Tag: statistics

Cien Saude Colet. 2021 Nov;26(11):5701-5710. doi: 10.1590/1413-812320212611.31052020. Epub 2020 Sep 10.

ABSTRACT

The scope of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sexual exploitation of homeless children and adolescents living on the streets, as well as characteristics associated with this outcome. In this cross-sectional investigation, carried out in the municipalities of Rio Grande and Porto Alegre-RS, data were collected through interviews, which were conducted by trained interviewers. The Respondent-Driven Sampling (RDS) strategy was adopted and statistical analyses were conducted using Poisson regression with robust adjustment of variance. The sample included 186 children and adolescents between 10 and 17 years of age, of which 8% reported having been subjected to sexual exploitation. Being 16 to 17 years old, having had forced sexual intercourse and not having bonds with school were characteristics independently associated with this outcome. It was observed that the lack of contact with school increased the probability 16-fold of having suffered sexual exploitation, being considered the main risk factor in this study. The proposition is that the inclusion and permanence of homeless children and adolescents living on the streets into schools might significantly reduce the risk of sexual exploitation of this population group.

PMID:34852102 | DOI:10.1590/1413-812320212611.31052020

Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2021 Nov 29:S0004-27492021005008211. doi: 10.5935/0004-2749.20220058. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of pupil dilation on intraocular pressure in preterm and term newborns.

METHODS: This prospective study involved 55 eyes of 28 preterm infants and 38 eyes of 20 term infants. The infants were divided into two groups according to their gestational ages at birth as follows: preterm group, <37 weeks and term group, ≥37 weeks. Pupil dilation was attained with tropicamide 0.5% and phenylephrine 2.5%. Intraocular pressure measurements were performed with Icare PRO (Icare Finland Oy, Helsinki, Finland) before and after pupil dilation. A paired t test was used to compare the measurements before and after pupil dilation.

RESULTS: The mean intraocular pressure change was -1.04 ± 3.03 mmHg (6.20/-11.40 mmHg) in the preterm group and -0.39 ± 2.81 mmHg (4.60/-9.70 mmHg) in the term group. A statistically significant difference in intraocular pressure was observed only in the preterm group after pupil dilation (p=0.01).

CONCLUSION: An unexpected alteration in intraocular pressure in newborns may occur after pupil dilation, especially in preterm infants.

PMID:34852054 | DOI:10.5935/0004-2749.20220058

Arq Bras Oftalmol. 2021 Nov 29:S0004-27492021005008219. doi: 10.5935/0004-2749.20220066. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To assess choroidal changes using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography in coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

METHODS: Thirty-two patients with moderate COVID-19 and 34 healthy subjects were included in the study. Choroidal thickness was measured at 3 points as follows: at the subfovea, 1500 mm nasal to the fovea, and 1500 mm temporal to the fovea. The total choroidal area, luminal area, stromal area, and choroidal vascular index were measured with Image-J. All the measurements were performed during the disease and at 4 months after remission.

RESULTS: In the patient group, the subfoveal, nasal, and temporal choroidal thicknesses were decreased as compared with those in the controls, but without statistically significant differences (p=0.534, p=0.437, and p=0.077, respectively). The mean total choroidal, stromal, and luminal areas and choroidal vascular index were statistically significantly decreased in the patient group (p<0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001, and p=0.003; respectively). At 4 months after remission, the choroidal structural parameters and choroidal vascular index revealed statistically significant increases as compared with the baseline measurements in the patients with COVID-19 (all p<0.001 and p=0.047, respectively).

CONCLUSION: The choroidal vascular and stromal parameters showed significant transient decreases during the disease course of COVID-19.

PMID:34852062 | DOI:10.5935/0004-2749.20220066

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):e0260797. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260797. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

While ensuring employment opportunities is critical for global progress and stability, workers are now subject to several disruptive trends, including automation, rapid changes in technology and skill requirements, and transitions to low-carbon energy production. Yet, these trends seem almost insignificant compared to labor impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. While much has been written about the pandemic’s short-term impacts, this study analyzes anticipated long-term impacts on the labor force of 2029 by comparing original 2029 labor projections to special COVID-adjusted projections recently published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Results show that future demand for nearly every type of labor skill and knowledge will increase, while the nature of work shifts from physical to more cognitive activities. Of the nearly three million jobs projected to disappear by 2029 due to COVID, over 91% are among workers without a bachelor’s degree. Among workers with a degree demand shifts primarily from business-related degrees to computer and STEM degrees. Results further show that the socialness of labor, which is important for both innovation and productivity, increases in many more industries than it decreases. Finally, COVID will likely accelerate the adoption of teleworking and slightly decrease the rate of workforce automation. These impacts, combined with a shift to more cognitive worker activities, will likely impact the nature of workforce health and safety with less focus on physical injuries and more on illnesses related to sedentary lifestyles. Overall, results suggest that future workers will need to engage more often in training and skill acquisition, requiring life-long learning and skill maintenance strategies.

