Factors Influencing Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Uptake in Emergency Medical Services Workers: A Concept Mapping Approach.

Seasonal influenza has serious impacts on morbidity and mortality and has a significant economic toll through lost workforce time and strains on the health system. Health workers, particularly emergency medical services (EMS) workers have the potential to transmit influenza to those in their care, yet little is known of the factors that influence EMS workers' decisions regarding seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) uptake, a key factor in reducing potential for transmitting disease. This study utilizes a modified Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model as a guiding framework to explore the factors that influence SIV uptake in EMS workers. Concept mapping, which consists of six-stages (preparation, generation, structuring, representation, interpretation, and utilization) that use quantitative and qualitative approaches, was used to identify participants' perspectives towards SIV. This study identified nine EMS-conceptualized factors that influence EMS workers' vaccination intent and behavior. The EMS-conceptualized factors align with the modified TPB model and suggest the need to consider community-wide approaches that were not initially conceptualized in the model. Additionally, the expansion of non-pharmaceutical measures went above and beyond original conceptualization. Overall, this study demonstrates the need to develop customized interventions such as messages highlighting the importance of EMS workers receiving SIV as the optimum solution. EMS workers who do not intend to receive the SIV should be provided with accurate information on the SIV to dispel misconceptions. Finally, EMS workers should also receive interventions which promote voluntary vaccination, encouraging them to be proactive in the health decisions they make for themselves.

Pineal Gland Calcification in Kurdistan: A Cross-Sectional Study of 480 Roentgenograms.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to compare the incidence of Pineal Gland Calcification (PGC) by age group and gender among the populations living in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq. METHODS: This prospective study examined skull X-rays of 480 patients between the ages of 3 and 89 years who sought care at a large teaching public hospital in Duhok, Iraq from June 2014 to November 2014. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression were used for analysis. RESULTS: The overall incidence rate of PGC among the study population was 26.9% with the 51-60 age group and males having the highest incidence. PGC incidence increased after the first decade and remained steady until the age of 60. Thereafter the incidence began to decrease. Logistic regression analysis revealed that both age and gender significantly affected the risk of PGC. After adjusting for age, males were 1.94 (95% CI, 1.26-2.99) times more likely to have PGC compared to females. In addition, a one year increase in age increases the odds of developing PGC by 1.02 (95% CI, 1.01-1.03) units after controlling for the effects of gender. CONCLUSION: Our analysis demonstrated a close relationship between PGC and age and gender, supporting a link between the development of PGC and these factors. This study provides a basis for future researchers to further investigate the nature and mechanisms underlying pineal gland calcification.