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(2008)Journal ArticleObjective: In 2002, New South Wales (NSW) Health introduced an updated policy for occupational screening and vaccination against infectious diseases. This study describes healthcare worker (HCW) immunity to hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and varicella based on serological screening, following introduction of this policy. Methods: HCW screening serology performed at two healthcare facilities in south western Sydney (Bankstown and Fairfield) was extracted for the period September 2003 to September 2005. Immunity to hepatitis B, MMR and varicella was quantitated and cross-tabulated against age, sex and staff risk category. Results: A total of 1,320 HCWs were screened. Almost two thirds were immune to hepatitis B while immunity to MMR and varicella ranged from 88% to 94%. Age stratification showed lower levels of measles immunity in those born after 1965. Conclusions: Despite availability of vaccination for over two decades, a significant proportion of HCWs at these two facilities were non-immune to hepatitis B. This is of concern for those non-immune staff involved in direct clinical care, who are at risk of blood and body fluid exposures. The small group of HCWs non-immune to MMR and varicella pose a risk to themselves and others in the event of an outbreak. Implications: There is a need for improved implementation of the occupational screening and vaccination policy, including better education of HCWs about the risks of non-immunity to vaccine preventable diseases. The revised 2007 NSW Health policy may assist this process and will need evaluation to determine whether HCW immunity improves in the coming years.
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(2010)Journal ArticlePapua New Guinea (PNG) is in a phase of scaling up access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and adherence to the newly available drug therapy is becoming an important issue. This paper examines adherence to ART in a sample of 374 HIV-positive people in six provinces in PNG. Participants were recruited to the study using non-probability sampling. Sixty-two % of participants reported complete adherence (no missed or late doses in the past week) and 79% reported not missing any doses in the last week. Revival church members were significantly more likely to report having missing a treatment dose(s) (66%). Those living in the Highlands and those attending Catholic health clinics were significantly more likely to be adherent to their treatment. Age, gender, marital status, education level and employment type did not show significant association with treatment adherence. Adherence rates in PNG are not alarming, indicating that people with HIV can adhere to treatment despite the challenges of living in PNG.
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(2010)Journal Article