Journal of Society of Prevention, Advocacy and Research KEMU

Assessment of Biological, Ergonomic and Psychological Workplace Hazards Faced by Medical and Paramedical Staff of a Tertiary Care Hospital of Lahore, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Momina Idrees — 2024-12-23

Background: Occupational hazards are defined as unfavorable workplace activities that have the potential to injure or sicken the healthcare personnel.2 In low- and middle-income countries, a significant percentage of healthcare professionals are subjected to biological, psychological, ergonomic, and chemical hazards.3 Objectives: To determine the prevalence of various types of biological, ergonomic and psychological workplace hazards faced by medical and paramedical staff of a tertiary care hospital of Lahore. Methods: This cross-sectional study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital of Lahore, involved 90 healthcare workers including doctors, nurses and lab technicians. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Chi square tests and Fisher- Freeman Halton Exact tests were applied to analyze the associations between healthcare profession type and exposure to various hazards. Results: This study reveals that out of the 90 healthcare professionals, 71.1% of the respondents were exposed to blood-borne pathogens, and needle-stick injuries were highly prevalent (72.2%). Moreover, 81.1% of the respondents had experienced Work- related musculoskeletal disorders WRMSDs, with low back pain being the most prevalent (63.3%). Psychological hazards were also very common as 86.7% of the respondents reported that they often felt stressed at work, particularly due to high workload and long working hours. Conclusion: This study highlights various biological, ergonomic and psychological hazards faced by healthcare workers. A significant association was found between the type of profession and exposure to biological and psychological hazards. This study emphasizes the importance of measures for reducing occupational hazards

Morbidity differences between breastfed and formula fed children, a hospital based cross sectional study

Aroob Irfan — 2024-12-23

Background: Human milk is the preferred feed for children. Some mothers, however, supplement their breast milk with formula because they are unable to satisfy the requirements for various reasons. Exclusive breastfeeding is thought to protect against infant morbidity, according to some of the studies. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding in Pakistan is 53.6 %. Hence, the study is designed to determine the difference in morbidity among breastfed and formula-fed children in Pakistan. Objectives: To compare the morbidity differences between breastfed and formula-fed children. Methods: This comparative cross-sectional was conducted in Paediatric Ward of public hospital of Lahore. Children up to five years of age, both genders males and females, presenting with signs and symptoms highly suggestive of sepsis, gastrointestinal infections, respiratory infections, or with a history of prolonged hospital stay were included in research. Data were analysed by using SPSS version. A chi-square test was applied. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of 96 participants, 41(42.7%) were exclusively breastfed while 55(57.3%) were formula fed.17(41.5%) of breastfed children while 35(70%) of formula fed children had respiratory tract infections. 22(55%) of breastfed children while 42(76.6%) of formula fed children were having sepsis. 10(27.8%) of breastfed children while 27(49%) of formula fed children required ICU care during their stay at hospital. Among breastfed 10(24.4%) while among formula fed 12(21.8%) were having necrotizing enterocolitis. Among breast fed 36(87.8%) while among formula fed 50(90.9%) required hospitalization during treatment. Conclusion: Breastfed children experienced lower rates of respiratory infections and incidence of sepsis as compared to their formula-fed counterparts. Though the association between feeding method and necrotizing enterocolitis was not statistically significant. However, the results underscore the potential benefits of breastfeeding in preventing severe infections and reducing hospital care requirements.

Educational Trends for Future Physicians in the Era of Advanced Technology And Artificial Inteligence

Muhammad Asad Amin — 2024-12-23

Background: Medical institutions are increasingly using AI and other modern technologies in their curriculum. Although research has looked into how Al may be utilized in diagnostic and treatment tools, there is currently no agreement on the best approach to teach medical students and practitioners how to use this technology. Objective: To assess medical students' opinions on artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical curriculum and to analyze the impact of gender and participation in AI workshops on these opinions. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study done at a public sector medical college, involved a sample of 90 students selected with a 95% confidence level and 10% precision, calculated via health study software. Data was collected through a Google Forms questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26, with Chi-squared tests, odds ratios, and prevalence ratios applied. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Out of 90 participants, 50 were male and 40 were female. 95.6% of respondents saw Al as essential in current medical education while 85.6% believed Al-related studies should be included in medical schools' curriculums. 92.2% felt medical schools should offer more lessons on Al and sophisticated technologies. Ethical concerns were raised by 80% of participants, and 70.0% were apprehensive about Al replacing certain physician roles. Conclusion: There is substantial support for incorporating AI into medical education. However, ethical issues and technical preparedness highlight the need for thorough training that covers both practical skills and ethical considerations.

