Background: The prevalence of occupational stress among nurses is an endemic problem. Identifying the causes and its management in any healthcare institution is vital for successful interventions.
Background This study was aimed at evaluating the seroprevalence and trend of blood-borne pathogens (HIV, HCV, HBV, and Syphilis) among asymptomatic adults at Akwatia during a four-year period (2013–2016). Materials and Methods The study was a retrospective analysis of secondary data of blood donors who visited the hospital from January 2013 to December 2016. Archival data from 11,436 prospective donors was extracted. Data included age, sex, and place of residence as well as results of infectious markers (HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis). Results The prevalence of blood-borne pathogens in the donor population was 4.06%, 7.23%, 5.81%, and 10.42% for HIV, HBV, HCV, and Syphilis infections, respectively. A significant decline in HBV and HCV infections was observed in the general donor population and across genders. HIV infection rate remained steady while Syphilis infections recorded a significantly increasing trend, peaking in the year 2015 (14.20%). Age stratification in HBV infection was significant, peaking among age group 40–49 years (8.82%). Conclusion Asymptomatic blood-borne pathogen burden was high among the adult population in Akwatia. Gender variations in HBV, HCV, and Syphilis infections in the cumulative four-year burden were observed. Awareness needs to be created, especially in the older generation.
Background. Patient records’ relevance is associated with a variety of needs and objectives. Substantiating the health of patients perpetually and allowing professionals in the medical field to assess both signs and symptoms that fall in a relatively wider temporal point of view and contributions that lead to enhanced diagnoses and treatment are all quintessential of patient records. The advancement of information technology systems has led to the anticipation that development will be put into digitization and electronic means of storing patient records in order to grease their handling. Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH) is piloting implementation of patient’s electronic health record system. The introduction of the electronic health record system known as Lightwave Hospital Information Management System (LHIMS) was to provide a permanent solution to patients’ continuity of care. User’s acceptance of new information technology is seen to be one of the most challenging issues in information system. This study assesses healthcare providers’ (HP’) behavioural intention to use LHIMS to attend to clients in Cape Coast Teaching Hospital and other factors influencing it. Methods. A nonexperimental cross-sectional study was used to obtain information from 84 HP recruited from the various departments and units in CCTH who use LHIMS to attend to clients. The sample size of 90, representing 8% of HP in CCTH, was randomly selected from the various departments and units. However, 84 (indicating 93.3% response rate) of the selected HP were available during the period of the research. Results. Perceived ease of use (PEOU) of LHIMS had the strongest direct effect on perceived usefulness (PU), with a highly significant path coefficient of 0.75. PU had the greatest impact on attitude about HP’ behavioural intention to use (BIU) LHIMS to attend to patients’ healthcare delivery in CCTH (0.91). This relationship was highly significant at p < 0.001 . PEOU did not have a significant direct effect on attitude about LHIMS use, as hypothesized in the original technology acceptance model. However, attitude towards use had a strong significant effect on HP’ BIU of LHIMS, with a strong statistically significant path coefficient of 0.98 at p < 0.001 . Conclusions. We conclude that attitude towards use have a significant influence on HP’ behavioural intention to use LHIMS to attend to clients in Cape Coast Teaching Hospital.
Background Electronic health records (EHRs) are useful tools in healthcare settings but implementation in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) face challenges. Objective To explore post-implementation challenges affecting the deployment of EHRs and their use in selected health facilities in Ghana. Method Using a qualitative research approach, 21 in-depth interviews were conducted with health workers in two hospitals in the study area in Ghana, in February and June 2020. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded into themes using QSR Nvivo12 software to aid thematic analyses. Results Post-implementation challenges were grouped into lack of technological, logistical and managerial support, and inadequate training. Inadequate equipment was the most reported post-implementation challenge that affected EHR use. Unreliable Internet and network connectivity was a source of frustration, which caused staff to develop negative attitudes towards use of the system. Lack of funding stalled implementation of the system and limited its use to critical care units only. It was also the reason replacement of equipment delayed. Conclusion While EHR post-implementation challenges facing health facilities are surmountable, managerial support, backed with the requisite logistical and technical support is needed. It is not enough to rely on funding; health institutions should prioritise emerging EHR post-implementation challenges in their operating budgets. Implications A national framework is needed to guide effective and sustainable EHR implementation across the country.
<p><span>Data quality assurance through the district, regional and national health information systems is a sure way of having a meaningful interpretation, but this is a challenge in many developing countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the availability and data completeness of key newborn data indicators collected at the health facilities and to determine the use of newborn data for planning and decision-making at the Cape Coast metropolis. The study was a descriptive qualitative assessment. An in-depth interview was conducted in four hospitals within the Cape Coast Metropolis. There were unique best practices identified with some hospitals such as staff distribution and utilization in data collection and reporting, using data for decision making, and to define newborn indicators, data collections tools and the processes involved in data management and utilising supportive supervision from both the region and district levels. In order to sustain health information management, fundamental monitoring and evaluation issues, standardisation of monitoring and evaluation practices in data and information management must be addressed. In addition, investment should be made into the adoption of electronic medical records systems and tertiary training programs to support monitoring and evaluation activities in the hospital.</span></p>
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.