scholarly journals Water pipe tobacco smoking: are the Bahraini smokers aware of its health effects?

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ebrahim Khalil ◽  
Sajida Mansor Ayyad ◽  
Fatima S. Sharaf Al-Alawi ◽  
Hasan A. Ali Khalil ◽  
Muyassar Sabri Hassan Awadalla ◽  
...  

The tobacco epidemic kills half of its users annually and 600,000 deaths occur in people exposed to cigarette and water pipe tobacco (WT) smoking. A population-based cross sectional study was conducted to explore the knowledge and perceptions on health effects of WT smoking amongst Bahraini adults in the popular coffee shops of Bahrain and in women’s congregations. Randomly, 206 Bahraini adults of both genders were selected and distributed with a developed questionnaire to collect data; results were analyzed using SPSS (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Among the WT smokers, the highest proportion (45%) was observed between 21 and 30 age group and in the higher educational category. Majority smoked daily. The leading motives of WT smoking were meeting friends, passing of time and pleasure. Many smokers believed WT as less harmful than cigarettes, but affect the respiratory system, and causes: cancers, cardiovascular disease and pregnancy-related disorders. The knowledge scores were significantly higher in the younger age group, higher educational qualifications, and higher income. A considerable proportion of smokers perceived WT smoking as a sign of maturity, acceptable by the society. The perception scores were significantly higher in women and in the age group of >40. This study has revealed a lack of knowledge amongst the Bahraini adults who assume that health risks of WT are lower than cigarettes demanding further research to evaluate WT smoking risks, health effects, environmental effects of smoke, and regulatory services in Bahrain for a responsive approach to curb the WT tobacco epidemic.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Izabela Fulone ◽  
Marcus Tolentino Silva ◽  
Luciane Cruz Lopes

Abstract Background The use of atypical antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia and other mental disorders in populations under 18 years of age is increasing worldwide. Little is known about treatment patterns and the influence of gender differences, which may be a predictor of clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences in the use of atypical antipsychotics in patients with early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) assisted by the public health system in Brazil. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of outpatients with EOS aged 10 to 17 years who received at least one provision of atypical antipsychotics (clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine or ziprasidone) from a large Brazilian pharmaceutical assistance programme. Data were retrieved from a nationwide administrative database from 2008 to 2017. Results Of the 49,943 patients with EOS, 63.5% were males, and the mean age was 13.6 years old. The patients were using risperidone (62.5%), olanzapine (19.6%), quetiapine (12.4%), ziprasidone (3.3%) and clozapine (2.2%). We found gender differences, especially in the 13–17 year age group (65.1% for males vs. 34.9% for females, p < 0.001), in the use of risperidone (72.1% for males vs. 27.9% for females, p < 0.001) and olanzapine (66.5% for males vs. 33.5% for females, p < 0.001). Only in the 13 to 17 years age group were the prescribed doses of olanzapine (p = 0.012) and quetiapine (p = 0.041) slightly higher for males than for females. Conclusions Our findings showed gender differences among patients diagnosed with EOS and who received atypical antipsychotics. More attention should be devoted to gender differences in research and clinical practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 716-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan G. Tekin ◽  
Jashin J. Wu ◽  
Russel Burge ◽  
Julie Birt ◽  
Alexander Egeberg

Objective.To describe the prevalence and treatment regimes, disease characteristics, and comorbid diseases among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Denmark.Methods.All Danish individuals aged ≥ 18 years with rheumatologist-diagnosed PsA were linked in nationwide administrative registers.Results.Among 4.7 million individuals in Denmark, 10,577 patients with PsA had been diagnosed by a rheumatologist. A female predominance (54.5–59.8%) was seen among patients with PsA, and about half of the patients (53.0%) had received no treatment or treatment only with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs/systemic corticosteroids, while 32.9% had received nonbiological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) and 14.1% had been treated with biologicals. Cutaneous psoriasis was recorded in 66.2–72.3% of patients with PsA, and patients with severe PsA had the highest prevalences of distal interphalangeal arthropathy, spondylitis, and arthritis mutilans. Smoking and comorbid diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, and anxiety were seen frequently in patients with PsA, but did not significantly differ across severities of PsA.Conclusion.Disease burden appeared to be significant in patients with PsA across all severities. A considerable proportion of patients with PsA did not receive active antipsoriatic treatment, and about 1 out of 3 patients was not diagnosed with psoriasis. Cutaneous symptoms of psoriasis in patients with PsA might be either underreported or undertreated.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. e033471
Author(s):  
Anja Schmidt Vejlgaard ◽  
Sanne Rasmussen ◽  
Dorte Ejg Jarbøl ◽  
Kirubakaran Balasubramaniam

