-Square test found no statistical significance between the length of admission to hospital and treatment outcome. The result also shows that of the participants studied, over 30% of the study had not adhered to TB treatment after discharge. The study finds that there are significant shortfalls in the knowledge of participants based on South African TB policies, with a high non-adherence rate before and after discharge. The study shows a lack in the implementation of policy directives on education, following a patient-centred approach, which is evident in the lack of knowledge found in the participants in many facets of the TB disease and the processes to control TB

Studies on the development and survival of anopheles gambiae sensu stricto at various temperatures and relative humidities

Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto is the most efficient malaria vector in Africa. Recent advances in mapping the distribution of this vector have exploited the relationship between climatic factors and vector parameters such as growth, survival and reproduction. This work was designed to investigate the effect of temperature and humidity on the development and survival of the vector and to test the use of recently developed tools in describing its distribution. The development rate and survival of the aquatic stages of the vector were investigated at 16 constant temperatures. Adults were produced between 16 -34ºC with a peak development rate at 28ºC and peak number of adults at 22 -26ºC. Larvae survived for less than 7 days at 10º, 12º, 38 º, and 40ºC but for more than 5 weeks, at 14-18ºC without any development of adults. Laboratory models accurately predicted development times at natural breeding sites in The Gambia suggesting the applicability of the models to field situations. The survival and mortality rates of adult An. gambiae s.s. were monitored at combinations of temperatures from 0-45ºC at 5 intervals and 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% relative humidity. Survival was highest at 15-25ºC and 60-100% relative humidity. The temperature - larva development relation was used to produce a distribution map across Africa while climatic data from sites at which chromosomal forms of the insect have been found were used to map the distribution of the forms across West Africa. Climate is an important determinant of insect distribution and the use of climate and vector parameters in describing or predicting vector and disease distribution will provide a cheaper and less labour intensive tool than traditional methods

The language policy practice in mathematics education in the upper west region of Ghana

Using Teacher's Assessment of Language Policy Practices (TAL2P) questionnaire and unstructured interview schedules, 63 randomly selected teachers (39 females, 24 males) from 21 schools within the Lawra District of the Upper West Region of Ghana were examined to determine the extent to which the language policy was practised. The study showed that teachers teach between 30-46% of their mathematics lesson periods in English at the lower primary level. Efforts to use the native language for meaningful mathematics instructions are constrained by teachers' inability to speak the language and the lack of materials in the native language. For children to derive the benefits of the language policy, the study recommends taking teachers linguistic competence into consideration during teacher postings and an urgent provision of text materials in the native languages to serve as resource materials for teachers. African Journal of Educational Studies in Mathematics and Sciences Vol. 2(1) 2004: 27-3

Barriers to the Implementation of Effective Sustainable Development Plans in Sierra Leone: Stakeholders’ Perspectives

Abstract:Stakeholders’ competing positions with elected officials created barriers to the effective implementation of sustainable environmental policies. This study aimed to explore the barriers to implementing the National Environmental Policies (NEP), passed by the parliament of Sierra Leone in the 1990s. Sabastier and Jenkin-Smith’s advocacy coalition framework model provided the theoretical foundation for this study. The key research question explored is stakeholders’ perceptions of the barriers to effectively building coalitions to implement sustainable development policies like the NEP in Sierra Leone. A case study research approach was used to understand the barriers to implementing the NEP in Sierra Leone. Data were collected from public documents and structured interviews of 36 respondents. The data were coded inductively, and their content analyzed, which produced six emerging themes that included: the perceived role of stakeholders in environmental policy implementation, the benefits of stakeholders’ engagement, meeting the needs of organizations, perceived challenges in policy implementation, empowering stakeholders to participate in formulating and implementing policies and providing the necessary support for the effective implementation of environmental policies. Recommendation included that more research be conducted to identify why key stakeholders, stakeholder groups, and some governmental stakeholders were not sufficiently included in environmental policy discussions. This study has positive social change implications because it examined issues from stakeholders’ perspectives about the opportunities and barriers to implementing sustainable development policies in Sierra Leone

Consistently high estimates for the proportion of human exposure to malaria vector populations occurring indoors in rural Africa.

BACKGROUND: Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) are highly effective tools for controlling malaria transmission in Africa because the most important vectors, from the Anopheles gambiae complex and the A. funestus group, usually prefer biting humans indoors at night. METHODS: Matched surveys of mosquito and human behaviour from six rural sites in Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Zambia, and Kenya, with ITN use ranging from 0.2% to 82.5%, were used to calculate the proportion of human exposure to An. gambiae sensu lato and An. funestus s.l. that occurs indoors (πi), as an indicator of the upper limit of personal protection that indoor vector control measures can provide. This quantity was also estimated through use of a simplified binary analysis (π(i)(B)) so that the proportions of mosquitoes caught indoors (Pi), and between the first and last hours at which most people are indoors (Pfl) could also be calculated as underlying indicators of feeding by mosquitoes indoors or at night, respectively. RESULTS: The vast majority of human exposure to Anopheles bites occurred indoors (π(i)(B)= 0.79-1.00). Neither An. gambiae s.l. nor An. funestus s.l. strongly preferred feeding indoors (P(i) = 0.40-0.63 and 0.22-0.69, respectively), but they overwhelmingly preferred feeding at times when most humans were indoors (P(fl) = 0.78-1.00 and 0.86-1.00, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These quantitative summaries of behavioural interactions between humans and mosquitoes constitute a remarkably consistent benchmark with which future observations of vector behaviour can be compared. Longitudinal monitoring of these quantities is vital to evaluate the effectiveness of ITNs and IRS and the need for complementary measures that target vectors outdoors

