Bed net use and associated factors in a rice farming community in Central Kenya

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) continues to offer potential strategy for malaria prevention in endemic areas. However their effectiveness, sustainability and massive scale up remain a factor of socio-economic and cultural variables of the local community which are indispensable during design and implementation stages.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An ethnographic household survey was conducted in four study villages which were purposefully selected to represent socio-economic and geographical diversity. In total, 400 households were randomly selected from the four study villages. Quantitative and qualitative information of the respondents were collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Malaria was reported the most frequently occurring disease in the area (93%) and its aetiology was attributed to other non-biomedical causes like stagnant water (16%), and long rains (13%). Factors which significantly caused variation in bed net use were occupant relationship to household head (χ²= 105.705; df 14; P = 0.000), Age (χ²= 74.483; df 14; P = 0.000), village (χ²= 150.325; df 6; P = 0.000), occupation (χ²= 7.955; df 3; P = 0.047), gender (χ²= 4.254; df 1; P = 0.039) and education levels of the household head or spouse (χ²= 33.622; df 6; P = 0.000). The same variables determined access and conditions of bed nets at household level. Protection against mosquito bite (95%) was the main reason cited for using bed nets in most households while protection against malaria came second (54%). Colour, shape and affordability were some of the key potential factors which determined choice, use and acceptance of bed nets in the study area.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study highlights potential social and economic variables important for effective and sustainable implementation of bed nets-related programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa.</p

A proposed framework for the systematic review and integrated assessment (SYRINA) of endocrine disrupting chemicals

Background - The issue of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is receiving wide attention from both the scientific and regulatory communities. Recent analyses of the EDC literature have been criticized for failing to use transparent and objective approaches to draw conclusions about the strength of evidence linking EDC exposures to adverse health or environmental outcomes. Systematic review methodologies are ideal for addressing this issue as they provide transparent and consistent approaches to study selection and evaluation. Objective methods are needed for integrating the multiple streams of evidence (epidemiology, wildlife, laboratory animal, in vitro, and in silico data) that are relevant in assessing EDCs. Methods - We have developed a framework for the systematic review and integrated assessment (SYRINA) of EDC studies. The framework was designed for use with the International Program on Chemical Safety (IPCS) and World Health Organization (WHO) definition of an EDC, which requires appraisal of evidence regarding 1) association between exposure and an adverse effect, 2) association between exposure and endocrine disrupting activity, and 3) a plausible link between the adverse effect and the endocrine disrupting activity. Results - Building from existing methodologies for evaluating and synthesizing evidence, the SYRINA framework includes seven steps: 1) Formulate the problem; 2) Develop the review protocol; 3) Identify relevant evidence; 4) Evaluate evidence from individual studies; 5) Summarize and evaluate each stream of evidence; 6) Integrate evidence across all streams; 7) Draw conclusions, make recommendations, and evaluate uncertainties. The proposed method is tailored to the IPCS/WHO definition of an EDC but offers flexibility for use in the context of other definitions of EDCs. Conclusions - When using the SYRINA framework, the overall objective is to provide the evidence base needed to support decision making, including any action to avoid/minimise potential adverse effects of exposures. This framework allows for the evaluation and synthesis of evidence from multiple evidence streams. Finally, a decision regarding regulatory action is not only dependent on the strength of evidence, but also the consequences of action/inaction, e.g. limited or weak evidence may be sufficient to justify action if consequences are serious or irreversible.The workshops that supported the writing of this manuscript were funded by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research “Mistra”. LNV was funded by Award Number K22ES025811 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences of the National Institutes of Health. TJW was funded by The Clarence Heller Foundation (A123547), the Passport Foundation, the Forsythia Foundation, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (grants ES018135 and ESO22841), and U.S. EPA STAR grants (RD83467801 and RD83543301). JT was funded by the Academy of Finland and Sigrid Juselius. UH was funded by the Danish EPA. KAK was funded by the Canada Research Chairs program grant number 950–230607

Construção de um paradigma de cuidado de enfermagem pautado nas necessidades humanas e de saúde Construcción de un paradigma de cuidado en enfermería pautado en las necesidades humanas y de salud The building of a paradigm for nursing care lined in the human and health needs

Propõe-se a problematização da adoção dos conceitos de necessidades básicas humanas e de necessidades de saúde para a constituição das bases epistemológicas de um conceito de cuidado de enfermagem que possibilite a orientação da ação profissional para o seu atendimento, no contexto da pós-modernidade. A proposição básica desenvolvida é a do acesso às necessidades humanas e de saúde através das representações sociais, com suas derivações conceituais para o cuidado em enfermagem e suas tecnologias de trabalho. Demonstra-se que as necessidades de saúde podem ser proveitosamente acessadas através da exploração tanto das dimensões objetivas, quanto das subjetivas do processo saúde-doença, como representadas pelos sujeitos e subjacentes às suas demandas. Discute-se, ainda, a necessidade de repensar o modelo tecnológico de trabalho e a de estabelecer novas bases teóricas para o processo de cuidar em enfermagem, a partir das necessidades negociadas entre os sujeitos individuais e coletivos e os profissionais nas instituições de saúde.<br>Se propone la problematización de la adopción de los conceptos de necesidades básicas humanas y de necesidades de salud para la constitución de las bases epistemológicas de un concepto de cuidado en enfermería que posibilite la orientación de la acción profesional para su atención en el contexto posmoderno. La propuesta básica desarrollada es la del acceso a las necesidades humanas y de salud a través de las representaciones sociales, con sus derivaciones conceptuales para el cuidado en enfermería y sus tecnologías de trabajo. Se demuestra que las necesidades de salud pueden ser provechosamente alcanzadas a través del estudio tanto de las dimensiones objetivas como de las subjetivas del proceso salud-enfermedad, conforme representadas por los sujetos y subyacentes a sus demandas. Se discute también la necesidad de repensar el modelo tecnológico de trabajo y de establecer nuevas bases teóricas para el proceso de cuidado en enfermería, a partir de las necesidades negociadas entre los sujetos individuales y colectivos y los profesionales en las instituciones de salud.<br>This article discusses the concepts of basic human and health needs in order to set up the epistemological grounds for a concept of nursing care which allows the guidance for the professional action during the treatment, in the post modern context. The basic formulation addresses the access to human and healh needs through social representations, along with their conceptual derivations for nursing care and their work technologies. Evidence is provided that health needs can be productively addressed through the exploration of their objective and subjetive dimensions in the health-disease process, as represented by their subjects and underlying demands. Further discussion is offered on the need to alter the technological work model and the need to set up new theoretical frameworks for the nursing care process, from the requirements negotiated between the individual and collective subjects and professionals in health