Al-Sihah: The Public Health Science Journal

Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence Among Female Sex Workers in Rural Areas, South Africa

Phumla Jonas, Mathildah Mokgatle, Kebogile Mokwena, Muhammad Hoque — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In rural areas, a dearth of health care support services, lack of legal protection, and widespread stigma can lead to increased cases of violence and exploitation, making it increasingly difficult for female sex workers to seek help or escape situations of abuse. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) among female sex workers (FSWs) in the Westrand District area of Mogale, South Africa. This was a descriptive, quantitative study conducted among 383 FSWs who were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. About half of the FSWs (45%) were between the ages of 25 and 35. Most of the FSWs were single (91%), and half of them (54%) had completed only secondary education. Results showed that two-thirds of the FSWs (67%) experienced GBV. More than two-thirds (70%) had been belittled, 60% reported being insulted, 43% of FSWs had experienced forced vaginal sex, and another 40% had experienced forced anal or oral sex. Among those who did not report the violence, 18% indicated financial reasons, followed by personal choice. GBV is pervasive among FSWs in Mogale City and hinders HIV prevention efforts as well as access to justice and treatment. An integrated, multi-sectoral GBV strategy that addresses structural risks is required to improve safety and promote access to care and justice.

Mothers’ Knowledge and Practices of Steps to Successful Breastfeeding at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya

Wycliffe Agutu, Jane Situma, Lucy Mutuli — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The ten steps to successful breastfeeding have been reported to be effective in enhancing mothers’ knowledge and practices of breastfeeding in various contexts. However, within the Kenyan context, there is limited literature on mothers’ knowledge and practices regarding these steps despite high breastfeeding-related child morbidity and mortality rates. This study aimed to evaluate mothers’ knowledge, confirm practices of the steps to successful breastfeeding, and establish the relationship between mothers’ knowledge and corresponding practices of these steps. The study site was Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya. A cross-sectional study design was used, and 79 breastfeeding mothers were systematically sampled. Data were collected through a researcher-administered questionnaire and an observation checklist. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics; frequencies and percentages to show mothers’ knowledge and practice distribution. Binary logistic regression was performed to establish a relationship between the two variables. Results were presented in tables. Mothers’ knowledge of steps 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9 met the global criteria for successful breastfeeding; however, only practices of steps 6, 7, 8, and 9 met these criteria. There was no significant relationship between mothers’ knowledge and corresponding practices of all the steps (P>0.05). Skill-based training may be necessary to improve successful breastfeeding practices.

Knowledge, Perception and Practice of Telemedicine among Undergraduate Medical Students at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital

Ami Vithalani, Preksha Barot, Apexa Shukla, Hitesh Patel, Darshan Dave — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Telemedicine is crucial in supporting the healthcare sector in developing countries as it can assist in various scenarios, such as low physician-to-population ratios, lack of access to specialty physicians, and patient and physician needs in remote areas. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, and practice of telemedicine among undergraduate medical students, recognizing the importance of equipping future healthcare professionals with the necessary skills and understanding of this technology. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 307 undergraduate medical students at a tertiary care teaching hospital. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic information, computer literacy, knowledge, perception, and practice of telemedicine. Data entry and analysis were done using Microsoft Office Excel 2010. The mean, percentage, and standard deviation were calculated to describe the characteristics of respondents. This study found that 75.8% of participants were aware of telemedicine; however, only 18.8% recognized its use for prescribing drugs. Additionally, 59.9% had a low level of perception towards telemedicine. Although 45% agreed to incorporate telemedicine into medical education, 61% preferred traditional hospital visits due to concerns about information, expertise, and technical challenges. The study emphasizes the imperative for telemedicine training to address the existing knowledge gap. It underscores the critical importance of integrating telemedicine education into medical curricula at an early stage.

