N. Changizi, Nezhat Emami Afshar, Zahra Farahani, M. Shariat, Saeideh Hejazi, Leila Hadipour Jahromy, Susan Rahimi Ghasabe, L. Radpooyan
Background: The healthcare system of the Islamic Republic of Iran provides special maternal health care services for mothers, regardless of their nationality. Aim: This study, supported by the United Nations Population Fund, was conducted to review available data associated with health indicators of Afghan mothers living in Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: This descriptive study used data from the electronic registration system of the Maternal Health Office of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education on characteristics, morbidity and mortality among Afghan mothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran from 2017 to 2019. The data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Based on the results, we propose interventions to improve health services for vulnerable Afghan mothers. Results: There were 168 488 deliveries over the 3 years of the study (2017–2019). Deliveries by Afghan women increased from 3.4% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2019, and more than 70% of these Afghan women were vulnerable. Ten percent of deliveries among Afghan mothers were performed by traditional birth attendants. The rate of caesarean section among Afghan mothers was 30%. Maternal mortality ratio among the Afghan mothers was 43 per 100 000 for the 3 years. Conclusion: Afghan mothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran use primary health care services provided for mothers in the country. However, healthcare delivery to these mothers is inadequate, although considered better than the care provided to Afghan mothers living in Afghanistan. We recommend targeted interventions to improve the health status of Afghan women living in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
{"title":"Improving the health status of Afghan mothers living in the Islamic Republic of Iran","authors":"N. Changizi, Nezhat Emami Afshar, Zahra Farahani, M. Shariat, Saeideh Hejazi, Leila Hadipour Jahromy, Susan Rahimi Ghasabe, L. Radpooyan","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.116","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The healthcare system of the Islamic Republic of Iran provides special maternal health care services for mothers, regardless of their nationality. Aim: This study, supported by the United Nations Population Fund, was conducted to review available data associated with health indicators of Afghan mothers living in Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: This descriptive study used data from the electronic registration system of the Maternal Health Office of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education on characteristics, morbidity and mortality among Afghan mothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran from 2017 to 2019. The data were analysed using SPSS version 23.0. Based on the results, we propose interventions to improve health services for vulnerable Afghan mothers. Results: There were 168 488 deliveries over the 3 years of the study (2017–2019). Deliveries by Afghan women increased from 3.4% in 2017 to 5.2% in 2019, and more than 70% of these Afghan women were vulnerable. Ten percent of deliveries among Afghan mothers were performed by traditional birth attendants. The rate of caesarean section among Afghan mothers was 30%. Maternal mortality ratio among the Afghan mothers was 43 per 100 000 for the 3 years. Conclusion: Afghan mothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran use primary health care services provided for mothers in the country. However, healthcare delivery to these mothers is inadequate, although considered better than the care provided to Afghan mothers living in Afghanistan. We recommend targeted interventions to improve the health status of Afghan women living in the Islamic Republic of Iran.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139201575","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: Repeated infection with Chlamydia trachomatis causes trachomatous trichiasis (TT). Surgery is the main and preferred method of treatment. However, many people decline surgery despite the availability of free services in nearby health facilities. Aims: To identify the determinants of surgery refusal among TT patients in Ethiopia. Methods: This community-based, case–control study was conducted among 338 cases and 338 controls from 5 October to 17 December 2018. Using systematic random sampling, we selected people who had been operated on (controls) and those who refused surgery (cases) from registration documents and used a pre-tested, interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire for data collection. We used SPSS version 23 to analyse the data and used multivariate logistic regression to identify the determinants. Results: Having witnessed a poor surgical outcome [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.51, 95% CI: 1.94–6.35] and lack of knowledge about TT (aOR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.18–2.65) increased the refusal rate for surgery. Having trust in the surgeon (aOR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.15–0.45), knowledge about eyelid surgery (aOR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16–0.64), long duration of trichiasis (aOR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31–0.79), decision-making via discussion with the family (aOR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13–0.64), frequent epilation (aOR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.17–0.60), and receiving personal advice (aOR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.04–0.28) reduced refusal rates. Conclusion: Refusing to have TT surgery was significantly related to knowledge about upper eyelid surgery, past surgical outcomes, decision-making capacity, and personal influences. Improved systems for upper eyelid surgery should be established in Ethiopia to better manage, and reduce unfavourable, surgical outcomes, and reduce surgery refusal.
