by Berihun Agegn Mengistie, Getie Mihret Aragaw, Tazeb Alemu Anteneh, Kindu Yinges Wondie, Alemneh Tadesse Kassie, Alemken Eyayu Abuhay, Wondimnew Mersha Biset, Gebrye Gizaw Mulatu, Nuhamin Tesfa Tsega
BackgroundPrecancerous cervical lesions, or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), represent a significant precursor to cervical cancer, posing a considerable threat to women’s health globally, particularly in developing countries. In Africa, the burden of premalignant cervical lesions is not well studied. Therefore, the main purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the overall prevalence of precancerous cervical lesions and identifying determinants among women who underwent cervical cancer screening in Africa.
MethodsThis study followed the Preferred Reporting Item Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The protocol for this systematic review and meta-analysis was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (ID: CRD42025645427). We carried out a systematic and comprehensive search on electronic databases such as PubMed and Hinari. In addition, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect were utilized to find relevant studies related to precancerous cervical lesions. Data from the included studies were extracted using an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using STATA version 17. The methodological quality of the eligible studies was examined using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) assessment tool. Publication bias was checked by using the funnel plot and Egger’s tests. A random-effects model using the Der Simonian Laird method was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of pre-cancerous cervical lesions in Africa. The I-squared and Cochrane Q statistics were used to assess the level of statistical heterogeneity among the included studies.
ResultsA total of 112 eligible articles conducted in Africa, encompassing 212,984 study participants, were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Thus, the pooled prevalence of pre-cancerous cervical lesions in Africa was 17.06% (95% confidence interval: 15.47%−18.68%). In this review, having no formal education (AOR = 4.07, 95% CI: 1.74, 9.53), being rural dweller(AOR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.64, 3.46), history of STIs (AOR = 3.94, 95% CI: 2.97, 5.23), history of having multiple partners (AOR = 2.73, 95% CI: 2.28, 3.28), early initiation of coitus (AOR = 2.77, 95% CI: 2.11, 3.62), being HIV-seropositive women (AOR = 3.33, 95% CI: 2.32, 4.78), a CD4 count Conclusions
In Africa, the overall prevalence of pre-cancerous cervical lesions is high (17%). The findings of this review highlight that health professionals, health administrators, and all other concerned bodies need to work in collaboration to expand comprehensive cervical cancer screening methods in healthcare facilities for early detection and treatment of cervical lesions. In addition, increasing community awareness and health education, expanding visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid in rural areas, offering special attention to high-risk groups (HIV-positive women), encouraging adherence to antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive women, overcoming risky sexual behaviors and practices, and advocating early detection and treatment of precancerous cervical lesions.
by Claude Emmanuel Koutouan, Marie Louisa Ramaroson, Angelina El Ghaziri, Laurent Ogé, Abdelhamid Kebieche, Raymonde Baltenweck, Patricia Claudel, Philippe Hugueney, Anita Suel, Sébastien Huet, Linda Voisine, Mathilde Briard, Jean Jacques Helesbeux, Latifa Hamama, Valérie Le Clerc, Emmanuel Geoffriau
Resistance of carrot to Alternaria leaf blight (ALB) caused by Alternaria dauci is a complex and quantitative trait. Numerous QTL for resistance (rQTLs) to ALB have been identified but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Some rQTLs have been recently proposed to be linked to the flavonoid content of carrot leaves. In this study, we performed a metabolic QTL analysis and shed light on the potential mechanisms underlying the most significant rQTL, located on carrot chromosome 6 and accounting for a large proportion of the resistance variation. The flavonoids apigenin 7-O-rutinoside, chrysoeriol 7-O-rutinoside and luteolin 7-O-rutinoside were identified as strongly correlated with resistance. The combination of genetic, metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches led to the identification of a gene encoding a bHLH162-like transcription factor, which may be responsible for the accumulation of these rutinosylated flavonoids. Transgenic expression of this bHLH transcription factor led to an over-accumulation of flavonoids in carrot calli, together with significant increase in the antifungal properties of the corresponding calli extracts. Altogether, the bHLH162-like transcription factor identified in this work is a strong candidate for explaining the flavonoid-based resistance to ALB in carrot.by Lakew Desta Zewude, Embialle Mengistie, Amanuel Ejeso
BackgroundIn developing countries, animals are often slaughtered and dressed in unsanitary settings, thus endangering the microbiological quality and safety of the meat obtained. In addition, slaughterhouses and retail outlets are the regions most vulnerable to cross-contamination with meat. As a result, the objective of this study was to evaluate slaughterhouse and meat retail shop hygiene practices and to determine the causes of unsanitary meat handling in slaughterhouses and retail shops.
