bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increasing Teacher Educators' Access and Use of Instructional and Web-Based Technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Ibrahim Abdulsalami , Machado Crystal
Published: October 2020

While teacher educators in Sub-Saharan Africa have increased access to information and communication technology (ICT), there is a lack of empirical research that describes the detail of educators' use of technology. This chapter addresses the gap in the literature with an exploratory mixed method study in a region of Nigeria. Researchers developed a survey to collect quantitative data from 190 teacher educators and added data from 10 interviewees to verify and the survey findings. The survey assessed the types of technologies in use and the demographics of teachers who use them. As expected, use is dependent on access, and overall access was high. Demographic differences in use were not great, but women were slightly more accepting than men, and more recent graduates more accepting than older ones. Teachers overall were moderately comfortable with technology. Researchers did not collect data about enabling factors like technical support or professional development. This suggests that next steps would be to define instructional software and assess technical support needs.
The Integration of Popular Culture in K-12 and Higher Education English Language Curricula
Authors: Garling Brittany Ann , Heiberger Ashley Steele
Published: October 2020

In this chapter, the authors present the approaches and benefits of integrating popular culture into the English language learning classroom. They provide background information on classroom use of technology and popular culture as well as student demographics. This chapter addresses counterarguments against the inclusion of popular culture for literacy development and explains why the advantages outweigh the concerns. Also discussing the teaching approaches that are supported by the incorporation of popular culture, the authors provide reasons and examples of effective curricula, including lessons, materials, and topics. The authors base their argument on research as well as personal experience to claim that the incorporation of popular culture will support linguistically and culturally responsive teaching approaches and will promote student engagement, connections, and motivation in ways that support learning for English language learners in both K-12 and higher education settings.
A Revolutionary Business Model for Global Purpose-Driven Corporations
Authors: Ince Fatma
Published: October 2020

Mobility as a service (MaaS) is considered as a new solution to the transport needs, and it makes the travel convenient with large alternatives. This solution has some peerless advantages for individuals and organizations, and it provides not only accessibility and openness but also a quick and unique payment possibility. From this viewpoint, this chapter aims to address the relationship between individuals, organizations, and society according to MaaS. Some technological solutions about MaaS can allow increasing the quality of work and social life widely. Therefore, this chapter provides an overview of MaaS and individuals as a household member, work-force, entrepreneur, and an important part of society because, at the basis of all sectors, there is an individual either as a service provider or as a beneficiary. And the purpose-driven approach of the international corporations reorients the individualistic demands globally.
The Prevention of Work-Related Risks
Authors: Gutierrez Bernal Luis Gabriel , Malagon Torres Maria Alexandra , Dworaczek Conde Helga Ofelia
Published: October 2020

The goal of this chapter is to present how security and safety in the workplace, humanistic management, and humanistic psychology have become a fundamental pillar for the fulfillment of business objectives and the intervention on social and environmental issues, all the while recognizing human talent as the main axis for organizational development. For this purpose, the authors rely on two main axes: the first, the prevention of occupational hazards abiding by the guidelines established by different international organisms, including the implementation of governmental policies for the management of occupational safety and health in Latin America and mainly in Colombia; the second, the point of view of business administration, starting with their evolutionary process and leading to the new tendencies in administration such as B companies and businesses with purpose, all of which focus on an economy where success is measures by the wellbeing of people, societies, and nature.
Link Between Competitiveness and Purpose-Driven SMEs in Colombia
Authors: Salcedo-Perez Carlos , Carvajal-Contreras Andres
Published: October 2020

Different studies have highlighted the advantages bring to society by purpose-driven companies not only on their direct positive impact to society, but on internal performance measures such as employee satisfaction, profit, and consumer loyalty to the brand. Purpose-driven companies seek actions that have a positive impact on society, and though their objectives go beyond maximizing profits for shareholders, the objective of this chapter is to undertake an empirical study focus on identifying the dimensions of competitiveness in which is more urgent that Colombia improves. The results obtained will provide Colombian SMEs a clear picture of goals to go after, in addition to that of maximizing profits for shareholders, and therefore facilitating their transition into purpose-driven companies.
Intra-Entrepreneurship as a Business-Renewal Strategy
Authors: Prada Ricardo
Published: October 2020

The growth, transformation, and development of new economic sectors of a country can be determined from the entrepreneurship. This entrepreneurial attitude manifests itself from different approaches, not only by the emergence of new companies, but also by decision-making and entrepreneurial activity, in certain situations. Business success can be attributed to the different influences, changes, and pressures caused by the environment, or to special characteristics of entrepreneurs, personal aspects, and environment. This chapter aims to analyze intra-entrepreneurship as a business renewal strategy, exploring the auto parts sector, through a qualitative study in a sample of companies in the auto parts sector in Colombia.
Introduction to Precision Agriculture
Authors: Tendulkar Akalpita
Published: October 2020