Positive Deviance Behavior Towards Stunting Prevention in Gunung Maddah Sampang Village

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The high prevalence of stunting is a major nutritional problem that must be resolved because it is a threat to the future of Indonesian children. One of the efforts to prevent stunting needs to be done by searching for solutions that can be practiced by the general public by applying positive deviance to improve behavior in fulfilling nutritional content in pregnant women and children. The purpose of this research is to identify and study positive deviance behavior to prevent stunting. The research method used is the qualitative method. The research was conducted for 28 months (February 2020-June 2022) in Gunung Maddah Village, Sampang Regency, Madura Island, East Java, Indonesia. Data collection techniques included the results of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), in-depth interviews, and observations obtained from 55 informants including mothers of toddlers, parents/parents-in-law, community members, cadres, and health workers. Data analysis techniques included content analysis consisting of data preparation, data editing, and data cleaning. The results showed that positive deviance behavior to prevent stunting in Gunung Maddah Sampang Village included the consumption of milk by pregnant women, the provision of milk to children (breast milk and/or cow's milk), mothers' efforts to overcome eating difficulties, limiting and regulating children's snacking habits, and the consumption of rice with vegetables and side dishes.

Behavioral Factors and Practices of Multiple Injection Immunization for Children Aged 9-12 Months in Rural Areas

Ayun Sriatmi, Setyo Endah Pratiwi , Farid Agushybana — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Immunization has been proven to be cost-effective and globally successful in reducing child deaths from infectious diseases. However, the many types of vaccines that must be given to each child in one visit make this practice controversial because they are considered unsafe. The study aims to analyze behavioral determinants of multiple injection immunization practices in rural areas. This is analytical research with a quantitative and cross-sectional approach. The population consists of all children aged 9-12 months in Kendal Regency with a sample of 407 children. Respondents were parents/caregivers selected from 30 PHC. Data were collected by interview using a questionnaire that had been tested for validity and reliability. Immunization practices are assessed through the Maternal and Child Health-Book. Immunization practice with multiple injections is partially related to education, knowledge, perception (susceptibility, severity, side effects, benefits), self-efficacy, and support (family, health workers, community, informational, and policy). Simultaneously, it is known that health worker support has the most dominant influence, followed by informational support, knowledge, perceived severity, and perceived susceptibility. Efforts are needed to increase health workers' competency in reducing the pain of children due to vaccination, as well as providing education to parents/caregivers effectively through clear communication, reducing misinformation and misperceptions, especially for rural communities.

The Determinants of Rural Community Participation in Waste Bank: An Approach Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

Muhammad Saleh, Nilda Alfiyah, Andi Susilawaty, Muhammad Ikhtiar, Abdul Gafur — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Waste management is a significant public health issue in rural areas, with most residents still disposing of waste on empty land in front of or behind their homes. Although proper management practices have been widely discussed in developing countries, limited studies are using comprehensive variables based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to analyze the factors influencing community participation in Waste Bank programs. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the determinants of community participation in Waste Bank program in Paleteang District, Pinrang Regency, using TPB approach. The procedures were carried out using a quantitative survey with a cross-sectional design. Data were then collected from 396 participants using validated questionnaires, followed by analysis with Chi-Square tests and multiple linear regression. The results showed that subjective norms and perceived behavioral control significantly influenced community participation, with p-values of 0.025 and 0.005, and OR values of 4.183 and 8.250, respectively. Meanwhile, attitudes and satisfaction with local facilities had no significant influence. This showed the importance of social support and a sense of personal control in encouraging engagement. The results were expected to serve as a reference for policymakers in designing more effective and sustainable waste management programs in rural areas.

The Effectiveness of Brisk Walking Intervention Through Comic Book Education on Self-Efficacy and HbA1c Control in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Rural Area at Takalar Regency

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Poor self-efficacy and inability to control blood sugar (HbA1c) are special concerns in achieving structured self-management. Meanwhile, the use of educational media such as Comic book is a solution to improve the self-management of diabetes mellitus patients. Therefore, this research aimed to assess the effectiveness of comic book: BW (Brisk Walking) on self-efficacy and HbA1C control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Takalar Regency. A quantitative method was used with a Quasi-Experimental two-group pre-post test design. The respondents were divided into two groups, namely Group 1 given comic Book: BW with WhatsApp Group monitoring, and Group 2 which received a similar intervention but without monitoring. A total of 60 respondents, 30 in each group were selected using the purposive sampling method, while data collection was carried out using the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) questionnaire consisting of 16 questions. Moreover, data analysis was conducted the T-test with a significance value of p<0.05. The results showed that the administration of comic book: BW significantly affected self-efficacy and HbA1c Control with p=0.000. BW caused a significant increase in self-efficacy and a decrease in HbA1c Control. This intervention has the potential to improve facilitate health workers and the patient self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus through providing comic books.