TRIGONOMETRIC CONCEPTS: PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND KNOWLEDGE

This paper explored pre-service teachers’ perceptions and knowledge of trigonometric concepts. Convenience sampling technique was used to select a sample of 119 (25 females, 94 males) second year science/mathematics pre-service teachers from two Colleges of Education in the Northern Region of Ghana. Trigonometry Perception Questionnaire (TPQ) and Trigonometry Assessment Test (TAT) were used to collect data on pre-service teachers’ perceptions and conceptual knowledge of trigonometry. Data were coded and keyed into Statistical Package for Service Solutions (SPSS version 20) and analysed using descriptive statistics. The results suggested that pre-service teachers perceived trigonometry as abstract, difficult and boring to learn; and had limited conceptual knowledge of basic trigonometric concepts. Consequently, more that 50% of them were unable to construct and reconstruct the appropriate mental structures for meaningful understanding to enable them respond to important basic trigonometry tasks. To achieve quality mathematics education, teacher educators must change their instructional practice and teach for understanding.  Since understanding is the key to teacher’s instructional actions, processes and knowledge, we recommend teaching trigonometry for understanding during teacher preparation

SonoGames: Sounds of the right kind introducing gamification into radiology training

Background: Radiology as compared to other fields of medicine has lagged, in incorporating modern training modalities such as gamification and simulation into its teaching curriculum.Objective: This study aims to evaluate effectiveness of simulation-based teaching in collaboration with gamification. Bandura\u27s conception of self-efficacy was used to provide qualitative assessment of participants\u27 learning process through training event. Modified competitive game-based teaching methodology was utilized in an experimental study conducted for radiology residents. Workshop was divided into two sessions, first being three interactive didactic lectures followed by three competitive rounds. All participants were required to fill pre and post-self-efficacy questionnaire along with an activity evaluation form.Results: Significant self-efficacy scores were calculated for simulation-based stations of knowledge assessment and hands-on stations. Whereas significant association was also found between gender and knowledge assessment in communication skill (0.054), Professionalism (0.004), and general knowledge (0.018). Similarly, noteworthy correlation was found between gender and all hands-on skills. In conclusion, study reported an overall increase in knowledge of post-test scores compared to pre-test scores due to use of gamification in combination with simulation-based teaching which shows a positive role in clinical training. However, further consideration is needed to improve process of integrating simulation in clinical training of participants

Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Algorithms for Diabetes Prediction: Finding the Optimal Approach

Diabetes, as a chronic disease, poses a rapidly escalating risk to human health, stemming from a complex interplay of factors such as obesity, elevated blood glucose levels, and various other triggers. Central to its onset is the disruption of insulin hormone function, resulting in abnormal metabolism and increased blood sugar levels. In this paper, we propose a solution to this pressing issue using machine learning techniques. By applying various machine learning algorithms on the Pima Indian diabetes (PID) dataset, we aim to identify the most effective algorithm for this task. Leveraging powerful machine learning algorithms such as (SVM) Support Vector Machine, (RF) Random Forest and others, we endeavor to forecast the onset of diabetes. Through the amalgamation of these techniques, our objective is to proactively identify individuals at risk, enabling timely intervention and preventive measures to safeguard health. The primary goal of this initiative is to mitigate the risk of diabetes onset by forecasting individuals' susceptibility and advocating for lifestyle and dietary adjustments. This study has dual objectives: firstly, to develop and implement a predictive model for diabetes using machine learning techniques, and secondly, to explore effective strategies for achieving success in this endeavor

The Rise in Cybercrime and the Dynamics of Exploiting the Human Vulnerability Factor

This paper is primarily intended to firstly define and review the literature in cybersecurity and vividly shed light on the mechanisms involved in the social engineering phenomenon. It will discuss the various attempts at network intrusion and the steps typically taken in the implementation of cyber-thefts. The paper will provide the rationale behind the justification of why humans are considered to be the weakest link in these attacks. The study will also explain the reasons for the rise in cybercrimes and their impact on Organizations. In closing, the paper will put forward some recommendations to serve as preventative measures and solutions to the threats and vulnerabilities posed by cyber-attacks. Finally, measures, such as conducting regular, thorough, and relevant awareness training, frequent drills and realistic tests will be addressed with a view to maintaining a steady focus on the overall discipline of the organization thereby hardening that component of the network that is the softest by nature—the human vulnerability factor

Ovipositional periodicity of caged Anopheles gambiae individuals

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