Medical Specialties Commons^™

Effect Of Metformin On The High-Density Lipoprotein Proteome In Youth With Type 1 Diabetes, Evgenia Gourgari, Kristen J. Nadeau, Laura Pyle, Martin P. Playford, Junfeng Ma, Nehal N. Mehta, Alan T. Remaley, Scott M. Gordon

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Background: Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have normal or elevated High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C), however, the function of HDL, partly mediated by the HDL proteome, may be impaired. Metformin can be used as an adjunct therapy in youth with T1D, but its effects on the HDL proteome are unknown.

Objective: To determine the effect of metformin on the HDL proteome.

Subjects: Youth (12-20 years old) with T1D who had a BMI > 90th percentile, HbA1c > 8.0% and Tanner stage 5.

Methods: Double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized sub-study. We examined the effects of metformin (n = 25) or placebo (n = …

Implementing An Antibiotic Stewardship Education Program To Decrease Antibiotic Prescriptions In An Urgent Care Clinic, James Gramling

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Antibiotics are often prescribed for respiratory infections. These infections often have a viral rather than a bacterial source. Overuse of antibiotics is associated with increased potential for adverse effects, increased healthcare costs, and increasing antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this DNP project was to determine if implementing an antibiotic stewardship program at an urgent care clinic would decrease the number of antibiotic prescriptions written for acute respiratory tract infections. An educational session consisting of didactic and PowerPoint presentations was provided to each provider at the urgent care clinic. Medical records were reviewed for four weeks after completion of the session …

Hypertension Education And Management Intervention (Hemi) In The Urgent Care Setting, Conrad L. Cash

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Hypertension, being a very prominent disease, is a common problem found during urgent care visits. By beginning in the urgent care setting, hypertension management can be started early; thereby preventing complications from uncontrolled hypertension.

Purpose: This DNP project aimed to improve patient knowledge of hypertension and overall blood pressure readings by providing one-to-one provider-patient education.

Design Method: This DNP quality improvement project was a pre- and post-test design using quantitative data. The goal was to access if there was a change in patient education pre, post, and three months follow-up along with a change in blood pressure.

Results: …

Increasing Staff Awareness And Screening Practices For Adverse Childhood Experiences At A Primary Care Clinic, Kayla Wright

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are present in approximately 60% of the adult population in the United States. There is a correlation between adverse childhood experiences and chronic health conditions as adults. Despite the evidence showing this correlation, there is a lack of screening for ACEs in the primary care setting. Many primary care providers and staff are unaware of ACEs or the correlation with chronic health conditions and substance abuse and, therefore, do not understand how to or recognize the benefits of screening in primary care. With education for providers and staff, primary care is the ideal setting to perform …

Improving Patient Outcomes With Post-Op Education For Nurses Caring For Patients Undergoing Total Joint Replacement, Amanda Collier

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Surgical site infections (SSI) are the third most reported nosocomial infection causing an increased length of stay, increased healthcare cost, and a substantial increase in morbidity. A SSI is an infection developing within 30 days of surgery without using an implant and within one year of surgery utilizing any form of implant. Typically SSI occurs at the time of incision. However, poor postoperative wound care can lead to an SSI.

Purpose: This project aims to educate nursing staff on care of the total joint replacement (TJR) patient to reduce readmission rates for postoperative SSI.

Design Methods: This …

Surgery For Pelvic Organ Prolapse And Stress Urinary Incontinence And Female Sexual Functions: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Saida Abrar, Raheela Mohsin Rizvi, Huda Saleem

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Objectives: To assess the effect of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and/or stress urinary incontinence (SUI) on various domains of female sexual functions in patients before and after reconstructive surgery for these pelvic floor disorders.
Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental study of 126 women aged 25-65 years, presenting with POP / SUI, from January 1st 2019 to December 31st 2019 at Aga Khan University Hospital. POP surgery was performed only in patients with symptomatic POP ≥ stage 2 according to POP-Q (quantification). Sexual functions were assessed using Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire, among sexually active women at baseline and 18 …

