Antibiotic use and consumption among medical patients of two hospitals in Sierra Leone: a descriptive report.

BACKGROUND: Although one of the main drivers of antimicrobial resistance is inappropriate antibiotic prescribing, there are limited resources to support the surveillance of antibiotic consumption in low-income countries. In this study, we aimed to assess antibiotic use and consumption among medical patients of two hospitals in different geographic regions of Sierra Leone. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of adult (18 years or older) patients receiving medical care at two hospitals (34 Military Hospital-MH and Makeni Government Hospital-MGH) between March 2021 and October 2021. After admission to the medical or intensive care unit, patients were sequentially recruited by a nurse from each hospital. Demographic and clinical characteristics and information on the dose of antibiotics, their routes, and frequency of administration and duration were collected using a questionnaire adapted from previous studies and encrypted in EpiCollect software (Epic, Verona WI). A physician reviews and verifies each completed questionnaire. Data analysis was done using STATA version 16. RESULTS: The mean age of the 468 patients evaluated in this study was 48.6 years. The majority were women (241, 51.7%) and treated at MGH (245, 52.0%). Clinical diagnosis of bacterial infection was made in only 180 (38.5%) patients. Regardless of the diagnosis, most (442, 94.9%) patients received at least one antibiotic. Of a total 813 doses of antibiotics prescribed by the two hospitals, 424 (52.2%) were administered in MH. Overall, antibiotic consumption was 66.9 defined daily doses (DDDs) per 100 bed-days, with ceftriaxone being the most commonly used antibiotic (277, 34.1%). The ACCESS and WATCH antibiotics accounted for 18.9 DDDs per 100 bed-days (28.2%) and 48.0 DDDs per 100 bed-days (71.7%), respectively. None of the patients were prescribed a RESERVE antibiotics. The antibiotic consumption was lower in MH (61.3 DDDs per 100 bed-days) than MGH (76.5 DDDs per 100 bed-days). CONCLUSION: Antibiotic consumption was highest with ceftriaxone, followed by levofloxacin and metronidazole. Given the high rate of consumption of antibiotics in the WATCH category of the AWaRe classification, there is a need to initiate surveillance of antibiotic consumption and establish hospital-based antibiotic stewardship in these settings.

Innovative approach to monitor performance of integrated disease surveillance and response after the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone: lessons from the field.

BACKGROUND: Supervision of healthcare workers improves performance if done in a supportive and objective manner. Regular supervision is a support function of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) strategy and allows systematic monitoring of IDSR implementation. Starting 2015, WHO and other development partners supported the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) to revitalize IDSR in Sierra Leone and to monitor progress through supportive supervision assessments. We report on the findings of these assessments. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study where six longitudinal assessments were conducted in randomly selected health facilities. Health facilities assessed were 71 in February 2016, 99 in July 2016, 101 in May 2017, 126 in August 2018, 139 in February 2019 and 156 in August 2021. An electronic checklist based on selected core functions of IDSR was developed and uploaded onto tablets using the Open Data Kit (ODK) platform. Supervision teams interviewed health care workers, reviewed documents and made observations in health facilities. Supervision books were used to record feedback and corrective actions. Data from the supervisory visits was downloaded from ODK platform, cleaned and analysed. Categorical data was summarized using frequencies and proportions while means and medians were used for continuous variables. Z test was used to test for differences in proportions. RESULTS: Completeness of IDSR reporting improved from 84.5% in 2016 to 96% in 2021 (11.5% points; 95% CI 3.6, 21.9; P-value 0.003). Timeliness of IDSR reports improved from 80.3 to 92% (11.7% points; 95% CI 2.4, 22.9; P-value 0.01). There was significant improvement in health worker knowledge of IDSR concepts and tools, in availability of IDSR standard case definition posters and reporting tools and in data analysis practices. Availability of vaccines and temperature monitoring tools in health facilities also improved significantly but some indicators dropped such as availability of IDSR technical guidelines and malaria testing kits and drugs. CONCLUSION: Supervision using electronic tool contributed to health systems strengthening through longitudinal tracking of core IDSR indicators and other program indicators such as essential malaria commodities and availability and status of routine vaccines. Supervision using electronic tools should be extended to other programs.

