scholarly journals Evaluation of a nutrition supplementation programme in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 431-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
MK Hendricks ◽  
M le Roux ◽  
M Fernandes ◽  
J Irlam
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
School Children ◽  
Protein Energy Malnutrition ◽  
Lactating Women ◽  
Nutrition Supplementation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Northern Cape ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Weight For Age

AbstractAim:This study aimed at assessing the effectiveness regarding implementation and impact of a take-home nutrition supplementation programme, the Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM) Scheme, that targets malnourished pre-school children and pregnant and lactating women in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.Methodology:In assessing implementation of the PEM Scheme, a cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken over a 6-month period in the six regions of the Northern Cape Province. Interviews were conducted with programme managers and health personnel at clinics who were responsible for implementing the PEM Scheme. In assessing the impact of the PEM Scheme on growth, a retrospective review was done of the clinic records (including anthropometric data) of children enrolled in the PEM Scheme over a 1-year period.Results:About 76% of the budget allocated to the PEM Scheme had been utilised over the 1-year period. The budget for the following financial year was based solely on food supplements purchased in the previous year. Coverage of malnourished pre-school children and eligible pregnant and lactating women for enrolment was estimated to be 50% and 60%, respectively. Eighty-five per cent of health facilities in the province participated in the PEM Scheme. Some of the main problems identified included: lack of training, inappropriate targeting of certain groups, incorrect application especially of discharge criteria for pregnant and lactating women, inadequate assessment for nutrition-related disease, inadequate nutrition counselling and no standardised monitoring. Of the 319 children enrolled over a year, the mean age was 16.2 (standard deviation 16.2) months, 41% had been low-birth-weight and 18% had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Ten per cent of the children with a weight-for-age Z-score of <−2 moved into the normal Z-score range after being on the PEM Scheme for a mean duration of 8 months. There was an overall improvement in the weight-for-age Z-scores of 25% of the sample, with a significant difference between the mean weight-for-age Z-scores at enrolment and follow-up (t = 4.8, P < 0.001). This was mainly related to significant improvement in the mean weight-for-age Z-scores of children <2 years.Conclusions:Numerous problems with the PEM Scheme have been identified which could have limited its impact. Recommendations are proposed for improving the effectiveness and impact of the PEM Scheme in the province.

(Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Banasik ◽  
Dariusz Jemielniak ◽  
Wojciech P?dzich
Keyword(s):  
Medical Condition ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Marginal Effect ◽  
Life Duration ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Academic Teachers ◽  
Length Of Life ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND There have been mixed results of the studies checking whether prayers do actually extend the life duration of the people prayed for. Most studies on the topic included a small number of prayers and most of them focused on people already struggling with a medical condition. Intercessory prayer’s influence on health is of scholarly interest, yet it is unclear if its effect may be dependent on the number of prayers for a named individual received per annum. OBJECTIVE We sought to examine if there is a noticeable increased longevity effect of intercessory prayer for a named individual’s well-being, if he receives a very high number of prayers per annum for an extended period. METHODS We retrieved and conducted a statistical analysis of the data about the length of life for 857 Roman Catholic bishops, 500 Catholic priests, and 3038 male academics from the US, France, Italy, Poland, Brazil, and Mexico. We obtained information for these individuals who died between 1988 and 2018 from Wikidata, and conducted an observational cohort study. Bishops were chosen for the study, as they receive millions of individual prayers for well being, according to conservative estimates. RESULTS There was a main effect for occupation F(2, 4391) = 4.07, p = .017, ηp 2 = .002, with pairwise comparisons indicating significant differences between the mean life duration of bishops (M=30489) and of priests (M=29894), but none between the academic teachers (M=30147) and either of the other groups. A comparison analysis between bishops from the largest and the smallest dioceses showed no significant difference t(67.31)=1.61, p = .11. Our main outcome measure is covariance of the mean length of life in each of the categories: bishops, priests, academic teachers, controlled for nationality. CONCLUSIONS The first analysis proved that bishops live longer than priests, but due to a marginal effect size this result should be treated with caution. No difference was found between the mean length of life of bishops from the largest and the smallest dioceses. We found no difference between bishops and male academics. These results show that the impact of intercessory prayers on longevity is not observable.