The global population is increasing at a tremendous speed; thus, the demand for safe and secure food to meet this population is in demand. Therefore, traditional farming methods are insufficient to meet this demand; thus, the next revolution in agriculture is required, which is Precision Agriculture (PA), the Fourth Agriculture Revolution. PA is a technology where the concept of farm management is based on observation, measuring, and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. The technologies used for performing precision agriculture are mapping, global positioning system (GPS), yield monitoring and mapping, grid soil sampling application, variable-rate fertilizer application, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), quantifying on farm variability, soil variation, variability of soil water content, time and space scales, robots, drones, satellite imagery, the internet of things, smartphone, and machine learning. Hence, the current chapter will be emphasizing the overview, concepts, history, world interest, benefits, disadvantages, and precision farming needs.
Precision Agriculture
Authors: Abobatta Waleed Fouad
Published: October 2020

Precision agriculture is a management system that aims to reduce inputs like seeds, water, and energy; protect the environment; and maximize profitability. Precision agriculture uses advanced technology like positioning technology, geographical information systems, satellite navigation, and remote sensing. There are different factors affect the adoption of precision agriculture like farm size, legal affairs, and social interaction. Under climate change and increases in world population, adoption of precision agriculture could assist farmers to face various challenges to achieve ideal production and maximizing profitability. Information, technology, and management are considered the backbone of the precision agriculture system, and combining these elements reduces inputs and maximizes productivity. Different threats attacked precision agriculture including threats to confidentiality, threats to integrity, threats to availability, and crowding of the spectrum signal. This chapter explains the different roles of precision agriculture in developing agricultural production.
On the Use of Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Crop Monitoring and Disease Identification
Authors: Kanaan Muzaffer , Akay Rüştü , Baykara Canset Koçer
Published: October 2020

The use of technology for the purpose of improving crop yields, quality and quantity of the harvest, as well as maintaining the quality of the crop against adverse environmental elements (such as rodent or insect infestation, as well as microbial disease agents) is becoming more critical for farming practice worldwide. One of the technology areas that is proving to be most promising in this area is artificial intelligence, or more specifically, machine learning techniques. This chapter aims to give the reader an overview of how machine learning techniques can help solve the problem of monitoring crop quality and disease identification. The fundamental principles are illustrated through two different case studies, one involving the use of artificial neural networks for harvested grain condition monitoring and the other concerning crop disease identification using support vector machines and k-nearest neighbor algorithm.
Lipids in Ruminant Nutrition and Its Effect on Human Health
Authors: Elsabaawy Eman H. , Gad Sawsan M.
Published: October 2020

Scientific evidence and nutritional guidelines recommend a reduction in total fat intake, particularly of saturated fatty acids, which are associated with an increased risk of obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and cancer. Nutritionists recommend a higher intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially n-3 PUFA at the expense of n-6 PUFA. Besides the beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids on human health, the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers have attracted increased attention as a result of their health promoting biological properties. As milk and meat are the main sources of CLA for human consumption, increasing such important nutrient in animal products is strongly recommended. Fat supplementation is one of the methods of increasing PUFA content in ruminant products, and it has been shown that PUFA can be increased in milk by supplementation with vegetable oils and oil seeds. Vegetable oils as equivalent to oilseeds show similar effects on CLA content in ruminant products.
Algorithm of Choosing the Enterprise Resource Planning System for Enterprises
Authors: Novikov Alexander , Sazonova Marina V.
Published: October 2020

The article is dedicated to pointing out the main principles of choosing modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for highly technological domestic enterprises. The article provides criteria for choosing ERP system and the risk group for their implementation. The close dependence of the success of the implementation of ERP systems on the proportion of projects for which the budget has not been exceeded has been revealed; the share of projects for which the excess of the actual period over the planned period of the project occurred and the share of implementation of solutions of the “box” type. The authors conclude that it is necessary to develop an information system that meets the specifics of a particular enterprise, as well as careful planning for the timing and cost of implementing this system.
Adoption of Mobile ERP in Educational Environment
Authors: Albashrawi Mousa Ahmed , Turner Lauren , Balasubramanian Sandhya
Published: October 2020

