International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (4), pp. 001-010, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic: Risk Perceptions and Vaccination Practices at Lund University, Sweden

Geofrey Musinguzi^1,2*, Nicodemus Mandere Mandere³, Benedict Oppong Asamoah¹ and Eden Foreman¹

¹International Master Programme in Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Malmö University Hospital,
Malmö, Sweden.
²Makerere University School of Public Health, Department of Disease Control and Environmental Health, P. O. Box
7072, Kampala, Uganda.

³Lund University Centre for Sustainable Science, (LUCSUS), Sweden.

Accepted 25 February, 2025

Abstract

The 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic caused worldwide panic. Response to the pandemic varied widely between and within countries. The Swedish National Board of Health and Social Welfare responded by recommending vaccination of the entire population and a wide range of community mitigation measures. This study assessed the impact of the Swedish policy interventions. The study employed an internet-based questionnaire survey to collect data from master students on English programs at Lund University. The results show that majority of the respondents were aware of the pandemic and the Swedish government’s recommended mitigation measures. The overall adoption of the recommended measures was low among the respondents. Vaccination uptake was 43.1%. The low uptake was attributed to vaccine safety concerns and low risk perceptions. Mitigation measures that were provided for free, and those that did not affect the daily routine received a high adoption compared to those that entailed spending money. The government’s communication on influenza A (H1N1) was effective; however, some areas needed improvement to enhance adoption. It is imperative that communication about risk and benefits are communicated but with emphasis on the positive to avoid the dominance of the negative. In addition, group specific fora are necessary to address concerns.

Key words: Behaviour responses, influenza A (H1N1), pandemic, risk perceptions, vaccination practices.
 

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (4), pp. 001-005, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of Nutritional Knowledge Among Nurses: A Theoretical Analysis 

Aishat T. Bakre¹, Ashiyat K. Akodu C.² and Babatunde A. Akodu³

¹No 15 Tates Avenue, Belfast BT9 7BY, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

²Department of Accident and Emergency, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos, Nigeria.

³Department of Physiotherapy, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.

Accepted 12 March, 2025

Abstract

Nurses have a fundamental responsibility of promoting good health and educating the patients they care for. This research explores nurses’ general knowledge about nutrition and whether the knowledge they have acquired is used in caring for their patients. The MEDLINE and the OVID database were searched for papers relating to the topic from 1990 to 2010 using “nurses and knowledge”, “nurses” “nurses and nutrition” at different times during th e search. Additional searches used the CINAHL and EMBASE databases, which brought out results that facilitated the organization of the literature review. The inclusion criteria were studies that specify nutritional knowledge of nurses and the exclusion criteria were studies that investigated other nurse’s clinical knowledge. Fifteen studies that conform to the review criteria were identified. The results indicate that nurses have inadequate nutritional knowledge particularly in relation to when assessing the nutritional status of health care consumers.

Key words: Nurses, nutrition, knowledge.
 

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (3), pp. 001-004, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Aero-Allergen Profile and Nasobronchial Allergy in Kupwara District, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Nisar A. Wani¹*, Zafar Amin Shah² and Mahrukh Hameed³

1Department of Botany, Aerobiology Research Laboratory, University of Kashmir, Srinagar-190006, Kashmir, India.
²Department of Immunology, Sheri-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Kashmir, India.
³Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Sheri-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, Kashmir, India.

Accepted 30 December, 2024

Abstract

Nasobronchial allergy is one important type of respiratory disorder. Aero allergens like pollen, dust, fungus, dander and many others play important role in nasobronchial allergies particularly in asthma and rhinitis. The prevalence of nasobronchial allergy among populations all over the world has been increasing rapidly. The role of different inhalant allergens in nasobronchial allergy varies with environmental conditions, type of allergen and degree of exposure. The awareness on the prevalence of allergens and seasonal variations is essential for better diagnosis and immunotherapy. The present study was aimed to assess the prevalence of fungal, pollen and dust allergens by intradermal skin test in nasobronchial allergenic patients in district Kupwara of Jammu and Kashmir State.

Key words: Allergens, nasobronchial allergy, intradermal skin test, immunoglobulin-E.

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Exploring the Relationship Between Socio-Demographic Factors and Adolescent Sexual Behaviors: A Study in Imo State Secondary Schools

Nwoke E. A.¹, Okafor J. O.² and Nwankwo B. O.¹*

¹Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
²Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria.