Development Of Vaccines And Antivirals Against Zika Virus, Aryamav Pattnaik

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The re-emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus, poses a major global human health concern because of its ability to cause congenital abnormalities and neurological diseases. While many candidate vaccines and antiviral drugs are in the developmental pipeline, none have been approved for use against ZIKV infection. This dissertation describes the characterization of one vaccine and two antiviral drug candidates against ZIKV infection. A bacterial ferritin-based nanoparticle vaccine, termed zDIII-F, is designed to display multiple copies of ZIKV E protein domain III on its surface. These stable nanoparticles are shown to induce robust antibody-mediated protection against lethal ZIKV infection in …

Smoking-Induced Sex Differences In Clinical Outcomes In Patients Undergoing Mechanical Thrombectomy For Stroke, Jacqueline A. Frank, Kara Jo Swafford, Jill M. Roberts, Amanda L. Trout, Ann M. Stowe, Douglas E. Lukins, Stephen Grupke, Keith R. Pennypacker, Justin F. Fraser

Neurology Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: Ischemic stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Smoking accelerates the onset of stroke by 10 years. The effects of smoking status on percent change in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, infarct volume, and edema volume were examined following mechanical thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS: Subjects (N = 90; >18 years old) were divided into 3 groups based on smoking status: current smokers, previous smokers (defined as having quit >6 months before the ischemic event), and nonsmokers. Percent change in NIHSS score was …

Hypertrophic Gastric Folds With Hypomagnesemia, Linking The Dots, Mansoor Zafar, Tila Muhammad, Najam-Us-Saher Rizvi, Muhammad Toqeer

Section of Internal Medicine

A Caucasian man in early 80s was seen in Gastroenterology Clinic, following, referral from the Endocrinology Clinic for concerns for CT Abdomen requested for tiredness and weight loss of three kilograms. The patient also had microcytic picture with low MCV and Ferritin and hypomagnesemia. The CT suggested gross circumferential thickening of the wall of stomach with advice for invasive investigations to further characterise the CT findings. The Endoscopy suggested grossly enlarged rugae in the stomach, and enlarged gastric polyps. Patient was assured no new sinister abnormality. Treatment challenges to consider were to stop acid suppression by prescribing Proton Pump Inhibitors …

Correlation Of Serum Calcium With Severity Of Acute Ischaemic Stroke, Ainan Arshad, Saad Bin Zafar Mahmood, Ahmed Ayaz, Mehsa Hashim, Eisha Hanan

Section of Internal Medicine

Stroke results in the death of around 6.5 million people annually with a majority of these occurring in developing countries. Serum calcium has been hypothesised to play a significant role in causing ischaemic stroke. This retrospective observational study was conducted to determine the correlation, if any, between serum calcium and the severity of acute ischaemic stroke in our population. Two hundred and seventy-nine patients admitted with acute ischaemic stroke were enrolled in the study. Of the 279 patients 162 (58%) were male and mean age was 62.4 ± 3.8 years. Characteristics of stroke patients were compared with stroke severity. Mean …

Characterization Of Oral Cavity And Oropharyngeal Cancer In The Texas Rio Grande Valley, Jared A. Sperling, Rachel Giese

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Cancers of the oral cavity (OC) and oropharynx (OP) account for 3% of cancers diagnosed in the United States each year. A primary cause of death among the Hispanic population in the United States is cancer, accounting for 20% of annual mortality. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) is a medically-underserved area of South Texas with a large Hispanic population facing health disparities. In this study, we examine the incidence and mortality of OC and OP cancer in the RGV. CDC population-level incidence and mortality rate per 100,000 of OC/OP cancer among patients in the RGV counties of Hidalgo and Cameron …

Investigating The Protective Role Of Irbp Against Oxidative Stress In Diabetic Retinopathy, Matthew N. Parvus, Federico Gonzalez-Fernandez, Reanna Rodriguez, Daniela Gonzalez, Andrew Tsin

MEDI 9331 Scholarly Activities Clinical Years

Introduction:

Diabetic retinopathy is an ocular condition caused by a multitude of factors as a result of elevated blood glucose. One of the primary mechanisms of damage is a result of oxidative stress. It has been found that levels of IRBP in the vitreous are decreased in the setting of diabetic retinopathy, which could be associated with damage from resulting oxidative stress.