The objective of this research paper is to investigate the intention to use mobile ERP under the effect of computer self-efficacy and system security at a university setting. Mobile ERP, a business software that integrates core business functions into a single system, has been increasingly penetrating the ERP market with promising benefits like real-time data availability and sharing, greater productivity, and competitive advantage, but to the best of the author's knowledge, there is no study that has investigated its usage intention among a traditional-ERP organization. The updated DeLone and McLean IS success model with its three quality factors is employed in this study as a theoretical framework and extended with system security and computer self-efficacy to examine the adoption of mobile ERP as an emerging phenomenon. With a sample of 347 university students, SEM results suggest that service quality, system security, and computer self-efficacy are significant determinants of individuals' intention towards using mobile ERP.
“Hey Alexa, Let's Shop”
Authors: Sorensen Katelyn , Jorgensen Jennifer Johnson
Published: October 2020

Millennials quickly adapt to new technologies and have been found to use voice technology daily. This study follows the technology acceptance model (TAM) developed by Davis to explain the relationships between perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), perceived enjoyment (PE), and perceived innovativeness (PI) to behavioral intention (BI) for Millennials. An online survey generated 204 usable responses through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Multiple regression analyses supported the relationship of PEOU to PU, PU, PE, PI to BI, and PEOU was not found to influence BI in this study. The findings of this study indicate that consumers are ready to purchase through voice-activated technologies, but the current platform needs to be adapted so that it is easier to use.
Differences of E-Learning Systems With the Focus on Moodle and Blackboard Systems
Authors: Buntak Krešimir , Mutavdžija Maja , Kovačić Matija
Published: October 2020

With the development of new technologies and their implementation in all areas of life, especially education, it is important to understand and accept all the new educational/technological concepts and their benefits. Through the concept of virtual learning environment, educational institutions can improve the quality of the learning process, reduce costs, but also improve communication between students and lecturers. The main objective of this paper is to present characteristics of two most used e-learning systems (Moodle and Blackboard) and provide results of the literature review on the differences of these two systems. Based on the results of literature review, a comparison between Moodle and Blackboard based on ISO 25010 framework is made. Through this secondary research, it was concluded that Moodle is the best solution for introducing a learning management system, but there are numerous opportunities for improving the education system at all levels.
Trends in the Online Booking of Hotel Accommodation
Authors: Vukasović Tina , Mihač Vlaho
Published: October 2020

New technologies and tourist habits are the main reasons for the constant development in tourism. Tourist surfs through so many websites and promotional messages before making a final decision on which hotel to book. The hotel must invest in the development of a modern reservation system. The research is aimed at elaborating systems, trends, and innovations in online hotel accommodation sales in the Republic of Croatia. The authors have set the following research questions: (1) Which systems are used in hotel sales and marketing departments, and what are they used for in Croatia? (2) What is the growth of online sales in the last three years in Croatia? (3) What is the share of online sales per sales channel in Croatia? The main discoveries of the research are the systems used in hotel sales and the percentage of share of reservations made through direct sales channels of the companies surveyed. Keywords Croatia, Hotels, Innovation, Online Booking Systems, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Research, Share by Sales Channels, Tourism, Trends
GPS Location Spoofing and FM Broadcast Intrusion Using Software-Defined Radio
Authors: Tan Soon Heng Mavric , Yeo Chai Kiat
Published: October 2020

This paper makes use of a simple and inexpensive software-defined radio (SDR) to demonstrate the potential threats posed to wireless communication. SDR is a radio communication system where components that are traditionally implemented in hardware are being replaced via software running on computing devices. The authors make use of a simple SDR to demonstrate how local disruption to wireless communication can be easily carried out. In particular, the authors show how FM radio broadcast can be hijacked and the spoofing of GPS location signals using a single SDR on a local basis as well as how Google Maps apps on an Android phone can be fooled by the spoofed GPS data. The authors also show how an ‘autonomous' car can be re-routed via emulation with a rigged up remote control toy car. The spoofing of GPS signals is a potential threat to all GPS-based applications, especially when powerful radios are used. The security threats on GPS-based navigation especially for drones and autonomous vehicles are real.
Comparative Prediction of Wine Quality and Protein Synthesis Using ARSkNN
Authors: Kumar Ashish , Bhatnagar Roheet , Srivastava Sumit , Chauhan Arjun
Published: October 2020

The amount of data available and information over the past few decades has grown manifold and will only increase exponentially. The ability to harvest and manipulate information from this data has become a crucial activity for effective and faster development. Multiple algorithms and approaches have been developed in order to harvest information from this data. These algorithms have different approaches and therefore result in varied outputs in terms of performance and interpretation. Due to their functionality, different algorithms perform differently on different datasets. In order to compare the effectiveness of these algorithms, they are run on different datasets under a given set of fixed restrictions (e.g., hardware platform, etc.). This paper is an in-depth analysis of different algorithms based on trivial classifier algorithm, kNN, and the newly developed ARSkNN. The algorithms were executed on three different datasets, and analysis was done by evaluating their performance taking into consideration the accuracy percentage and execution time as performance measures.
Identifying Intruders in MANET
Authors: Verma Deepak Kumar , Kush Ashwani , Jain Renu
Published: October 2020

