Next Issue
Volume 3, June
Previous Issue
Volume 2, December
 
 

Hygiene, Volume 3, Issue 1 (March 2023) – 7 articles

  • Issues are regarded as officially published after their release is announced to the table of contents alert mailing list.
  • You may sign up for e-mail alerts to receive table of contents of newly released issues.
  • PDF is the official format for papers published in both, html and pdf forms. To view the papers in pdf format, click on the "PDF Full-text" link, and use the free Adobe Reader to open them.
Order results
Result details
Section
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
8 pages, 750 KiB  
Opinion
People’s Need for Health Information and Communication: How Past Experiences Could Support Future Interventions
by Barbara Pittau, Francesca Pettinau and Antonio Mastino
Hygiene 2023, 3(1), 57-64; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene3010007 - 15 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1344
Abstract
People’s need for information and communication concerning health has emerged from many sources, even for important aspects related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges of those who want to respond to this need are mainly related to which design characteristics could better support [...] Read more.
People’s need for information and communication concerning health has emerged from many sources, even for important aspects related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges of those who want to respond to this need are mainly related to which design characteristics could better support their aim. Thus, this article first examines a selected list of examples of different approaches of interventions targeted at citizens aimed at increasing health knowledge. Successively our recent experience regarding a new tool developed to support people’s health by promoting communication about citizens’ approach towards pharmaceuticals is discussed. In addition, here we propose that a similar methodological approach may be useful also to highlight people's critical issues and suggestions regarding health care system, i.e., factors that could play a pivotal role in a pandemic scenario. Our experience in the local context through an integrated strategy can be useful to address key factors concerning people’s approach to medicines, and approach to health care system even during a pandemic scenario. Overall these examples of past experience show how some approaches could support the understanding of suitable future, community-level, interventions to enhance information and communication about health and care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Health and Hygiene)
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 277 KiB  
Article
Perceived Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Playing Golf: A Qualitative Content Analysis Study
by David Jungwirth, Susanne Gahbauer and Daniela Haluza
Hygiene 2023, 3(1), 45-56; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene3010006 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1881
Abstract
Golf is a very popular outdoor sport played worldwide by people from various socio-economic backgrounds. During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and quarantine restrictions led to closures of indoor and outdoor sport facilities and thus also affected the access to golf courses. This study [...] Read more.
Golf is a very popular outdoor sport played worldwide by people from various socio-economic backgrounds. During the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns and quarantine restrictions led to closures of indoor and outdoor sport facilities and thus also affected the access to golf courses. This study aimed at elucidating perceptions of golfers regarding the impact of the crisis on their sport. We surveyed a sample of golfers in German-speaking countries (primarily Austria and Germany) from March to June 2021. A content analysis on golfers’ responses (n = 923) to an open-ended question on their feelings and engagement in alternative ways of physical activity in light of closed sport facilities was performed. More than 23% of the comments concerned negative feelings on how the pandemic impacted the surveyed golfers, especially due to reluctance to accept the closure of outdoor sports facilities. Almost all participants stated to perform alternative outdoor sports, mostly hiking, biking, walking, and running. In times of a pandemic, public spaces should be designed to allow for safe physical activity to maintain a mentally and physically fit population. In this context, policy makers should provide hygiene concepts that allow for minimal disturbance of sport routines, especially in regard to outdoor sports such as golf. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Health and Hygiene)
12 pages, 290 KiB  
Article
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Emotion of People Living with and without HIV
by Joanne Lusher, Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuñiga, Jorma I. Virtanen, Passent Ellakany, Muhammad Abrar Yousaf, Bamidele Emmanuel Osamika, Balgis Gaffar, Folake Barakat Lawal, Zumama Khalid, Nourhan M. Aly, Annie Lu Nguyen and Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan
Hygiene 2023, 3(1), 33-44; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene3010005 - 01 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1872
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a source of mental stress, particularly for special populations. The present study identified the associations between emotional distress and HIV status among adults in 152 countries during the first wave of the pandemic. This was a cross-sectional study that [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a source of mental stress, particularly for special populations. The present study identified the associations between emotional distress and HIV status among adults in 152 countries during the first wave of the pandemic. This was a cross-sectional study that gathered data via an online survey carried out between July and December 2020. The dependent variable was emotional distress (frustration/boredom, anxiety, depression, loneliness, anger, or grief/feeling of loss), and the independent variable was HIV status (positive or negative). The confounding factors were sociodemographic variables (age, sex, education level, and employment status). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between the independent and dependent variables after adjusting for confounders. Of the 16,866 participants, 905 (5.4%) reported living with HIV. Of these, 188 (20.8%) felt frustrated/bored, 238 (26.3%) anxious, 160 (17.7%) depressed, 148 (16.4%) lonely, 84 (9.3%) angry, and 53 (5.9%) grief/a sense of loss. Individuals living with HIV had higher odds of feeling anxious (AOR:1.64), depressed (AOR:1.80), and lonely (AOR:1.35) when compared to people living without HIV. This study reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic can exacerbate emotional stress for those living with HIV, and the system in which COVID-19 impacts emotional health among different sociodemographic groups introduces further complexities regarding this observed effect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Health and Hygiene)
15 pages, 1471 KiB  
Article
Presence and Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in the Danish Ready-to-Eat Food Production Environment
by Nao Takeuchi-Storm, Lisbeth Truelstrup Hansen, Niels Ladefoged Nielsen and Jens Kirk Andersen
Hygiene 2023, 3(1), 18-32; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene3010004 - 01 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2617
Abstract
Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitously occurring foodborne bacterial pathogen known to contaminate foods during the production processes. To assess the presence and persistence of L. monocytogenes in Danish ready-to-eat (RTE) food production companies in response to a Listeria awareness campaign, the production environment [...] Read more.
Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitously occurring foodborne bacterial pathogen known to contaminate foods during the production processes. To assess the presence and persistence of L. monocytogenes in Danish ready-to-eat (RTE) food production companies in response to a Listeria awareness campaign, the production environment of selected companies were sampled in 2016 and in 2020. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed to characterize the isolates (n = 50, plus 35 isolates obtained from the routine surveillance during 2016–2020), including investigation of the presence of virulence, persistence and resistance genes. The number of companies that tested positive by culture was 17/39 (43.6%) in 2016 and 11/34 (32.4%) in 2020, indicating a limited effect of the campaign. WGS analyses of the 85 isolates showed that the most common sequence types (STs) were ST8 and ST121. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis showed that isolates coming from the same company and belonging to the same ST exhibited <10 SNP differences regardless of the sampling year and whether the samples came from the environment or products, indicating the persistence of the specific STs. Several prevalent STs were found in clinical cases concurrently, including genetically similar isolates. This highlights the issue of persistent L. monocytogenes in the food production environment and the need for improved risk communication and mitigation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Hygiene and Human Health)
Show Figures

