scholarly journals Knowledge and Attitudes of Parents towards Childhood Hearing Loss and Pediatric Hearing Services in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Author(s):  
Muhammed Ayas ◽  
Hakam Yaseen

The successful implementation of pediatric audiology services depends on parental engagement and support. It is essential to analyze the gaps in knowledge level and attitude of the parents in United Arab Emirates (UAE), towards pediatric hearing loss and pediatric audiology services. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of parents in Sharjah, UAE.A cross-sectional survey was administered to 295 parents in a tertiary care hospital setting. The self-reported questionnaire consisted of 26 items. 34.2% of the parents ascertaining good knowledge and 65.8% reported poor knowledge regarding the various factors related to the childhood hearing loss. Further, 86.2% of parents reported positive attitudes regarding accessing pediatric audiology services. A significant association was found between age groups, educational status, and knowledge levels. The study highlights the poor knowledge demonstrated by parents in the UAE regarding hearing loss and its associated risk factors. Findings outline the critical need in the region to enhance parental awareness. More health promotion activities and community outreach campaigns are necessary to increase the uptake of pediatric audiology services in the region.

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atiporn Boonyai ◽  
Anchalee Thongput ◽  
Thidarat Sisaeng ◽  
Parisut Phumchan ◽  
Navin Horthongkham ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Prevalence and incidence of hepatitis caused by HEV infection are usually higher in developing countries. This study demonstrated the HEV seroprevalence and incidence of HEV infection in patients with clinical hepatitis in a tertiary hospital in Thailand. Methods A laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted using 1106 serum samples from patients suspected of HEV infection sent to the Serology laboratory, Siriraj Hospital, for detecting HEV antibodies during 2015–2018. Prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and IgM antibodies in general patients, including organ transplant recipients and pregnant women in a hospital setting, were determined using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Comparison of laboratory data between groups with different HEV serological statuses was performed. Results HEV IgG antibodies were detected in 40.82% of 904 serum samples, while HEV IgM antibodies were detected in 11.75% of 1081 serum samples. Similar IgG and IgM antibody detection rates were found in pregnant women. Interestingly, anti-HEV IgM antibodies were detected in 38.5% of patients who underwent organ transplantation. Patients who tested positive for anti-HEV IgM antibodies had higher alanine aminotransferase levels than those who had not. In contrast, patients who tested positive for anti-HEV IgG had more elevated levels of total bilirubin than those who tested negative. Conclusions HEV seroprevalence and incidence in patients with clinical hepatitis were relatively high in the Thai population, including the pregnancy and organ transplant subgroups. The results potentially benefit the clinicians in decision-making to investigate HEV antibodies and facilitating proper management for patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (01) ◽  
pp. 133-136
Author(s):  
Vykuntaraju K. Gowda ◽  
Preeti Kulhalli ◽  
Dhananjaya K. Vamyanmane

Abstract Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a ubiquitous herpes virus. It is the most common congenital viral infection. Data on congenital CMV in India are lacking and hence the present study was undertaken. Objectives The aim of the study is to evaluate the clinical and radiological profile of neurological manifestations of congenital CMV infections in tertiary care hospital. Methods This is a retrospective chart review of the clinical and laboratory profile of congenital CMV infections presenting from January 2018 to February 2020 to a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. Details of clinical profile, serological and neuroimaging data were obtained and analyzed. Results A total of 42 cases with female preponderance (57%) were reported during the study period. The mean age of presentation was 2.9 years. Clinical features were developmental delay (81%), microcephaly (93%), seizures (33%), intrauterine growth restriction (19%), neonatal encephalopathy (10%), anemia (9%), jaundice (10%), hepato-splenomegaly (7%), and eye abnormalities (14%). Antenatal maternal fever was reported by 12%. Sensorineural hearing loss was present in 57%. Neuroimaging showed periventricular calcification (79%), cerebral atrophy (69%), ventricular dilatation (55%), malformations (26%), dysmyelination (12%), and temporal lobe cysts (5%). CMV-immunoglobulin-M positivity was seen in 14 cases (33%), urinary polymerase chain reaction for CMV was positive in 21 cases (50%), and clinical diagnosis was done in seven cases (16%). Conclusion Common findings in congenital CMV are microcephaly, developmental delay, seizures, anemia, and sensorineural hearing loss. Common neuroimaging findings are periventricular calcification, cerebral atrophy, malformation, white matter signal changes, and cysts. CMV can mimic like cerebral palsy, malformations of the brain, demyelinating disorders, and calcified leukoencephalopathies like Aicardi-Goutières syndrome.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadia Masood ◽  
Zanaib Samad ◽  
Sarah Nadeem ◽  
Unzela Ghulam

BACKGROUND Telemedicine is utilized to deliver health care services remotely. Recently, it is well established due to pandemics because it can help the patients get required supportive care while minimizing their hospital exposure. In the future, it will continue to be used as a convenient, cost-effective patient care modality. OBJECTIVE The objectives were to identify physicians' challenges during teleconsultations and recognize the opportunities and strengths of this modality during the pandemic in a lower-income country. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. The self-made questionnaire was filled through an online medium and responses were recorded on a five-point Likert scale. RESULTS A total of 83 participants were enrolled in this study. Most of them were Associate professors (29.8%), Assistant professors (26.2%), the ratio of the females was (52.4%) greater than males (,47.6%). 46 (54.8%) have laid between the age group 30-40 years. Pediatricians and senior instructors faced more difficulty in using telemedicine. The ones having clinical experience of fewer than 15 years or categorized in the age of 50-60 years faced challenges while using this modality. CONCLUSIONS During the current pandemic, situation telemedicine is the only glimmer of light to provide better quality health care. Telemedicine is an innovative strategy and it is important to understand the perception of physicians about it. Incomplete and inadequate infrastructure and attitude of the physicians is the main obstacle toward successful implementation of telemedicine. Successful installation and deployment of this technology require a complete grasp of the process among physicians.