Prevalence of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among Ebola survivors in northern Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data available on the long-term mental health impact of Ebola virus disease (EVD) on survivors despite the disease experience of survivors meeting the criteria of a traumatic event as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version IV (DSM IV). This study aimed to assess the prevalence and predictive factors of anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder among EVD survivors, approximately 2 years after discharge from the Ebola treatment centre (ETC). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study between May and August 2017 among 197 adults Ebola survivors in Bombali district, Northern Sierra Leone. We collected information about demographics, mental health status and possible predictive factors. The HAD scale was used to measure anxiety and depression. PTSD was measured using the PTSD-checklist (PCL). Chi-square test or Fisher exact two-tailed tests were used to test for associations and the multiple logistic regressions model to determine factors that were independently associated with the outcome variables. RESULTS: The mean anxiety, depression and PTSD scores were (5.0 ± 3.9), (7.1 ± 3.8) and (39.5 ± 6.4) respectively. Based on cut-off scores, the prevalence of anxiety (HADs score ≥ 8), depression (HADs score ≥ 8) and PTSD (PCL ≥ 45) among Ebola survivors were (n = 49, 24.9%), (n = 93, 47.2%) and (n = 43, 21.8%) respectively. Older Ebola survivors (≥30 years) were more likely to show symptoms of depression (AOR = 8.5, 95% CI: 2.68-27.01, p = 0.001) and anxiety (AOR = 3.04; 95%CI: 1.2-7.7, p = 0.019) compared to younger ones (< 30 years). In addition, Ebola survivors who experienced a decreased level of exercise post-ETC discharge were more likely to show symptoms of depression (AOR = 2.63; 95%CI: 1.25-5.54, p = 0.011) and anxiety (AOR = 3.60; 95%CI: 1.33-9.72, p = 0.012) compared to those whose exercise remained the same post-ETC discharge. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that anxiety, depression and PTSD are common among the Ebola survivors in Bombali district, Northern Sierra Leone, and that underscores the need to diagnose and manage mental health morbidities among Ebola survivors long after their recovery from Ebola virus disease. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) need to be explored as part of overall mental healthcare package interventions.

Associations between three common single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs266729, rs2241766, and rs1501299) of ADIPOQ and cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Inconsistencies have existed in research findings on the association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ADIPOQ, triggering this up-to-date meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched for relevant studies in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, CBM, VIP, and WanFang databases up to 1st July 2017. We included 19,106 cases and 31,629 controls from 65 published articles in this meta-analysis. STATA 12.0 software was used for all statistical analyses. RESULTS: Our results showed that rs266729 polymorphism was associated with the increased risk of CVD in dominant model or in heterozygote model; rs2241766 polymorphism was associated with the increased risk of CVD in the genetic models (allelic, dominant, recessive, heterozygote, and homozygote). In subgroup analysis, significant associations were found in different subgroups with the three SNPs. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis showed that heterogeneity might be explained by other confounding factors. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the results of our meta-analysis were stable and robust. In addition, the results of trial sequential analysis showed that evidences of our results are sufficient to reach concrete conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our meta-analysis found significant increased CVD risk is associated with rs266729 and rs2241766, but not associated with rs1501299.

Single nucleotide polymorphism rs3774261 in the AdipoQ gene is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in Northeast Han Chinese population: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is one of the leading causes of death in the world with a projected global 82 million DALYs by 2020. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to CHD development. Here, the authors investigate the association between CHD risk and three Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the AdipoQ gene (rs3774261, rs1063537 and rs2082940); and the interaction of this association with environmental factors, in Northeast Han Chinese population. METHODS: Using a case-control study design, 1514 participants (754 cases and 760 controls) were investigated. Three variants in the AdipoQ gene (rs3774261, rs1063537 and rs2082940) were selected and genotyped. The online SNPstats program and SPSS 21.0 software were used for data analyses. RESULTS: The authors found that the rs3774261G allele is associated with the risk of CHD but that the rs2082940T allele protects against CHD. No significant association was found between rs1063537 and CHD risk. The study also found significant interactions between triglyceride levels and the SNPs studied (P < 0.0001 for rs3774261, P = 0.014 for rs1063537, and P = 0.031 for rs2082940). CONCLUSIONS: Variations in AdipoQ gene can protect against CHD (as with rs2082940T) or associated with CHD risk (as with rs3774261G) in Northeast Han Chinese - findings that will help shed light on the reported conflicting roles of AdipoQ in cardiovascular diseases. Serum triglycerides levels also interact in the AdipoQ - CHD association, thus further highlighting the roles environmental factors play in the genetic aspect of diseases.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Mainland China: a meta-analysis of published studies.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MS) comprises a set of conditions that are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Numerous epidemiological studies on MS have been conducted, but there has not been a systematic analysis of the prevalence of MS in the Chinese population. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the pooled prevalence of MS among subjects in Mainland China. METHODS: We performed a systematic review by searching both English and Chinese literature databases. Random or fixed effects models were used to summarize the prevalence of MS according to statistical tests for heterogeneity. Subgroup, sensitivity, and meta-regression analyses were performed to address heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated using Egger's test. RESULTS: Thirty-five papers were included in the meta-analysis, with a total population of 226,653 Chinese subjects. Among subjects aged 15 years and older, the pooled prevalence was 24.5% (95% CI: 22.0-26.9%). By sex, the prevalences were 19.2% (95% CI: 16.9-21.6%) in males and 27.0% (95% CI: 23.5-30.5%) in females. The pooled prevalence of MS increased with age (15-39 years: 13.9%; 40-59 years: 26.4%; and 60 years: 32.4%). Individuals living in urban areas (24.9%, 95% CI: 18.5-31.3%) were more likely to suffer from MS than those living in rural areas (19.2%, 95% CI: 14.8-23.7%). Hypertension was the most prevalent component of MS in males (52.8%), while the most prevalent component of MS for females was central obesity (46.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Our systematic review suggested a high prevalence of MS among subjects in Mainland China, indicating that MS is a serious public health problem. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the prevention and control of MS.