Purpose:

This article will address the protective role of IRBP in diabetic retinopathy by discussing the overexpression and under expression of IRBP and its resulting effect on the retina. Increased levels of IRBP in rats with diabetic retinopathy …

Covid-19 Vaccines And Thrombosis—Roadblock Or Dead-End Street?, Kenneth Lundstrom, Debmalya Barh, Bruce D. Uhal, Kazuo Takayama, Alaa A.A. Aljabali, Tarek Mohamed Abd El-Aziz, Amos Lal, Elrashdy M. Redwan, Parise Adadi, Gaurav Chauhan, Samendra P. Sherchan, Gajendra Kumar Azad, Nima Rezaei, Ángel Serrano-Aroca, Nicolas G. Bazan, Sk Sarif Hassan, Pritam Kumar Panda, Pabitra Pal Choudhury, Damiano Pizzol, Ramesh Kandimalla

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Two adenovirus-based vaccines, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and Ad26.COV2.S, and two mRNA-based vaccines, BNT162b2 and mRNA.1273, have been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and are invaluable in preventing and reducing the incidence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Recent reports have pointed to thrombosis with associated thrombocytopenia as an adverse effect occurring at a low frequency in some individuals after vaccination. The causes of such events may be related to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interactions with different C-type lectin receptors, heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and the CD147 receptor, or to different soluble splice variants of the spike protein, adenovirus vector interactions with the …

Urban And Rural Disparities In A Wechat-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention Among Chinese Smokers, Ting Luo, Mirandy Li, Donna Williams, Jackson Fritz, Stephen W. Phillippi, Qingzhao Yu, Stephen Kantrow, Liwei Chen, Yongchun Chen, Kaylin Beiter, Tung-Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Tobacco use, which is directly responsible for 10% of total deaths per year globally, remains consistently high, with approximately 20% of the population reporting regular consumption globally. Moreover, health disparities regarding tobacco consumption and smoking cessation are growing between rural and urban populations worldwide. Social media interventions for tobacco cessation may effectively reach both groups. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a WeChat-delivered smoking cessation intervention among rural and urban Chinese smokers, and to assess moderating variables that may contribute to differential intervention efficacy. Methods: WeChat was used to recruit smokers into this intervention …

Efficiency Of Prolonged Prone Positioning For Mechanically Ventilated Patients Infected With Covid-19, Elizabeth M. Parker, Edward A. Bittner, Lorenzo Berra, Richard M. Pino

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Hypoxemia of the acute respiratory distress syndrome can be reduced by turning patients prone. Prone positioning (PP) is labor intensive, risks unplanned tracheal extubation, and can result in facial tissue injury. We retrospectively examined prolonged, repeated, and early versus later PP for 20 patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure. Blood gases and ventilator settings were collected before PP, at 1, 7, 12, 24, 32, and 39 h after PP, and 7 h after completion of PP. Analysis of variance was used for comparisons with baseline values at supine positions before turning prone. PP for >39 h maintained PaO2/FiO2 (P/F) ratios when …

When We Know Better, We Do Better: Maintaining And Retrieving Advance Directive Documents In The Electronic Health Record, Linda Caurdy-Bess, Sara Damiano, Amy Fresch, Marilyn Begle, Srikala Yedavally-Yellayi, Hany A. Eraqi, Ali H. Mahmood

Articles

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. Define and understand the value of an advance care planning system approach at a large health system. 2. Learn how to evaluate the rate and quality of advance directive documents uploaded in the EHR. 3. Gain practical skills to leverage stakeholder engagement and resource development to enhance an advanced care planning system approach.

