GAJRC | Global Academic Journal of Medical Sciences

Journal Name:	Global Academic Journal of Medical Sciences
Abbr. Title:	Glob Acad J Med Sci
ISSN(Print):	2706-9036
ISSN(Online):	2707-2533
Frequency:	Bi-Monthly
Language:	English
Chief Editor:	Mohammed Ahamed Ahamed Abuelnour
Publisher:	Scholars Middle East Publishers
Country of Origin:	United Arab Emirates

Journal Name:

Global Academic Journal of Medical Sciences

Abbr. Title:

Glob Acad J Med Sci

ISSN(Print):

2706-9036

ISSN(Online):

2707-2533

Frequency:

Bi-Monthly

Language:

English

Chief Editor:

Mohammed Ahamed Ahamed Abuelnour

Publisher:

Scholars Middle East Publishers

Country of Origin:

United Arab Emirates

June 27, 2026

Awareness of Infection Prevention and Control among Nurses in a Tertiary Hospital in Southern Nigeria

Azuogu Faustina Oluomachi, Timighe Gift Cornelius, Azuogu Victoria Chioma, Azuogu Benedicta Chiamaka, Azuogu Francisca Daberechi, Mazi Njideka Calista
Glob Acad J Med Sci, 2026; 8(2): 99-105
DOI : https://doi.org/10.36348/gajms.2026.v08i02.006

Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a major public health challenge worldwide, contributing significantly to patient morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare costs. Nurses play a central role in the implementation of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures; therefore, adequate awareness of IPC principles is essential for ensuring patient safety and reducing infection transmission within healthcare facilities. Objective: This study assessed the level of awareness of Infection Prevention and Control among nurses at a tertiary healthcare institution in Southern Nigeria and identified existing knowledge gaps that may hinder effective IPC implementation. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 197 registered nurses at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire comprising socio-demographic variables and ten awareness-related items. Responses were measured on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. A mean score of 3.0 and above was considered indicative of good awareness. Results: The overall awareness of IPC among nurses was high, with a global mean score of 3.76 ± 1.05. The highest awareness was recorded for the importance of hand hygiene in preventing infections (4.32 ± 0.78), familiarity with the proper use of personal protective equipment (4.09 ± 0.93), and understanding the rationale behind regular IPC training (4.04 ± 0.92). However, lower awareness scores were observed regarding adequacy of IPC training received (3.43 ± 1.14), being up-to-date with current IPC guidelines (3.43 ± 1.18), and regular review of IPC protocols (3.43 ± 1.18). Overall, 148 (75.2%) nurses demonstrated good awareness, while 49 (24.8%) had poor awareness. Conclusion: Nurses demonstrated good overall awareness of Infection Prevention and Control measures. Nevertheless, important gaps exist in continuous professional development, access to updated IPC guidelines, and routine review of institutional protocols. Strengthening regular training and dissemination of current IPC information may further improve awareness and support effective infection prevention practices.

Atrial fibrillation is a frequent presentation in emergency departments and cardiology clinics, yet the transition from acute recognition to durable stroke prevention remains uneven. In Saudi Arabia, the rising burden of cardiometabolic disease, ageing, renal impairment and fragmented follow-up creates a setting in which anticoagulation decisions are clinically important and operationally fragile. This review examines anticoagulation gaps, stroke-risk assessment and guideline-based care for adults with atrial fibrillation managed in Saudi emergency and cardiology settings. A structured narrative method was used to synthesise international guidelines, contemporary emergency-care evidence and Saudi literature published from 2020 to 2025. The review identifies recurring gaps: incomplete documentation of CHA2DS2-VASc or CHA2DS2-VA scores, uncertainty around direct oral anticoagulant dosing, persistent use of non-anticoagulant antiplatelet therapy for stroke prevention, delayed initiation after emergency discharge, limited renal-function reassessment, and variable cardiology follow-up. These gaps are not merely prescribing issues; they reflect competing priorities at presentation, inconsistent ownership between emergency physicians and cardiology teams, patient concerns about bleeding, and limited structured counselling. Guideline-based care should begin at first contact, with electrocardiographic confirmation, haemodynamic stabilisation, systematic stroke and bleeding risk assessment, renal and hepatic review, medication reconciliation, shared decision-making and a defined follow-up appointment before discharge. A Saudi model should combine emergency pathways, pharmacist-supported anticoagulant initiation, cardiology review for rhythm strategy, and quality indicators that track eligible anticoagulation, dose correctness and early review. Strengthening this pathway could reduce preventable stroke, avoid unnecessary admission and improve continuity for patients who currently move between episodic acute care and chronic cardiovascular management.