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 infection on hip fracture 30-day mortality

Trauma ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 146040862094972
Author(s):  
Ahmed Fadulelmola ◽  
Rob Gregory ◽  
Gavin Gordon ◽  
Fiona Smith ◽  
Andrew Jennings
Keyword(s):  
Hip Fracture ◽  
Hip Fractures ◽  
Hospital Admissions ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Time To Death ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mean Time

Introduction: A novel virus, SARS-CoV-2, has caused a fatal global pandemic which particularly affects the elderly and those with comorbidities. Hip fractures affect elderly populations, necessitate hospital admissions and place this group at particular risk from COVID-19 infection. This study investigates the effect of COVID-19 infection on 30-day hip fracture mortality. Method: Data related to 75 adult hip fractures admitted to two units during March and April 2020 were reviewed. The mean age was 83.5 years (range 65–98 years), and most (53, 70.7%) were women. The primary outcome measure was 30-day mortality associated with COVID-19 infection. Results: The COVID-19 infection rate was 26.7% (20 patients), with a significant difference in the 30-day mortality rate in the COVID-19-positive group (10/20, 50%) compared to the COVID-19-negative group (4/55, 7.3%), with mean time to death of 19.8 days (95% confidence interval: 17.0–22.5). The mean time from admission to surgery was 43.1 h and 38.3 h, in COVID-19-positive and COVID-19-negative groups, respectively. All COVID-19-positive patients had shown symptoms of fever and cough, and all 10 cases who died were hypoxic. Seven (35%) cases had radiological lung findings consistent of viral pneumonitis which resulted in mortality (70% of mortality). 30% ( n = 6) contracted the COVID-19 infection in the community, and 70% ( n = 14) developed symptoms after hospital admission. Conclusion: Hip fractures associated with COVID-19 infection have a high 30-day mortality. COVID-19 testing and chest X-ray for patients presenting with hip fractures help in early planning of high-risk surgeries and allow counselling of the patients and family using realistic prognosis.

The Impact of Medical Comorbidities on Patient Satisfaction in Chronic Rhinosinusitis

2021 ◽  
pp. 000348942110157
Author(s):  
Amarbir S. Gill ◽  
Joshua Hwang ◽  
Angela M. Beliveau ◽  
Jeremiah A. Alt ◽  
Edward Bradley Strong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Chronic Rhinosinusitis ◽  
Medical Comorbidities ◽  
Patient Demographics ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Comorbidity Index ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Therapy Compliance ◽  
The Impact

Background: Patient satisfaction has a significant bearing on medical therapy compliance and patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to (1) describe patient satisfaction, as characterized by the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire-18 (PSQ-18), in the care of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and (2) analyze the impact of comorbidities on satisfaction using the functional comorbidity index (FCI). Methods: Patient demographics, disease severity measures, and PSQ-18 scores for patients with CRS presenting to a tertiary rhinology clinic between November 2019 and April 2020 were collected and analyzed. FCI was calculated retrospectively using the electronic medical record; individual comorbidities were tabulated. Spearman’s correlations followed by multivariate regression was used to assess the relationship between medical comorbidities and PSQ-18. Results: Sixty-nine patients met criteria for analysis. There were no significant differences in age, gender, and Sinonasal Outcomes Test-22 scores between CRS patients with (CRSwNP) and without (CRSsNP) nasal polyps. There was no significant difference in the mean FCI for patients with CRSwNP versus CRSsNP (5.1 and 4.3, respectively) ( P = .843). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the mean sum PSQ-18 score (78/100 in both) between these cohorts ( P = .148). The mean sum PSQ-18 score was not significantly associated with anxiety ( P = .728), depression ( P = .624), or FCI ( P = .282), but was significantly associated with hearing impairment ( P < .001). Conclusion: Patient satisfaction in the care of CRS is generally high with a diagnosis of comorbid hearing impairment demonstrating a negative association with satisfaction in this cohort.

scholarly journals Nutritional Status of Participating and Non-participating Pupils in the Ghana School Feeding Programme

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 263 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. O. Danquah ◽  
A. N. Amoah ◽  
M. Steiner-Asiedu ◽  
C. Opare-Obisaw
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
School Children ◽  
Protein Energy Malnutrition ◽  
School Lunch ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Demographic Health Survey ◽  
School Feeding ◽  
Protein Energy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Better Than

The Ghana Demographic Health Survey indicates that the major nutritional challenges in Ghana among school children are protein-energy malnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies. School Feeding Programmes are one of the main interventions addressing malnutrition and its related effects on children’s health and education. The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of Ghana School Feeding Programme on nutritional status of school children in Atwima-Nwabiagya District of Ashanti Region, Ghana. A total of 234 pupils between 9 and 17 years of age, comprising 114 participants and 120 non-participants from three participating and three non-participating schools, respectively, with similar characteristics, took part in the study. It was hypothesized that the nutritional status of participants was better than that of non-participants. Results did not indicate any association between the school lunch and nutritional status. There was no statistically significant difference in the nutritional status of participants and non-participants. The programme did not impact the nutritional status of participants.