{"title":"Case–control study of determinants of corrective upper eyelid surgery refusals among trachomatous trichiasis patients in Ethiopia","authors":"Melese Kitu, K. Mihretie, T. Abuhay","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.085","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.085","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Repeated infection with Chlamydia trachomatis causes trachomatous trichiasis (TT). Surgery is the main and preferred method of treatment. However, many people decline surgery despite the availability of free services in nearby health facilities. Aims: To identify the determinants of surgery refusal among TT patients in Ethiopia. Methods: This community-based, case–control study was conducted among 338 cases and 338 controls from 5 October to 17 December 2018. Using systematic random sampling, we selected people who had been operated on (controls) and those who refused surgery (cases) from registration documents and used a pre-tested, interviewer-administered, structured questionnaire for data collection. We used SPSS version 23 to analyse the data and used multivariate logistic regression to identify the determinants. Results: Having witnessed a poor surgical outcome [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 3.51, 95% CI: 1.94–6.35] and lack of knowledge about TT (aOR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.18–2.65) increased the refusal rate for surgery. Having trust in the surgeon (aOR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.15–0.45), knowledge about eyelid surgery (aOR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16–0.64), long duration of trichiasis (aOR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31–0.79), decision-making via discussion with the family (aOR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.13–0.64), frequent epilation (aOR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.17–0.60), and receiving personal advice (aOR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.04–0.28) reduced refusal rates. Conclusion: Refusing to have TT surgery was significantly related to knowledge about upper eyelid surgery, past surgical outcomes, decision-making capacity, and personal influences. Improved systems for upper eyelid surgery should be established in Ethiopia to better manage, and reduce unfavourable, surgical outcomes, and reduce surgery refusal.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"809 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139203028","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 meeting to review antimicrobial resistance country programmes","authors":"","doi":"10.26719/2023.29.11.912","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/2023.29.11.912","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"854 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139204671","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}
Hasti Masihay-Akbar, Soha Razmjouei, E. Ainy, Leila Cheraghi, F. Azizi, P. Amiri
Background: Cigarette smoking follows a progressive pattern throughout the lifetime; most adult smokers started smoking during adolescence. Aim: To understand the cigarette smoking trajectories and their predictors among adolescents and young adults in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: Using data from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, we followed 1169 adolescents (12–18 years old) into their young adulthood (28–32 years old), from 2002 to 2016. We used cigarette smoking as the outcome variable for group-based trajectory modelling. After detecting the trajectories, we investigated the effects of independent variables, namely, individual employment; education; physical activity; and paternal smoking, employment and education, on the trajectories. We analysed the data using STATA version 16 and SPSS version 26. Results: Three trajectories were detected: non-smokers (79%), experimenters (12%) and escalators (9%). Boys were approximately 3 times (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 2.32–3.24, P < 0.001) and 25 times (OR = 25.00, 95% CI: 23.92–26.08, P < 0.001), respectively, more likely than girls to be in the experimenter and escalator groups. Receiving a university education decreased the odds of being in the escalator trajectory for 18% (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: -0.04–0.96, P = 0.002) of the study participants. Employment after high school increased the odds by approximately two folds for the experimenter (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.42–2.50, P = 0.01) and escalator (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.33–2.93, P = 0.03) trajectories. Paternal smoking was associated with 1.88 and 2.23, respectively, increased odds of experimenting and escalating smoking among the adolescents. Conclusion: Iranian adolescents follow 3 cigarette smoking trajectories into young adulthood: non-smokers, experimenters and escalators. Male sex, employment after high school, and living with a smoker father were associated with unfavourable smoking patterns. Findings from this study provide valuable insights for designing targeted interventions to reduce cigarette smoking among adults and adolescents in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