Background: Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, developed to address malignancies evading the immune system, has shown remarkable efficacy. However, its impact on infectious complications, particularly Clostridioides difficile infection, lacks real-world evidence. Our study aims to fill this knowledge gap by exploring prevalence, mortality rates, associated risk factors, and outcomes of C. difficile infections in CAR-T therapy patients. Methods: This retrospective analysis utilized National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data (2017-2019). We applied ICD-10 CM codes to identify CAR T therapy-related hospitalizations and Clostridioides difficile cases. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, length of hospitalization, total charges, and complications, associations, and interventions. Statistical analyses involved univariate and multivariate assessments, incorporating potential confounders such as age, gender, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. Proportions and continuous variables were compared using appropriate tests with a significance level of P < 0.05. We conducted our statistical analysis using STATA Version 17 (College Station, TX: Stata Corp LLC). Results: We identified 685 inpatient cases of CAR-T therapy, among which 33 developed C. difficile infection, indicating an incidence of 4.8%. Mortality in the C. difficile group was 18.2%, significantly higher than the 2.8% in the non-C. difficile group (adjusted odds ratio: 7.67, 95% CI: 2.30 to 25.62, P<0.01). The mean length of stay for C. difficile cases was 30.9 days, compared to 19.1 days without C. difficile (coefficient: 11.01 days, 95% CI: 3.63 to 18.40, P<0.01). Total hospital charges were higher in the C. difficile group ($1,148,749) than the non-C. difficile group ($862,724), but not statistically significant (coefficient: $252,066, 95% CI: -78,332 to 582,464, P=0.134). Risks and outcomes associated with C

Oncolytic virotherapy (OV) is an emerging and innovative approach to cancer treatment. By inducing virus-mediated immune responses, oncolytic viruses enhance tumor specificity, stimulate antitumor immunity, and selectively infect and lyse cancer cells. In this study, we conducted a systematic review of oncolytic virotherapy, summarizing the major types of oncolytic viruses and their applications in combination therapies. Different viral vectors possess distinct biological characteristics, and diverse strategies have been employed in the design and optimization of OVs. Given their ability to modulate immune responses and the tumor microenvironment, oncolytic viruses show strong potential when combined with conventional cancer treatments. In particular, combinations of OVs with immunotherapies and CAR-T cell therapies are discussed in detail. Nevertheless, the selection of combination strategies should take into account tumor location, standard treatment modalities, and the expression of relevant biomarkers to maximize therapeutic efficacy.

May 8, 2026

Violence against Healthcare Workers: Evidence from Public and Private Hospitals in Pakistan

Wajahat Usman, Mustaffa Fahim, Dua Jabbar, Sheema Gul, Sobia Saeed, Aysha Khan, Irej Waheed
Glob Acad J Med Sci, 2026; 8(2): 57-67
DOI : https://doi.org/10.36348/gajms.2026.v08i02.002

Workplace violence against healthcare workers is a serious threat to safety, efficiency, and health system performance worldwide. This study looks at the causes and effects of workplace violence in Pakistan’s hospital sector, where public and private facilities face very different challenges. We surveyed 768 healthcare workers from six hospitals in Peshawar—three public and three private. We collected detailed information on their experiences with violence, the quality of their institutions, how they report incidents, and the personal effects over a twelve-month period. Our findings show a clear divide between public and private hospitals. Workers in public hospitals face physical violence more than four times as often as those in private hospitals. More than half of public hospital staff reported experiencing attacks, compared to just 12 percent in private facilities. This divide appears in all areas: Witnessing violence, how incidents are reported, and the availability of safety measures and formal complaint systems. We created a model to explain how poor institutional quality leads to high levels of violence and low reporting, and we confirmed these predictions with our data. Statistical analysis shows that factors like hospital type, security measures, and reporting procedures account for almost all variations in violence outcomes. Individual characteristics such as gender, profession, and experience do not have an independent impact. Having formal reporting systems increases the actual reporting of incidents by nearly ten times. We also found that workers who are physically attacked face significant psychological issues, including heightened fear of work and dissatisfaction with their jobs. This suggests serious challenges for keeping workers in their roles. These findings indicate that structural problems, rather than individual weaknesses, are the main cause of workplace violence in healthcare settings in Pakistan. Policymakers should focus on creating mandatory reporting systems, investing in visible security measures, and offering psychological support to affected staff, especially in the public hospital sector, which is severely under-resourced.