Mobile ad hoc networks are characterized by wireless medium used for communication, frequent change of topology, and non-availability of centralized control for authentication. Out of all the attributes, communication through open air poses the biggest threat to security. Absence of security implementations by the routing protocols gives opening for intrusion to malicious nodes which then operate various attacks to hinder the normal communication. Solution suggested modifies vastly used AODV protocol to exploit the unused reserved bits of RREP message for identifying the malicious nodes in the MANET. Proposed algorithm finds the neighbors of the destination through RREQ messages, identifies vindictive neighbors providing contrived DSNs of the destination.
SDN-Based Secure Architecture for IoT
Authors: Mishra Shailendra
Published: October 2020

Internet of things (IoT) means connecting things through the internet. The growing market for IoT also attracts malicious individuals trying to gain access to the marketplace. Security issues are among the most significant worries in companies that rely on the cloud of things to do business. SDN-based architecture has improved the security of IoT networks. The centralized controller is responsible for managing the critical network's operations, and growing the network size increases the network load in the controller. Controllers in SDN-based architecture are still facing security challenges such as unauthorized access, configuration issues, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, and a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. The attack scenario and security of SDN-based IoT networks are evaluated in this research. The simulation results show that the proposed approach and security solutions are fast and effective in mitigating the attacks.
QoE-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Making for Resource Provisioning in Fog Computing Using AHP Technique
Authors: Varshney Shefali , Sandhu Rajinder , Gupta P. K.
Published: October 2020

Application placement in the fog environment is becoming one of the major challenges because of its distributed, hierarchical, and heterogeneous nature. Also, user expectations and various features of IoT devices further increase the complexity of the problem for the placement of applications in the fog computing environment. Therefore, to improve the QoE of various end-users for the use of various system services, proper placement of applications in the fog computing environment plays an important role. In this paper, the authors have proposed a service placement methodology for the fog computing environment. For a better selection of application services, AHP technique has been used which provides results in the form of ranks. The performance evaluation of the proposed technique has been done by using a customized testbed that considers the parameters like CPU cycle, storage, maximum latency, processing speed, and network bandwidth. Experimental results obtained for the proposed methodology improved the efficiency of the fog network.
Role of Educational Data Mining in Student Learning Processes With Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Amala Jayanthi M.  , Shanthi I. Elizabeth
Published: October 2020

Educational data mining is a research field that is used to enhance education system. Research studies using educational data mining are in increase because of the knowledge acquired for decision making to enhance the education process by the information retrieved by machine learning processes. Sentiment analysis is one of the most involved research fields of data mining in natural language processing, web mining, and text mining. It plays a vital role in many areas such as management sciences and social sciences, including education. In education, investigating students' opinions, emotions using techniques of sentiment analysis can understand the students' feelings that students experience in academic, personal, and societal environments. This investigation with sentiment analysis helps the academicians and other stakeholders to understand their motive on education is online. This article intends to explore different theories on education, students' learning process, and to study different approaches of sentiment analysis academics.
Secure Key Storage and Access Delegation Through Cloud Storage
Authors: Mishra Bharati , Jena Debasish , Somula Ramasubbareddy , Sankar S.
Published: October 2020

Cloud storage is gaining popularity to store and share files. To secure the files, cloud storage providers supply client interfaces with the facility to encrypt the files and upload them into the cloud. When client-side encryption is done, the onus of key management lies with the cloud user. Public key proxy re-encryption mechanisms can be used to distribute the key among stakeholders of the file. However, clients use low powered devices like mobile phones to share their files. Lightweight cryptography operations are needed to carry out the encryption operations. Ring-LWE-based encryption scheme meets this criterion. In this work, a proxy re-encryption scheme is proposed to distribute the file key. The scheme is proved CCA secure under Ring-LWE assumption in the random oracle model. The performance of the scheme is compared with the existing proxy re-encryption schemes which are observed to show better performance for re-encryption and re-key generation.
Interrogating patient-centredness in undergraduate medical education using an integrated behaviour model
Authors: Archer Elize , Bitzer E M , Van Heerden B B
Published: October 2020

Background: Patient-centredness, an approach that puts the patient at the centre of the consultation, thus focusing on patients instead of on his/her diseases, has been identified by most medical schools as a desired core competence of their graduates. Despite some curriculum initiatives, medical students often display a lack of patient-centredness upon graduation. This bears reason for concern and it was thus deemed important to explore possible factors that influence the teaching and learning of patient-centredness in an undergraduate medical curriculum. The article suggests a framework that can assist programme developers to conceptualise the teaching and learning of patient-centredness across an undergraduate curriculum.

