Background:Three bodies involved in the training of health professionals in South Africa, the Health Professions Council of South Africa, Council for Higher Education and the Department of Health, are expected to align and meet the quality education, training and practice standards of health professions, including clinical training and practice of optometry students at public health facilities. Objectives:To review documents related to optometric student clinical training standards in South Africa, to determine their alignment and ascertain whether they serve their intended purpose. Methods:A qualitative documentation review study using content analysis to collect, explore and compare data from purposively sampled documents, apraised using the international centre for allied health evidence instrument. Results:Two themes emerged from the review, namely; the required optometry knowledge, skills and conduct and the required optometry processes and procedures. However, the frameworks of the reviewed documents vary vastly in terms of quality, transparency and core content. Conclusion:There is general alignment of the defined clinical training and supervision standards amongst universities offering optometric education and the regulatory authorities within the public health facilities in South Africa. There is still a need to standardise the documents guiding optometry student clinical training and practice, with clear, consistent, referenced, accurate and evidence-based recommendations.
Background:Smallholder farmers in Uganda are commonly exposed to high levels of pesticides. Improper handling of these chemicals can cause numerous health risks. Hence, this study assessed the knowledge and risk perception of pesticide exposure among smallholder farmers of Sembabule district, Uganda. Methods:A cross-sectional study among 278 smallholder farmers was conducted, using a researcher administered questionnaire. Participants were selected using systematic sampling with an interval of each 8th household. A generalized linear model with modified Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (Cls) for factors associated with low-risk perception of pesticide exposure, including sociodemographic and knowledge related-variables were adjusted for in the multivariable model. Results:Overall, 66.19% (184/278) of the participants had poor knowledge of pesticide exposure, and 54.68% (152/278) had a low-risk perception of pesticide exposure. Low-risk perception of pesticide exposure was associated with lack of concern about negative impacts of pesticide exposure [Adjusted Prevalence Ratio, aPR = 4.96, 95% Cl: 2.13-11.56] and with the perception that pesticides do not affect the environment [aPR = 1.85, 95% Cl:1.22-2.81]. Conclusion:Smallholder farmers had low-risk perception of pesticide exposure. This underscores the need for national farmer-trainings by agricultural extension workers on safe pesticide use, and improvement of existent government pesticide sale regulations.
Background:Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide. Although monogenic, it presents substantial clinical heterogeneity influenced by genetic modifiers, including haplotypes and fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels. Objectives:This pilot cross-sectional study aimed to characterize, for the first time, the βS gene haplotype distribution among Moroccan patients with sickle cell anemia and evaluate its impact on hematological parameters, particularly HbF levels. Methods:Eight polymorphic sites within the β-globin gene cluster were analyzed using PCR-RFLP in 334 chromosomes from SCD patients in northern Morocco. Associations between haplotypes and HbF levels were evaluated. Results:PCR RFLP showed that the Benin haplotype was the most common (61.1%), followed by Bantu (14.1%), Atypical A1 (11.7%), Senegal (10.5%), and Arab-Indian (2.7%). The most frequent genotypes were Ben/Ben (41.3%), Ben/CAR (15%), and Ben/Sen (10.2%). HbF levels varied significantly across haplotypes (p < 0.005), with Senegal and Arab-Indian showing the highest levels and Benin and Bantu the lowest. Conclusions:This study highlights both the genetic and anthropological diversity of SCD in Morocco, likely reflecting historical African gene flow. Haplotype profiling enhances understanding of genotype-phenotype correlations, offering valuable insights for prognosis and individualized care strategies to improve patients' outcomes.
Background:Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality globally. Community pharmacists can improve the impact of cardiovascular diseases by early identification of risk factors and provision of health promotion. However, patients' perceptions of community pharmacists are not well understood. Objective:To understand how patients perceive the involvement of community pharmacists in preventing and controlling cardiovascular diseases. Methods:Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 (n = 10) cardiovascular disease patients who utilise community pharmacy services in Maseru and Berea districts. Convenience sampling method was used to select participants. The questionnaire comprised questions to uncover patients' experiences, utilisation, and expectations of community pharmacists' services. Thematic analysis was employed. Results:Four themes were identified, namely 1) perceived role of a community pharmacist, 2) patient healthcare-seeking behaviour, 3) perceived community pharmacist care outcomes, and 4) future expectations. Generally, cardiovascular disease patients visited community pharmacists every month for medication refills and were less aware of other services. Overall, patients were appreciative of and were willing to support future community pharmacists' services. The patients expect community pharmacists to lead initiatives that educate people about cardiovascular diseases and standardise services across all pharmacy outlets. Conclusions:Patients had limited awareness of other services provided by community pharmacists beyond dispensing medication, such as disease detection and health promotion. However, they valued the services provided by community pharmacists and were willing to utilise expanded services. This presents an opportunity for community pharmacists to raise awareness of their current scope of work and expansion of care.
Aim:Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) predominantly affects young individuals and presents with variable treatment outcomes and considerable recurrence rates. Understanding the relationship between treatment approach and recurrence is essential for guiding clinical decision-making. The aim of this study was to evaluate demographic characteristics, treatment modalities, and recurrence rates in patients with PSP. Methods:This single-center, retrospective study included patients diagnosed with PSP between January 2014 and December 2023. Recurrence rates following treatment were analyzed. Results:A total of 314 patients (median age 28 years; 93.0% male) were included. Tube thoracostomy was the initial treatment in 250 patients (79.6%). Recurrence occurred in 78 patients (24.8%), with higher rates following tube thoracostomy (28.0%) compared to oxygen therapy (17.8%). No recurrence was observed after initial video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). In recurrent cases, 44.9% underwent VATS, 25.6% tube thoracostomy, and 29.5% oxygen therapy. Treatment choice and smoking status showed significant associations (p<0.001 for the first episode and p=0.007 for the second episode). Notably, all patients who underwent VATS were smokers. Conclusions:VATS performed during the first pneumothorax episode in selected patients prevents recurrence. The feasibility of VATS as the first treatment option in selected patients should be further investigated in larger series.