scholarly journals Impact of Remote Teaching on Japanese Medical University Students' Sleeping Habits : a Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reiko Hori ◽  
Eiji Shibata ◽  
Iwao Okajima ◽  
Masahiro Matsunaga ◽  
Tomohiro Umemura ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Delayed Sleep Phase ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Delayed Sleep ◽  
Sleeping Habits ◽  
Medical University ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed our daily life. Owing to the imposed restrictions, many educational facilities have introduced remote teaching. This study aims to understand the impact of remote teaching on Japanese university students' sleeping habits.Methods: The participants were medical university students. We used data from an ongoing longitudinal sleeping habits survey. For 684 participants who enrolled in the university during 2018–2020, multilevel analyses of sleep duration during weekdays and weekends across 3 years were conducted, adjusting for gender, grade, place of stay, sleep problems and lifestyle habits. Results: Among the participants, 356 male (mean ± standard deviation: 22 ± 3, 18–37 years old) and 288 female (22 ± 3, 18–32 years old) students in 2018, 365 male (24 ± 3,18–36 years old) and 284 female (22 ± 2, 18–33 years old) students in 2019, and 226 male (20 ± 3,18-36 years old) and 167 female (21 ± 2, 18–34 years old) students in 2020 answered the questionnaire. The mean sleep duration during weekdays (in minutes) was 407.6 ± 60.3 in 2018, 406.9 ± 63.0 in 2019, and 417.3 ± 80.9 in 2020. The mean sleep duration during weekends (in minutes) was 494.5 ± 82.5 in 2018, 488.3 ± 87.9 in 2019, and 462.3 ± 96.4 in 2020. The analysis showed that sleep duration during weekdays was associated with the place of stay and survey year. Moreover, students reported significantly longer sleep duration during weekdays in 2020 than 2019, but no significant difference in sleep duration between 2018 and 2019. Sleep duration during weekends was found to be associated with the survey year, gender and always doing something before going to bed. Sleep duration during weekends was shorter in 2020 than 2019 and longer in male students and students who always do something before going to bed. Ten students were reported to have a delayed sleep phase in 2020. Conclusions: Students' sleep duration increased during weekdays and decreased during weekends in 2020. This difference could be explained by the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of remote teaching.

Abstract 321: Impact Of Chronic Kidney Disease On Heart Failure Outcomes In A Minority Cohort

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
TAOPHEEQ MUSTAPHA ◽  
VARIJA BHOGIREDDY ◽  
HARTMAN MADU ◽  
ADU BOACHIE ◽  
ABDUL OSENI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Chronic Kidney Disease ◽  
African American ◽  
Kidney Disease ◽  
Prognostic Impact ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Ckd Stage ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) and Chronic kidney disease (CKD) are major public health problems that often co-exist with a resultant high mortality and morbidity. Most of the studies evaluating their reciprocal prognostic impact have focused on mortality in majority populations. There is limited literature on the impact of CKD on HF morbidities in ethnic minorities. AIMS: Our study seeks to compare HF outcomes in patients with or without CKD in an African-American predominant cohort. METHODS: We obtained data from the NGH at Meharry Heart Failure Cohort; a comprehensive retrospective HF database comprised of patient care data (HF admissions, non-HF admissions, and emergency room visits) were assessed from January 2006 to December 2008. The study group consist of 306 subjects with a mean age of 65±15 years. 81% were African-American (AA), 19% Caucasian and 48.5% are females. Following the NKF KDOQI guidelines, 5 stages of CKD were outlined based on GFR. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of CKD in this population is 54.2%. CKD stage 1 was most prevalent with 45.8%, prevalence for stages 2-5 are 21.6%, 18.3%, 9.5% and 4.9% respectively. The comparison of the mean of ER visits, non HF hospitalizations and HF hospitalizations between normal and CKD patients was done using independent t-test and showed no significant difference in the mean number of ER visits (p=0.564), or HF hospitalizations(p=0.235). However, there is a statistically significant difference in the mean number of non -HF hospitalizations between normal and CKD patients (p=0.031). CONCLUSION: This study shows that the prevalence of CKD in this minority -predominant HF cohort is similar to prior studies in majority populations. However, only the non-HF hospitalizations were significantly increased in the CKD group. Future prospective studies will be needed to define the implications of this in the management of HF patients with CKD.