Methods: A qualitative exploratory case study design was used for the study with final-year medical students. Themes of meaning were deduced from the data by employing components of an Integrated Behavior Model (IBM) of Fishbein.

Results: The findings of the study revealed that seven factors play a role: background characteristics of students, attitudinal factors, subjective norms (the hidden curriculum), student self-efficacy, acquired skills and knowledge, the environment or context within which patient-centredness is taught and learnt, as well as assessment of learning.

Conclusions: Patient-centredness is a complex construct and authors often write about only one of its components. This paper attempts to consider the total undergraduate medical curriculum students are exposed to when they learn about being patient-centred. The teaching and learning of such a multidimensional construct require a comprehensive approach in order to be effective and the IBM seems to be a useful and applicable theoretical model to apply.

(Full text of the research articles are available online at www.medpharm.tandfonline.com/ojfp)

S Afr Fam Pract 2017; DOI: 10.1080/20786190.2017.1386869
The diagnosis and management of depression in the era of the DSM-5
Authors: Thomas Eileen , Seedat S
Published: October 2020

Depressive disorders comprise a range of conditions that can be viewed along many dimensions. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) introduced several changes to the chapter on depressive disorders largely informed by advances in neuroscience, clinical and public health needs and difficulties identified with the previous DSM-IV classification system and criteria. Clinical characteristics vary across depressive disorders, as do the corresponding treatments. Pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy should be tailored to the individual patient.
The Pre-Diagnostic Trajectory
Authors: Ellis Chris
Published: October 2020

No abstract available.
Dyspepsia: literature review and evidence for management in primary care
Authors: Torlutter M. , Onwukwe S. C. , Pretorius D. , Mpangula N. M. , Omole O. B.
Published: October 2020

Dyspepsia is a common reason for the clinical encounters in primary care. Two common causes of dyspepsia are gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and peptic ulcer disease (PUD). These diseases clinically overlap and may present diagnostic and management challenges in primary care, especially in low resource settings. Proton pump inhibitors, eradication of H. pylori infection and endoscopy form the backbone of management of both diseases. This article reviews current considerations in the diagnosis and management of GERD and PUD in primary care.
An update on available pain medications
Authors: Osuch Elzbieta , Marais Andre
Published: October 2020

Pain is a complex interaction of sensory, emotional and behavioural factors. Chronic pain is among the most common reasons for seeking medical attention. In contrast to acute pain, where the goal is primary pain relief, the effective management of chronic pain is complex and not fully understood. Multimodal pain therapy is often required to treat chronic or persistent pain syndromes. These include pharmacological agents, physical interventions, behavioural changes and surgical approaches. Pharmacological interventions are the most widely used therapeutic options to treat acute and persistent pain.
Knowledge of final-year medical students at the University of the Free State of hand hygiene as a basic infection control measure
Authors: Bouwer M. , Labuschagne S. , Spamer S. , Vermaak C. , Zietsman L-M. , Steyn D. , Joubert G.
Published: October 2020

Background: One of the main reasons for the spread of infection in the healthcare environment is inadequate hand hygiene. Poor knowledge of hand hygiene techniques leads to poor compliance. This study aimed to determine Free State University finalyear medical students’ knowledge of hand hygiene as a basic infection control measure. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using self-administered anonymous questionnaires. The questions and memorandum were based on an extensive literature review with WHO documentation on the guidelines for hand hygiene in health care. Each participant received an envelope with an optical computer card, questionnaire and information document during a pre-arranged class. Participants recorded their answers on the card by shading in the squares corresponding to their responses.Results: The average score of the 107 participants was 46.8% (range 10.1–73.6%). Participants who felt that they had basic knowledge of hand hygiene (n = 32, 30.5%) had an average score of 47.9%. Participants with a self-reported knowledge level of more than basic but less than advanced (n = 56, 53.3%) had an average score of 44.9% while those who reported advanced knowledge (n = 17, 16.2%) had an average score of 50.8%. Three-quarters (n = 81, 77.1%) felt that their training was sufficient. Only 53.3% knew that the most important way to prevent the spread of infection is good hand hygiene. Only 10.5% of the students knew that hands should not be rinsed with water after using alcohol-based sanitisers.Conclusion: Medical students have a poor level of knowledge regarding hand hygiene as a basic measure of infection control.
Factors associated with unintended pregnancy among women attending a public health facility in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Authors: Haffejee Firoza , O’Connor Laura , Govender Nalini , Reddy Poovendhree , Sibiya Maureen Nokuthula , Ghuman Shanaz , Ngxongo Thembelihle , Borg Dorinda
Published: October 2020

