AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led health education programme on knowledge, attitude and beliefs of coronary patients towards the responses to acute coronary syndrome and the association with patients' characteristics.
METHODS: A single-group quasi-experimental design took place in a tertiary hospital. A total of 60 coronary patients were recruited to this study. The knowledge, attitude and beliefs towards acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were evaluated at baseline and after 1 month of giving education intervention.
RESULTS: Knowledge, attitude and beliefs about ACS increased significantly from baseline to 1 month after intervention. Level of attitude was associated with gender, educational level and employment status.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that an education program conducted by a nurse improved patients' level of knowledge, attitudes and beliefs in response to ACS symptoms at 1 month compared to baseline, but whether they are sustained for a longer period is unclear. Improving the responses towards ACS might reduce decision delay in symptom interpretation and seeking early treatment.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurse-led interventions have imparted positive outcomes in response to ACS symptoms among coronary patients. Therefore, nurses should take the initiative in educating patients to minimize delay in symptom interpretation and seeking early treatment.
METHODS: This intervention study was conducted in Araihazar Thana, Narayanganj district, Bangladesh during April 2012 to March 2013. The total participants were 944 students from three local schools. At baseline, students were assessed for oral health knowledge, attitude and practices using a self-administered structured questionnaire and untreated dental caries was assessed using clinical examination. Follow up study was done after 6 months from baseline. McNemar's chi-square analysis was used to evaluate the impact of OHE program on four recurrent themes of oral health between the baseline and follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the impact of the intervention group on our outcome variables.
RESULTS: Significant improvement was observed regarding school aged adolescents' self-reported higher knowledge, attitude and practices scores (p < 0.001) at follow-up compared with baseline. The prevalence of untreated dental caries of the study population after the OHE program was significantly (p < 0.01) reduced to 42.5 %. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the OHE intervention remained a significant predictor in reducing the risk of untreated dental caries (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.51; 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 0.37, 0.81). In the follow-up period participants were 2.21 times (95 % CI = 1.87, 3.45) more likely to have higher level of knowledge regarding oral health compared to baseline. Compared with baseline participants in the follow-up were 1.89 times (95 % CI = 1.44-2.87) more likely to have higher attitude towards oral health. In addition, OHE intervention was found to be significantly associated with higher level of practices toward oral health (AOR = 1.64; 95 % CI = 1.12, 3.38).
CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that OHE intervention was effective in increasing i) knowledge, ii) attitude, and iii) practices towards oral health; it also significantly reduced the prevalence of untreated dental caries among school aged adolescents from grade 6-8 in a deprived rural area of Bangladesh.
AIMS: To evaluate the evidence relating to attitudes towards PEG feeding and to determine potential barriers to the acceptance of PEG tube feeding.
METHODS: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science and CINAHL databases. The search for the studies was performed without restrictions by using the terms "PEG", "percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy", "enteral feeding", "attitude", "perception" and "opinion". Qualitative and quantitative studies were included. Quality of studies was assessed with the Alberta checklists.
RESULTS: From 981 articles, 17 articles were included in the final analysis. Twelve qualitative and four quantitative studies were considered of good quality. Seven of the 14 studies reported positive attitudes towards PEG. Three major themes were identified in terms of barriers to PEG feeding: lack of choice (poor knowledge, inadequate competency and skills, insufficient time given, not enough information given, lack of guidelines or protocol, resource constraints), confronting mortality (choosing life or death, risk of procedure) and weighing alternatives (adapting lifestyle, family influences, attitudes of healthcare professionals (HCPs), fear and anxiety).
CONCLUSIONS: Only half of the reviewed studies reported positive perceptions towards PEG feeding. The themes identified in our systematic review will guide the development of interventions to alter the current attitudes and barriers towards PEG tube feeding.
METHODS: A self-administered KAP questionnaire was distributed to a convenience sample of pharmacists in Kuala Lumpur identified from the list of licensed community pharmacists in Malaysia year 2014.
KEY FINDINGS: Questionnaires were returned by 111 pharmacists of 143 distributed (response rate, 78%). Most of the respondents (82%) were not trained in travel medicine. Overall, mean knowledge score was 4.4 ( ± 1.7), indicating a moderate level of knowledge on a variety of travel-related health issues. Community pharmacists who graduated from foreign universities possessed significantly higher knowledge scores than did those who graduated locally (P < 0.05). The majority had a positive attitude towards travel medicine. A vast majority provided travel medicine advice mainly to adults who travel as tourists, and the primary travel advice given was on traveller's diarrhoea.
CONCLUSION: There are gaps in the knowledge and practice of travel medicine among Malaysian pharmacists. Positive attitudes of pharmacists towards travel medicine and appropriate interventions, such as incorporation of travel medicine in local pharmacy curricula, continuous pharmacy education or certified training may improve the quality of travel advice given and allow pharmacists to be recognised as a credible source of information on travel medicine.
METHOD: A questionnaire containing 19 single-answer, multiple-choice type questions was mailed to 503 GDPs practising in the Greater Manchester area in January 2002. An explanatory covering letter and a stamped addressed return envelope were enclosed. The data obtained were processed using SPSS statistical software.
RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-one (70%) of the practitioners responded to the questionnaire. The restoration of root-filled teeth was normally undertaken within 1-2 weeks of completing root canal therapy by 63% of the practitioners. Only 35% of the GDPs used posts routinely in the restoration of root-filled anterior teeth; the corresponding figure for posterior teeth was 15%. While a cast, precious metal post was the preferred choice in the restoration of anterior teeth, the use of prefabricated posts and related techniques predominated in the restoration of posterior teeth. Composite resin was the most popular choice of material for core build-up procedures in anterior teeth. Amalgam tended to be favoured for core build-ups in posterior teeth. The majority of the practitioners (56%) routinely restored root-filled anterior teeth by means of porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns. Seventy-three per cent of the GDPs preferred to restore root-filled posterior teeth by means of a full veneer crown.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the practitioners surveyed had a sound understanding of the principles involved in the restoration of endodontically treated teeth, with the possible exception of the need to establish a durable coronal seal as soon as possible after the placement of a root filling.