Prevalence of High Non-high-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Associated Risk Factors in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus in Jilin Province, China: A Cross-sectional Study.

Dyslipidemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in patients with diabetes, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) is a better predictor of CVDs than low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with diabetes. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the distribution of non-HDL-C and the prevalence of high non-HDL-C level in Chinese patients with diabetes mellitus and identify the associated risk factors. Non-HDL-C concentration positively correlated with total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL-C concentrations. Although both non-HDL-C and LDL-C concentration both related positively with TC concentration, the magnitude of correlation was relatively higher for non-HDL-C. The prevalence of high non-HDL-C (⋝4.14 mmol/L) was higher in two age groups (55-64 years: 46.7%; 65-79 years: 47.3%) than other age groups (18-24 years: 4.2%; 25-34 years: 43.6%; 35-44 years: 38.1%; 45-54 years: 41.0%). It was also higher among overweight (45.1%), generally obese (50.9%), or abdominally obese (47.3%) subjects, compared with normal weight subjects (34.5%). The risk of high non-HDL-C increased with advancing age. Both general obesity [odds ratio (OR)=1.488, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.003-2.209] and abdominal obesity (OR=1.561, 95% CI: 1.101-2.214) were significantly associated with high non-HDL-C levels.

Dyslipidemia awareness, treatment, control and influence factors among adults in the Jilin province in China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: In China, even though the prevalence of dyslipidemia among adults increased yearly and dyslipidemia being an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases among the Chinese population, however, the awareness, treatment and control of dyslipidemia are at low levels, and only limited studies on the influence factors associated with the awareness, treatment and control dyslipidemia in China have been carried out. METHODS: The analysis was based on a representative sample of 7138 adult subjects aged 18~79 years recruited from a cross-sectional study of chronic disease and risk factors among adults in the Jilin province in 2012. Chi-square test was used to compare the rates of dyslipidemia awareness, treatment and control between different characteristics of participants. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed separately for each group to explore the associations between participants' characteristics and dyslipidemia awareness, treatment and control. RESULTS: Among participants with dyslipidemia, 11.6% were aware of the diagnosis, 8.4% were receiving treatment, and 34.8% had dyslipidemia controlled. Increase in age and BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 were by far the strongest risk factors associated with better awareness and treatment of dyslipidemia. Retirees were more likely to be aware of their dyslipidemia condition (OR=1.255; 95% CI: 1.046, 1.506) and to be receiving treatment (OR=1.367; 95% CI: 1.114, 1.676) than manual workers. A family history of dyslipidemia increased the likelihood of awareness (OR=3.620; 95% CI: 2.816, 4.653) and treatment (OR=3.298; 95% CI: 2.488, 4.371) of dyslipidemia. Alcohol drinking and physical activity were associated with a lower level of awareness and treatment.Cigarette smokers (OR=0.501; 95% CI: 0.349, 0.719) and those with BMI ≥ 24 kg/m2 (OR=0.480; 95% CI: 0.326, 0.706) who received treatment were also associated with poor dyslipidemia control. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights low levels of awareness, poor treatment and control of dyslipidemia among adults aged 18~79 in the Jilin province. Promotion of healthy lifestyles and establishment of a comprehensive strategy of screening, treatment and control of dyslipidemia is needed to reduce or prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease in the Jilin province.