PMID:34852022 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0260797

Rev Bras Enferm. 2021 Nov 29;75(suppl 1):e20210498. doi: 10.1590/0034-7167-2021-0498. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: to identify burnout and associated factors among nursing workers working in coping with COVID-19.

METHODS: a cross-sectional study, developed in four hospitals in a capital in southern Brazil. Sample (n=499) composed of nurses and nursing technicians/assistants, who answered an online form containing socio-occupational characterization and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed, including multiple comparison tests.

RESULTS: burnout was identified in 60 (12%) workers, with no significant difference between hospitals, but with a difference in dimensions between them. In the emotional exhaustion dimension, a higher proportion (52.9%) was found at a moderate level. Prevalence of high level of professional achievement of 95.4% was identified.

CONCLUSION: the presence of burnout was significantly prevalent among nurses and females. It reinforces the need to develop strategies to promote the health of nursing workers, providing improvement in health services and reduction of care and labor risks.

PMID:34852038 | DOI:10.1590/0034-7167-2021-0498

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):e0260460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260460. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The demand for treating degenerative lumbar spinal disease has been increasing, leading to increased utilization of medical resources. Thus, we need to understand how the budget of insurance is currently used. The objective of the present study is to overview the utilization of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) by providing the direct insured cost between patients receiving surgery and patients receiving nonsurgical treatment for degenerative lumbar disease.

METHODS: The NHIS-National Sample Cohort was utilized to select patients with lumbar disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis or spondylolysis. A matched cohort study design was used to show direct medical costs of surgery (n = 2,698) and nonsurgical (n = 2,698) cohorts. Non-surgical treatment included medication, physiotherapy, injection, and chiropractic. The monthly costs of the surgery cohort and nonsurgical cohort were presented at initial treatment, posttreatment 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and yearly thereafter for 10 years.

RESULTS: The characteristics and matching factors were well-balanced between the matched cohorts. Overall, surgery cohort spent $50.84/patient/month, while the nonsurgical cohort spent $29.34/patient/month (p<0.01). Initially, surgery treatment led to more charge to NHIS ($2,762) than nonsurgical treatment ($180.4) (p<0.01). Compared with the non-surgical cohort, the surgery cohort charged $33/month more for the first 3 months, charged less at 12 months, and charged approximately the same over the course of 10 years.

CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment initially led to more government reimbursement than nonsurgical treatment, but the charges during follow-up period were not different. The results of the present study should be interpreted in light of the costs of medical services, indirect costs, societal cost, quality of life and societal willingness to pay in each country. The monetary figures are implied to be actual economic costs but those in the reimbursement system instead reflect reimbursement charges from the government.

PMID:34852015 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0260460

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):e0260710. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260710. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Maternal satisfaction is an essential indicator of the quality and the efficiency of the health care systems. At a time when efforts are being made globally to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, assessing maternal satisfaction is essential. There is a dearth of studies on maternal satisfaction with intrapartum care, particularly in the study area. This study aimed to assess maternal satisfaction with intrapartum care and associated factors among postpartum women at public hospitals of North Shoa Zone Ethiopia.

METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study with a systematic random sampling technique was conducted from May1-30/ 2020. Data were entered into EpiData version 4.6 and analyzed using a statistical package for the social sciences version 25. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were employed. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, level of statistical significance was declared at variables with p < 0.05 and the strength of the association was measured by an adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval.

RESULT: Of the total 394 participants, 111 (28.2%) [95% CI: 23.9, 32.5] of postpartum women were satisfied with the intrapartum care. Place of residence [AOR: 1.934; 95% CI (1.183, 3.162)], planned status of the pregnancy [AOR: 2.245; 95% CI, (1.212, 4.158)], number of antenatal care visit [AOR: 2.389; 95% (1.437, 3.974)] and duration of labour [AOR: 2.463; 95% (1.378, 4.402)] were factors significantly associated with maternal satisfaction with intrapartum care.

CONCLUSION: The proportion of maternal satisfaction with intrapartum care was low. Therefore, designing strategies to enhance maternal satisfaction by strengthening adherence to antenatal care visits, provision of family planning to prevent unplanned pregnancy, and strict utilization of partograph to prevent prolonged labour and childbirth-related complications are crucial.

