Journal of Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute

Effectiveness of Nursing Guidelines for Home-Isolated Monkeypox Patients Through Interprofessional Telehealth System, Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute

2025-09-12T14:01:55+07:00

This research and development study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of nursing practice guidelines for monkeypox patients in home isolation through a multidisciplinary telehealth system, following Soukup's (2000) conceptual framework. The sample consisted of 45 monkeypox patients, 23 of whom were in the experimental group and 22 of whom were in the control group, and a 15-member multidisciplinary team, selected purposively.
The study instruments consisted of experimental tools, including nursing practice guidelines, telecare application programs, and personnel training plans. The quality was assessed using the AGREE II tool, with an overall score of 89.70% and the tools used for data collection consisted of a general data recording form, a patient safety assessment form, a health service access assessment form, a patient satisfaction assessment form, and a multidisciplinary team satisfaction assessment form. The content validity values were examined to be .90, .98, .92, and .98, respectively and the reliability was tested with Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the patient group and the multidisciplinary team group, which were .82 and .81, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and content analysis.
Results showed that: 1) the nursing practice guidelines had a quality assessment result using AGREE II at 89.70 percent; 2) the implementation of the guidelines in the experimental group had a significantly lower rate of severe complications than the control group (p = 0.021); 3) The experimental group had faster access to healthcare services with shorter response times ( =15.30, 45.6 minutes, p < 0.001); 4) The experimental group reported higher satisfaction levels in all aspects than the control group ( = 4.71 vs. = 3.70, p < 0.001); and 5) The nursing team expressed the highest level of satisfaction with implementing the guidelines ( = 4.60).
The developed nursing practice guidelines proved effective for home-isolated monkeypox patients and can be applied to other emerging infectious diseases requiring home isolation.

Development of Quality Control and Analytical Systems for Complete Blood Count and Urine Analysis in Hematology and Microscopy Laboratory at Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute

2024-12-06T14:44:17+07:00

The development of quality control systems in clinical laboratories is essential for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of test results. This study aimed to enhance QC performance for Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Urine Analysis to support Auto Verification using IQC and EQA data from January 2024 to April 2025. Evaluation of the Mindray BC-6200 CBC analyzer for 14 parameters WBC, Hb, PLT, RBC, MCV, NEU, LYM, MON, EOS, BAS, HCT, MCH, MCHC, RDW-CV showed a reduction in mean %CV from (0.84–6.89) to (0.64–6.19), and mean SDI from (–0.81–1.63) to (–0.61–1.35). All %Bias values were within acceptable TEa limits. Sigma metric evaluation of five parameters showed excellent performance (Sigma ≥6) in three parameters WBC, Hb, and PLT and very good performance (Sigma ≥ 5) in two parameters RBC and MCV. Based on OPSpecs Charts, Westgard rule 1_3s was applicable for WBC, Hb, and PLT, while RBC and MCV required 1_3s, 2of2s, and R_4s. In practice, both analyzers achieved Sigma ≥ 6 for all five parameters using only the 1_3s rule, consistent with improved EQA Z-scores.
For urine analysis, the LabMate2 analyzer was used for 10 parameters, including Specific Gravity, pH, Leukocyte, Nitrite, Protein, Glucose, Ketone, Bilirubin, Urobilinogen, and Blood. The Urised2 analyzer was used for three additional parameters: WBC, RBC, and Squamous epithelial cells. The proportion of IQC results conforming to target values improved from 80.9% to 95.4%, and EQA results improved from 99.8% to 100%, indicating excellent performance.
The findings were applied to develop QC rules and data check systems for Auto Verification, resulting in reduced reporting time, minimized errors, and improved abnormal result screening by experts.

Prevalence and Associated Factor of Post COVID Conditions After Infected with SARS-CoV-2

2025-05-27T13:43:32+07:00

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Post COVID Conditions and study factors related to post COVID conditions after being infected with SARS-CoV-2 among Thai patients in Bangkok metropolitan region between September 2021 and September 2022. A questionnaire adapted from the Global COVID-19 Clinical Platform Case Report Form for Post COVID condition (Post COVID-19 CRF) was used to collect personal information and details about post COVID conditions data from 351 patients, divided into two groups: those experiencing symptoms 4-12 weeks post-infection (187 cases) and those with symptoms persisting beyond 12 weeks post-infection (164 cases). The study found a prevalence of at least one post COVID condition at 75.94% and 82.92% in the 4-12 weeks and beyond 12 weeks groups, respectively. Fatigue, cognitive impairment, insomnia, and dry cough were the most common symptoms. Additionally, female participants were more likely to experience post COVID condition, difficulty doing activities, and decreased self-care ability compared to males (p < 0.05, logistic regression). Although post COVID conditions were not severe or acute, they could impact quality of life. Therefore, screening for risk factors and continuous symptom monitoring are recommended. However, the results of this study can provide a foundation for designing future research with larger and more diverse samples.

