Elnaz Saeedi, Sepideh Abdi, Amir Reza Dardashti, Pedram Fattahi, Negar Taheri, F. Lotfi, Saeed Nemati, M. V. Rajabpour
Background: The tobacco control scale (TCS) score is used widely in European countries to evaluate the adoption of antitobacco policies by countries, however, data on the adoption of tobacco control programmes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) are limited to a 2009 survey. Aim: To compare the TCS score for measuring national tobacco control programmes in the EMR countries in 2009 and 2021. Methods: This cross-sectional survey compared data from 21 EMR countries on 6 major indicators, including the price of cigarettes, tobacco smoke-free public places, national budget for tobacco control activities, ban on tobacco advertising, health warning labels on tobacco packets, and support for treatment of tobacco dependence. The TCS scores at the country level in 2009 were extracted from a previous study. We then calculated the TCS score in 2021 for the same countries using the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2021 and the World Bank data for 2020. Results: The average TCS score (standard deviation) for EMR countries increased from 29.7 (16.8) in 2009 to 40.7 (17.3) in 2021. The highest TCS score (83.0) was reported in Islamic Republic of Iran, followed by Yemen (72.8) and Lebanon (62.0). Five countries (Djibouti, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Bahrain, and Oman) scored less than 30. Health warning labels, smoke-free public places, and tobacco control budgets as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product per capita had all increased, but tobacco prices and cessation treatments did not improve over the past decade. Conclusion: Tobacco control policies have been implemented and improved in most EMR countries, but there is room for further improvement. Tobacco pricing and taxation, national tobacco control program budgets, and cessation treatments require more attention.
{"title":"A comparative study of tobacco control scale score in the Eastern Mediterranean Region countries","authors":"Elnaz Saeedi, Sepideh Abdi, Amir Reza Dardashti, Pedram Fattahi, Negar Taheri, F. Lotfi, Saeed Nemati, M. V. Rajabpour","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.120","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.120","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The tobacco control scale (TCS) score is used widely in European countries to evaluate the adoption of antitobacco policies by countries, however, data on the adoption of tobacco control programmes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) are limited to a 2009 survey. Aim: To compare the TCS score for measuring national tobacco control programmes in the EMR countries in 2009 and 2021. Methods: This cross-sectional survey compared data from 21 EMR countries on 6 major indicators, including the price of cigarettes, tobacco smoke-free public places, national budget for tobacco control activities, ban on tobacco advertising, health warning labels on tobacco packets, and support for treatment of tobacco dependence. The TCS scores at the country level in 2009 were extracted from a previous study. We then calculated the TCS score in 2021 for the same countries using the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2021 and the World Bank data for 2020. Results: The average TCS score (standard deviation) for EMR countries increased from 29.7 (16.8) in 2009 to 40.7 (17.3) in 2021. The highest TCS score (83.0) was reported in Islamic Republic of Iran, followed by Yemen (72.8) and Lebanon (62.0). Five countries (Djibouti, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Bahrain, and Oman) scored less than 30. Health warning labels, smoke-free public places, and tobacco control budgets as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product per capita had all increased, but tobacco prices and cessation treatments did not improve over the past decade. Conclusion: Tobacco control policies have been implemented and improved in most EMR countries, but there is room for further improvement. Tobacco pricing and taxation, national tobacco control program budgets, and cessation treatments require more attention.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"36 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138950746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Violence against women is a public health issue worldwide, affecting the physical and mental wellbeing of women, children and families. Aim: To determine the socio-demographic and economic factors contributing to violence against women in Morocco and offer recommendations for the prevention and reduction of violence. Methods: Data for this study was obtained from the 2018 National Population and Family Health Survey. We applied the Chi-square test and t-test to study the possible associations between some socio-demographic and economic variables and violence against women. We performed a logistic regression to indicate the simultaneous association of the variables. Results: Among 9969 ever-married women aged 15–49, 15.0% [CI (95%): 14.3-15.7%] had suffered an act of violence in the last 12 months preceding the survey (17.0% in urban and 11.9% in rural areas). Violence against women depended significantly on age, age at first marriage, marital status, total children ever born, educational level, wealth index, being a household head, employment status, decision-maker regarding employment, number of marriages ever had, smoking, relationship with the husband, husband's age, husband's educational level, husband’s polygamy, area of residence, and region of residence (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Violence against women has reached endemic proportions in Morocco and this has serious consequences for population health and the country's economy. There is a need to reinforce and better structure public health programmes to sustainably prevent or reduce violence against women in the country. It is also important to take actions to mitigate the risk factors and provide adequate and quality care for victims.