A Cross Sectional Evaluation Of The Corona-Score For Swift Identification Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Pakistan, Sibtain Ahmed, Muhammad Umer Naeem Effendi, Zeeshan Ansar Ahmed, Imran Siddiqui, Lena Jafri

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Background: The Corona-Score is one of the first and most widely used predictive model for coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. The purpose of this study was to validate the performance of Corona-Score in a cohort of Pakistani patients pursuing care for suspected infection.
Methods: After seeking institution's ethical committee exemption, results of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, absolute lymphocyte and neutrophil counts, chest x-ray findings and demographics of suspected COVID-19 cases with respiratory symptoms were recouped from electronic medical record. The pre-validated score as proposed by Kurstjens S et al., was calculated. The subjects were divided into SARS-CoV-2 …

Isomirmap-Fast, Deterministic, And Exhaustive Mining Of Isomirs From Short Rna-Seq Datasets., Phillipe Loher, Nestoras Karathanasis, Eric R Londin, Paul Bray, Venetia Pliatsika, Aristeidis G. Telonis, Isidore Rigoutsos

Computational Medicine Center Faculty Papers

MOTIVATION: MicroRNA (miRNA) precursor arms give rise to multiple isoforms simultaneously called "isomiRs." IsomiRs from the same arm typically differ by a few nucleotides at either their 5´ or 3´ termini, or both. In humans, the identities and abundances of isomiRs depend on a person's sex, population of origin, race/ethnicity, and on tissue type, tissue state, and disease type/subtype. Moreover, nearly half of the time the most abundant isomiR differs from the miRNA sequence found in public databases. Accurate mining of isomiRs from deep sequencing data is thus important.

RESULTS: We developed isoMiRmap, a fast, standalone, user-friendly mining tool that …

Astrocyte-Derived Thrombospondin Induces Cortical Synaptogenesis In A Sex-Specific Manner, Anna Mazur, Ean H. Bills, Kayla M. Deschepper, James C. Williams, Brandon J. Henderson, W. Christopher Risher

Biomedical Sciences

The regulation of synaptic connectivity in the brain is vital to proper functioning and development of the CNS. Formation of neural networks in the CNS has been shown to be heavily influenced by astrocytes, which secrete factors, including thrombospondin (TSP) family proteins, that promote synaptogenesis. However, whether this process is different between males and females has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we found that cortical neurons purified from newborn male rats showed a significantly more robust synaptogenic response compared with female-derived cells when exposed to factors secreted from astrocytes. This difference was driven largely by the neuronal response …

A Qualitative Endline Evaluation Study Of Male Engagement In Promoting Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, And Child Health Services In Rural Kenya, Adelaide Lusambili, Stefania Wisofschi, Constance Shumba, Peter Muriuki, Jerim Obure, Michaela Mantel, Lindsay Mossman, Rachel Pell, Lucy Nyaga, Anthony Ngugi, James Orwa, Stanley Luchters, Kennedy Mulama, Terrance J. Wade, Marleen Temmerman

Population Health, East Africa

Background: Globally, male involvement in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) is associated with increased benefits for women, their children, and their communities. Between 2016 and 2020, the Aga Khan University implemented the Access to Quality of Care through Extending and Strengthening Health Systems (AQCESS), project funded by the Government of Canada and Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC). A key component of the project was to encourage greater male engagement in RMNCH in rural Kisii and Kilifi, two predominantly patriarchal communities in Kenya, through a wide range of interventions. Toward the end of the project, we conducted a …

Ten-Year Outcomes Of Uveal Melanoma Based On The Cancer Genome Atlas (Tcga) Classification In 1001 Cases., Carol L Shields, Eileen Mayro, Zeynep Bas, Philip W Dockery, Antonio Yaghy, Sara E. Lally, Arupa Ganguly, Jerry A Shields

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Purpose: To understand the prognostic value of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) for uveal melanoma metastasis, using a simplified 4-category classification, based on tumor DNA.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 1001 eyes with uveal melanoma at a single center, categorized according to TCGA as Group A, B, C, or D (by fine-needle aspiration biopsy for DNA analysis), and treated with standard methods, was studied for melanoma-related metastasis at 5 and 10 years.

