Abstract 

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory infection that is spreading
worldwide. Students can be high potential to contribute to the spread of COVID-19 due to their
close contact behaviors. Adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures is crucial for controlling
the spread of the virus. This study aimed to assess the adherence status toward COVID-19
preventive measures and associated factors among high school students. An institutional crosssectional study was employed among 528 high school students. A multistage sampling technique
and a systematic random sampling method were applied.

Result: The overall adherence level of high school students toward COVID-19 prevention
measures was 20.8%. The mean (±SD) age of the respondents was 18 (SD 11±2) years. The
majority of the students 79.2% (95% CI: 75.4, 82.6) had poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive
measures. About 34.7% had poor knowledge, 62.1% had unfavorable attitudes and 73.9% had poor
risk perception to recommended COVID-19 preventive measures. This study revealed that
majority of the high school students did not practice recommended prevention measures such as
89.9% did not maintain a physical distance of 2 meters away, 84.4% had no regular hand washing
practice, 71.4% did not use facemasks and 54% did not use sanitizer or alcohol per
recommendation. This study revealed that sex (AOR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.46, 4.02), attitude (AOR:
4.04, 95% CI: 2.45, 6.68) and risk perception (AOR: 7.60, 95% CI: 4.62, 12.54) were significantly
associated with poor adherence toward COVID-19 prevention measures.

Conclusion: This study’s findings revealed that adherence to COVID-19 preventive measures
among high school students was very low. This study also found that poor practice to WHO
recommended COVID-19 prevention measures among students.

Abstract 

Background: In 2020, Malawi had 6.9 million malaria cases and 2,551 deaths, mainly in children under five years of age. The 2017-2022 Malawi malaria control strategic plan promoted the consistent use of insecticide-treated nets through free distribution and mass campaigns. Despite widespread availability of the control strategy plan, Chikwawa District continues to suffer from high malaria burden especially among under five children, due to inconsistent insecticide-treated (ITN) net usage. For this reason, this study aimed at exploring caregivers’ perceptions on insecticide-treated net utilisation and also find out about its effectiveness among those who consistently use them.

Methods: This study used a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. The data used for quantitative analysis was drawn from the population of under-five children’s caregivers within the catchment area of Chikwawa district hospital. The sample size was 96 participants, as determined by Cochran’s formula. The data collection lasted from December 2023 to April 2024 and included four in-depth interviews and three focus group discussions to address the objectives qualitatively.

Results: The study revealed that 91.67% of households used ITNs, with 87.50% using them daily. The significant factors influencing ITN utilisation included the number of nets, user satisfaction, perceived impact, user habits, acquisition method, and usage frequency (all p values <0.001). Under-five malaria cases were also significant (p=0.025). The odds of the perceived net impact influencing utilisation were 4.956 times greater. Non-usage was due to heat, quality concerns, limited access, breathing difficulties, health conditions such as asthma, and misconceptions about net treatment.

Conclusion: The study revealed a strong belief in insecticide- treated net efficacy. However, some challenges such as access, durability, and misinformation of insecticide-treated nets were discovered. These challenges affected utilisation of insecticide-treated nets in agreement with some literature reviewed. The insights found in this study will help policymakers in addressing health interventions for the reduction of malaria cases in Malawi.

Abstract
Men of African ancestry suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer (PCa) than other racial groups in South Africa. Equally concerning is that black South African men generally present later with higher stage and grade of the disease than their non-black counterparts.  Despite this, a small percentage of black South African men participate in screening practices for PCa.  This study sought to explore knowledge and beliefs of black South African PCa survivors, and the potential impact of this on the limited screening uptake within this population group. A hermeneutic phenomenological study design was undertaken. The sample of 20 PCa survivors, with ages ranging from 67 to 85 years (mean_age = 76yrs; SD = 5.3) were selected through purposive sampling and requested to participate in the study. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews, and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings demonstrated that black South African men had poor knowledge of PCa and that this may create an unfortunate system that preclude this population group from taking part in life-saving PCa screening services. The results highlight a need to elevate knowledge and awareness of PCa among black South African men and ultimately enhance screening practices
Keywords: Prostate cancer, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, screening, South Africa, black men

Abstract 

Background: Electronic health records (EHR) have been recognized as an important tool for increasing patient safety and improving overall efficiency in healthcare delivery. Despite this common knowledge, there is evidence that EHR has been slowly implemented in most developing countries.

Objective: This research sought to identify the factors that affect the adoption of EHR in Egypt from the perspective of healthcare providers.

Methods: This research was conducted in 2023 using mixed methodology. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to a sample of healthcare providers to assess their knowledge, attitude, and intention toward using the system. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts in healthcare management to identify the barriers and facilitators of the implementation process.

Results: A total of 177 healthcare providers completed the survey, and seven experts were interviewed. A positive attitude, gender, and the influence of subjective norms were found to be strong predictors of intention to use EHR. Financial concerns, technical support, training, and data security were among the barriers affecting the adoption process.

Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study conducted to examine the effect of perception factors on different healthcare professionals’ intention toward EHR adoption in Egypt using a mixed methodology. These findings could help healthcare organizations develop better EHR implementation strategies to increase acceptance among healthcare staff.