{"title":"Prevalence, socio-demographic and economic determinants of violence against ever-married women in Morocco","authors":"Abdelghani Asraoui, C. Khassouani, A. Soulaymani","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.122","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Violence against women is a public health issue worldwide, affecting the physical and mental wellbeing of women, children and families. Aim: To determine the socio-demographic and economic factors contributing to violence against women in Morocco and offer recommendations for the prevention and reduction of violence. Methods: Data for this study was obtained from the 2018 National Population and Family Health Survey. We applied the Chi-square test and t-test to study the possible associations between some socio-demographic and economic variables and violence against women. We performed a logistic regression to indicate the simultaneous association of the variables. Results: Among 9969 ever-married women aged 15–49, 15.0% [CI (95%): 14.3-15.7%] had suffered an act of violence in the last 12 months preceding the survey (17.0% in urban and 11.9% in rural areas). Violence against women depended significantly on age, age at first marriage, marital status, total children ever born, educational level, wealth index, being a household head, employment status, decision-maker regarding employment, number of marriages ever had, smoking, relationship with the husband, husband's age, husband's educational level, husband’s polygamy, area of residence, and region of residence (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Violence against women has reached endemic proportions in Morocco and this has serious consequences for population health and the country's economy. There is a need to reinforce and better structure public health programmes to sustainably prevent or reduce violence against women in the country. It is also important to take actions to mitigate the risk factors and provide adequate and quality care for victims.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"4 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138948380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oumayma Mbarki, R. Ghammem, N. Zammit, S. Ben Fredj, J. Maatoug, H. Ghannem
Background: Addictive behaviours are a major public health problem, especially among adolescents, who are susceptible to experiencing multiple co-occurring addictions. Aim: To assess the prevalence of addiction problems and co-occurrences of addictive behaviours (substance abuse, problematic video gaming and social media addiction) and disorders among high school students in Sousse, Tunisia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 in public high schools, in the urban area of Sousse, Tunisia. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information from the students. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 10 and confidence intervals of 95% were calculated. Chi-square test was used to compare qualitative variables and multinomial regression was conducted to determine independent factors related to the number of addictive behaviour co-occurrences. Results: Of the 1399 high school students, 60.5% were girls and mean age was 17 ± 2.28 years. Analysis of single addiction problems revealed 20.9% prevalence for all tobacco products, 10.1% for alcohol, 7.0% for all drugs, 36.1% for Facebook, and 35.3% for video games. Analysis of co-occurring addiction problems showed that 46.0% of the study population had 1 addiction problem, 12.2% had 2 addiction problems, 4.5% had 3, and 2.7% had the maximum number of 4 addiction problems. Multinomial regression showed an increase in co-occurrence of addiction problems among boys (aOR = 217.004; P < 0.001), participants who had repeated a school grade (aOR = 0.232; P < 0.001), those who had moderate or severe depression (aOR = 0.232; P < 0.001), and those who were anxious (aOR = 0.335; P = 0.003) and had alexithymia (aOR = 0.361; P = 0.005). Conclusion: The rate of co-occurrent addictions among adolescents in Sousse, Tunisia, is alarming. Problematic use of Facebook, gaming and tobacco use were the most frequent addictive behaviours. There is an urgent need for effective and multisectoral programmes to prevent addictions among children in Tunisia and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa Region.