Exploring Factors Influencing Diabetes Mellitus Incidence Among Participants of Chronic Disease Management Program in Rural Areas

Syamsul Alam, Dian Rezki Wijaya, Agil Kurniawan, Maesarah Maesarah — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease with an increasing global prevalence, including in Gorontalo Province, specifically type 2 DM (T2DM). Various risk factors, such as lifestyle, obesity, and lack of physical activity have been reported to contribute to DM incidence. This shows the importance of developing more effective prevention and management strategies. Therefore, this study aimed to explore factors related to DM incidence among participants of Chronic Disease Management Program (Prolanis) in rural areas of Boalemo District, Gorontalo Province. A quantitative method was used with a cross-sectional approach on 300 participants who were selected through the purposive sampling method. Data were collected using questionnaires to measure physical activity, dietary patterns, and smoking habits. Meanwhile, body mass index (BMI) and blood glucose levels were measured anthropometrically and through blood sugar tests. The results showed that dietary patterns (carbohydrates (p=0.003), fats (p=0.00), and fiber (p=0.000)), smoking habits (p=0.016), BMI (p=0.039), age (p=0.00), genetic factors (p=0.00), and gender (p=0.00) were significantly associated with DM incidence, while physical activity (p=0.095) and protein intake (p=0.128) were not associated. In this context, dietary fiber intake was the strongest predictor with Odds Ratio (OR) value of 7.37. Based on the results, dietary fiber intake, smoking habits, BMI, and age had a significant influence as predictors of DM incidence. The implications for public health included the need to increase awareness of the importance of healthy dietary patterns, reduce smoking habits, and monitor BMI to control the prevalence and improve the overall welfare of rural community.

Sociodemographic, Infectious Diseases, Food Security, and Environmental Conditions in the Family of Children with and without Intraindividual Double Burden Malnutrition WaSt

Rachma Purwanti, Novitasari Dwi Ajeng — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Intraindividual double-burden malnutrition, Wasted-Stunted (WaSt), frequently occurs in the same child simultaneously or at different moments throughout their life. This study aims to identify differences in the sociodemographic characteristics, incidence of infectious diseases, food security, and environmental conditions in the family of children with and without WaSt. The research employed a cross-sectional design conducted from April to October 2022 in Semarang City involving 133 subjects. The independent variables included toddler, mother, father, and family characteristics. The dependent variable was WaSt. The statistical tests used were the Kruskal-Wallis test with the Mann-Whitney U test for data that were not normally distributed and the one-way ANOVA test with the Bonferroni post hoc test for normally distributed data. This research shows that 19% of toddlers have WaSt. There were differences in the incidence of infectious diseases, home sanitation hygiene, father’s education, and food security between toddlers with normal nutritional status and the other two groups (stunted and WaSt) with a p-value <0.05. There were no differences in the incidence and types of infection between WaSt and stunted groups. Most family expenditures were allocated to food (70% in the WaSt and stunting groups and 60% in the normal nutritional status group). The government and related stakeholders need to pay more attention to families of children under five with limited access and facilities for hygiene and sanitation, low income, low parental education, and low food security to prevent an increase in the risk of WaSt.

Preconception Health of Prospective Brides and Grooms in Malang Regency, Indonesia

Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Preconception health is a significant contributor to pregnancy outcomes. However, the majority of women only improve their health status after receiving counseling at the first antenatal visit or during pregnancy. This shows the need to identify preconception health through premarital screening. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the characteristics of preconception health of prospective brides in Malang Regency using "Elsimil Application". The assessment was carried out using a quantitative descriptive method with a secondary data analysis. The total sampling method was used for sample collection and data used were obtained from prospective brides who completed the premarital screening questionnaire on Elsimil Application. The variables assessed were prospective brides’ preconception health with several sub-variables. These included age, BMI, Hb levels, upper arm circumference, and smoking behavior, which were collected using an instrument in the form of a checklist table. The results of the descriptive statistical analysis, which included the frequency and percentage, showed that a significant proportion of prospective brides had preconception health state at risk (61.1%). Consequently, this study recommended the importance of strengthening preconception health services by providing education, which comprised accurate information, accessibility, and required improvement, particularly for prospective brides and grooms in rural areas.