PMID:34852019 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0260710

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):e0260590. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260590. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) are associated with increased risk of offspring neurodevelopmental disorders, suggesting long-term adverse impacts on fetal brain development. However, the relationship between HDP and deficits in general child development is unclear. Our objective was to assess the association between HDP and motor and cognitive developmental delay in children at 36 months of age. We analyzed data from the All Our Families community-based cohort study (n = 1554). Diagnosis of HDP-gestational or chronic hypertension, preeclampsia, or eclampsia-was measured through medical records. Child development was measured by maternal-report on five domains of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3). Standardized cut-off scores were used to operationalize binary variables for any delay, motor delay, and cognitive delay. We calculated adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using logistic regression, sequentially controlling for potential confounders followed by factors suspected to lie on the causal pathway. Overall, 8.0% of women had HDP and hypertension-exposed children had higher prevalence of delay than unexposed children. Hypertension-exposed children had elevated risk for developmental delay, but CIs crossed the null. The aRRs quantifying the fully adjusted effect of HDP on child development were 1.19 (95% CI 0.92, 1.53) for any delay, 1.18 (95% CI 0.86, 1.61) for motor delay, and 1.24 (95% CI 0.83, 1.85) for cognitive delay. We did not find a statistically significant association between HDP and developmental delay. Confidence intervals suggest that children exposed to HDP in utero have either similar or slightly elevated risk of any, motor, and cognitive delay at 36 months after controlling for maternal and obstetric characteristics. The observed direction of association aligns with evidence of biological mechanisms whereby hypertensive pathology can disrupt fetal neurodevelopment; however, more evidence is needed. Findings may have implications for early developmental monitoring and intervention following prenatal hypertension exposure.

PMID:34852012 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0260590

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):e0260766. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260766. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Those with severe mental illness (SMI) are at greater risk of having poor oral health, which can have an impact on daily activities such as eating, socialising and working. There is currently a lack of evidence to suggest which oral health interventions are effective for improving oral health outcomes for people with SMI.

AIMS: This systematic review aims to examine the effectiveness of oral health interventions in improving oral health outcomes for those with SMI.

METHODS: The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO (ID CRD42020187663). Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, HMIC, CINAHL, Scopus and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies, along with conference proceedings and grey literature sources. Titles and abstracts were dual screened by two reviewers. Two reviewers also independently performed full text screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessments. Due to heterogeneity between studies, a narrative synthesis was undertaken.

RESULTS: In total, 1462 abstracts from the database search and three abstracts from grey literature sources were identified. Following screening, 12 studies were included in the review. Five broad categories of intervention were identified: dental education, motivational interviewing, dental checklist, dietary change and incentives. Despite statistically significant changes in plaque indices and oral health behaviours as a result of interventions using dental education, motivational interviewing and incentives, it is unclear if these changes are clinically significant.

CONCLUSION: Although some positive results in this review demonstrate that dental education shows promise as an intervention for those with SMI, the quality of evidence was graded as very low to moderate quality. Further research is in this area is required to provide more conclusive evidence.

PMID:34852003 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0260766

PLoS One. 2021 Dec 1;16(12):e0260639. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260639. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The effect of malignant diseases is increasing globally, particularly in developing countries as shown by recent cancer statistics from the world health organization reports. It is anticipated that with an increase in life expectancy consequent upon the improved standard of living and increasing urbanization, the burden of hematological malignancies in sub-Saharan Africa particularly in Ethiopia is likely to increase recently. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the incidence and trend of hematological malignancy in Northwest Ethiopia.

METHODS: A facility-based retrospective study was conducted from 2015 to 2019 at the University of Gondar and Bahir-Dar Felegehiwot comprehensive specialized hospitals. Hematological malignancy data were collected by using a data collection sheet that was consisted of patients’ socio-demography, clinical, and laboratory data. Then, data were entered into Epi-info 3.5.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Skewness and kurtosis were used to check data distribution. Descriptive statistics were summarized as percentages, means, and standard deviations of background variables, and the trend were analyzed.

RESULTS: In this study, a total of 1,342 study participants were included. The mean age of study participants was 41.49 ± 16.3 years with a range of 1 to 92 years. About 58.3%, 52.2%, and 80% of the cases were observed among males, 18-45 age group, and urban residences, respectively. Of the total cases, 92.9% and 7.1% were lymphoma and leukemia, respectively. On the other hand, from lymphoma cases, 72.3% and 27.7% were HL and NHL, respectively while from leukemic cases, 61.1%, 23.2, 6.3%, 4.2%, and 5.3% were CLL, ALL, CML, AML, and other HM types, respectively. In this study, there was no trend.

CONCLUSION: We concluded that lymphoma was the dominant type of hematological malignancy observed in northwest Ethiopia. The study indicated that the majority of cases were observed among male, urban residents, and adult populations aged 18-45 years. Therefore, special focus should be given to the highly affected population. Further, a prospective cohort study should be conducted for a better understanding of the prevalence and associated factors to it.

PMID:34852010 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0260639