Background: Across the globe a large proportion of pregnancies have been reported as unintended. There are no available reports from South Africa concerning the prevalence of unintended pregnancies. This study explored the prevalence of unintended pregnancies among South African women attending a public primary health care (PHC) clinic in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. It also investigated the relationship between demographic factors, contraceptive use, substance abuse and unintended pregnancy in this setting.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients (n = 328) attending a PHC clinic. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling. Women who attended the clinic on their first antenatal visit were invited to participate. Participants filled out questionnaires in either English or isiZulu. Association between pregnancy and categorical variables was assessed.Results: Participants were mostly single (89.9%; n = 267), unemployed (70.8%; n = 222) with a monthly income of less than R 1 500 per month (63.8%; n = 81). Two-thirds of the women (64.33%; n = 211) had unintended pregnancies. There was a significant relationship between marital status and unintended pregnancy. Women who were married or living with their partners were more likely to have planned their pregnancies as compared with those who were single or divorced. Unemployed women were more likely to have had unintended pregnancies. No other socio-demographic factors were linked to unintended pregnancy.Conclusion: It is concluded that in this population of South African women with low education levels and low income, the prevalence of unintended pregnancies is high. These unintended pregnancies are linked to single status as well as unemployment.
Saint’s Triad, Occam’s Razor and Hickam’s Dictum
Authors: Ellis Chris
Published: October 2020

No abstract available.
Managing athlete’s foot
Authors: Makola Nkatoko Freddy , Magongwa Nicholus Malesela , Matsaung Boikgantsho , Schellack Gustav , Schellack Natalie
Published: October 2020

This article is aimed at providing a succinct overview of the condition tinea pedis, commonly referred to as athlete’s foot. Tinea pedis is a very common fungal infection that affects a significantly large number of people globally. The presentation of tinea pedis can vary based on the different clinical forms of the condition. The symptoms of tinea pedis may range from asymptomatic, to mild-to-severe forms of pain, itchiness, difficulty walking and other debilitating symptoms. There is a range of precautionary measures available to prevent infection, and both oral and topical drugs can be used for treating tinea pedis. This article briefly highlights what athlete’s foot is, the different causes and how they present, the prevalence of the condition, the variety of diagnostic methods available, and the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of the condition.
Grommets and swimmers ear
Authors: Tshifularo Mashudu
Published: October 2020

No abstract available.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare workers about healthcare waste management at a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal
Authors: Olaifa Adekunle , Govender Romona D. , Ross Andrew J.
Published: October 2020

Background: Healthcare generates a large amount of healthcare waste (HCW), which is complex to manage because of its variety and potential to create health and safety hazards if improperly handled. It is essential that healthcare workers have appropriate knowledge of and adhere to proper disposal methods for each category of HCW.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of staff working at a district hospital about HCW management, and measure associations between these variables. Setting: The setting for this study was a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal province.Methods: This was an observational descriptive study among 241 professional and non-professional staff. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.Results: Knowledge of HCW management was generally inadequate, with 42.7% of the participants scoring ‘poor’ overall. Just over half of the participants reported a good attitude towards the appropriate disposal of HCW but only 53.9% demonstrated good HCW management practices. There was a significant (p 0.05) relationship between knowledge and practice and between attitudes and practices (p 0.05).Conclusion: Appropriate training and supervision in HCW management as well as relevant and ongoing in-service training is needed to ensure appropriate knowledge, attitudes and safe practice among all members of staff. As poor practices have been reported on a number of occasions from different hospitals in South Africa, relevant training must also be introduced or improved at undergraduate level.
Prevalence and factors associated with abdominal obesity among primary health care professional nurses in Eastern Cape, South Africa
Authors: Monakali Sizeka , Ter Goon Daniel , Seekoe Eunice , Owolabi Eyitayo Omolara
Published: October 2020