{"title":"Cross-sectional study of co-occurring addiction problems among high school students in Tunisia","authors":"Oumayma Mbarki, R. Ghammem, N. Zammit, S. Ben Fredj, J. Maatoug, H. Ghannem","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.121","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Addictive behaviours are a major public health problem, especially among adolescents, who are susceptible to experiencing multiple co-occurring addictions. Aim: To assess the prevalence of addiction problems and co-occurrences of addictive behaviours (substance abuse, problematic video gaming and social media addiction) and disorders among high school students in Sousse, Tunisia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 in public high schools, in the urban area of Sousse, Tunisia. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information from the students. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 10 and confidence intervals of 95% were calculated. Chi-square test was used to compare qualitative variables and multinomial regression was conducted to determine independent factors related to the number of addictive behaviour co-occurrences. Results: Of the 1399 high school students, 60.5% were girls and mean age was 17 ± 2.28 years. Analysis of single addiction problems revealed 20.9% prevalence for all tobacco products, 10.1% for alcohol, 7.0% for all drugs, 36.1% for Facebook, and 35.3% for video games. Analysis of co-occurring addiction problems showed that 46.0% of the study population had 1 addiction problem, 12.2% had 2 addiction problems, 4.5% had 3, and 2.7% had the maximum number of 4 addiction problems. Multinomial regression showed an increase in co-occurrence of addiction problems among boys (aOR = 217.004; P < 0.001), participants who had repeated a school grade (aOR = 0.232; P < 0.001), those who had moderate or severe depression (aOR = 0.232; P < 0.001), and those who were anxious (aOR = 0.335; P = 0.003) and had alexithymia (aOR = 0.361; P = 0.005). Conclusion: The rate of co-occurrent addictions among adolescents in Sousse, Tunisia, is alarming. Problematic use of Facebook, gaming and tobacco use were the most frequent addictive behaviours. There is an urgent need for effective and multisectoral programmes to prevent addictions among children in Tunisia and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa Region.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"61 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138952317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Asgari, A. Najafi, K. Sadeghniiat-haghighi, Farid Najafi, R. Safari-Faramani, Atefeh Behkar, S. Akbarpour
Background: Several studies have suggested that sleep disorders have adverse effects on blood pressure. However, the findings remain controversial and only a few studies have investigated the association between sleep duration and hypertension among all age and sex subgroups. Aim: To evaluate the dose-response association between sleep duration and blood pressure in the Iranian population using the Ravansar non-communicable disease cohort study. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 9865 participants aged 35–65 years from the 2014–2017 Ravansar noncommunicable disease cohort study. Night sleep duration was classified as ≤5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 9 hours, and ≥10 hours. The association between self-reported sleep duration and hypertension was examined using multivariable logistic regression in STATA version 14. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed the dose-response association between sleep duration and hypertension. Results: The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 16.50% among men, 24.20% among women and 20.50% in the total population. Compared with reference sleep duration (7 hours) in the total population, the multivariable odds ratio [OR (95% CI)] for hypertension was 0.70 (0.55–0.88) for the group with 9 hours sleep duration and 0.90 (0.74–1.09) for the group with ≤5 hours sleep duration. Among pre-menopausal women, we observed an inverse association between 9 hours sleep duration and hypertension [0.62 (0.42–0.90)]. The age-adjusted cubic spline suggested a linear inverse association between sleep duration and prevalence of hypertension among men and the total population and a non-linear association among women. Conclusion: Longer sleep duration (from 9 hours) had a negative association with hypertension. Further studies are needed to identify the risk factors associated with sleep duration and hypertension among the general population in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
{"title":"Population-based cross-sectional study of sex-specific dose-response associations between night sleep duration and hypertension in Islamic Republic of Iran","authors":"S. Asgari, A. Najafi, K. Sadeghniiat-haghighi, Farid Najafi, R. Safari-Faramani, Atefeh Behkar, S. Akbarpour","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.119","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.119","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Several studies have suggested that sleep disorders have adverse effects on blood pressure. However, the findings remain controversial and only a few studies have investigated the association between sleep duration and hypertension among all age and sex subgroups. Aim: To evaluate the dose-response association between sleep duration and blood pressure in the Iranian population using the Ravansar non-communicable disease cohort study. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 9865 participants aged 35–65 years from the 2014–2017 Ravansar noncommunicable disease cohort study. Night sleep duration was classified as ≤5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours, 8 hours, 9 hours, and ≥10 hours. The association between self-reported sleep duration and hypertension was examined using multivariable logistic regression in STATA version 14. