Effect of different protocols in preventing demineralization in irradiated human enamel, in vitro study.

Background: This in vitro study evaluated the efficacy of professional and home-use fluoride regimens for protecting irradiated enamel, undergoing pH cycling resembling xerostomia.

Methods: Sixty human premolar teeth were irradiated with a total dose of 70 Gy and subsequently sectioned into 3 × 3 cm enamel slabs. These slabs were randomly distributed into five groups (n = 12 per group): professional-use groups received fluoride varnish either weekly (FV1) or biweekly (FV2); home-use groups applied 5000 ppm (FT5) or 1450 ppm (FT) fluoride toothpaste; and a control group (control) received no treatment.

Matters of Gender and Social Disparities Regarding Postnatal Care Use Among Nepalese Women: A Cross-Sectional Study in Morang District.

Objective: The study compares the uses of postnatal care (PNC) and women's autonomy gradients across social caste and used intersectionality concepts to estimate odds ratio of women's autonomy and social caste on complete PNC.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study among 600 women aged 15-49 years who had at least one child younger than the age of 2 years in Morang District, Nepal, was conducted from April to July 2019. PNC, women's autonomy (decision-making power, freedom of movement, and control over finances) and social caste were collected by both methods.

Effects of psychosocial factors on nonadherence to ART in Ganta, Nimba county, Liberia.

Background: It has been widely noted that lifetime adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is necessary for HIV treatment outcome; however, retention on ART among people living with HIV (PLWH) remains a great challenge to achieve the Global AIDS Strategy: End inequalities, End AIDS. Nonadherence to ART is one of the HIV care problem in Liberia despite the availability of free ART. Psychosocial factors, i.

Access to Health Service and Social Support Related to Self-Medication.

Background: In developing countries including Nepal, medicine is easy to purchase with or without prescription over the counter. People's self-medication practice is a leading cause of antibiotic resistance. The purpose of this study was to assess self-medication practice and its influencing factors among rural people of Nepal.

Intention to Extend Working Life among Thai Registered Nurses in Ministry of Public Health: A National Survey.

The serious shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in Thailand has made the Thai government tentatively propose a policy to extend the working life of Ministry of Public Health nurses. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of those RNs who intend to extend their working life and analyzed the associations between general characteristics, quality of work life, and job characteristics of the RNs and their intention to work past retirement age. This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2016 to April 2017.

Sleep quality and associated factors among the elderly living in rural Chiang Rai, northern Thailand.

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the prevalence of poor sleep quality and to identify associated factors among community-dwelling elderly individuals in northern Thailand.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 266 randomly selected elderly people in a sub-district in rural Chiang Rai Province, northern Thailand. The participants were interviewed using the Thai version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Participatory capacity building for improving quality of childcare centers in Thailand.

Introduction: Childcare centers (CCCs) with good quality standards can be effective in reducing the risk of diseases being easily spread from person to person. The aim of the present study's program, adapted from a method used by the United Nations Development Program, was to increase the capacity of local administrators(s) and heads of CCCs to improve quality standards.

Methods: This study was quasi-experimental, with a one group pretest-post-test design.

Assessing disaster preparedness and mental health of community members in Aceh, Indonesia: a community-based, descriptive household survey of a national program.

Introducton: Disaster preparedness of the community is an essential disaster-mitigation strategy to protect human life and to prevent injuries and property damage. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of disaster, and the disaster preparedness of community members in Aceh, Indonesia.

Methods: A community-based descriptive household survey was conducted in 40 villages of three tsunami-affected districts in Aceh State, Indonesia.

Evaluation of mass drug administration in the program to control imported lymphatic filariasis in Thailand.

Background: Migration plays a major role in the emergence and resurgence of lymphatic filariasis (LF) in many countries. Because of the high prevalence of Imported Bancroftian Filariasis (IBF) caused by nocturnally periodic Wuchereria bancrofti and the intensive movement of immigrant workers from endemic areas, Thailand has implemented two doses of 6 mg/kg diethylcarbamazine (DEC) with interval of 6 months to prevent IBF. In areas where immigrants are very mobile, the administration of DEC may be compromised.

Smoking, alcohol consumption and betal-quid chewing among young adult Myanmar laborers in Thailand.

Health-risk behaviors among young adults are a serious public health problem. This cross sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of single and concurrent multiple health-risk behaviors: smoking tobacco, consuming alcohol, and chewing betel quid among young adult Myanmar laborers in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand. Three hundred Myanmar laborers, aged 18-24 years, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire.

The effort-reward imbalance work-stress model and daytime salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) among Japanese women.

We examined the influence of work-related effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment to work (OC), as derived from Siegrist's Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) model, on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis. We hypothesized that, among healthy workers, both cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) secretion would be increased by effort-reward imbalance and OC and, as a result, cortisol-to-DHEA ratio (C/D ratio) would not differ by effort-reward imbalance or OC. The subjects were 115 healthy female nursery school teachers.

Effect of community participation on household environment to mitigate dengue transmission in Thailand.