Figure 1

5 pages, 999 KiB  
Communication
Diminishment of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales from Sink Outlets Using a Steam Cleaner
by Takumi Umemura, Yoshikazu Mutoh, Makiko Sukawa, Tatsuya Hioki, Daisuke Sakanashi, Hideo Kato, Mao Hagihara, Tetsuya Yamada, Yoshiaki Ikeda, Hiroshige Mikamo and Toshihiko Ichihara
Hygiene 2023, 3(1), 13-17; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene3010003 - 27 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1291
Abstract
In 2016, Tosei General Hospital, a tertiary emergency medical facility with 633 beds in Japan, experienced a large nosocomial outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) that had spread to numerous sink outlets. Based on our experience with using steam cleaners to suppress CPE on [...] Read more.
In 2016, Tosei General Hospital, a tertiary emergency medical facility with 633 beds in Japan, experienced a large nosocomial outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) that had spread to numerous sink outlets. Based on our experience with using steam cleaners to suppress CPE on environmental surfaces, we report the efficacy of steam cleaners in the disinfection of sink outlets. Steam cleaners were used to disinfect 22 target areas. CPE disappeared in 90.9% of the sink outlets within the first two months after disinfection, and, after 12 months, 54.5% of the sink outlets remained negative throughout the remainder of the study period. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of using steam cleaners to disinfect sink outlets contaminated with CPE. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

1 pages, 139 KiB  
Editorial
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Hygiene in 2022
by Hygiene Editorial Office
Hygiene 2023, 3(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene3010002 - 18 Jan 2023
Viewed by 818
Abstract
High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...] Full article
11 pages, 1114 KiB  
Case Report
The Use of COVID-19 Surveillance Measures in Detecting Cases of Tuberculosis (TB)
by Anwar A. Sayed, Asem A. Allam, Abdullah K. Alruwaili, Mohammed A. Alraey, Eman M. Elsayed and Ghfren S. Aloraini
Hygiene 2023, 3(1), 1-11; https://doi.org/10.3390/hygiene3010001 - 04 Jan 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1590
Abstract
The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused countries to develop novel methods to detect and trace active cases. These methods aim to limit its spread; however, they can also be used to detect other endemic infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB). The current methods [...] Read more.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has caused countries to develop novel methods to detect and trace active cases. These methods aim to limit its spread; however, they can also be used to detect other endemic infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB). The current methods used to detect COVID-19 cases, such as temperature-checking and tracing applications, led to the detection of these specific TB cases and their referral to the hospital. In this study, we present four cases of TB in which the patients come from different working backgrounds. We conclude that the current measures used for COVID-19 could also prove to be beneficial in the context of other infectious diseases, mainly TB. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Health and Hygiene)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Previous Issue
Next Issue
Back to TopTop