Digitalizing disease surveillance: experience from Sierra Leone.

The Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system was adopted by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health (MOH) in 2008, which was based on paper-based tools for health data recording and reporting from health facilities to the national level. The Sierra Leone MoH introduced the implementation of electronic case-based disease surveillance reporting of immediately notifiable diseases. This study aimed to document and describe the experience of Sierra Leone in transforming her paper-based disease surveillance system into an electronic disease surveillance system. Retrospective mixed methods of qualitative and quantitative data were reviewed. Qualitative data was collected by reviewing surveillance technical reports, epidemiological bulletins, COVID-19, IDSR technical guidelines, Digital Health strategy, and DHIS2 documentation. Content and thematic data analysis were performed for the qualitative data, while Microsoft Excel and DHIS2 platform were used for the quantitative data analysis to document the experience of Sierra Leone in digitalizing its disease surveillance system. In early 2017, a web-based electronic Case-Based Disease Surveillance (eCBDS) for real-time reporting of immediately notifiable diseases and health threats was piloted using the District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) software. The eCBDS, integrates case profile, laboratory, and final outcome data. All captured data and information are immediately accessible to users with the required credentials. The system can be accessed via a browser or an Android DHIS2 application. By 2021, there was a significant increase in the proportion of immediately notifiable cases reported through the facility-level electronic platform, and more than 80% of the cases reported through the weekly surveillance platform had case-based data in eCBDS. Case-based data from the platform is analyzed and disseminated to stakeholders for public health decision-making. Several outbreaks of Lassa fever, Measles, vaccine-derived Polio, and Anthrax have been tracked in real-time through the eCBDS.

Behavioral practices towards antibiotic use among health care workers - Sierra Leone, 2021: a facility-based cross-sectional study.

Introduction: globally, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) kills around 1.27 million 700,000 people each year. In Sierra Leone, there is limited information on antibiotic use among healthcare workers (HCWs). We assessed antibiotic prescribing practices and associated factors among HCWs in Sierra Leone. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional survey among HCWs. We collected data using a questionnaire containing a Likert scale for antibiotic prescribing practices. We categorized prescribing practices into good and poor practices. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) to identify risk factors. Results: out of 337 (100%) HCWs, 45% scored good practice. Out of the total, 131 (39%) of HCWS considered fever as an indication of antibiotic resistance and 280 (83%) HCWs prescribed antibiotics without performing microbiological tests and 114 (34%) prescribed a shorter course of antibiotics. Factors associated with good practice were being a doctor (aOR=1.95; CI: 1.07, 3.56), the internet as a source of information (aOR=2.00; CI: 1.10, 3.66), having a high perception that AMR is a problem in the health-facility (aOR=1.80; CI: 1.01, 3.23) and there is a connection between one´s prescription and AMR (aOR=2.15; CI: 1.07, 4.32). Conclusion: this study identified a low level of good practice toward antibiotic prescription. We initiated health education campaigns and recommended continuous professional development programs on antibiotic use.

An Assessment of Medication Errors Among Pediatric Patients in Three Hospitals in Freetown Sierra Leone: Findings and Implications for a Low-Income Country.

Background: Pediatric patients are prone to medicine-related problems like medication errors (MEs), which can potentially cause harm. Yet, this has not been studied in this population in Sierra Leone. Therefore, this study investigated the prevalence and nature of MEs, including potential drug-drug interactions (pDDIs), in pediatric patients. Methods: The study was conducted in three hospitals among pediatric patients in Freetown and consisted of two phases. Phase one was a cross-sectional retrospective review of prescriptions for completeness and accuracy based on the global accuracy score against standard prescription writing guidelines. Phase two was a point prevalence inpatient chart review of MEs categorized into prescription, administration, and dispensing errors and pDDIs. Data was analyzed using frequency, percentages, median, and interquartile range. Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to compare the prescription accuracy between the hospitals, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Three hundred and sixty-six (366) pediatric prescriptions and 132 inpatient charts were reviewed in phases one and two of the study, respectively. In phase one, while no prescription attained the global accuracy score (GAS) gold standard of 100%, 106 (29.0%) achieved the 80-100% mark. The patient 63 (17.2%), treatment 228 (62.3%), and prescriber 33 (9.0%) identifiers achieved an overall GAS range of 80-100%. Although the total GAS was not statistically significant (p=0.065), the date (p=0.041), patient (p=<0.001), treatment (p=0.022), and prescriber (p=<0.001) identifiers were statistically significant across the different hospitals. For phase two, the prevalence of MEs was 74 (56.1%), while that of pDDIs was 54 (40.9%). There was a statistically positive correlation between the occurrence of pDDI and number of medicines prescribed (r=0.211, P=0.015). Conclusion: A Low GAS indicates poor compliance with prescription writing guidelines and high prescription errors. Medication errors were observed at each phase of the medication use cycle, while clinically significant pDDIs were also reported. Thus, there is a need for training on prescription writing guidelines and medication errors.

