The impact of a breast cancer educational intervention in Ghanaian high schools.

INTRODUCTION: Globally breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer with an estimated 2.3 million new cases and 685,000 deaths in 2020. Late presentation is the hallmark of breast cancer in Ghana for which ignorance and fear are the major reasons fuelled largely by myths and misconceptions. Breast cancer awareness and education needs to start early to bring about a change in knowledge, attitude and practices. However, Breast cancer awareness activities in Ghana have usually targeted adult women. This study assessed the impact of breast cancer education among adolescent high school girls in Ghana. METHODOLOGY: A pre- post-test quasi experimental study was conducted at two senior high schools. A self-administered pre-educational questionnaire was followed by an educational intervention consisting of a drama, PowerPoint lecture, question and answer session and distribution of breast cancer information leaflets. After 3 months the same questionnaire was administered as a post-education test to assess the impact of the educational intervention. The total score for each domain was categorised into adequate knowledge > 50% and inadequate knowledge < 50%. RESULTS: The number of participants in the pre-test and post-test were 1043 and 1274; the median ages [IQR] were 16.0 [15.0-17.0] for both the pre and post-test students. General knowledge on breast cancer at pre-education (29.1%) improved to 72.5% (p < 0.001). Knowledge on signs and symptoms improved from 33.1 to 55% (p < 0.001); knowledge on risk factors improved from 55.3 to 79.2% (p < 0.001), and knowledge on breast self-examination and screening improved from 9.8 to 22.2% (p < 0.001). The overall performance of the students improved from 17.2 to 59.4% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is inadequate knowledge about breast cancer and self-examination among senior high school girls in Ghana. Our breast cancer educational intervention was effective in improving general knowledge of breast cancer, risk factors, signs and symptoms and breast self-examination. The overall knowledge base improved from 17.2 to 59.4% 3 months post intervention, accompanied by an increase in the reported practice of breast self-examination and a greater belief that breast cancer is curable. This study has demonstrated the need for a school breast cancer educational program and that breast cancer education in high schools is effective.

Trends in paediatric and adult bloodstream infections at a Ghanaian referral hospital: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Bloodstream infections (BSI) are life-threatening emergencies. Identification of the common pathogens and their susceptibility patterns is necessary for timely empirical intervention. METHODS: We conducted a 4-year retrospective analysis of blood cultures from all patients excluding neonates at the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital, Ghana, from January 2010 through December 2013. Laboratory report data were used to determine BSI, blood culture contamination, pathogen profile, and antimicrobial resistance patterns. RESULTS: Overall, 3633 (23.16 %) out of 15,683 blood cultures were positive for various organisms. Pathogen-positive cultures accounted for 1451 (9.3 %, 95 % CI 8.5-9.8 %). Infants recorded the highest true blood culture positivity (20.9 %, n = 226/1083), followed by the elderly (13.3 %, n = 80/601), children (8.9 %, n = 708/8000) and adults (7.2 %, n = 437/6000) (p = 0.001 for Marascuilo's post hoc). Overall occurrence of BSI declined with increasing age-group (p = 0.001) but the type of isolates did not vary with age except for Citrobacter, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Salmonella, and Enterococcus species. Gram negative bacteria predominated in our study (59.8 %, n = 867/1451), but the commonest bacterial isolate was Staphylococcus aureus (21.9 %, n = 318/1451)-and this trend run through the various age-groups. From 2010 to 2013, we observed a significant trend of yearly increase in the frequency of BSI caused by cephalosporin-resistant enterobacteria (Chi square for trend, p = 0.001). Meropenem maintained high susceptibility among all Gram-negative organisms ranging from 96 to 100 %. Among Staphylococcus aureus, susceptibility to cloxacillin was 76.6 %. CONCLUSION: Our study shows a significantly high blood culture positivity in infants as compared to children, adults and the elderly. There was a preponderance of S. aureus and Gram-negative bacteria across all age-groups. Meropenem was the most active antibiotic for Gram-negative bacteria. Cloxacillin remains a very useful anti-staphylococcal agent.

Giant pericardial cyst, an unusual cause of right heart failure in an elderly patient with tuberculosis and HIV: A case report.

Pericardial cysts are rare mediastinal masses commonly asymptomatic and incidentally found on chest radiographs. Pericardial cysts may be acquired/inflammatory in origin and may be symptomatic. We present a case of 65-year-old male who presented with symptoms of right heart failure. Diagnosis of a giant pericardial cyst was made using imaging modalities such as chest X-ray, computed tomography scan, and echocardiography. Percutaneous cyst aspiration was done under echocardiography guidance. Radiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons need to understand the pathology of inflammatory/acquired pericardial cysts to include in their differential diagnosis of mediastinal masses.

Unintentionally retained pelvic drainage tube found on Imaging; A case report.

A retained drainage tube after surgery is rare and patients may be asymptomatic if it occurs. The presence of a retained drainage tube may be first recognized on imaging and this requires a high index of suspicion by radiologists. In this case report, we described an incidental finding of an asymptomatic retained fractured drainage tube in the pelvis of a 32-year-old female on ultrasonography for renal evaluation. This highlighted the need for radiologists to have a high index of suspicion when performing ultrasonography on postoperative patients and surgeons should be meticulous when removing drainage tubes postsurgery. The possibility of a foreign body should be considered when unfamiliar findings are encountered on imaging. Surgeons should inspect drainage tubes after removal to ensure the full length of the tube is removed.