{"title":"Cigarette smoking trajectories among adolescents and young adults in the Islamic Republic of Iran","authors":"Hasti Masihay-Akbar, Soha Razmjouei, E. Ainy, Leila Cheraghi, F. Azizi, P. Amiri","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.115","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Cigarette smoking follows a progressive pattern throughout the lifetime; most adult smokers started smoking during adolescence. Aim: To understand the cigarette smoking trajectories and their predictors among adolescents and young adults in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: Using data from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, we followed 1169 adolescents (12–18 years old) into their young adulthood (28–32 years old), from 2002 to 2016. We used cigarette smoking as the outcome variable for group-based trajectory modelling. After detecting the trajectories, we investigated the effects of independent variables, namely, individual employment; education; physical activity; and paternal smoking, employment and education, on the trajectories. We analysed the data using STATA version 16 and SPSS version 26. Results: Three trajectories were detected: non-smokers (79%), experimenters (12%) and escalators (9%). Boys were approximately 3 times (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 2.32–3.24, P < 0.001) and 25 times (OR = 25.00, 95% CI: 23.92–26.08, P < 0.001), respectively, more likely than girls to be in the experimenter and escalator groups. Receiving a university education decreased the odds of being in the escalator trajectory for 18% (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: -0.04–0.96, P = 0.002) of the study participants. Employment after high school increased the odds by approximately two folds for the experimenter (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.42–2.50, P = 0.01) and escalator (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.33–2.93, P = 0.03) trajectories. Paternal smoking was associated with 1.88 and 2.23, respectively, increased odds of experimenting and escalating smoking among the adolescents. Conclusion: Iranian adolescents follow 3 cigarette smoking trajectories into young adulthood: non-smokers, experimenters and escalators. Male sex, employment after high school, and living with a smoker father were associated with unfavourable smoking patterns. Findings from this study provide valuable insights for designing targeted interventions to reduce cigarette smoking among adults and adolescents in the Islamic Republic of Iran.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"94 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139196551","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}
Mira Ihalainen, Qaisar Pasha, Arash Rashidian, A. Mataria, Rana Hajjeh, A. Al-Mandhari, Ramy Rofail
{"title":"All in for Universal Health Coverage and global health security – reinforcing partner engagement in the Eastern Mediterranean Region","authors":"Mira Ihalainen, Qaisar Pasha, Arash Rashidian, A. Mataria, Rana Hajjeh, A. Al-Mandhari, Ramy Rofail","doi":"10.26719/2023.29.11.835","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/2023.29.11.835","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"49 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139204503","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":"Resurgence of cholera in Lebanon","authors":"Zeina Bayram, A. Bizri, U. Musharrafieh","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.111","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"11 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139201215","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. T. Akduman, Ayşe F. Türkçapar, Tuğçe İçöz, Özhan Özdemir, K. E. Karaşahin
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had serious impact on the social, economic, psychological, and physical aspects of a large segment of the society, including women who were married or in stable relationships. Aim: To evaluate changes in the desire to become mothers among married women in Türkiye during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from a self-administered questionnaire that examined the demographics and fertility preferences of 520 married Turkish women. We used the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to measure fear, depression and anxiety related to COVID-19. We evaluated fertility preferences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 11.5. Results: Fifty of 112 study participants who planned to get pregnant halted their plans because of the pandemic. In contrast, 21 of 408 study participants who did not plan a pregnancy decided to get pregnant during the pandemic to enhance their positive disposition and overcome loneliness, and because of the increased leisure time and intimacy with their spouses. Mean scores (standard deviation) for all participants for PHQ-9, GAD-7, and FCV-19S were 7.4 (6.02), 4.93 (4.84), and 17.28 (6.16), respectively. Conclusion: This study highlights the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s fertility preferences in Türkiye due to uncertainty and anxiety. To confirm the results of this study, more research is needed to examine the longer-term impact and among a larger population.