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed the dose-response association between sleep duration and hypertension. Results: The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 16.50% among men, 24.20% among women and 20.50% in the total population. Compared with reference sleep duration (7 hours) in the total population, the multivariable odds ratio [OR (95% CI)] for hypertension was 0.70 (0.55–0.88) for the group with 9 hours sleep duration and 0.90 (0.74–1.09) for the group with ≤5 hours sleep duration. Among pre-menopausal women, we observed an inverse association between 9 hours sleep duration and hypertension [0.62 (0.42–0.90)]. The age-adjusted cubic spline suggested a linear inverse association between sleep duration and prevalence of hypertension among men and the total population and a non-linear association among women. Conclusion: Longer sleep duration (from 9 hours) had a negative association with hypertension. Further studies are needed to identify the risk factors associated with sleep duration and hypertension among the general population in the Islamic Republic of Iran.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138949238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Regional expert meeting on policy action for healthy diets, with a focus on the Gulf Cooperation Council countries","authors":"","doi":"10.26719/2023.29.12.995","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/2023.29.12.995","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"8 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138952661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Background: Prevalence estimates for overweight and obesity in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Saudi Arabia, have increased over the last 4 decades. Although the World Health Organization encourages countries to implement initiatives aimed at controlling obesity, limited research has been published on the impact of such initiatives in Saudi Arabia. Aims: To assess the epidemiology of overweight and obesity in Saudi Arabia, describe and evaluate the effectiveness of past and current interventions, and recommend actions for prevention and control. Methods: A narrative review of data from the Global Health Observatory was used to determine yearly estimates of prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 2016. Large-scale interventions aimed at controlling obesity and its risk factors in Saudi Arabia were identified and summarized. Results: Prevalence estimates of overweight and obesity among men and women in Saudi Arabia continued to increase from 1990 to 2019. Prevalence among adults was more than 60% and among children and adolescents it was 20–60%, suggesting a continuing trend. Interventions were identified but their impact on the prevention and control of obesity and its risk factors was unclear. Conclusion: Prevalence estimates of overweight and obesity have been steadily increasing in Saudi Arabia since 1975. Integrated, “whole-of-community” approach, with continuous evaluation, is needed to achieve sustainable prevention and control of obesity in the country.
{"title":"Epidemiology of obesity and control interventions in Saudi Arabia","authors":"Rasha A. Almubark, Saleh A. Alqahtani","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.086","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Prevalence estimates for overweight and obesity in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Saudi Arabia, have increased over the last 4 decades. Although the World Health Organization encourages countries to implement initiatives aimed at controlling obesity, limited research has been published on the impact of such initiatives in Saudi Arabia. Aims: To assess the epidemiology of overweight and obesity in Saudi Arabia, describe and evaluate the effectiveness of past and current interventions, and recommend actions for prevention and control. Methods: A narrative review of data from the Global Health Observatory was used to determine yearly estimates of prevalence of overweight and obesity in Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 2016. Large-scale interventions aimed at controlling obesity and its risk factors in Saudi Arabia were identified and summarized. Results: Prevalence estimates of overweight and obesity among men and women in Saudi Arabia continued to increase from 1990 to 2019. Prevalence among adults was more than 60% and among children and adolescents it was 20–60%, suggesting a continuing trend. Interventions were identified but their impact on the prevention and control of obesity and its risk factors was unclear. Conclusion: Prevalence estimates of overweight and obesity have been steadily increasing in Saudi Arabia since 1975. Integrated, “whole-of-community” approach, with continuous evaluation, is needed to achieve sustainable prevention and control of obesity in the country.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"57 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138951885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Strengthening dengue control in Pakistan","authors":"Maheen Saleem, A. Sheikh, Hina Nawaz, Gati Ara","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.099","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.099","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"75 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138952881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Mataria, Reza Majdzadeh, Deena Al Asfoor, Hassan Salah, Zafar Mirza
Background: Many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) have developed packages of services for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), however, policymakers, especially in resource-constrained countries, still face challenges in delivering equitable, efficient and sustainable health services. Aims: To provide guidance for EMR countries and develop packages of services for UHC. Methods: We used information gathered from narrative reviews, national experiences and expert consultations to develop step-by-step guidance for the development of national packages of services for the achievement of UHC by countries in the EMR. Results: The processes used to develop packages of services varied between EMR countries and these processes may not have involved all relevant stakeholders. We highlight in this paper the iterative processes, including several phases and steps, to be used by EMR countries for developing packages of services for UHC. These processes also make provision for continuous monitoring and revision to make necessary improvements as morbidity patterns evolve. Conclusion: Developing a package of services for the achievement of UHC is a significant milestone for EMR countries and it is central to shaping the healthcare system for effective delivery of services.