Author(s):  
Archita Jain ◽  
James Thomas

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Hearing loss in old age is a vexing problem and millions of people worldwide are suffering from it. The aim of this study is to identify the problems which geriatric individuals with hearing loss experience and to help them to overcome their disability and its effects on social engagement and interpersonal relationship.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital and is based on prospective study. The data collection was done in the form of confrontational interview.  </p><p><strong>Results:</strong> According to our study individuals suffering from moderate hearing loss have difficulty in communicating with friends, relatives and even strangers. They even face problems in travelling. They feel disoriented during conversation and tend to miss out parts of conversation. They tend to use their visual signals more than hearing for example while watching television they try to focus and interpret more by the video than by listening to the audio. People suffering from mild to moderate hearing loss try to ignore the disability and request people to repeat statements but inadvertently still miss out the conversation and the try to ignore the handicap.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Age related hearing loss known as presbycusis and it is one of the most prevalent conditions in old age and millions of people worldwide are afflicted. It is one of the leading cause of overall diminution of physical and mental performance in old age. It is often neglected and remains undetected for long in geriatric population due to gradual progression.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 100079
Author(s):  
Shinichiro Morioka ◽  
Keiji Nakamura ◽  
Shun Iida ◽  
Satoshi Kutsuna ◽  
Noriko Kinoshita ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Melissa Sherrel Pereira ◽  
Chandrashekar Udyavara Kudru ◽  
Sreedharan Nair ◽  
Girish Thunga ◽  
Vijayanarayana Kunhikatta ◽  
...  

 Objective: Denguefeveris one of the important tropical disease of public health significance caused by flavivirus. It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Identification of factors associated with severity of dengue can improve the prognosis of the disease.This study tried toassess the factors associated with severity of dengue.Methods: A record based study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital setting in southern India. A total of 550 case files were reviewed to ascertain demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters among confirmed cases of dengue. The severity of dengue was categorized using WHO 2009 classification.Results: Of 550 records reviewed, 449 (81.6%) were classified as non-severe dengue and 101 (18.4%) as severe dengue. Factors associated with severe dengue on univariate analysis were: gender, backache, skin rash, nausea and vomiting, abdominal distension, haemorrhage, breathlessness, oliguria, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, ascites, leukopenia, hypoproteinemia, and elevated serum alanine transaminase (ALT) >63 IU/L.On multivariate analysis,haemorrhage (OR=11.75, 95%; CI=6.38-21.62), oliguria (OR=4.01, 95%; CI=1.32-12.15), ascites (OR=2.68, 95%; CI=1.19-6.01), ALT>63 IU/L (OR=1.77, 95%; CI=1.01-3.1) and hypoproteinemia (OR=5.57, 95%; CI=2.82-10.98) were found to have significant association with the development of severe dengue.Conclusion: This study indicates thatwhen dengue patients present with bleeding episodes, ascites, oliguria,raised ALT and low serum protein levels, clinicians should be alert to the appearance of severe complications. Early identification of these factors will help clinicians to recognise the severity of dengue illness and enable them to implement appropriate interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
S. Gautam ◽  
N. R. Bhattarai ◽  
K. Rai ◽  
A. Poudyal ◽  
B. Khanal

Background. Carbapenem resistance among Gram-negative isolates caused by the production of the metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) enzyme is being increasingly reported worldwide. One of the newly emerged metallo-β-lactamases is New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase. Data regarding its occurrence in hospital setting and percentage prevalence among different Gram-negative bacterial isolates are lacking in our part. This study has been undertaken for determining the presence of the bla NDM-1 gene among the clinical isolates of imipenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria in a tertiary care center in Dharan, Nepal. Methods. A total of 75 imipenem-resistant Gram-negative isolates were studied. These were screened for metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) production by phenotypic assays such as double-disc synergy test (DDST) and combined disc diffusion test (CDDT). PCR was performed for the molecular detection of gene NDM-1. Ten-disc method was performed to detect the presence of ESBL, AmpC, carbapenamase, and K1 β-lactamase production. Results. Using the molecular method, bla NDM-1 was detected in 36% of the isolates. Phenotypically, double-disc synergy test (DDST) and combined disc diffusion test (CDST) detected MBL production in 38.7% and 37.3% of the isolates, respectively. Ten-disc method detected ESBL in 26.6% of the isolates, but none of the isolates was found to be AmpC, carbapenamase, and K1 β-lactamase producers. Conclusion. A high percentage of the NDM-1 producer was noted among imipenem-resistant GNB. Apart from performing only antimicrobial sensitivity test, phenotypic and molecular screening should be employed to find out the actual number of metallo-β-lactamase producers and the existence of the resistance gene.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Igor Tiago ◽  
Susana Alarico ◽  
Ana Maranha ◽  
Catarina Coelho ◽  
Sónia Gonçalves Pereira ◽  
...  

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), some of which had multidrug-resistant profiles, were isolated from a tertiary care hospital setting. Although most NTM are nonpathogenic, contamination of hospital surfaces by these opportunistic pathogens poses a health risk to vulnerable inpatients.


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