{"title":"Fertility preferences of Turkish married women during the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"A. T. Akduman, Ayşe F. Türkçapar, Tuğçe İçöz, Özhan Özdemir, K. E. Karaşahin","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.110","url":null,"abstract":"Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had serious impact on the social, economic, psychological, and physical aspects of a large segment of the society, including women who were married or in stable relationships. Aim: To evaluate changes in the desire to become mothers among married women in Türkiye during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from a self-administered questionnaire that examined the demographics and fertility preferences of 520 married Turkish women. We used the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to measure fear, depression and anxiety related to COVID-19. We evaluated fertility preferences before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 11.5. Results: Fifty of 112 study participants who planned to get pregnant halted their plans because of the pandemic. In contrast, 21 of 408 study participants who did not plan a pregnancy decided to get pregnant during the pandemic to enhance their positive disposition and overcome loneliness, and because of the increased leisure time and intimacy with their spouses. Mean scores (standard deviation) for all participants for PHQ-9, GAD-7, and FCV-19S were 7.4 (6.02), 4.93 (4.84), and 17.28 (6.16), respectively. Conclusion: This study highlights the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s fertility preferences in Türkiye due to uncertainty and anxiety. To confirm the results of this study, more research is needed to examine the longer-term impact and among a larger population.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"72 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139203276","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}
B. Eslami, S. Alipour, M. S. Seyyedsalehi, A. Nahvijou, Ramesh Omranipour, M. V. Rajabpour, K. Zendehdel
Background: Comorbidities have a significant impact on the treatment and outcome of breast cancer. However, data on such comorbidities from low-income countries are limited. Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of comorbidity data extracted from medical records for estimating the prevalence of comorbidities among patients registered in the clinical breast cancer registry of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: We collected data from the medical records of 400 patients on 30 comorbidities included in the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI). The sensitivity and specificity of comorbidity data extracted from medical records were calculated using data from interviews with 97 randomly selected patients. We studied the prevalence of comorbidities using the CCI and ECI. Data were analysed using SPSS version 24. Results: The mean age of patients was 51.69 SD 12.28 years. The sensitivity and specificity of medical records for detecting any comorbidity data contained in CCI versus non-comorbidity were 93.2% and 69.8%, respectively. However, for the comorbidity data included in ECI, both sensitivity (86.9%) and specificity (44.4%) were lower than in CCI. Hypertension (n = 144, 36.0%) and diabetes without chronic complications (n = 77, 19.3%) were the most prevalent comorbidities. A higher proportion of patients had no comorbidity with CCI (72.2%) than with ECI (44.8%). Conclusion: It is feasible to construct a comorbidity index using medical records with high accuracy, especially when we extract comorbidities using the CCI. Further studies are needed to understand the association between comorbidity index and breast cancer survival among Iranian patients.
{"title":"Feasibility of measuring comorbidity indices based on clinical breast cancer records","authors":"B. Eslami, S. Alipour, M. S. Seyyedsalehi, A. Nahvijou, Ramesh Omranipour, M. V. Rajabpour, K. Zendehdel","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.091","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Comorbidities have a significant impact on the treatment and outcome of breast cancer. However, data on such comorbidities from low-income countries are limited. Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of comorbidity data extracted from medical records for estimating the prevalence of comorbidities among patients registered in the clinical breast cancer registry of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Methods: We collected data from the medical records of 400 patients on 30 comorbidities included in the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI). The sensitivity and specificity of comorbidity data extracted from medical records were calculated using data from interviews with 97 randomly selected patients. We studied the prevalence of comorbidities using the CCI and ECI. Data were analysed using SPSS version 24. Results: The mean age of patients was 51.69 SD 12.28 years. The sensitivity and specificity of medical records for detecting any comorbidity data contained in CCI versus non-comorbidity were 93.2% and 69.8%, respectively. However, for the comorbidity data included in ECI, both sensitivity (86.9%) and specificity (44.4%) were lower than in CCI. Hypertension (n = 144, 36.0%) and diabetes without chronic complications (n = 77, 19.3%) were the most prevalent comorbidities. A higher proportion of patients had no comorbidity with CCI (72.2%) than with ECI (44.8%). Conclusion: It is feasible to construct a comorbidity index using medical records with high accuracy, especially when we extract comorbidities using the CCI. Further studies are needed to understand the association between comorbidity index and breast cancer survival among Iranian patients.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"213 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139203253","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: Fair access to essential medicines is a significant parameter in fulfilling the right to basic health. Aim: We investigated the availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines for chronic diseases in Ankara, Türkiye. Methods: We used the procedures outlined in the WHO and Health Action International guidelines for measuring prices, availability, affordability, and price components of medicines. The sample consisted of 334 (14%) of the 2354 pharmacies in Ankara, and 24 essential medicines for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and palliative care, adopted from the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (2021). We collected the data in 2021 using a questionnaire administered through face-to-face survey and analysed the data using SPSS version 22. Results: The findings showed that 15 medicines (62.5% of the selected medicines) met the 80% availability target set by WHO, while 9 did not. The original medicines were more readily available than the generic ones. Among the original medicines, furosemide (10.11) and acetylsalicylic acid (9.26) had the highest median price ratios. The generic medicines seemed to be more affordable than original medicines. Glibenclamide, budesonide, gliclazide, and diazepam had low availability and were sold at higher prices than their international reference prices. Conclusion: This research highlights priority areas of action to improve access to affordable medicines for chronic diseases in Ankara, Türkiye.