Due to the absence of dengue vaccination, vector control is the only measure to prevent dengue outbreaks. The key element of dengue prevention is to eliminate vector habitats. Clean household environment, preventive behaviors of household members and community participation in dengue prevention and control are key successful elements.

Health-science students' self-efficacy, social support, and intention to work in rural areas of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Introduction: The Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), like almost all countries, is faced with a shortage of qualified health workers in rural and remote areas. The situation has worsened due to the unbalanced distribution of the health workforce, resulting from a tendency to gravitate to more central areas.

Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the proportion and associated factors affecting intention to work in a rural area among health science students in Vientiane, Lao PDR.

Quality of life of stroke survivors: a 3-month follow-up study.

The assessment of stroke survivors' quality of life (QoL) is essential for planning poststroke therapy strategies. This study aimed to assess, compare, and identify predictors of unsatisfactory QoL in different dimensions of stroke survivors at 1 month and 3 months poststroke. A total of 125 stroke survivors were recruited from 4 public hospitals under the auspices of the Department of Medical Services, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Thailand, and followed for 3 months.

Improvement of district hospital service system to increase treatment adherence among tuberculosis patients in Pakistan.

Adherence to medication regimen is essential for tuberculosis (TB) treatment success. We carried out quasi-experimental, single group intervention study at Rawalpindi District Hospital to improve TB patient treatment adherence using a Chronic Care Model (CCM). Ninety-nine newly diagnosed TB patients at the TB Clinic, Rawalpindi District Hospital, during February-March 2009, were included in the study.

Self-efficacy, self-care behaviors and glycemic control among type-2 diabetes patients attending two private clinics in Yangon, Myanmar.

This cross-sectional study aimed to estimate the prevalence of glycemic control and its associated factors among type-2 diabetes patients attending two private clinics in Yangon, Myanmar. Two hundred sixty-six diabetes patients attending two private diabetes clinics in Yangon during February and March, 2009 were included in the study. The participants completed a structured questionnaire.

Job strain among rubber-glove-factory workers in central Thailand.

Job strain has become a major concern because of its potential impacts on worker well-being and performance. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of, and examine factors associated with, job strain among workers in a rubber-glove factory, in a central province of Thailand. A total of 200 workers aged 18-55 yr, who had worked at the factory for at least 6 months, completed the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) (Thai Version).

Serum cholinesterase levels of Thai chilli-farm workers exposed to chemical pesticides: prevalence estimates and associated factors.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of, and factors associated with, abnormal serum cholinesterase (SChE) levels among chilli-farm workers in Chatturat District, Chaiyaphum Province.

Methods: A total of 350 chilli-farm workers aged 18-60 yr were randomly sampled and interviewed. A reactive-paper finger-blood test was used to assess SChE levels.

Factors relating to acceptance of hepatitis B virus vaccination by nursing students in a tertiary hospital, Pakistan.

This cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the prevalence of, and factors relating to, the acceptance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination by nursing students in a tertiary hospital in Pakistan. In total, 210 nursing students of Year 2 to Year 4 were invited to participate in the study; of them, 196 (93.3%) returned completed questionnaires.

Adherence to regimens and glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes attending a tertiary hospital clinic.

This cross-sectional study is aimed to measure the prevalence of patient adherence to treatment regimens and factors affecting glycemic control among Type 2 diabetes patients. 243 diabetes patients seeking care at a tertiary hospital diabetic clinic in Bangkok were interviewed. HbA1c was used as an index of glycemic control.

Behaviors and perceptions of Japanese tourists affecting diarrheal illness and health care need assessment: A questionnaire study.

Objectives: To measure the prevalence rate of, and determine the association between food and drink related behaviors and diarrheal illness among Japanese tourists, and assess their health care needs.

Methods: Eligible Japanese tourists (1,480) aged ≥15 years traveling in Chiangmai Province in the north, Ayutthaya Province in the center, Kanchanaburi Province in the west, Pattaya City in the east, and Krabi Province in the south of Thailand were enrolled in the study. Of these tourists, 1,318 consented to participate in this study and completed questionnaires in Japanese, giving a response rate of 89.

Health risk behaviours, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among rural community people in Thailand.

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess health risk behaviours, prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension and associated factors among Thai rural community people. 527 people, aged 35-60 years, were randomly sampled and interviewed. Two blood pressure (BP) measurements were assessed by standardized protocol.

Participatory supervision model: building health promotion capacity among health officers and the community.

Introduction: The Thai traditional health supervision model has been developed since 1991. However, many supervisors lack supervisory knowledge and skills. This study aimed to compare and identify the strengths and challenges of two different supervision models, in order to determine their effects on enhancing the health promotion capacity of health officers in two primary care units (PCU) in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand.

Strengthening the capability of family health leaders for sustainable community-based health promotion.

The Family Health Leader (FHL) Project was initiated in 1997 to encourage self-care and health promotion. Since then, there has been no retraining. This study aimed to strengthen the FHLs' capability to sustain community-based health promotion and network establishment.

Cigarette, alcohol use and physical activity among Myanmar youth workers, Samut Sakhon Province, Thailand.

Over 1.2 million migrants from Myanmar are currently residing in Thailand. Little information is known about Myanmar youth risk behaviors.