This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the association between diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases by comparing the extent and severity of periodontal diseases between diabetics and ...nondiabetics.
A literature search was performed using MEDLINE database for published studies from January 1970 through October 2003 with manual search for references in relevant studies. This meta-analysis was based on 18 comparative cross-sectional studies, three prospective cohort studies and baseline data of two clinical trials that compared oral hygiene, gingival and periodontal status between diabetics and nondiabetics. Heterogeneity was obvious among included studies; therefore, the analysis using random-effects model was conducted.
This study demonstrated that diabetics had significantly worse oral hygiene as measured by the average of plaque index (P1I), higher severity of gingival disease as measured by the average of gingival index (GI) and higher severity of periodontal disease as measured by the average of probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL). However, diabetics had similar extent of oral hygiene, gingival and periodontal disease as measured by percentages of surfaces or sites with specific scores of P1I, GI, bleeding on probing (BOP), PPD and CAL.
Diabetics had a significantly higher severity but the same extent of periodontal disease than nondiabetics.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Vascular access infection (VAI) causes significant mortality and morbidity in hemodialysis patients. The aim of this prospective, descriptive, exploratory survey of end-stage renal disease patients ...was to explore the incidence and risk factors of VAI.
A total of 188 patients were included in the study from five different hospital/dialysis units in northern Jordan. All patients answered a questionnaire related to their vascular access (VA) and infection. Demographic information, etiology of renal failure, and infection history related to the access were also collected and analyzed.
Diabetes mellitus was the most common etiology of renal failure, followed by hypertension, urinary tract infection, and congenital malformation. The infection rate was variable according to the hospital and the type of VA; of 188 patients, 65 patients had a VAI during the year of study. Of these, 36 of 64 were because of catheters, 24 of 105 were because of arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), and 5 of 19 were because of arteriovenous graft. Of the 65 with a VAI, 58 patients had a low level of education.
VAI was common in hemodialysis patients, and the risk varied substantially among different VA types and different dialysis units. The infection rate from catheters and AVFs was similar to that reported in many studies, but the infection rate in the arteriovenous graft group was lower than that for AVFs. These results can be improved by strictly following the National Kidney Foundation Disease Output Quality Initiative clinical practice guidelines for dialysis access.
To determine the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) discontinuation rate and its causes and related factors among women attending UNRWA health centres in Jordan.
The study cohort comprised 371 ...women who had an IUD inserted during 1997 and who were interviewed during their visits to the health centres in the period January-March 2003. The main outcome measure was IUD discontinuation.
The incidence of IUD discontinuation in the first year following insertion was 17.5%. Approximately 32% of the study sample continued using their devices after 5 years. The average duration of IUD use was 36 months. Of the 371 women, 39.6% discontinued IUD use because of a desire to conceive, 18.6% because of side effects, 4.9% because they were sexually inactive and 1.6% because of opposition from the woman's family. The most common side effects reported as reasons for discontinuation were bleeding, infection and pain. Discontinuation was inversely related to current age, marital age and number of living children. Outside camp residents, previous contraceptive users and women with obstetric complications were significantly less likely to discontinue IUD use.
The crude cumulative rate of IUD discontinuation was 17.5% during the first year, suggesting a need to tackle the problem of discontinuation through effective educational strategies on the process of fertility and contraception. The most common reason for voluntary IUD removal was the women's desire to conceive. This suggests that improved counselling and good selection of candidates before IUD insertion is required.
This cross-sectional survey gathered data on dental health knowledge from 21- to 23-year-old university students in Jordan, including self-reported dental health behaviors and factors affecting ...regular dental attendance. A representative random sample of 806 students in their final academic year was surveyed. A self-administered questionnaire resulted in a 93.2% response rate. The majority (51.8%) were able to correctly identify the definition of dental plaque and were aware of the periodontal diseases which could be prevented by brushing and flossing. Nonetheless, there are more participants who incorrectly believed that fluoride in toothpaste cleans and whitens teeth (78% and 65%, respectively), and only 7% recognized that fluoride can heal initial cavities. Female students have a significantly higher level of oral health knowledge than their male counterparts (p < 0.001). Tooth brushing at least once and twice a day was claimed by 57.8% and 14.1% respectively. Only 10.4% spend more than two minutes for tooth brushing which is performed before going to bed by 56.2% of the study population. Thirty-three percent of male students and 36% of female students went to the dental clinic at some time during the last year and were more likely to receive dental extraction (41.1%) or dental filling (32.2%) at their last visit to the dentist. The mass media (TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines) were found to be the number one source of dental health information while formal academic courses and extracurricular activities at the university came at the bottom of the list of the six potential sources for health awareness information. Appropriate recommendations aimed at raising the oral health awareness and increasing the demand for dental health services among university students are suggested.
Full text
Available for:
NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Objective:
The main objectives of this study were to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of epilepsy, and to compare these results with findings of comparable studies from other parts of ...the world.
Method:
Initially, the target population of this study consisted of 116 patients with epilepsy randomly selected, over a 6-month period, from those patients attending the neurology clinic at Princess Basma Teaching Hospital (PBTH) in Northern Jordan. However, seven patients were dropped from the study and eight others refused to participate in the study. A semi-structured clinico-epidemiological questionnaire was used to investigate the most significant socio-demographic characteristics of this group of adolescent Jordanian patients with epilepsy such as age, sex, living status, family history, type of epilepsy, and some other special clinical investigations. To further evaluate the significance of a family history of epilepsy, the education attainment and employment in these patients with epilepsy were compared with a similar number of age, sex matched control cases obtained from patients attending the hospital for reasons other than epilepsy.