Quality of Reporting of Adverse Drug Reactions to Antimicrobials Improved Following Operational Research: A before-and-after Study in Sierra Leone (2017-2023).

Background: The quality of pharmacovigilance data is important for guiding medicine safety and clinical practice. In baseline and follow-up studies after introducing interventions to improve the quality of reporting of Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSRs) in Sierra Leone, we compared (a) timeliness and completeness of reporting and (b) patient outcomes classified as 'recovering'. Methods: Baseline (January 2017-December 2021) and follow-up (June 2022-April 2023) studies of ICSRs in the national pharmacovigilance database. Interventions introduced following recommendations from the baseline study included: updating standard operating procedures and guidelines, setting performance targets follow-up of patient outcomes, and training. Results: There were 566 ICSRs in the baseline study and 59 in the follow-up study. Timelines (reporting < 30 days) improved by five-fold (10% at baseline to 47% in follow-up). For the completeness of variables in ICSRs (desired threshold ≥ 90%),this was 44% at baseline and increased to 80% in the follow-up study. 'Recovering' outcomes reduced from 36% (baseline study) to 3% (follow-up study, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Significant improvements in timeliness, completeness, and validation of ICSRs were observed following operational research in Sierra Leone. While enhancing pharmacovigilance and patient safety, this study highlights the important synergistic role operational research can play in improving monitoring and evaluation systems.

Hand Hygiene Practices and Promotion in Public Hospitals in Western Sierra Leone: Changes Following Operational Research in 2021.

Hand hygiene is the most important intervention for preventing healthcare-associated infections and can reduce preventable morbidity and mortality. We described the changes in hand hygiene practices and promotion in 13 public hospitals (six secondary and seven tertiary) in the Western Area of Sierra Leone following the implementation of recommendations from an operational research study. This was a "before and after" observational study involving two routine cross-sectional assessments using the WHO hand hygiene self-assessment framework (HHSAF) tool. The overall mean HHSAF score changed from 273 in May 2021 to 278 in April 2023; it decreased from 278 to 250 for secondary hospitals but increased from 263 to 303 for tertiary hospitals. The overall mean HHSAF score and that of the tertiary hospitals remained at the "intermediate" level, while secondary hospitals declined from "intermediate" to "basic" level. The mean score increased for the "system change" and "institutional safety climate" domains, decreased for "training and education" and "reminders in the workplace" domains, and remained the same for the "evaluation and feedback" domain. Limited resources for hand hygiene promotion, lack of budgetary support, and formalized patient engagement programs are the persistent gaps that should be addressed to improve hand hygiene practices and promotion.

Improvement in Infection Prevention and Control Performance Following Operational Research in Sierra Leone: A Before (2021) and After (2023) Study.

INTRODUCTION: Infection prevention and control (IPC) is crucial to limit health care-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance. An operational research study conducted in Sierra Leone in 2021 reported sub-optimal IPC performance and provided actionable recommendations for improvement. METHODS: This was a before-and-after study involving the national IPC unit and all twelve district-level secondary public hospitals. IPC performance in 2021 (before) and in 2023 (after) was assessed using standardized World Health Organization checklists. IPC performance was graded as: inadequate (0-25%), basic (25.1-50%), intermediate (50.1-75%), and advanced (75.1-100%). RESULTS: The overall IPC performance in the national IPC unit moved from intermediate (58%) to advanced (78%), with improvements in all six core components. Four out of six components achieved advanced levels when compared to the 2021 levels. The median score for hospitals moved from basic (50%) to intermediate (59%), with improvements in six of eight components. Three of four gaps identified in 2021 at the national IPC unit and four of seven at hospitals had been addressed by 2023. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the role of operational research in informing actions that improved IPC performance. There is a need to embed operational research as part of the routine monitoring of IPC programs.

