The research is titled “Antibiotic sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates from neonates with sepsis admitted at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the Eastern Regional Hospital, Ghana.”

Darfour-Oduro and her co-authors conducted a secondary analysis using hospital-based data to determine the prevalence of neonatal sepsis. From the data, they determined the most prevalent bacteria isolated from neonates with sepsis and their sensitivity patterns. The authors also used logistic regression models to determine the predictors of neonatal sepsis.

Neonatal sepsis contributes to the high neonatal mortality rates seen in sub-Saharan Africa, where antimicrobial resistance is also high.

Darfour-Oduro teaches the Global Health class in the Department of Public Health Studies. She presented her research on the predictors of birth outcomes at a teaching hospital in Ghana.  Ghana, like other low-and-middle income countries, records a considerably higher number of deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.

Darfour-Oduro and her co-authors conducted a retrospective cohort study and used logistic regression models to determine the predictors of birth outcome.

The authors employed an analytic cross-sectional study, and used a multistage sampling technique to enroll 218 healthcare workers in the study. The HCWs included in the study were medical doctors, nurses, public health officers, laboratory personnel, orderlies, dental staff, physiotherapists, anesthetists and laundry workers.

The authors found that the level of knowledge about IPC was high, but HCWs’ perceived compliance with IPC was low. Good attitude of HCWs, accessibility of Personal Protective Equipment and monitoring of IPC practice were independently associated with HCWs’ perceived compliance with IPC standards.

The authors recommend the prioritization of educational campaigns, regular training to reinforce HCW knowledge, ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) accessibility and implement ongoing IPC practice monitoring among healthcare workers.

The students learned about diabetes, including the types of diabetes, how diabetes is diagnosed, what raises blood sugar, what lowers blood sugar and interventions for people living with diabetes. Aubel shared the importance of physical activity and a healthy diet in regulating blood sugar.

Students in Darfour-Oduro’s course learn about contemporary health issues in the USA and globally. Topics covered in the class include the leading non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and risk factors that contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality globally. Among the NCDs discussed in the class include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing in lower and middle–income countries (LMICs) and this calls for preventive public health interventions. Studies have consistently reported high mortality rates from T2DM. Darfour-Oduro worked with collaborators at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, Ghana to determine the predictors of mortality among T2DM patients at the Ho Teaching hospital in Ghana.

The researchers analyzed data from the medical records of T2DM in-patients 18 years and older who received healthcare services at Ho Teaching Hospital from January 2017 to November 2022.

The data obtained included sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, marital
status, family history, educational level, occupation and place of residence), lifestyle variables (smoking and alcohol intake), family history of diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), asthma, diabetic complications and mortality outcome.

Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated to describe and build predictive models respectively. The performance of machine learning (ML) techniques such as support vector machine (SVM), decision tree, k nearest neighbor (kNN), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and logistic regression were evaluated using the best-fitting predictive model for T2DM mortality.

Darfour-Oduro and her co-authors found that nephropathy was the significant predictor of T2DM mortality. Also, a 100% mortality was recorded among the T2DM patients with sepsis

The authors recommend that for better prediction of mortality outcome, a holistic assessment of sociodemographic characteristics, family history, lifestyle variables and complications of T2DM is required.

She co-authored the abstract with collaborators at the University of Ghana, School of Public Health. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) significantly contribute to the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) in low- and middle-income countries. The study assessed cardiovascular risk factors among individuals attending a wellness clinic at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (GARH) in Ghana.

Darfour-Oduro had her students explore resources in the community and the state that help with chronic disease prevention and management. She contacted the Cone Health Nutrition & Diabetes Education Services at Alamance Regional Medical Center and arranged for a class visit on Jan. 12 to learn about diabetes prevention and management.

During the visit, students met Diabetes Educator Sheila Shotwell, who gave an informative presentation on diabetes management at the Center. She talked about the different types of Diabetes. Sheila showed students the serving sizes for a variety of foods. She also gave out leaflets with lots of information on diabetes prevention and management.

After the class visit, students in the Chronic Disease Epidemiology class submitted a reflection on their visit. One student wrote, “I found this trip to the Cone Health Diabetes Clinic very informative and eye-opening.”

Overall, Darfour-Oduro thinks it was good to connect ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ students with the community to know about resources available in the community for diabetes prevention and Management.