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Research Article
Knowledge Gaps in Food Safety Practices Among Street Food Vendors in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana
Abukari Salifu*,
Abdul Muizz Muktar
,
Abdul-Matin Alhassan
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
1-12
Received:
17 October 2024
Accepted:
6 December 2024
Published:
9 January 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.wjph.20251001.11
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Abstract: Majority of food handlers have poor knowledge of the proper cleaning of equipment, cross-contamination prevention, foodborne diseases, food temperature danger zones, and correct procedures for thawing frozen food (Moore et al., 2019). This study aimed at assessing the knowledge gaps in food safety practices among street food vendors in Tamale Metropolis. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 food vendors selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that the majority of food vendors had a high level of knowledge of food safety practices, and so wash their hands with soap and water before handling food, and then inspecting the quality of foodstuffs before using them. However, very few food vendors used protective gear such as gloves or aprons, indicating a gap in food safety practices. Cultural beliefs and access to resources were not significant barriers to adopting food safety practices. The study also found that more than half of vendors had good food safety practices, while a few ones had inadequate or subpar practices. According to the study's conclusions, food vendors in Tamale Metropolis must follow food safety regulations. Targeted interventions by the environmental health unit and food drug authority (EHU/FDA) are needed to improve understanding and adherence to food safety requirements, as seen by the majority of vendors who lack sufficient expertise.
Abstract: Majority of food handlers have poor knowledge of the proper cleaning of equipment, cross-contamination prevention, foodborne diseases, food temperature danger zones, and correct procedures for thawing frozen food (Moore et al., 2019). This study aimed at assessing the knowledge gaps in food safety practices among street food vendors in Tamale Metro...
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Research Article
Reducing Social Inequalities in Access to Dental Care in Senegal: Evaluation of a Flat-Rate Pricing Program at the Health District Level
Serigne Ndame Dieng*,
Amadou Dieng,
Alimatou Diallo,
Mbathio Diop,
Aïda Kanouté,
Massamba Diouf
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
13-18
Received:
17 December 2024
Accepted:
27 December 2024
Published:
14 January 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.wjph.20251001.12
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Abstract: Objectives In Africa, profound social inequalities exist in access to oral health care, with one of the principal determinants being financial factors. To overcome this financial barrier, Senegal has implemented the Program for Support of Supply and Demand for Care (PAODES). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the program on improving access to oral health for affected people. Methods This study was conducted in the health districts of Sokone, the intervention site where PAODES was established, and Bambey, the control site where routine activities were maintained. A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 110 patients at each site who were consulted in oral health services. A questionnaire allowed us to collect sociodemographic data and data on the evaluation of intervention effects, including the renouncement of oral health and the cost of care. The relative risk (RR) and the attributable fraction (AF) were calculated. Results There was a significant difference of 13.6% at the intervention site compared to 39.1% at the control site (p=0.0001). The relative risk (RR) was 0.33 (0.19-0.57). The fraction attributable to the intervention was 33.42% (21.77-42.05) among the general population and 67.14% (43.52-80.89) among those who received the intervention. Conclusion The results of the study showed that a flat-rate pricing program aimed at reducing the financial burden on access to oral health care services had a positive impact. This demonstrated that a decrease in social inequalities regarding access to oral health can surpass financial barriers.
Abstract: Objectives In Africa, profound social inequalities exist in access to oral health care, with one of the principal determinants being financial factors. To overcome this financial barrier, Senegal has implemented the Program for Support of Supply and Demand for Care (PAODES). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the program...
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Research Article
Introduction of Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination in Delta State, Nigeria: Mother’s Knowledge, Attitude and Concerns
Obinna Chinedu Ajaegbu*,
Faith Nnenna Ajaegbu,
Chukwunyem Uche Nwokoma,
Sarah Onajefe Uwa,
Helen Obiajulum Ogbangwo,
Nkemjika Emmanuel Mbagwu
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
19-25
Received:
11 December 2024
Accepted:
24 December 2024
Published:
17 January 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.wjph.20251001.13
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Abstract: Background: Cervical cancer remains a major cause of death among women especially in Nigeria. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a major risk factors for the development of cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine has been found safe and effective in reducing the burden of HPV infection and consequently, of cervical cancer. Aim of the study: The study is aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and concerns of mothers towards HPV vaccine introduction in Delta State, Nigeria. Methods: This is a cross sectional study that was carried out among 500 mothers attending the immunization/antenatal clinics using a simple random method. A structured, pretested, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. SPSS version 24.0 was used for data analysis. Statistical significance was set at p-value less than 0.05. Results. A total of 500 woman participated in this study. The study revealed that 52.2% of the women have heard of HPV vaccine while 51.4% have good positive attitude towards HPV Vaccine. Health care workers 60.7% were the major source of information regarding HPV vaccine while side effects 42.8% was the commonest concerns of mothers towards HPV vaccine. Only 60% of the mothers were willing to vaccinate their children with HPV vaccine. Mother’s level of education and place of residence positively influence their willingness to vaccinate their children with HPV vaccine. Conclusion. For effective implementation of HPV vaccination program in Delta State, Nigeria, concerted effort should be made by health authorities in educating the populace on the importance and need for the vaccine as this will aid its acceptability.
Abstract: Background: Cervical cancer remains a major cause of death among women especially in Nigeria. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a major risk factors for the development of cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine has been found safe and effective in reducing the burden of HPV infection and consequently, of cervical cancer. Aim of the study: The study is aimed ...