Results: Of 1001 eyes with uveal melanoma, the TCGA categories included Group A (n = 486, 49%), B (n = 141, 14%), C (n = 260, 26%), …

Clinical Validation Of A Sensitive Test For Saliva Collected In Healthcare And Community Settings With Pooling Utility For Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Mass Surveillance, Panelnikhil S. Sahajpal, Ashis K. Mondal, Sudha Ananth, Allan Njau, Pankaj Ahluwalia, Vamsi Kota, Kevin Caspary, Ted M. Ross, Michael Farrell, Michael P. Shannon

Pathology, East Africa

The clinical performance of saliva compared with nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) has shown conflicting results in healthcare and community settings. In the present study, a total of 429 matched NPS and saliva sample pairs, collected in either healthcare or community setting, were evaluated. Phase-1 (protocol U) tested 240 matched NPS and saliva sample pairs; phase 2 (SalivaAll protocol) tested 189 matched NPS and saliva sample pairs, with an additional sample homogenization step before RNA extraction. A total of 85 saliva samples were evaluated with both protocols. In phase-1, 28.3% (68/240) samples tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) …

Cardiovascular Outcomes In Patients With Mitochondrial Disease In The United States: A Propensity Score Analysis, Tran Nguyen, Talal Alzahrani, Joseph Krepp, Gurusher Panjrath

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

Mitochondrial disease comprises a wide range of genetic disorders caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Its rarity, however, has limited the ability to assess its effects on clinical outcomes. To evaluate this relationship, we collected data from the 2016 National Inpatient Sample, which includes data from >7 million hospital stays. We identified 705 patients (mean age, 22 ± 20.7 yr; 54.2% female; 67.4% white) whose records included the ICD-10-CM code E88.4. We also identified a propensity-matched cohort of 705 patients without mitochondrial disease to examine the effect of mitochondrial disease on major adverse cardiovascular events, including all-cause in-hospital death, cardiac arrest, and …

Pharmacologic Management Of Post-Tonsillectomy Pain In Children., Daniel R. Jensen

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Tonsillectomy is a very common procedure in children, often performed on an outpatient basis. Severe postoperative pain is common, and can be prolonged. Despite a large number of available analgesic medications, often employed in combination, achieving adequate pain control remains a persistent challenge. Research suggests a tendency among caregivers to undertreat pain, and a need for detailed care instructions and education to ensure adequate pain management. Furthermore, ongoing questions regarding the safety and efficacy of the most commonly used medications have led to wide variance in practice patterns and continuous reassessment through research that yields sometimes conflicting results. This review …

Body Composition Changes In Children During Treatment For Moderate Acute Malnutrition: Findings From A 4-Arm Cluster-Randomized Trial In Sierra Leone, Devika J Suri, Isabel Potani, Akriti Singh, Stacy Griswold, William W Wong, Breanne Langlois, Ye Shen, Kwan Ho Kenneth Chui, Irwin H Rosenberg, Patrick Webb, Beatrice L Rogers

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: Measures that better describe "healthy" and sustainable recovery during nutritional treatment of children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) are needed.

Objectives: We compared changes to body composition among children receiving 1 of 4 specialized nutritious food (SNFs) during treatment of MAM and by recovery and relapse outcomes.