Improvement in Infection Prevention and Control Compliance at the Three Tertiary Hospitals of Sierra Leone following an Operational Research Study.

Implementing infection prevention and control (IPC) programmes in line with the World Health Organization's (WHO) eight core components has been challenging in Sierra Leone. In 2021, a baseline study found that IPC compliance in three tertiary hospitals was sub-optimal. We aimed to measure the change in IPC compliance and describe recommended actions at these hospitals in 2023. This was a 'before and after' observational study using two routine cross-sectional assessments of IPC compliance using the WHO IPC Assessment Framework tool. IPC compliance was graded as inadequate (0-200), basic (201-400), intermediate (401-600), and advanced (601-800). The overall compliance scores for each hospital showed an improvement from 'Basic' in 2021 to 'Intermediate' in 2023, with a percentage increase in scores of 16.9%, 18.7%, and 26.9% in these hospitals. There was improved compliance in all core components, with the majority in the 'Intermediate' level for each hospital IPC programme. Recommended actions including the training of healthcare workers and revision of IPC guidelines were undertaken, but a dedicated IPC budget and healthcare-associated infection surveillance remained as gaps in 2023. Operational research is valuable in monitoring and improving IPC programme implementation. To reach the 'Advanced' level, these hospitals should establish a dedicated IPC budget and develop long-term implementation plans.

Burden of cardiometabolic risk factors and preclinical target organ damage among adults in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a community-based health-screening survey.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs), target organ damage (TOD) and its associated factors among adults in Freetown, Sierra Leone. DESIGN: This community-based cross-sectional study used a stratified multistage random sampling method to recruit adult participants. SETTING: The health screening study was conducted between October 2019 and October 2021 in Western Area Urban, Sierra Leone. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2394 adult Sierra Leoneans aged 20 years or older were enrolled. OUTCOME MEASURE: Anthropometric data, fasting lipid profiles, fasting plasma glucose, TOD, clinical profiles and demographic characteristics of participants were described. The cardiometabolic risks were further related to TOD. RESULTS: The prevalence of known CMRFs was 35.3% for hypertension, 8.3% for diabetes mellitus, 21.1% for dyslipidaemia, 10.0% for obesity, 13.4% for smoking and 37.9% for alcohol. Additionally, 16.1% had left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) by ECG, 14.2% had LVH by two-dimensional echo and 11.4% had chronic kidney disease (CKD). The odds of developing ECG-LVH were higher with diabetes (OR=1.255, 95% CI (0.822 to 1.916) and dyslipidaemia (OR=1.449, 95% CI (0.834 to 2.518). Associated factors for higher odds of Left Ventricular Mass Index by echo were dyslipidaemia (OR=1.844, 95% CI (1.006 to 3.380)) and diabetes mellitus (OR=1.176, 95% CI (0.759 to 1.823)). The odds of having CKD were associated with diabetes mellitus (OR=1.212, 95% CI (0.741 to 1.983)) and hypertension (OR=1.163, 95% CI (0.887 to 1.525)). A low optimal cut-off point for ECG-LVH (male 24.5 mm vs female 27.5 mm) was required to maximise sensitivity and specificity by a receiver operating characteristics curve since the odds for LVH by ECG were low. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides novel data-driven information on the burden of CMRF and its association with preclinical TOD in a resource-limited setting. It illustrates the need for interventions in improving cardiometabolic health screening and management in Sierra Leonean.

Assessing Changes in Surgical Site Infections and Antibiotic Use among Caesarean Section and Herniorrhaphy Patients at a Regional Hospital in Sierra Leone Following Operational Research in 2021.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a major public health threat to the success of surgery. This study assessed changes in SSIs and use of antibiotics among caesarean section (CS) and herniorrhaphy patients at a regional hospital in Sierra Leone following operational research. This was a comparative before and after study using routine hospital data. The study included all the CS and herniorrhaphy patients who underwent surgery between two time periods. Of the seven recommendations made in the first study, only one concerning improving the hospital's records and information system was fully implemented. Three were partially implemented and three were not implemented. The study population in both studies showed similar socio-demographic characteristics. The use of postoperative antibiotics for herniorrhaphy in both studies remained the same, although a significant increase was found for both pre- and postoperative antibiotic use in the CS patients, 589/596 (98.8%) in 2023 and 417/599 (69.6%) in 2021 (p < 0.001). However, a significant decrease was observed in the overall incidence of SSIs, 22/777 (2.8%) in 2023 and 46/681 (6.7%) in 2021 (p < 0.001), and the incidence of SSIs among the CS patients, 15/596 (2.5%) in 2023 and 45/599 (7.5%) in 2021 (p < 0.001). The second study highlights the potential value of timely assessment of the implementation of recommendations following operational research.

