Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is considered the most important measure to tackle the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens. However, compliance with recommendations is usually low and effective improvement strategies are needed. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of an intervention targeting hand hygiene promotion among healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: We conducted a pre-post interventional study design in the university hospital Sahloul, Sousse, Tunisia, from January 2015 to December 2016. The intervention program consisted of training sessions and distribution of posters of hand hygiene guidelines. To assess the evolution of HH observance at pre-and post-intervention, the same observation form was distributed and collected at healthcare workers' workplace. Results: Of the 1201 and 1057 opportunities for hand hygiene observed among all categories of HCWs, overall compliance enhanced significantly from 32.1 to 39.4% (p < 0.001) respectively at pre-and post-intervention. Nurses were the most compliant with a significant improvement from 34.1 to 45.7% (p < 0.001) respectively at pre-and post-intervention. Furthermore, analysis by department showed significant improvement of compliance in orthopedic department (p < 0.001), maxillofacial-surgery department (p < 0.001), pediatrics department (p = 0.013), and emergencies (p = 0.038). Conclusion: This study showed the feasibility and effectiveness of a health-setting-based intervention to enhance hand hygiene observance in the context of a developing country.

Consecutive series of individuals for whom psychiatric reports were requested by the courts in the context of criminal proceedings were studied in six countries: Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand. A total sample of 96 cases was obtained. Careful study of the court records and psychiatric reports revealed three types of situation which could trigger a request for such a report; an ‘offence-oriented’ response where the offence itself is seen as indicative of mental morbidity, a ‘patient-oriented’ response in which the patient's previous contact with the mental health system serves as trigger and a ‘behaviour-oriented’ response in which the patient's disturbed behaviour in detention or in court arouses concern. The majority of the individuals were first offenders (60 per cent), while a similar proportion had had previous psychiatric treatment.

Background Although efforts to manage coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have understandably taken immediate priority, the impacts on traditional healthcare-associated infection (HAI) surveillance and prevention efforts remain concerning. Aim To describe trends in HAIs in a Tunisian university hospital through repeated point prevalence surveys over 9 years, assess the impact of measures implemented for COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify associated factors of HAI. Methods The current study focused on data collected from annual point prevalence surveys conducted from 2012 to 2020. All types of HAIs as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were included. Data collection was carried out using NosoTun plug. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were used to identify HAI risk factors. Results Overall, 2729 patients were observed in the 9 surveys; the mean age was 48.3 ± 23.3 years and 57.5% were male. We identified 267 infected patients (9.8%) and 296 HAIs (10.8%). Pneumonia/lower respiratory tract infections were the most frequent HAI (24%), followed by urinary tract infection (20.9%).The prevalence of infected patients increased from 10.6% in 2012 to 14.9% in 2020. However, this increase was not statistically significant. The prevalence of HAIs increased significantly from 12.3% to 15.5% ( P =.003). The only decrease involved is bloodstream infections (from 2% to 1%). Independent risk factors significantly associated with HAI were undergoing surgical intervention (aOR = 1.7), the use of antibiotic treatment in previous 6 months (aOR = 1.8), peripheral line (aOR=2), parenteral nutrition (aOR=2.4), urinary tract within 7 days (aOR=2.4), central line (aOR = 6.3), and prosthesis (aOR = 12.8), length of stay (aOR = 3), and the year of the survey. Young age was found as protective factor (aOR = .98). Conclusion Contrary to what was expected, we noticed an increase in the HAIs rates despite the preventive measures put in place to control the COVID-19 pandemic. This was partly explained by the vulnerability of hospitalized patients during this period.

Background Facebook is by far the most popular social network. Thus, it is important to use a valid measuring tool. This study aimed to validate an Arabic version of the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS). Methods It was a cross-sectional study conducted among public secondary schools, within the city of Sousse, Eastern Tunisia over 2 months. Students completed self-administrated questionnaires. The revised test-retest version of the scale was given to a sample of ten pilot students in order to check the readability of the translation. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient in order to assess the extent to which the BFAS items were interrelated. Results A total of 1399 participants took part in the study (60.5% females). Among 1353 students who are using Facebook, 71.8% had non-problematic use. The median score of addiction was 13 ranging from 6 to 30. The median time spent each day on Facebook was 3 h. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.87. Students with higher Facebook addiction scores were significantly more addicted to video games (p = 0.001), and more depressed (p < 0.0001). Conclusion The Arabic-BFAS is consistent as a screening test for Facebook addiction among secondary school students due to having good reliability and validity.

Background: Smokers with comorbid anxio-depressive disorders are more prone to progress to a more severe level of dependence and to experience more severe nicotine withdrawal symptoms than smokers without anxiodepressive disorders. Aim of the study: To determine the relationship between tobacco dependence and anxio-depressive disorders as well as assessing their impact on the withdrawal. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among attendees of the smoking cessation clinic of Sahloul University Hospital, Sousse, Tunisia, from December 2009 to May 2015. The monitoring of the attendees was performed through retrieving the records until May 2016 in order to verify their smoking cessation status at 1 year. Results: Overall, 534 smokers were included. We identified 315 smokers (59%) presenting an anxio-depressive disorder. Based on the HAD scale, we found 231 patients (43.4%) with anxiety disorders, 200 (37.6%) patients with depressive disorders, and 116 (21.8%) patients with anxio-depressive disorder. In multivariate analysis, only a high number of consultation was associated with a better rate of tobacco cessation at 6 months. However, no factor was found linked to the relapse at 1 year. Conclusion: According to our results, only a high number of consultation was revealed as an independent factor of withdrawal for anxio-depressed smokers. It is necessary to simultaneously use the nicotinic substitutions and anxio-depressive treatment to ensure the tobacco cessation.

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