Methods165 butcher men from a municipal slaughterhouse and every retail meat store in Hawassa city participated in this investigation, which was carried out using an institution-based cross-sectional study design between March 22 and May 30, 2022. Data was collected through interviewer-administered standardized questionnaires and an observation checklist. Data was entered using Epidata software version 3.1.1, and it was exported for further analysis using SPSS version 25. A cutoff point of P.V Results
The prevalence of good hygienic practices was 25.5% [95% CI: (18.2–32.1)]. Attitude (fair attitude) [AOR = 0.157; 95% CI: (0.037, 0.659)], cleanness and disinfection of waste container status [AOR = 12.64; 95% CI: (3.936–40.562)], regular supervision by health offices [AOR = 0.176; 95% CI: (0.35–0.894)], health and safety training [AOR = 3.46; 95% CI: (1.054–11.344)], and Removal of personal items during meat processing [AOR = 0.036; 95% CI: (0.008–0.150)] were factors that were significantly associated with poor hygienic practices.
ConclusionThe prevalence of good hygienic practices was low. After adjusting for possible confounding factors, attitudes, cleanness and disinfection of waste containers, regular supervision by health offices, health and safety training and Removal of personal items during meat processing (behavioral factor) were significantly associated with hygienic practices. These findings could call for appropriate prevention strategies based on cognitive domains and practice.
To pilot a culturally tailored, peer-led, co-produced asset-based intervention workshop to encourage early diagnosis of prostate cancer for Black men.
Mixed-methods pilot study.
Community centres in the North-East of England and Scotland.
The intervention was delivered in November 2023 with Black African and Caribbean men (n=21), and again in February 2024 (n=41). Participants were highly educated and aged between 42 and 63 years. The intervention was qualitatively evaluated with 40 of the intervention participants.
Underpinned by the Integrated Screening Action Model (I-SAM), we co-produced a culturally tailored, peer-led 2-hour workshop consisting of multiple components, including small group discussions about barriers to accessing prostate cancer care, general practitioner (GP) health education, activities to facilitate effective communication with the GP and reception staff and videos with testimonials from survivors, women and religious leaders.
Knowledge, attitudes and intention to engage in prostate cancer testing were examined through a pre- and post-survey design. Intervention acceptability was qualitatively explored through focus groups.
Participants (n=41) reported that the workshop increased their confidence in engaging with healthcare providers to discuss prostate cancer testing (I-SAM component: psychological capability). Knowledge (I-SAM component: psychological capability: Z=4.939, p
Asset-based strategies, focusing on community strengths, including faith-based health promotion, can promote health behaviours in a culturally and spiritually meaningful way. The PROCAN-B intervention effectively targeted components within the I-SAM and shows potential to increase prostate cancer awareness and build confidence to engage in behaviours conducive to early diagnosis. However, the sample was small, and more robust effectiveness testing is needed.
A cancer diagnosis not only profoundly impacts individuals but also the very core of their families, reshaping their lives in many ways. However, there is a lack of focus on the well-being and health of the entire family across adult cancer research. This is concerning given that one-third of the Danish population will get a cancer diagnosis before the age of 75, suggesting that many Danes will become caregivers during their lifetime. In addition, identifying vulnerable families is challenging, and the determinant factors for their vulnerability are unknown.
The principal aim of this study is to investigate family health during cancer treatment. This will be done by gathering information on various parameters such as perceived support, quality of life and self-efficacy in patients with cancer and families across the cancer trajectory. Additionally, the study seeks to pinpoint particularly vulnerable families and investigate contributing factors to their vulnerability.
This mixed-methods study follows a sequential explanatory design, combining patient-reported outcomes in a longitudinal, prospective multicentre survey with interviews conducted with a nested sampling of the participants from the survey. A total of 240 patients diagnosed with prostate-, breast-, gastrointestinal- and lymphoma cancer, and designated adult family caregivers will be recruited from six different sites for the survey. Variables such as family health, needs and perceived support, quality of life, self-efficacy, depression, stress and resilience will be explored. Survey data will be collected at baseline, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months. The interviews (n=12–15) will be conducted twice with patients and caregivers jointly: once during the treatment phase (3 months) and once after completion of treatment (12 months). For the survey part, we estimated a sample size with 90% power and 5% significance to detect a minimal clinically important change in the Family Health Scale. Assuming an SD of 2x22 = 31, based on a cross-sectional SD of 22, 44 patients per group were required; to allow for dropout, 60 per group (240 total) were included. Patient and caregiver characteristics will be summarised descriptively. Longitudinal patient-reported outcomes will be analysed with linear mixed regression, separately for patients and caregivers. Changes will be reported as mean differences with 95% CIs and compared with published minimal clinically important differences or, if unavailable, 0.3xbaseline SD. For the qualitative part, thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke is chosen to extract data, identify patterns and analyse data and themes from the interviews. NVivo will be used for coding interview data.