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Research Article
Urogenital Schistosomiasis: Survey Among Aged 10 and Above in the Tambacounda Health District (Senegal)
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
26-33
Received:
21 December 2024
Accepted:
13 January 2025
Published:
10 February 2025
Abstract: Introduction: This study focuses on the persistence of urogenital schistosomiasis (8%) in the Tambacounda Health District, despite mass treatment efforts with Praziquantel targeting individuals aged 5–14 in 2023. The main objectives are to evaluate the current prevalence of the disease, identify factors contributing to its persistence, and assess the acceptability of implemented preventive measures. Methods: A descriptive and analytical study was conducted in August 2024, targeting individuals aged 10 and above. Data collection was performed using Kobo Collect, and analysis was carried out with R 4.4.1. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with the occurrence of urogenital schistosomiasis. Results: Preventive measures were accepted by 83.47% of participants, while 14.6% reported a history of hematuria, but only 7.5% presented hematuria during the survey. Urine dipstick testing detected hematuria in 22.5% of participants, and 5.7% tested positive for Schistosoma haematobium eggs, corresponding to a prevalence of 1.98% among individuals aged 10–14 and 7.44% among those aged 15 and above. Therapeutic coverage was high among individuals aged 10–14 (88.12%). In multivariate analysis, the factors significantly associated with the occurrence of urogenital schistosomiasis were knowledge of the disease (ORa = 6.32 [1.61–31.8], p = 0.026), seeking medical care (ORa = 10.87 [2.83–48.1], p < 0.001), experiencing side effects after treatment (ORa = 43.71 [2.9–70.7], p = 0.003), and positive results on the urine dipstick test (ORa = 118.44 [11.12–126.12], p < 0.001). Conclusion: The Tambacounda Health District remains endemic for urogenital schistosomiasis despite mass treatment campaigns targeting individuals aged 5–14. Recommendations include strengthening health education, systematic urine dipstick screening, and implementing two rounds of Praziquantel treatment.
Abstract: Introduction: This study focuses on the persistence of urogenital schistosomiasis (8%) in the Tambacounda Health District, despite mass treatment efforts with Praziquantel targeting individuals aged 5–14 in 2023. The main objectives are to evaluate the current prevalence of the disease, identify factors contributing to its persistence, and assess t...
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Review Article
Waterpipe Smoking: Challenges and Opportunities for More Effective Regulations
Salma Rashid Al-Kalbani*
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
34-39
Received:
15 January 2025
Accepted:
2 February 2025
Published:
20 February 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.wjph.20251001.15
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Abstract: Waterpipe smoking (WPS), also known as hookah, is a popular social phenomenon among youth and young adults worldwide. They come in various sizes, shapes, and styles, with the highest prevalence observed in the Middle East and North Africa. Several factors contribute to their popularity, including appealing flavors, perceived accessibility, affordability, as well as the fact that smoking bars are underregulated in many countries. Although there has been a decrease in tobacco use overall because of global efforts, waterpipe smoking has become more common over time, particularly in Eastern Mediterranean countries. This is also fueled by the misconception by tobacco companies that these products are less harmful than cigarettes. This perspective review will focus on the current epidemiological data on waterpipe smoking, the impact of waterpipe smoking, the challenges of measuring waterpipe prevalence, and put forward recommendations to strengthen waterpipe smoking regulations.
Abstract: Waterpipe smoking (WPS), also known as hookah, is a popular social phenomenon among youth and young adults worldwide. They come in various sizes, shapes, and styles, with the highest prevalence observed in the Middle East and North Africa. Several factors contribute to their popularity, including appealing flavors, perceived accessibility, affordab...
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Research Article
Analyze the Determinants of Malnutrition in Women and Prognosticate Nutritional Status: Insights from the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey 2022
Md. Habibur Rahman*,
Estiyak Ahmed Turjo
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 1, March 2025
Pages:
40-60
Received:
23 January 2025
Accepted:
24 February 2025
Published:
5 March 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.wjph.20251001.16
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Abstract: Malnutrition in women is a significant public health concern and it is a serious issue in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS) 2022 was utilized to identify risk variables for malnourished females and fit several machine learning-based approaches to assess their nutritional status. This study included 7972 female individuals of various locations and ages. A chi-square test with a 5% significance level was used to identify possible risk variables for malnutrition in women. Naive Bayes, CART, Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, AdaBoost, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Multilayer Perceptron; these eight machine learning-based classifiers were used to predict malnutrition in women. Summary information revealed that 48.4% of the population analyzed in this study were malnourished women. The chi-square test revealed that fourteen variables were substantially linked with malnutrition in women. Multilayer Perceptron had the highest accuracy of 0.71 for training data but it showed poor performance for the test data set. In terms of efficiency metrics such as accuracy, kappa, and F1 scores, Random Forest outperformed the others. In comparison to the other ML algorithms tested in this study, the Random Forest technique was a significantly effective machine learning-based technique for predicting women's malnutrition in Bangladesh. The proposed approach can help identify high-risk women for malnutrition, reducing the burden on the healthcare system.
Abstract: Malnutrition in women is a significant public health concern and it is a serious issue in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS) 2022 was utilized to identify risk variables for malnourished females and fit several machine learning-based approaches to assess their nutritional status. This study included 7972 female individuals ...
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