Background: Nurses are key stakeholders in health promotion and obesity management, yet a high-risk group for obesity development. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of abdominal obesity among primary health care professional nurses (PHCPNs) in Eastern Cape, South Africa.Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 203 PHCPNs conveniently selected across 41 primary health care facilities in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The WHO STEPwise questionnaire was used for data collection. Abdominal obesity was defined according to the WHO criteria as a waist circumference ≥ 94 cm for men and ≥ 80 cm for women or waist-to-hip ratio ≥ 0.90 in men and ≥ 0.85 in women; and a waist-to-height ratio of 0.50.Results: The prevalence of abdominal obesity ranged from 50%, to 87% to 90%, using waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, respectively. Age, gender and duration of practice were significantly associated with abdominal obesity. After adjusting for potential confounders, only age 30 years (OR = 6.7; 95% CI = 2.4–18.7; p 0.001) and female sex (AOR = 7.9; 95% CI = 2.4–18.7; p 0.001) were independent predictors of obesity.Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of abdominal obesity among PHCPNs in Eastern Cape, South Africa, which was associated with female sex and ageing. This constitutes a potential risk for the healthcare workforce of the province and might be an impediment to adequate conveyance to patients of health education on healthy weight management by the affected nurses. There is an urgent need for appropriate workplace health policies targeted towards the promotion of physical activities, healthy lifestyle and ultimately weight reduction among this group.
Prevalence of healthcare-associated infection at a tertiary hospital in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa
Authors: Nair A. , Steinberg W. J. , Habib T. , Saeed H. , Raubenheimer J. E.
Published: October 2020

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are a well-known public health threat; however, published data on the endemic burden of HCAIs in sub-Saharan Africa are limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of primary bloodstream infection (PBSI), surgical site infection (SSI), lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) and urinary tract infection (UTI) at Kimberley Hospital Complex (KHC), Northern Cape.Methods: A one-day pointprevalence survey was conducted between February 2016 and March 2016 on all patients admitted to 15 selected wards at KHC. The Standardised Centers for Disease Control and National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Systems criteria were used.Results: A total of 326 patients were surveyed and the overall HCAI prevalence rate was 7.67%. This included 4.60% SSIs, 1.53% UTIs, 0.92% PBSIs and 0.92% LRTIs. Patients with HCAI stayed a mean of 20.8 days compared with 9.1 days for the remaining patients. Almost 75% (n = 240) of the surveyed patients had one or more recognised risk factors. The most isolated microorganism among the 11 microorganisms isolated was Klebsiella pneumoniae (36.4%). Half (54.5%) of the isolated organisms were resistant to penicillin. At the time of the survey, 42.0% of all the patients were on antimicrobials of which amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was most commonly prescribed (29.9%). Conclusion: The overall HCAI prevalence rate found in KHC is encouraging, but the prevalence of SSI is of concern. Further studies are needed to identify risk factors and target this as an area where preventative interventions can be implemented.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices of doctors at Jubilee Hospital, Tshwane District, regarding the syndromic management guidelines for sexually transmitted infections
Authors: Uchenna Charles , Govender Indiran
Published: October 2020

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a public health problem globally, but especially so in sub-Saharan Africa. They contribute significantly to the burden of disease in South Africa and are recognised as major contributors to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, with other potential complications when not managed properly. First-line doctors play a critical role in the management of persons suffering from STIs, and need to comply with the national guidelines for STI management.Aim: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of doctors working in Jubilee District Hospital, Metsweding region, Tshwane, regarding the STI syndromic management (SM) guidelines.Setting: Jubilee District Hospital in Tshwane North, Gauteng province, South Africa.Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted.Results: Forty-three of the 50 doctors employed at the hospital participated in the study. Fourteen (32.6%) of the doctors were in the 36–40-year age group. Most of the doctors (36 or 83.7%) had only the basic bachelor’s degree, and only 4 (9.3%) attended additional STI training. Only 2 respondents (4.6%) had correct knowledge concerning management of male urethritis syndrome and 10 (23.3%) regarding management of genital ulcer syndrome. In compliance with the national SM guidelines for STIs, 22 (52.4%) of the doctors said they made a diagnosis of STIs using history and physical examination. Only 7 (16.7%) said they asked their patients during every consultation about the number of sexual partners, 21 (51.7%) said they always counsel/ screen patients with STIs for HIV infection, and only 4 (9.5%) said they always filled in partner notification slips after attending to the index patient with STIs. This study demonstrated a relationship between doctors’ knowledge of the SM guidelines for STIs and their age.Conclusion: Overall the knowledge and practices of doctors at Jubilee District Hospital were suboptimal, and training on the SM of STIs should be made available to address this. Management should introduce regular monitoring, evaluation and supportive services for the doctors regarding their management of STIs according to the guidelines.
Rural medicine and ‘home stay’: a medical student’s experience
Authors: Ntshabele Reabetswe , Perumal Rubeshan , Padayatchi Nesri
Published: October 2020