Results:
Among the study population, the mean age at presentation was 19 years (SD±2.7); 54 were males 47 were females. Fifty three patients had a poor level of education because they had less than 10 years of formal education, 29 had an average level of education (10–12 years) of formal education, and 19 had achieved a higher level of education. Thirty patients were employed, 21 unemployed and 50 were students. Twelve patients were living alone and leading independent lives, 88 patients were living with parents and siblings. One male patient was married and living with his wife and children. A positive family history was present in first degree relatives in 11 patients as compared to 3 in the control group. Ninety eight patients suffered from generalized epilepsy and three from partial epilepsy. Sixty seven patients reported an aura and 84 patients had post ictal complaints such as sleepiness, headache, or drowsiness.
Conclusion:
Socio-demographic characteristics of this group of adolescents with epilepsy are compatible with the results of the work of others such as Elwes Neurosurg Psychiatr 54 (1991) 200, in the North East of England and Hauser from the Mayo clinic in his descriptive study of the epidemiology of epilepsy.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
WHEN Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, international trade sanctions were rapidly instituted against Iraq. On January 16, 1991, the war to liberate Kuwait began, and within six weeks Allied forces ...declared a cease-fire. Civilian revolts against the Iraqi government in March and April resulted in the displacement of an estimated 2 million people in the northern (Kurdish) and southern (Shiite) regions of Iraq.
Little objective information is available about the effect of the economic sanctions, war, and civilian uprisings on the health of civilians. An international team that visited Iraq in April 1991 reported epidemics of cholera, typhoid, and . . .
This article reports the results of the first household survey ever conducted in Jordan Badia to include questions on knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) among 15–49 currently married women in ...Jordan Badia toward family planning. The Jordan Badia is the eastern part of Jordan populated by Bedouins who make up about 7 to 9 percent of the 4.8 million total population of Jordan. Using convenience sampling procedure, a total of 450 respondents, 50 from each of nine villages, were selected for participation. The mean age of the study population was 30.9 years and the women's age at marriage ranged from 13 to 35 years, with a mean age at first marriage of 16.8 years. More than 37 percent of the women were illiterate. Over 91 percent of the women know about family planning, but proportions of ever-users or currently-users of contraception are found to be 35.7 percent and 31.7 percent respectively. The social support network, including the husbands, mothers, and mothers-in-law, was explored. Husbands' support for family planning was significantly higher (p < 0.001, Chi Square test, df = 2) than the support of both the mothers and mothers-in-law. In view of the limited data-based literature in the area of family planning, findings of this survey can assist in the formulation of culturally appropriate population policy and viable family planning programs for this Bedouin community. Based on the results of this KAP survey, appropriate recommendations aiming at increasing the demand for family planning services among women in Jordan Badia are provided.
Full text
Available for:
NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Children in Central Asia and the Middle East bear disproportionate environmental threats to health, of which the most widespread and serious result from poverty, malnutrition, lack of access to safe ...drinking water and food, and exposures to toxic chemicals. Their psychological health is threatened in several parts of this region by internal wars and strife. Many, or even most, children are regularly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. In many of these countries, children constitute very high percentages of the population. Because children constitute the future, it is critical that these threats to their health be addressed and reduced to the greatest extent possible through both provision of safe and adequate drinking water and nutrition and reduction of exposures to environmental contaminants.
OBJECTIVE: Data regarding the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and its potential risk factors among schoolchildren from the Middle East is scarce.
METHODS: An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent ...assay was used to investigate H. pylori status in four groups of children: The first and second groups, 50 children each (25 boys, 25 girls) included children from high socioeconomic class (group 1 = 6 years old; group 2 = 9 years old). The third and fourth groups were sex‐ and age‐matched, but from low socioeconomic class. To evaluate the association between the seroprevalence of H. pylori and selected risk factors, odds ratios (crude and adjusted) were calculated using multiple regression analysis.
RESULTS: Overall seroprevalence rate was 55.5%. Seropositivity was 42%, 52%, 60%, and 68% for groups 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Age and sex were not significantly associated with H. pylori seropositivity. In the final logistic regression model, which was adjusted for age and sex, the following risk factors were found to be significantly associated with seropositivity: living in rural areas (P = 0.015), poor sanitation (P < 0.001), overcrowding (P = 0.014), low maternal educational level (P = 0.010) and low socioeconomic status (P = 0.011).
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of H. pylori infection in Jordanian schoolchildren is high, suggesting that most acquisition occurs before the age of 6 years. The seroprevalence for H. pylori increases with social deprivation.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This retrospective study covers the authors' experience over five years of 1,722 primary hernia repairs in 1,722 patients of all ages. An analysis of some epidemiological features is presented and ...discussed. Inguinal hernia was by far the commonest variety accounting for more than 84% of the total series. Regardless of sex and type of hernia, 60% of all hernias were right-sided while not more than 5% were bilateral. The male to female ratio for the entire series was 4.3:1 and 8.2:1 for the inguinal hernia group. The main findings of this retrospective study are in direct accord with other series reported in the literature. Furthermore, we suspect our results are typical of those to be found in large and comparable general community hospitals in Jordan.
PDF