ObjectivesTo identify the personal and professional relations of women experiencing gynaecological alarm symptoms, to analyse if involving a personal relation is related to healthcare-seeking with gynaecological alarm symptoms, and to analyse if having an available social network is associated with involvement of this relation.DesignWeb-based, population-based, cross-sectional questionnaire survey.SettingThe general population in Denmark.ParticipantsThe study invited 100 000 individuals randomly drawn from the Danish Civil Registration System. Pregnant women and women who did not answer relevant questions about social network were excluded. A total of 5053 women who experienced at least one gynaecological alarm symptom were included in the study.Primary and secondary outcomes(1) Personal and professional relations that women experiencing gynaecological alarm symptoms involve; (2) the association between involving a personal relation and healthcare-seeking; and (3) the association between having an available social network and involvement of this relation.ResultsThe general practitioner (GP) was the most involved professional relation, while the spouse/partner was the most involved personal relation. When experiencing gynaecological alarm symptoms, more than 50% of women did not involve a professional relation and 20% did not involve a personal relation. For all four gynaecological alarm symptoms, the odds of involving the GP were higher in the oldest age group. Women were two to seven times more likely to involve their GP if they had personal relation involvement. No statistically significant association was found between having an available social network and involving the GP.ConclusionInvolving a personal relation in healthcare-seeking was associated with increased involvement of the GP, who consequently was the most involved professional relation when experiencing gynaecological alarm symptoms. Spouse/partner was the most involved personal relation. The oldest age group had the highest odds of involving the GP. No association was found between having an available social network and involving the GP.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  

Background: According to WHO, tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced with 21% of the global population aged 15 and above smoked tobacco. Which killing around 6 million people a year. More than 5 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while more than 600 000 are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Objectives: The study aimed to find the Onset, Prevalence, Type, and Frequency of smoking. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from December 2013 - May 2014. The target population was students of male gender studying in Majmaah University. A total of 325 students aged between 19-25 years were randomly chosen from different Colleges of ALMajmaah University. Results: Seventy two students (22.2%) were smokers, 74 (22.8%) were second hand smokers. Remaining 253 (55%) were non smokers. 41 of smokers (56.9%) were smoking cigarettes. 25 (34.7%) were smoking water pipe, and 6 (8.3%) were smoking both types. Most cigarette smokers were smoking one pack per day (25) students and (15) students were smoking water pipe once daily. Majority of smokers were smokers since 2-4 years (45.8%) and (40.3%) were smoking from five years or more. Conclusion: High smoking rate in Majmaah university students indicate that more researches need to find out causes of smoking. Intervention and awareness programme should be conducted to reduce prevalence of Smoking.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e000430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jithangi Wanigasinghe ◽  
Carukshi Arambepola ◽  
Roshini Murugupillai ◽  
Thashi Chang

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of childhood epilepsy in Sri Lanka by different age groups (0–5, 6–10 and 11–16 years), sex and ethnicity, and to describe the types and outcomes of epilepsy.Design and patientsA population-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in the district considered to be ethnically most balanced in Sri Lanka. A door-to-door survey was performed in the 0–5 year age group (60 geographically defined areas as clusters; 19 children per cluster), and a school-based survey in the 6–16 year age group (150 classes as clusters; 25 children per cluster). The screened children with epilepsy were reviewed individually for confirmation of the diagnosis of epilepsy, typing of the underlying epilepsy syndrome and assessment of control. The same group of children were re-evaluated 1 year later to reconfirm the syndromic diagnosis and to assess the stability of control of epilepsy.ResultsThe overall prevalence of childhood epilepsy was 5.7 per 10 000 children aged 0–16 years (95% CI: 38 to 87). It was higher with younger ages (73.4 per 10 000 children aged 0–5 years; 55.1 per 10 000 children aged 6–10 years and 50.4 per 10 000 children aged 11–16 years). A male dominance was noted in both age groups. In each age group, the prevalence was highest in children of Sinhalese ethnicity. Symptomatic focal epilepsy was the single most common group of epilepsy in both age groups. Majority of children remained well controlled on medications.ConclusionThe findings indicate a relatively high burden of epilepsy among children in Sri Lanka, however, these were comparable to the burden of disease reported from other countries in the region.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. e049045
Author(s):  
Mikk Jürisson ◽  
Heti Pisarev ◽  
Anneli Uusküla ◽  
Katrin Lang ◽  
M Oona ◽  
...  