Improvement in the Surveillance System for Livestock Diseases and Antimicrobial Use Following Operational Research Studies in Sierra Leone January-March 2023.

In Sierra Leone, two operational research (OR) studies in 2019 and 2021 showed deficiencies in the data being captured by the Integrated Animal Disease Surveillance and Reporting (IADSR) system. This third OR study was conducted in 2023 to assess whether the second OR study's results and recommendations were disseminated with the key stakeholders, the uptake of the recommendations, improvements in data capture in the IADSR system, and to describe the data on livestock disease and antimicrobial use. In 2022, on seven occasions, the authors of the second OR study disseminated the study's findings. Of the four recommendations, the one on improving laboratory infrastructure for confirmation of animal disease was not implemented. The district animal health weekly surveillance reports received through the IADSR system were sustained at 88% between the second (2021) and third (2023) studies. In both studies, the proportion of sick animals receiving antibiotics (25%) remained the same, but the use of "critically important antimicrobials for veterinary use" declined from 77% (in 2021) to 69% (in 2023). The IADSR system has improved considerably in providing information on animal health and antibiotic use, and sequential OR studies have played a key role in its improvement.

Have Hand Hygiene Practices in Two Tertiary Care Hospitals, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Improved in 2023 following Operational Research in 2021?

In 2021, an operational research study in two tertiary hospitals in Freetown showed poor hand hygiene compliance. Recommended actions were taken to improve the situation. Between February-April 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted in the same two hospitals using the World Health Organization hand hygiene tool to assess and compare hand hygiene compliance with that observed between June-August 2021. In Connaught hospital, overall hand hygiene compliance improved from 51% to 60% (p < 0.001), and this applied to both handwash actions with soap and water and alcohol-based hand rub. Significant improvements were found in all hospital departments and amongst all healthcare worker cadres. In 34 Military Hospital (34MH), overall hand hygiene compliance decreased from 40% to 32% (p < 0.001), with significant decreases observed in all departments and amongst nurses and nursing students. The improvements in Connaught Hospital were probably because of more hand hygiene reminders, better handwash infrastructure and more frequent supervision assessments, compared with 34MH where interventions were less well applied, possibly due to the extensive hospital reconstruction at the time. In conclusion, recommendations from operational research in 2021 contributed towards the improved distribution of hand hygiene reminders, better handwash infrastructure and frequent supervision assessments, which possibly led to improved hand hygiene compliance in one of the two hospitals. These actions need to be strengthened, scaled-up and guided by ongoing operational research to promote good hand hygiene practices elsewhere in the country.

High incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections and related antibiotic resistance in two hospitals of different geographic regions of Sierra Leone: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are common worldwide, but due to limited resources, its actual burden in low-income countries is unknown. Currently, there are gaps in knowledge about CAUTI due to lack of surveillance activities in Sierra Leone. In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to determine the incidence of CAUTI and associated antibiotic resistance in two tertiary hospitals in different regions of Sierra Leone. RESULTS: The mean age of the 459 recruited patients was 48.8 years. The majority were females (236, 51.3%). Amongst the 196 (42.6%) catheterized patients, 29 (14.8%) developed CAUTI. Bacterial growth was reported in 32 (84%) patients. Escherichia coli (14, 23.7%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (10, 17.0%), and Klebsiella oxytoca (8, 13.6%) were the most common isolates. Most isolates were ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae (33, 56%) and WHO Priority 1 (Critical) pathogens (38, 71%). Resistance of K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, E. coli, and Proteus mirabilis was higher with the third-generation cephalosporins and penicillins but lower with carbapenems, piperacillin-tazobactam and amikacin. To reduce the high incidence of CAUTI and multi-drug resistance organisms, urgent action is needed to strengthen the microbiology diagnostic services and develop and implement catheter bundles that provide clear guidance for catheter insertion, care and removal.