Medical education is evolving from a heavily hierarchical and paternalistic approach to a more developmental and student-centred paradigm. In addition, there has been a greater focus on decentralised medical education, taking medical students closer to the lowest tiers of the healthcare system and allowing for a more immersive experience within the communities of their patients. This paper presents the experience of an enlightening rural experience, in which the benefits of such a model to medical education are explored. Furthermore, it presents the highly personal and developmental journey that decentralised and, in particular, rural medical training can offer. A new concept of a ‘home-stay’ model has now been introduced as part of the rural medicine experience, where students are hosted by a family within the community in which they work. This is a transformative project in which the most fundamental principles of medical training and the art of medical practice can be honed. The convergence of clinical training, public health enlightenment, and family practice are highlighted.
Comment on ‘Cell phone use and ill health: is there a definite relationship?’
Authors: Mortazavi S. M.J. , Mortazavi S A.R.
Published: October 2020

Prof Gboyega A Ogunbanjo, in his editorial entitled ‘Cell phone use and ill health: is there a definite relationship?’, published in South African Family Practice, has addressed the possible link between mobile phone use and adverse health effects such as cancer. He has also discussed the challenging issue of electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). Although his editorial has remarkable strengths, this paper needs some clarifications. The main concerns regarding the evidence presented in this paper about possible association of mobile phone use with cancer are discussed. In this light, recent evidence that supports a possible link as well as the shortcomings of the reports claiming no association between exposure to radiofrequency radiation and cancer are presented.
Prophylaxis - A key component in malaria control
Authors: Van Zyl R. L.
Published: October 2020

With the summer holidays fast approaching, holidaymakers will be planning their trip across Africa and the globe. Patients need to be aware of the risks of mosquito bites and contracting malaria. Malaria is endemic in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Northern KwaZulu-Natal provinces, with several cases of travel or Odyssean malaria being reported around South Africa. Prophylaxis is key in reducing the risk of infection by malaria. The use of insect repellents, correct clothing, bed nets and environmental control, complemented with chemoprophylaxis will greatly reduce this risk. The current South African guidelines to prevent a malaria infection include atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline and mefloquine, with the latter drug recommended during pregnancy and when breast-feeding. Patients should be cautioned that despite implementing preventative measures, they should seek immediate medical attention if they develop ‘flu-like’ symptoms or a fever when returning from a malaria area. Appropriate prophylactic measures are key components in preventing a malaria infection and can be life-saving.
Community-acquired pneumonia in patients admitted to National District Hospital in Bloemfontein: guideline adherence
Authors: Ford Thornton , Potgieter Johané , Van der Walt Jana , Van Schalkwyk Monette , Van Lill Maresa , Joubert Gina
Published: October 2020

Background: Patients with suspected community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are managed according to treatment guidelines. This study aimed to determine the guideline adherence of health professionals at National District Hospital (NDH), Bloemfontein.Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included a study population of 149 patients admitted to NDH with suspected CAP from January 2015 to September 2016. Information was noted from the patient files and included signs and symptoms, investigations done and medication prescribed.Results: Most patients (n = 111, 75.0%) presented with a cough, 87 (60.0%) had a sputum test and 125 (83.9%) had a chest X-ray of whom 108 (86.4%) had a consolidation on the X-ray. The CURB-65 score of five (3.4%) patients was mentioned in the files, of which only three patients’ scores were indicated. One patient had a noted CURB-65 score that required admission.Conclusion: The adherence of health professionals to the treatment guideline for suspected CAP patients is poor.
An evaluation of the medical internship programme at King Edward VIII hospital, South Africa in 2016
Authors: Ross Andrew , Naidoo S. S. , Dlamini Siyabonga
Published: October 2020

Background: In 2005, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) extended the duration of the internship programme to ensure that all young medical graduates are adequately prepared to work at a district hospital during their year of community service. King Edward VIII hospital (KEH) is an HPCSA accredited training hospital, which has been training interns for many years. The aim of this study was to assess intern perceptions of their training at the hospital.Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted at KEH in November 2016. A questionnaire was used to collect data, which were analysed descriptively.Results: Only 53% of interns completed the questionnaire. Although teaching and supervision were provided in all domains, perceptions of the quality ranged from excellent to poor. The majority of interns worked the 64–80 hours per month commuted overtime as required by the HPCSA. However, less than 10% expressed positive views regarding the condition of the facilities and infrastructure.Discussion and conclusions: The findings of this study were generally positive with regard to teaching, supervision and hours worked, mostly in accordance with the requirements of the HPCSA. However, a response rate of 53% as well as the single location of the study may limit generalisability and a larger study involving interns across the country is recommended.