Accepted 19 December, 2024

Abstract

The study was designed to determine the socio-demographic correlates of sexual behaviours of the adolescents in Imo State secondary schools. The objectives are to determine the influence of peer pressure on sexual behaviours of the adolescents, the levels of sexual behaviours of the adolescents with various ages at first sexual intercourse and the levels of the sexual behaviours of the older and younger adolescents in Imo State secondary schools. A cross sectional survey design was used and sample size was 3360 (2.2%) of 153,586 adolescents. A structured, validated and reliable questionnaire (r = 0.79) as well as focus group discussions were used as the instruments for data collection. Data analysis was done using mean, z-test and ANOVA statistics. The result showed that in Imo State secondary schools, peer pressure significantly influenced the sexual behaviours of the adolescents (Z-cal. 9.51, Z-tab. 1.96; p < 0.05). Various ages at first sexual intercourse significantly influenced their sexual behaviours (F- cal. 437.92, F-tab. 2.60; p<0.05) and various age groups of the adolescents influenced the adolescents sexual behaviours significantly (Z- cal. 6.19, Z-tab. 1.96; p<0.05). The older adolescents (µ = 1.49) were more involved in sexual behaviours than the younger adolescents (µ = 1.40). The study concluded that unrestricted and uncontrolled adolescents sexual behaviour may expose the adolescents to sexually transmitted infections/HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, illegal abortion and dropping out of school. Thus comprehensive sex education including assertiveness skill acquisition was recommended among others.

Key words: Socio-demographic, correlates, sexual, behaviour, adolescents.

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (2), pp. 001-009, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The Serotonergic System within the Rat Heart: Insights and Characterization of Its Intrinsic Mechanism

Gabriel Manjarrez-Gutiérrez^1,2*, Teresa Neri-Gómez¹, Alfonso Boyzo-Montes de Oca³ and Jorge Hernández-Rodríguez³

¹Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Cardiology Hospital, National Medical Center (CMN-SXXI), Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), Mexico City, Mexico.

²Medical Research Unit in Neurological Diseases, Specialties Hospital, CMN-SXXI, IMSS, México, DF, México

³Laboratory of Neurontogeny, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neurosciences, Center of Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV) IPN, Mexico City, Mexico.

Accepted 10 November, 2024

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize biochemically and immunohistochemically an intrinsic serotonergic system in rat heart. Male Wistar rats were used with an average body weight of 250 ± 10 g. Rats were adapted for 2 weeks to standard animal laboratory conditions. Hearts were later obtained to determine the principal components of the serotoninergic system using immunohistochemistry and Western blot for tryptophan-5-hydroxylase (TPH) 1 or 2, serotonin transporter (SERT) and serotoninergic receptors 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT4. Activity of TPH, L-tryptophan (L-Trp), 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) were also determined by high-resolution liquid chromatography. Immunopositive cardiomyocytes for both isoforms of TPH were observed. There was a greater expression of TPH2in relation to TPH1. Immunoreactivity for SERT and 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT4receptors was also observed in cardiomyocytes. TPH activity, L-Trp, 5-HT and 5-HIAA concentrations were also demonstrated in heart tissue. These findings support the fact that cardiomyocytes synthesize, utilize and reuptake 5-HT, which constitutes an intrinsic serotoninergic system that actively participates as an autocrine and paracrine modulation system of heart activities.

Key words: Cardiomyocytes, serotonin, tryptophan-5-hydroxylase, SERT, serotoninergic receptors.
 

International Journal of Public Health and Epidemiology ISSN 2326-7291 Vol. 14 (2), pp. 001-007, February, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Exploring Child Health Education: A Qualitative Study of Clinical Learning Environments

Walyeldin Elnour Mohamed Elfakey

Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, AlBaha University, Saudi Arabia. Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Bahri, Sudan. Email: [email protected]  Tel: +966537459602

Accepted 07 November, 2024

Abstract

The Faculty of Medicine, Al-Baha University (FMBU) is a newly founded medical school. FMBU teaches clinical sciences in phase III, which includes the 4th, 5th, 6th, and the internship year. In the fifth year, students undertake Child Heath Module (CHM) together with other clinical modules. This paper aims to describe and analyze our clinical teaching situations in the CHM to show how we utilized the workplace and the minimal available resources to achieve the learning objectives of the CHM in part and the outcomes of the FMBU curriculum as a whole. We determined the relationships between students’ activities and the workplace where the clinical teaching takes place. We analyzed these situations according to Kolb’s learning cycle theory and Dundee three-circle outcome model. Multiple parts participated in the clinical teaching of the CHM and the implementation over three years showed good results that are improving every year. The analysis of these workplace learning situations using the Kolb’s learning cycle theory and Dundee three-circle outcome model helped in good distribution and definition of the tasks. All parts of the workplace participated in the teaching and learning process. Involvement of all workplace parties is the cornerstone of effective clinical teaching. Most important, is the application of educational theories to analyze and reform clinical teaching situations.

Keywords: Workplace, Clinical setting, Child Health Module, Clinical Teaching.