The study will be conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. Measures will be taken to ensure confidentiality, data protection and participant safety throughout the study. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations.
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06433349. Protocol version 2.0, June 2024.
The purpose of this manuscript is to offer an overview of knowledge regarding Evidence-Based Practice and implementation science. It addresses the question: What are the EBP implementation models used in nursing settings?
Discursive paper.
The databases were searched with the following keywords: ‘Nursing Faculty’, ‘Nurse educator’, ‘Academic’, ‘clinic’, ‘Evidence-based implementation’, ‘evidence-based practice’, ‘implementation’, ‘implementation science’, ‘undergraduate’, ‘nurse’. The search strategy aims to identify published studies. Eight databases were searched.
There are specific implementation models for implementing EBP: the IOWA Model, the Stetler Model, the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model, the Stevens Star Model, the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS), the Advancing Research and Clinical practice through close collaboration (ARCC) model. They were analysed according to the Nilsen classification. An evidence-based implementation project must be structured. First, it is necessary to choose an implementation model, then identify one or more implementation strategies, and finally, plan evaluation for implementation outcome. The use of implementation science ensures successful implementation or at least highlights barriers that need adjustment. Effective utilisation of implementation science facilitates the transfer of obtained results to similar contexts.
Implementation science complements the EBP process perfectly and ensures the proper implementation of evidence.
EBP mentors now have the entire structure of implementation science to succeed in implementing evidence-based data in both academic and clinical settings.
The discursive paper addresses the difficulties of implementing evidence in academic or clinical settings. Implementation science is the bridge between evidence and practice. Nurses now have everything they need to implement evidence-based practice successfully.
There was no patient or public involvement in the design or writing of this discursive article.
This study aims to assess parents’ knowledge and attitude towards the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of their daughters and the associated factors in Debre Tabor town, northwest Ethiopia.
A community-based cross-sectional study.
Debre Tabor town, Northwest Ethiopia.
A total of 702 participants were included in the study, with a response rate of 98.2%. Three out of the six kebeles in the town were randomly selected, and participants within the selected kebeles were recruited through a cluster sampling technique. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 15 December 2021 to 15 February 2022.
Parents’ level of knowledge and attitude towards the HPV vaccination of their daughters, and the associated factors.
In the study, parents’ knowledge and attitude towards HPV vaccination were found to be 46.4% (95% CI 42.7% to 50.1%) and 61.5% (95% CI 58.0% to 65.2%), respectively. Parents with a higher level of education (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.27; 95% CI 1.39 to 3.69), media exposure (AOR=3.36; 95% CI 1.21 to 9.33) and a good attitude towards the HPV vaccine (AOR=8.81; 95% CI 5.78 to 13.44) were significantly associated factors that affect parents’ level of knowledge. Positive subjective norms (AOR=1.53; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.31) and perceived behavioural control towards the HPV vaccine (AOR=3.48; 95% CI 2.37 to 5.10) had statistically significant associations with parents’ attitude.
In this study, more than half of parents had poor knowledge of the HPV and its vaccination, while the majority of the participants showed a favourable attitude to the vaccine. Educational attainment, media exposure and a positive attitude were significantly associated with parental knowledge, and parents’ attitude was positively influenced by subjective norms and perceived behavioural control. This suggests a need to increase the parents’ level of awareness through educational interventions, particularly via media and community engagement. To improve the acceptance and uptake of the HPV vaccination, it is important to address negative attitudes and common misconceptions among parents on the safety, efficacy and necessity of the vaccine for their daughters.
Intrusive nightmares are a hallmark symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), contributing significantly to psychiatric comorbidities, impaired physical health and diminished social functioning. Currently, no pharmacological treatments are specifically approved for managing PTSD-related nightmares. However, emerging evidence suggests that adrenoceptor-targeting agents may offer therapeutic potential. Notably, clonidine and doxazosin have demonstrated efficacy in reducing PTSD-associated nightmares, as indicated by findings from open-label studies and small randomised controlled trials.
This study is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised (1:1:1), placebo-controlled, parallel-group interventional trial. A total of 189 eligible patients will be randomly assigned to receive clonidine, doxazosin or placebo, with a once-daily oral dose administered at bedtime for 10 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint is the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale B2 score at week 10, which measures the frequency and intensity of nightmares. Secondary efficacy endpoints include other PTSD-specific symptoms. Additionally, the safety of clonidine and doxazosin will be assessed.