{"title":"Prices, availability and affordability of selected essential medicines for chronic diseases in Türkiye","authors":"Gökçen Özler, Oğuz Işik","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.117","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Fair access to essential medicines is a significant parameter in fulfilling the right to basic health. Aim: We investigated the availability, prices and affordability of essential medicines for chronic diseases in Ankara, Türkiye. Methods: We used the procedures outlined in the WHO and Health Action International guidelines for measuring prices, availability, affordability, and price components of medicines. The sample consisted of 334 (14%) of the 2354 pharmacies in Ankara, and 24 essential medicines for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and palliative care, adopted from the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (2021). We collected the data in 2021 using a questionnaire administered through face-to-face survey and analysed the data using SPSS version 22. Results: The findings showed that 15 medicines (62.5% of the selected medicines) met the 80% availability target set by WHO, while 9 did not. The original medicines were more readily available than the generic ones. Among the original medicines, furosemide (10.11) and acetylsalicylic acid (9.26) had the highest median price ratios. The generic medicines seemed to be more affordable than original medicines. Glibenclamide, budesonide, gliclazide, and diazepam had low availability and were sold at higher prices than their international reference prices. Conclusion: This research highlights priority areas of action to improve access to affordable medicines for chronic diseases in Ankara, Türkiye.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"14 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139197293","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}
Lina Jaramillo, Elisa Camussi, Marta Dotti, Gianluigi Ferrante, Nereo Segnan, Roberta Castagno, Andreas Ullrich, Livia Giordano
Background: Cervical cancer places a significant burden on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The EuroMed Cancer Network (EuMedCN) brings together cancer experts and stakeholders from the Mediterranean countries to promote sustainable cancer screening and support implementation of the WHO Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem. Aim: To highlight the constructive role of EuMedCN in mitigating inequalities in access to cervical cancer prevention and screening across the Mediterranean LMICs. Methods: Through its workshops and meetings, EuMedCN members discussed new developments in cancer prevention and control, and how best to translate the WHO Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem into public health policies in the Mediterranean LMICs. This led to targeted actions in the selected countries. Results: Seven priority actions were implemented to improve cervical cancer screening in the Mediterranean LMICs. EuMedCN supported organized screening, new pilot technologies and enhancement of evaluation systems. Integrating cervical cancer screening into other disease programmes and fostering multidisciplinary networks were promoted as key to achieving targets of the WHO global strategy. Conclusion: International networks, such as EuMedCN, have the potential to bring together experts and stakeholders to share experiences and catalyse resource mobilization. They can support affordable and synergistic solutions for cervical cancer prevention.
{"title":"EuroMed Cancer Network contributions to eliminating cervical cancer in low- and middle-income Mediterranean countries","authors":"Lina Jaramillo, Elisa Camussi, Marta Dotti, Gianluigi Ferrante, Nereo Segnan, Roberta Castagno, Andreas Ullrich, Livia Giordano","doi":"10.26719/emhj.23.108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26719/emhj.23.108","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Cervical cancer places a significant burden on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The EuroMed Cancer Network (EuMedCN) brings together cancer experts and stakeholders from the Mediterranean countries to promote sustainable cancer screening and support implementation of the WHO Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem. Aim: To highlight the constructive role of EuMedCN in mitigating inequalities in access to cervical cancer prevention and screening across the Mediterranean LMICs. Methods: Through its workshops and meetings, EuMedCN members discussed new developments in cancer prevention and control, and how best to translate the WHO Global Strategy to Accelerate the Elimination of Cervical Cancer as a Public Health Problem into public health policies in the Mediterranean LMICs. This led to targeted actions in the selected countries. Results: Seven priority actions were implemented to improve cervical cancer screening in the Mediterranean LMICs. EuMedCN supported organized screening, new pilot technologies and enhancement of evaluation systems. Integrating cervical cancer screening into other disease programmes and fostering multidisciplinary networks were promoted as key to achieving targets of the WHO global strategy. Conclusion: International networks, such as EuMedCN, have the potential to bring together experts and stakeholders to share experiences and catalyse resource mobilization. They can support affordable and synergistic solutions for cervical cancer prevention.","PeriodicalId":11411,"journal":{"name":"Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2023-11-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139200283","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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