Workplace Violence Against Doctors in Public Teaching Hospitals in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study Evaluating the Contributing Factors

Mirza Rehan Yousaf — 2024-12-23

Background: Workplace violence (WPV) is any act or threat of physical violence, harassment or disruptive behaviour occurring in a workplace, involving workers and clients alike. Violence directed against doctors has been a pressing issue plaguing our public hospital settings in this decade, with surveys reporting 56-80% incidence globally. Objective: To evaluate factors contributing to workplace violence against doctors in public teaching hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in six public teaching hospitals of Lahore. Workplace violence was assessed using a validated questionnaire that measured physical violence, verbal abuse, and sexual harassment experienced by doctors in the past 12 months. The sample size, calculated using the Raosoft calculator with a 5.5% margin of error and a 95% confidence interval, comprised 247 doctors selected through non-probability sampling. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. The Chi-square test was applied to analyse associations between gender, job titles and workplace violence, with p<0.05 considered significant. Results: Among 247 respondents, 48.6% experienced workplace violence, with verbal abuse being predominant (85%). Males reported a significantly higher violence exposure compared to females (p<0.001). Key contributing factors included overcrowding (56.2%), long waiting times (81.37%), and death of patients (84.21%). Environmental factors like lack of accountability (54.25%) and insufficient staff (54.66%) were notable contributors. Conclusion: Workplace violence against doctors in public teaching hospitals is significantly associated with environmental, patient-related, and systemic factors. Implications for current practice include the need for improved infrastructure, better security protocols, and enhanced patient communication systems. Future research should focus on evaluating intervention strategies across multiple healthcare settings in Pakistan.

Prevalence and Correlates of Burnout and Mental Distress among Healthcare Professionals of a Public Sector Hospital in Lahore: A Cross-sectional Study

M Uzair Tahir — 2024-12-23

Background: Healthcare worker burnout and mental distress represent significant challenges to healthcare delivery systems worldwide, particularly in resource-limited settings. In Pakistan, where healthcare workers face unique challenges including high patient volumes and resource constraints, understanding these issues is crucial. Taking into consideration the serious implications of burnout and mental distress on the well-being of healthcare providers and the quality of patient care, and the limited evidence from healthcare settings in Pakistan, this study addresses a critical knowledge gap in understanding occupational mental health among healthcare workers in developing healthcare systems. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of mental distress and burnout among healthcare professionals of a public sector hospital in Lahore and to investigate their associations with demographic characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a public sector hospital in Lahore, from February to September, 2024. Using an expected prevalence of 71.9% (95% CI: 66.3-77.5%), and absolute precision of 5.6%, a sample size of 250 was calculated. Data were collected through printed forms containing validated instruments including the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). The MBI assessed three dimensions: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA), while GHQ-12 measured psychological distress. High burnout was defined as high scores in EE (≥30) or DP (≥12) or low PA scores (≤33). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, employing descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis (p<0.05). Results: Among the 250 participants, predominantly female (75.6%) and aged 20-30 years (92.0%), 70% scored for high burnout in at least one subscale, while 9.2% reported high burnout in all three subscales of MBI. Mental distress was prevalent, with 8.8% (95% CI: 5.3-12.3%) reporting high levels. A statistically significant association between any Burnout and High Mental Distress was found (p=0.001). Healthcare roles significantly influenced mental distress levels (p<0.001), with physicians reporting higher rates of severe burnout (14.6%) compared to nurses (4.8%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of burnout (70%) among healthcare professionals in this public hospital setting in Pakistan highlights an urgent need for intervention. We recommend implementing systematic changes including: (1) structured workload management programs, (2) profession-specific mental health support services, and (3) regular burnout screening and monitoring protocols. These findings have important implications for healthcare policy in developing countries and suggest the need for institutional-level interventions to protect healthcare worker wellbeing and ensure optimal patient care.

Vulnerabilities and Visions: SWOT Analysis of Pakistan's Health Surveillance Landscape

Saira Afzal — 2024-12-23

Surveillance systems are a critical component of public health. The primary goal of public health surveillance is to monitor the health status of a population, detect disease outbreaks, track long-term trends, and make public health policies and actions. Pakistan has a structured surveillance system in place, led by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination in collaboration with various international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pakistan has a vast population that stands at 241.49 million according to 2023 census.1 The country faces diverse health challenges but has made strides in developing a national public health surveillance system. This expert opinion on SWOT(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), analysis for surveillance systems implemented in Pakistan reveals crucial insights into its potential for growth, revealing areas of strength in community engagement but also exposing gaps in long- term sustainability and scalability.