The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the State of Berlin (Ethik-Kommission des Landes Berlin) (Reference: 21-683-Haupt-IV E 13), on 14 March 2022 and by the relevant federal authority, the Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte, reference 4044931. The study was conducted in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. The study results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at both national and international conferences.
NCT05360953, EudraCT 2021-000319-21.
Culture underpins social interaction between school health professionals and children. Both practice and research suggest that cultural variations, migration and intercultural interactions pose potential challenges in encounters between school health professionals and children and may relate to the health professionals’ understanding of their own culture as a factor in such encounters. Still, for the school health services (SHS), reviews collating existing research on school health professionals’ understanding of culture are lacking.
This review aims to identify, describe and analyse existing research on school health professionals’ (ie, school nurses, school social workers, school doctors and school psychologists) understanding of culture.
A scoping review of peer-reviewed and published scientific articles on school health professionals’ understanding of culture.
Articles published between 2013 and 2024 on culture, SHS and school nurses, school doctors, school social workers or school psychologists.
Searches were conducted in October 2023 and September 2024 in 10 databases. Two reviewers independently screened the article titles, abstracts and full texts for inclusion. Extracted data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. The qualitative content analysis focused on content related to theoretical considerations, key findings and conceptualisations of culture.
From 1784 screened articles, 100 articles were screened in full text and 21 articles fulfilled the eligibility criteria. After identifying two additional articles through manual searches, a total of 23 articles were included in the review. The findings show that the articles primarily applied a quantitative study design, focused on school psychologists and school nurses and were conducted in the USA and Nordic-Baltic area. Self-understanding was mainly studied using validated instruments, leaving the conceptualisation of culture to the researchers. Still, only about half of all the articles described the theoretical conceptualisation of culture. Studies of intercultural interaction focused on the challenges of encountering ‘diverse’ children and raised concerns about barriers and hindrances to the encounters.
This review shows that SHS professionals’ understanding of culture has mainly been studied within two SHS professions, within a narrow geographical sphere and without a theoretical stance on culture. Thus, more qualitative research, a clearer theoretical conceptualisation of culture and more research on SHS professionals’ practice and self-understanding are needed.
In the intensive care unit (ICU), brain-injured patients are frequently exposed to mechanical ventilation to protect the brain and preserve physiology. After intracranial pressure control and sedation withdrawal, this population is prone to residual disorder of consciousness and altered neurological control of respiratory drive, cough and airway protection. Consequently, extubation failure is more frequent than in general ICU patients, and there is no clear evidence-based clinical trigger for extubation. Different risk factors for extubation failure were described in observational trials, and clinical scores were constructed to detect patients at higher risk of extubation failure. Nevertheless, none of these scores were prospectively tested as interventional tools to prevent extubation failure. The Brain-Injured Patients Extubation Readiness (BIPER) study is an ongoing multicentre stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial aiming to test one of these scores as an intervention protocol to decrease extubation failure in neurocritical care patients with residual disorder of consciousness.
Trial design: Stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial with five groups of three to six clusters (20 ICUs). Groups of clusters are randomised to five possible sequences of nine periods with crossing from a control condition period (usual care for extubation) to an intervention condition period (BIPER-guided extubation protocol), separated by a 3-month transition period.
Participants: Participants are clinically stable brain-injured patients (18–75 years old), requiring more than 48 hours of invasive mechanical ventilation with residual disorder of consciousness after sedation withdrawal, and who achieved a spontaneous breathing trial.
Interventions: The control condition consists of extubation based on usual care and local practice. The intervention condition consists of extubation triggered by a clinical score evaluating deglutition, gag reflex, cough and visual tracking (Coma Recovery Scale-Revised Visual Scale).
Objective: To determine whether adoption of an extubation protocol based on a clinical score can lessen extubation failure compared with usual care in brain-injured patients with residual disorder of consciousness.
Outcome: The primary outcome measure is extubation failure, defined within 5 days following extubation. The key secondary outcome measure is time to effective extubation.
Randomisation: Clusters are allocated to sequence of treatments using random blocks randomisation. The constitution of groups of clusters was stratified according to planned recruitment of each centre.
Blinding: Investigators and outcome assessors are not blinded to condition allocation.
Number of participants: 660 patients (220 in the control condition and 440 in the intervention condition).