ObjectivesPrevalence estimates for specific chronic conditions and multimorbidity (MM) in eastern Europe are scarce. This national study estimates the prevalence of MM by age group and sex in Estonia.DesignA population-based cross-sectional study, using administrative data.SettingData were collected on 55 chronic conditions from the Estonian Health Insurance Fund from 2015 to 2017. MM was defined as the coexistence of two or more conditions.ParticipantsThe Estonian Health Insurance Fund includes data for approximately 95% of the Estonian population receiving public health insurance.Primary and secondary outcome measuresPrevalence and 95% CIs for MM stratified by age group and sex.ResultsNearly half (49.1%) of the individuals (95% CI 49.0 to 49.3) had at least 1 chronic condition, and 30.1% (95% CI 30.0 to 30.2) had MM (2 or more chronic conditions). The number of conditions and the prevalence of MM increased with age, ranging from an MM prevalence of 3.5% (3.5%–3.6%) in the youngest (0–24 years) to as high as 80.4% (79.4%–81.3%) in the oldest (≥85 years) age group. Half of all individuals had MM by 60 years of age, and 75% of the population had MM by 75 years of age. Women had a higher prevalence of MM (34.9%, 95% CI 34.7 to 35.0) than men (24.4%, 95% CI 24.3 to 24.5). Hypertension was the most frequent chronic condition (24.5%), followed by chronic pain (12.4%) and arthritis (7.7%).ConclusionsHypertension is an important chronic condition amenable to treatment with lifestyle and therapeutic interventions. Given the established correlation between uncontrolled hypertension and exacerbation of other cardiovascular conditions as well as acute illnesses, this most common condition within the context of MM may be suitable for targeted public health interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Rıza Çıtıl ◽  
Mücahit Eğri ◽  
Yalçın Önder ◽  
Fazilet Duygu ◽  
Yunus Emre Bulut ◽  
...  

Objectives. Turkey is one of the countries that has the most cases of CCHF in recent years among the endemic countries. The disease also poses an important health threat with high mortality rate. The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors of CCHF in adults aged ≥20 years in Tokat in the endemic region, Turkey. Methods. In this population-based cross-sectional study, a total of 85 Family Medicine Units (FMUs), from over 170 in Tokat, were randomly selected using 50% sampling. The sample size was determined among the subjects aged ≥20 who registered with the FMUs, due to gender, age group, and the urban/rural population size of Tokat using the stratified cluster sampling method. Subjects were invited to the FMUs. A questionnaire was performed face to face. The blood samples were taken, and anti-CCHFV IgG antibodies were measured with ELISA method. Results. 1272 (54.9%) out of 2319 participants were female, and the mean age was 47.3 ± 15.3. Anti-CCHFV IgG seropositivity was 5.6% (n = 130). Seropositivity rates in terms of adjusted odds ratios (AOR) were higher 2.53 times (95% CI: 1.57–4.08; p = 0.001 ) in males; 4.05 (95% CI: 2.14–7.65; p < 0.001 ) in age group ≥65; 0.33 (95% CI: 0.14–0.76; p < 0.001 ) in graduates of high school and above; 0.71 (95%CI: 0.33–1.52; p < 0.001 ) in ones with good income; 1.84 (95%CI: 1.18–2.86; p < 0.001 ) in farmers; 1.64 (95% CI: 1.04–2.27; p < 0.001 ) in people dealing with animal husbandry; and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.03–2.29; p < 0.001 ) in those with history of tick contact. Conclusions. CCHF seroprevalence is still a common public health problem in Tokat, Turkey. Male gender, advanced age group, low-educated, low-income, farmers, animal husbandry, and history of tick contact were found to be risk factors for CCHF. The importance of this kind of community-based studies to identify the seroprevalence in regional and national level increases even more.


Author(s):  
Ole Birger Pedersen ◽  
Janna Nissen ◽  
Khoa Manh Dinh ◽  
Michael Schwinn ◽  
Kathrine Agergård Kaspersen ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although the vast majority of individuals succumbing to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are elderly, infection fatality rate (IFR) estimates for the age group ≥70 years are still scarce. To this end, we assessed SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among retired blood donors and combined it with national coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survey data to provide reliable population-based IFR estimates for this age group. Methods We identified 60 926 retired blood donors aged ≥70 years in the rosters of 3 regionwide Danish blood banks and invited them to fill in a questionnaire on COVID-19–related symptoms and behaviors. Among 24 861 (40.8%) responders, we invited a random sample of 3200 individuals for blood testing. Overall, 1201 (37.5%) individuals were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (Wantai) and compared with 1110 active blood donors aged 17–69 years. Seroprevalence 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adjusted for assay sensitivity and specificity. Results Among retired (aged ≥70 years) and active (aged 17–69 years) blood donors, adjusted seroprevalences were 1.4% (95% CI, .3–2.5%) and 2.5% (95% CI, 1.3–3.8%), respectively. Using available population data on COVID-19–related fatalities, IFRs for patients aged ≥70 years and for 17–69 years were estimated at 5.4% (95% CI, 2.7–6.4%) and .083% (95% CI, .054–.18%), respectively. Only 52.4% of SARS-CoV-2–seropositive retired blood donors reported having been sick since the start of the pandemic. Conclusions COVID-19 IFR in the age group &gt;69 years is estimated to be 65 times the IFR for people aged 18–69 years.


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