scholarly journals USE OF A WASHER DOES NOT AFFECT THE RATE OF IMPLANT REMOVAL OR ELBOW MOTION AFTER FIXATION OF MEDIAL EPICONDYLE FRACTURES

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 2325967119S0018
Author(s):  
Neeraj M. Patel ◽  
Christopher R. Gajewski ◽  
Anthony M. Ascoli ◽  
J. Todd Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Screw Fixation ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Medial Epicondyle ◽  
Implant Removal ◽  
Hardware Removal ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Background: The use of a washer to supplement screw fixation can prevent fragmentation and penetration during the surgical treatment of medial epicondyle fractures. However, concerns may arise regarding screw prominence and the need for subsequent implant removal. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of washer utilization on the need for hardware removal and elbow range of motion (ROM). Methods: All surgically-treated pediatric medial epicondyle fractures over a 7-year period were queried for this retrospective case-control study. Patients were only included if their fracture was fixed with a single screw with or without a washer. Per institutional protocol, implants were not routinely removed after fracture healing. Hardware removal was performed only if the patient experienced a complication or implant-related symptoms that were refractory to non-operative management. Full ROM was considered flexion beyond 130 degrees and less than a 10-degree loss of extension. Univariate analysis was followed by creation of Kaplan-Meier (one minus survival) curves in order to analyze the time until full ROM was regained after surgery. Curves between patients with and without a washer were compared with a log rank test. Results: Of the 137 patients included in the study, the mean age was 12.2±2.3 years and 85 (62%) were male. A total of 31 (23%) patients ultimately underwent hardware removal. A washer was utilized in 90 (66%) cases overall. There was not an increased need for subsequent implant removal in these patients compared to those that underwent screw fixation alone (p=0.11). The mean BMI of patients that underwent hardware removal (19.1±2.5) was similar to that of children who did not (20.4±3.5, p=0.06). When analyzing a subgroup of 102 athletes only, there was similarly no difference in the rate of implant removal if a washer was used (p=0.64). Overall, 107 (78%) patients regained full ROM at a mean of 13.9±9.7 weeks after surgery (Figure 1). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of patients with and without a washer that achieved full ROM (p=0.46). Full ROM was achieved at a mean of 14.1±11.0 weeks in those with a washer compared to 13.6±6.2 weeks in those without one (p=0.21). Conclusions: Use of a washer did not affect the need for subsequent implant removal or elbow ROM after fixation of pediatric medial epicondyle fractures, even in thinner patients or competitive athletes. If there is concern for fracture fragmentation or penetration, a washer can be included without concern that future unplanned surgeries may be required.

Impact of robotic-assisted approach on lymphadenectomy for colorectal cancer.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 787-787
Author(s):  
Reza Gamagami ◽  
Paul Kozak ◽  
Venkata R. Kakarla
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Lymph Node ◽  
Laparoscopic Surgery ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Robotic Assisted ◽  
Lymph Node Harvest ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

787 Background: In most recent years, robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) has proven to be a viable alternative to laparoscopic and traditional open surgery for colorectal cancer. Obtaining the adequate number of lymph nodes is not only essential for accurate staging, but also impacts both prognosis and the need for adjuvant chemotherapy. To date, the efficacy of lymph node harvest for RALS is not well studied or established. The aim of our study is to analyze the impact of RALS on lymphadenectomy for colorectal cancer. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent curative resections for colorectal cancer over a five-year period at a single institution by a single surgeon. Resections were classified as right-sided, sigmoid, or rectal, and subdivided into robotic and non-robotic surgery groups. The demographic data and histopathology were obtained, with an emphasis on the number lymph nodes harvested (LNH) during resections. Emergencies and non-curative resections were excluded. Results: Between January 2010 and December 2015, 136 patients with colorectal cancer underwent curative resections. Sixty-four underwent right-sided resections (28 laparoscopic, 36 robotic). Twenty-five underwent sigmoid resections (11 laparoscopic, 14 robotic), and 47 underwent rectal resections (15 open, 32 robotic). There was no significant difference in age, sex, BMI and ASA scores between the cohorts examined. The mean number of LNH with RALS was significantly higher in all three groups (right-sided—24 vs. 15 ( p= .0001), sigmoid—16 vs. 12 ( p= .046), rectal—19 vs. 4 ( p= .0016)). There was no difference in the rate of adequate lymph node extraction for staging purpose, i.e., 12 lymph nodes in all three groups. Conclusions: Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery is associated with a statistically significant increase in lymph node harvest for right-sided, sigmoid and rectal resections for malignancy. Future studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to validate these findings.

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