The BIPER trial was approved by an independent ethics committee. The study began on 9 February 2020, and 571 participants are now included. Results will be published in an international peer-reviewed medical journal.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) should be implemented in clinical settings and practiced by registered nurses as it improves healthcare quality, safety, costs, and patient outcomes. For this to occur, nurses need to be skilled and acculturated. An EBP culture needs to be developed and sustained, both in initial academic programs and in clinical settings. Implementation models already exist and are being used, but outcomes are not consistently measured.
The aim of this scoping review was to gather and map the use of EBP implementation models as well as their implementation strategies and outcomes.
The methodology for the JBI Scoping Reviews was applied. The databases queried were PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, EMCARE, AMED, BNI, HMIC, PsycInfo. Inclusion criteria were as follows: Any primary study that describes the implementation of EBP in nursing, clinical, or academic settings. Studies using the following EBP implementation models were included: the ARCC Model, ARCC-E Model, IOWA Model, Stetler Model, Johns Hopkins Nursing EBP Model, ACE Star Model as well as PARIHS and i-PARIHS. They must have used Proctor's taxonomy for implementation outcomes as well as described implementation strategies according to the ERIC classification. Data extraction was performed by four independent reviewers in February 2024. There was no language or date limitation. Three independent reviewers performed an initial selection on titles and abstracts. Reading of the full texts was carried out by two independent reviewers using the JBI SUMARI.
A total of 2244 articles were retrieved. After removing duplicates and applying the inclusion criteria, 26 articles were reviewed, and data extracted. The most used implementation model was the PARiHS or i-PARiHS model followed by the IOWA model, the ARCC model combined with the JHNEBP model and the Stetler model. Nearly all studies used the implementation strategy domain “Use evaluative and iterative strategies” of ERIC classification. Overall, the selected studies used between 1 and 2 outcomes from Proctor's eight available.
The underuse of existing taxonomies (Proctor, ERIC) prevents an exhaustive mapping of the use of implementation models. The vocabulary used is too vague, and the implementation strategies are sometimes poorly described. An effort needs to be made to report on all work done to transfer the results to other settings and thus improve health care practices.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) is essential for clinical decision-making, integrating the best available evidence, clinical expertise, and stakeholder values. In Italy, interest in EBP is growing, and a key step in its promotion is adopting tools to assess nurses' beliefs and behaviors toward EBP. While the EBP Beliefs Scale has been translated and validated in multiple languages, it has yet to be adapted for the Italian context.
This study aims to adapt EBP measurement tools for the Italian context and evaluate their psychometric properties.
This study used an observational cross-sectional design. The process of cross-cultural translation, adaptation, and validation was adopted. A panel of experts culturally adapted the Beliefs Scales (long and short version) through the item and scale content validity (I-CVI, S-CVI). To test the psychometric properties, 409 nurses were asked to complete the two scales. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the factor structure within the Italian context. Convergent validity between the long and short versions of the scale was assessed using the correlation coefficient (r), and the reliability was assessed by computing Cronbach's alpha.
The I-CVI and S-CVI for the long and short version ranged from 0.75 to 1.00. The CFA model performed for the long and short version reported a good fit without the need for further refinements. The Cronbach's alpha was higher than 0.80 for both scales. The correlation of 0.615 (p < 0.01) indicated a moderate to strong positive relationship supporting the convergent validity of the short version in relation to the long version.
In time-constrained settings, the short scale should be utilized for efficient assessments and longitudinal tracking of changes. The long version serves as a complementary tool for in-depth analysis, facilitating a deeper understanding of underlying factors and informing targeted interventions to address specific barriers.
Objetivo: identificar los diagnósticos de enfermería y las intervenciones más frecuentes en la asistencia a los pacientes en hemodiálisis. Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal, retrospectivo con un enfoque cuantitativo, realizado con 175 prontuarios de pacientes en hemodiálisis, asistidos en el servicio por un período de seis meses. Para la recolección de los datos, se utilizó la plataforma Google Forms®, generando una hoja de trabajo en Microsoft Excel®, un software que permite organizar, describir y analizar los mismos. Resultados principales: se identificaron tres diagnósticos de enfermería como más frecuentes: Riesgo de sangrado (67,2%); Riesgo de caída (56,5%) y Exceso de volumen de líquido (54,8%), en más de la mitad de los pacientes de acuerdo con los registros en los prontuarios. Las intervenciones de enfermería están dirigidas por el protocolo del procedimiento de hemodiálisis y no por los diagnósticos de enfermería. Conclusión: los diagnósticos más frecuentes se centran en las condiciones clínicas de la población estudiada, y no subvencionan las intervenciones de enfermería, que se definen con base en técnica de hemodiálisis.