{"title":"Translating political commitments into actions to enhance Universal Health Coverage in the Eastern Mediterranean Region","authors":"A. Mataria, Reza Majdzadeh, Deena Al Asfoor, Hassan Salah, Zafar Mirza","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.112","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.112","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) have developed packages of services for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), however, policymakers, especially in resource-constrained countries, still face challenges in delivering equitable, efficient and sustainable health services. Aims: To provide guidance for EMR countries and develop packages of services for UHC. Methods: We used information gathered from narrative reviews, national experiences and expert consultations to develop step-by-step guidance for the development of national packages of services for the achievement of UHC by countries in the EMR. Results: The processes used to develop packages of services varied between EMR countries and these processes may not have involved all relevant stakeholders. We highlight in this paper the iterative processes, including several phases and steps, to be used by EMR countries for developing packages of services for UHC. These processes also make provision for continuous monitoring and revision to make necessary improvements as morbidity patterns evolve. Conclusion: Developing a package of services for the achievement of UHC is a significant milestone for EMR countries and it is central to shaping the healthcare system for effective delivery of services.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"8 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138953131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Al-Mandhari, Richard Peeperkorn, Farah Al-Shorbaji, Ali Mohamed Kamil, Richard Brennan
{"title":"Gaza disaster: we need a permanent ceasefire, now!","authors":"A. Al-Mandhari, Richard Peeperkorn, Farah Al-Shorbaji, Ali Mohamed Kamil, Richard Brennan","doi":"10.26719/2023.29.12.919","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/2023.29.12.919","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"26 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138950423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
E. Handal, Mohammad Abu Serhan, M. Qumsiyeh, R. Bani Hani, David A. Warrell, Z. Amr
Background: Scorpionism (scorpion sting envenoming) is an endemic public health concern in many Arab Middle Eastern countries. However, our knowledge of the epidemiology of scorpion stings in the West Bank is limited. Aim: To investigate the epidemiology of scorpion stings in 4 districts of the West Bank over a specified period. Methods: We obtained scorpion sting records from the main hospitals in 4 districts of the West Bank for 2012 and 20142020. A total of 2175 cases were analyzed retrospectively using SPSS version 17. Results: The average age and standard deviation (±SD) for both sexes was 24.7±17.5 years (22.7±16.5 and 27.1±18.4 years for males and females, respectively). The median age was 20 years and 47.2% were children under 18 years. Most cases were reported during the summer months, between June and October, with a peak in July–August. By anatomic site, the right hand was the most commonly stung in both sexes, followed by the right foot. The chest, buttocks and scrotum were the least affected body parts. Clinical data were available for 405 cases, in which pain, vomiting and sweating were the most common symptoms. The overall incidence of stings was 26.32 per 100 000 inhabitants per year over the study period of 8 years (59.21–171.67, 95% CI). Conclusion: Scorpion stings are commonly encountered by adults and children in the West Bank. There is a need for awareness among the West Bank populations on how to avoid being stung, to train medical staff to better manage sting cases, and to evaluate the antivenom currently being used by physicians for scorpion stings.
{"title":"Epidemiology of scorpion stings in the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory","authors":"E. Handal, Mohammad Abu Serhan, M. Qumsiyeh, R. Bani Hani, David A. Warrell, Z. Amr","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.118","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.118","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Scorpionism (scorpion sting envenoming) is an endemic public health concern in many Arab Middle Eastern countries. However, our knowledge of the epidemiology of scorpion stings in the West Bank is limited. Aim: To investigate the epidemiology of scorpion stings in 4 districts of the West Bank over a specified period. Methods: We obtained scorpion sting records from the main hospitals in 4 districts of the West Bank for 2012 and 20142020. A total of 2175 cases were analyzed retrospectively using SPSS version 17. Results: The average age and standard deviation (±SD) for both sexes was 24.7±17.5 years (22.7±16.5 and 27.1±18.4 years for males and females, respectively). The median age was 20 years and 47.2% were children under 18 years. Most cases were reported during the summer months, between June and October, with a peak in July–August. By anatomic site, the right hand was the most commonly stung in both sexes, followed by the right foot. The chest, buttocks and scrotum were the least affected body parts. Clinical data were available for 405 cases, in which pain, vomiting and sweating were the most common symptoms. The overall incidence of stings was 26.32 per 100 000 inhabitants per year over the study period of 8 years (59.21–171.67, 95% CI). Conclusion: Scorpion stings are commonly encountered by adults and children in the West Bank. There is a need for awareness among the West Bank populations on how to avoid being stung, to train medical staff to better manage sting cases, and to evaluate the antivenom currently being used by physicians for scorpion stings.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"16 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138953020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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