"I felt so small": A qualitative study of migrant nursing assistants' experiences in Norway.

BACKGROUND: In the wake of an increasingly ageing population, Norway has a growing need for healthcare workers, especially in nursing homes. This study explored the employment experiences of migrant nursing assistants working in elderly care in Norway. METHODS: A qualitative interview-based study was carried out between March and August 2020. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were performed with 13 purposively selected immigrant nursing assistants working in a nursing home within Western Norway. Data were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Migrant nursing assistants working in Norwegian elderly care faced mixed experiences. On the one hand, study participants experienced several barriers in their workplace, resulting from insufficient command of the Norwegian language, heavy workload and mistreatment and discrimination by both patients and colleagues. On the other hand, participants cited the financial compensation from work, the meaningfulness derived from helping others and the flexible day-off requests as workplace facilitators. Participants also made continuous efforts to learn the Norwegian language and to build good relations with their co-workers. CONCLUSION: There is a need to enhance migrant nursing assistants' positive experiences in the Norwegian eldercare sector by making targeted workplace reforms and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.

Proteomic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis: A pilot study from Zanzibar, Tanzania.

This study aimed at exploring the proteomic profile of PBMCs to predict treatment response in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). This was a pilot study conducted among 8 adult patients from Zanzibar, Tanzania with confirmed PTB. Blood samples were collected at baseline, at 2 months of treatment, and at the end of treatment at 6 months. Proteins were extracted from PBMCs and analyzed using LC-MS/MS based label free quantitative proteomics. Overall, 3,530 proteins were quantified across the samples, and 12 differentially expressed proteins were identified at both 2 months of treatment and at treatment completion, which were involved in cellular and metabolic processes, as well as binding and catalytic activity. Seven were downregulated proteins (HSPA1B/HSPA1A, HSPH1, HSP90AA1, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, complement component 9, calcyclin-binding protein, and protein transport protein Sec31A), and 5 proteins were upregulated (SEC14 domain and spectrin repeat-containing protein 1, leucine-rich repeat-containing 8 VRAC subunit D, homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase, NEDD8-activating enzyme E1 regulatory subunit, and N-acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase-like protein). The results showed that proteome analysis of PBMCs can be used as a novel technique to identify protein abundance change with anti-tuberculosis treatment. The novel proteins elucidated in this work may provide new insights for understanding PTB pathogenesis, treatment, and prognosis.

'The apocalypse': A qualitative pilot study of the psychological aftermath of the 2020 Beirut blast.

BACKGROUND: There has been very limited data describing the psychological aftermath of the Beirut blast. AIMS: This qualitative pilot study aimed to explore the psychological and physical reactions to the trauma experienced by Beirut blast survivors, as well as their coping strategies. METHODS: From November 2020 to February 2021, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Lebanese citizens who were within a 4 km radius of the Beirut port at the time of the explosion. A thematic analysis was adopted. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: (1) the blast; (2) life after the blast: extended trauma; (3) coping strategies. First, almost all participants vividly remembered the moment of the blast and referred to it as a turning point in their lives. They also remembered being on an emotional rollercoaster, feeling physically numb, worried about another explosion and finding God in the midst of tragedy. Second, all participants reported several negative experiences in their post-blast life, which may have enhanced/prolonged their trauma, including losses of different kinds (of a country, home, loved ones, hope, safety/security, culture and heritage), the cumulative impact of the blast, the impossibility to ever return to 'normality', persistent survival guilt and somatisation. Lastly, different coping strategies were adopted to deal with trauma, such as talking it out, establishing a consistent daily routine, helping the community, overworking and detachment. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the many layers of psychological suffering of Beirut blast survivors in the current context of collective distress dominating Lebanon.

Prevalence and associated factors of post-traumatic stress disorder in Lebanon: A literature review.

Lebanon has been under continuous conflict for more than four decades, putting millions of Lebanese at a high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and creating a complex collective trauma. This paper aimed to review all studies from Lebanon reporting on PTSD in order to describe the prevalence of PTSD and its associated risk factors among Lebanese adults. A search of the MEDLINE/PubMed database was conducted in February/March 2021 to identify research articles on PTSD in Lebanese adults. A total of 1064 articles were identified, out of which 11 articles (5875 participants) published between 2003 and 2020 were included. PTSD prevalence estimates were highly variable across the individual studies, ranging from 2 % to 98 %. Female sex, economic hardship, lower educational level, being unemployed, number of witnessed/experienced traumatic events, and presence of comorbid psychological disorders were associated with higher PTSD rates. In light of the increasing PTSD risk in the Lebanese population as a result of the recent Beirut blast and ongoing social and economic crises, further culturally competent research is needed to provide rigorous evidence on the prevalence, course, and severity of PTSD in Lebanon.

Herbal medicine use among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Lusaka Province, Zambia: A cross-sectional, multicentre study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The study of herbal medicine (HM) use which is related to maternal health, a public health priority in many sub-Saharan African countries including Zambia, has been limited. Accordingly, we aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of HM use during pregnancy in Lusaka Province, Zambia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey-based (interviewer-administered), cross-sectional, multicentre study was conducted in 446 adult pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in June/July 2019. RESULTS: Overall, 57.8% of participants reported using HM during their current pregnancy, with a mean of 2.0 ± 1.5 remedies/woman. Logistic regression analysis showed that HM use was significantly associated with HM use in prior pregnancies (p < 0.001) and willingness to use HM in the future (p < 0.001). The most commonly used herbs were lemon for nausea/vomiting and common cold, soybean to boost energy, ginger for common cold and nausea/vomiting, and Aloe vera for skin care. The perceived safety of HM (37.6%) and its complementary action with conventional medicines (35.3%) were the main reasons for HM use. CONCLUSION: HM use among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Lusaka Province, Zambia is common, and a wide range of herbs is used.

"Back to Eden": An explorative qualitative study on traditional medicine use during pregnancy among selected women in Lusaka Province, Zambia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: No qualitative study on traditional medicine use among Zambian pregnant women has ever been conducted. Accordingly, this study was performed to explore the perceptions, motivations and experiences of Zambian women with regard to traditional medicine use during pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in June/July 2019 with 8 adult women residing in Lusaka, Zambia, who used traditional remedies during their pregnancies, and who were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. RESULTS: Reported reasons behind traditional medicine use during pregnancy included labour induction, prevention of childbirth complications in case of sexual infidelity by either spouse, and prevention and/or treatment of anaemia. In addition, family members and faith leaders played an important role in influencing traditional medicine use. CONCLUSION: Multiple, interconnecting factors influence traditional medicine use among pregnant women in Lusaka, Zambia. Traditional medicine use during pregnancy will likely continue to be widespread across Zambia.

Herbal Medicine Use During Pregnancy: A Review of the Literature With a Special Focus on Sub-Saharan Africa.

Herbal medicine use has grown considerably worldwide among pregnant women, and is particularly widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. However, herbal medicines used across sub-Saharan Africa are associated with important research gaps and a lack of regulatory framework. This is particularly problematic, as herbal medicine use during pregnancy raises several concerns attributed to the herbal ingredient itself, conventional drug-herbal medicine interactions, and contamination or adulteration of herbal remedies. Moreover, several local herbal remedies used by sub-Saharan African pregnant women have never been botanically identified. In this review, an overview of the practice of herbal medicine, including the regulations, challenges and overall safety, is provided. Then, we discuss the prevalence of herbal medicine use during pregnancy across different sub-Saharan African countries, as well as the indications, adverse outcomes, and effectiveness of the most commonly used herbal medicines during pregnancy in that region.