Methods: The study was nested within a prospective, cluster-randomized, community-based, cost-effectiveness trial assessing 4 SNFs to treat children aged 6-59 mo with MAM [midupper arm circumference (MUAC) ≥11.5 cm and <12.5 cm without bipedal edema] in Sierra Leone. Biweekly SNF rations (1 of 3 fortified-blended foods or a lipid-based nutrient supplement) were given until children recovered (MUAC ≥12.5 cm), or up to 7 rations (∼12 wk). Deuterium dilution was used to estimate fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) at enrollment and after 4 wk of treatment to ensure similar treatment exposure among the participants. Another MUAC measurement was performed among recovered children 4 wk after program exit to determine whether recovery was sustained. ANOVA, paired t tests, and linear regression models were used to determine significant differences in changes from baseline to 4 wk.

Results: Among 312 analyzed participants, mean baseline weight comprised ∼80% FFM; mean weight gained after 4 wk comprised ∼82% FFM. Changes in …

Quality Improvement In Diabetes Care: A Review Of Initiatives And Outcomes In The T1d Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative, Olivia Z B Ginnard, G Todd Alonso, Sarah D Corathers, Carla Demeterco-Berggren, Lauren H Golden, Brian T Miyazaki, Grace Nelson, Emma Ospelt, Osagie Ebekozien, Joyce M Lee, Kathryn S Obrynba, Daniel J Desalvo, T1d Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative Study Group

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Despite immense strides in therapeutic advances, clinical outcomes continue to be less than ideal for people with type 1 diabetes. This discrepancy has prompted an outpouring of quality improvement (QI) initiatives to address the medical, psychosocial, and health equity challenges that complicate ideal type 1 diabetes care and outcomes. This article reviews a framework for QI in diabetes care that guided the development of the T1D Exchange Quality Improvement Collaborative to improve care delivery and health outcomes in type 1 diabetes. Evaluation of the methodology, outcomes, and knowledge gained from these initiatives will highlight the importance of continued QI initiatives …

Reciprocal Control Of Obesity And Anxiety-Depressive Disorder Via A Gaba And Serotonin Neural Circuit, Guobin Xia, Yong Han, Fantao Meng, Yanlin He, Dollada Srisai, Monica Farias, Minghao Dang, Richard D Palmiter, Yong Xu, Qi Wu

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

The high comorbidity between obesity and mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, often exacerbates metabolic and neurological symptoms significantly. However, neural mechanisms that underlie reciprocal control of feeding and mental states are largely elusive. Here we report that melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) neurons located in the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminus (dBNST) engage in the regulation of mentally associated weight gain by receiving GABAergic projections from hypothalamic AgRP neurons onto α5-containing GABA

Infective Endocarditis Due To Streptococcus Salivarius Presenting As Septic Arthritis, Mishita Goel, Zachary Johnson, Manishkumar Patel, Raashi Chawla, Tanaz Salimnia

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Infectious Disease Screening In A Dedicated Primary Care Clinic For Children In Foster Care, Jill Mcleigh, Sarah Lairmore, Kimberly Stone, Rong Huang

Health Status, Outcomes, and Literacy and Healthcare Utilization

Children in foster care are considered at high risk for infectious diseases, and guidelines recommend screening for tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Little is known about the prevalence of infectious disease in children in foster care.

For questions about this study or others, please email [email protected]

childrens.com/fostercare

Translation And Validation Of Training Needs Analysis Questionnaire Among Reproductive, Maternal And Newborn Health Workers In Tanzania, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Columba Mbekenga, Kahabi Isangula, Loveluck Mwasha, Eunice Pallangyo, Grace Edwards, James Orwa, Michaela Mantel, Micheal Mugerwa, Leonard Subi, Secilia Mrema, David Siso, Edna Selestine, Marleen Temmerman

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Continuous professional development (CPD) has been reported to enhance healthcare workers’ knowledge and skills, improve retention and recruitment, improve the quality of patient care, and reduce patient mortality. Therefore, validated training needs assessment tools are important to facilitate the design of effective CPD programs.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using self-administered questionnaires. Participants were healthcare workers in reproductive, maternal, and neonatal health (RMNH) from seven hospitals, 12 health centers, and 17 dispensaries in eight districts of Mwanza Region, Tanzania. The training needs analysis (TNA) tool that was used for data collection was adapted and translated into …