Effectiveness of Asthma Prevention Program for Vulnerable Elderly in Communities with Fine Particulate Matter 2.5 Microns, Bangkok

2025-05-15T13:41:28+07:00

This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effects of an asthma prevention program for older adults living in communities with PM2.5 air pollution. The sample consisted of older adults residing in Bangkok, selected through purposive sampling and divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 30 participants in each. Research Instruments 1) A 12-week asthma prevention program for older adults in PM2.5-affected communities, based on an ecological model. The program included asthma prevention lectures, training via the LINE application, lung exercises using the Blow & Balloon Exercise method with music generated by the Suno AI program, skill development for proper mask usage, air quality monitoring using the Air4Thai application, peer-assisted environmental assessment and improvement, a dust-free home contest, small-group discussions on community-based risk analysis, and environmental modification to reduce PM2.5 exposure. A questionnaire assessing knowledge and behaviors related to asthma prevention from PM2.5 exposure. 2) A peak flow expiratory meter to measure lung function. 3) A laser-based air quality monitor to assess PM2.5 levels. Data Analysis use descriptive statistics, proportions, and t-tests were used for analysis. The research findings indicate that after participating in the program, the experimental group showed significantly higher knowledge scores and improved preventive behaviors against asthma caused by PM2.5, as well as lower PM2.5 levels in their homes compared to before the program and the control group (p < 0.05). Therefore, it is recommended to promote the care of at-risk elderly individuals in the community by providing education through the LINE application, implementing the Blow & Balloon exercise for lung training, and continuously monitoring PM2.5 air pollution.

The Effects of a Health Behavior Change Program and Health Application Use on Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference of the Nursing Students with Overweight and Obesity

2025-05-16T11:05:55+07:00

This quasi-experimental research with a two-group pre-post test design aimed to examine the effects of a health behavior change program combined with the health application use on body mass index and waist circumference in overweight and obese nursing students. A Volunteer sampling of 40 participants was divided into two groups. The experimental group received the health behavior change program developed based on Cox’s interaction model of client health behavior, combined with the health application was used to adjust diet and physical activity. The control group received the weight control manual developed by the researcher. The intervention lasted 12 weeks. Data were collected using personal information questionnaires, health behavior assessments, and measurements of weight and waist circumference. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics for percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviations. The statistics used in this study were Independent t-test, Paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Mann-Whitney U test.
The results showed that the experimental group had significantly better scores in health behaviors post-intervention compared to those of the control group (p = .001, p = .000). The experimental group showed a significant decrease in mean BMI of 1.48 kg/m² while the control group showed an increase of 0.25 kg/m² (p=.000, p=.001). Similarly, mean waist circumference in the experimental group decreased by 1.57 cm compared to a decrease of 0.15 cm in the control group (p=.000, p=.001). These results reflect the effectiveness of the health behavior change program in reducing BMI and waist circumference.

A Systematic Review of Health Checkup Items and Abnormal Finding in Annual Health Checkups

2025-05-16T10:11:36+07:00

Annual health check-ups are a globally supported and prioritized health promotion and disease prevention process aimed at early disease detection. Currently, various tests are utilized in health screenings, with different sets of tests designated. This systematic literature review aims to identify the tests used in health check-ups and determine the prevalence of abnormal findings from general annual health examinations. Research articles were sourced from PubMed and Embase, focusing on observational studies in the general population aged 18 and older. A total of 28,558 articles were found, with 266 meeting the criteria. These studies were published between 1996 and 2022, primarily in Asia (87.6%). Most study participants were aged 18-59.9 years. The analysis identified 44 health check-up tests, categorized into three groups: basic physical examinations, laboratory tests, and specialized instrument-based tests. The most frequently used tests were fasting blood sugar (FBS) measurement (37.22%, 99 studies), abdominal ultrasound (36.09%, 96 studies), and blood pressure measurement (31.2%, 83 studies). Additionally, 75 types of abnormal findings were reported. The most common abnormalities were hyperlipidemia, including high cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, at 31%, 24%, 34%, and 22%, respectively, as well as hypertension (27%). Rare abnormalities (<5%) included elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and abnormal urine findings. However, certain tests, despite their low abnormality detection rates, might still be valuable in health screenings due to the increasing prevalence of related conditions, such as creatinine level, serum uric acid levels, and gastrointestinal endoscopy. This study's findings can help develop more comprehensive health check-up packages, incorporating alternative tests in addition to basic screenings, to enhance future health examinations.