The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association
-
J Egypt Public Health Assoc · Feb 2021
Health inequality among different economies during early phase of COVID-19 pandemic.
The new coronavirus outbreak originated in Wuhan, China, started in January 2020 is escalating as a pandemic across the globe in March 2020. It causes unprecedented morbidity and shocked health systems and the supply chains in new epicenters such as Italy, Spain, and the USA, claiming thousands of lives. Meanwhile, the pandemic is reaching swiftly and silently to low-income countries where international media cover less. How likely health outcomes among the countries with different economies may differ during the pandemic has not been reported yet. Methodologically, we conducted an analysis of COVID-19 deaths comparing case fatality rate (CFR) among countries with different income categories, applying COVID-19 global data from the European Centre for Disease Control including 199 countries' data as of 31 March 2020, in the early phase of the pandemic. We categorized countries into high-income countries (HIC), upper-middle-income countries (UMIC), lower-middle-income countries (LMIC), and low-income countries (LIC) according to World Bank classification by income as of 2020. ⋯ In the HIC, contact tracing, testing capacity, and outbreak response, as well as clinical services, are strong. In the LICs, there is a low capacity of outbreak response which is reflected by the significantly lower number of diagnostic tests. Consequently, the reported number of COVID-19 cases in LICs may not reflect the actual burden of the pandemic. Without effective prevention, the pandemic can readily break into the weak health system and over-burden the hospitals and clinical services in poor countries. This finding is showing health inequality between the rich and the poor being amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing such a gap through the local governance and integrated global responses will not only prevent unprecedented deaths, but also preserve the momentum towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
-
J Egypt Public Health Assoc · Nov 2020
Acne vulgaris: prevalence, severity, and impact on quality of life and self-esteem among Egyptian adolescents.
Acne vulgaris is the most common dermatoses affecting adolescents with significant impact on their quality of life (QoL). The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of acne, severity, and its impact on QoL and self-esteem among Egyptian adolescents. ⋯ Acne is a common problem among Egyptian school-aged adolescents with higher prevalence and impact in females. Our findings should alert health professionals and school authorities to timely identify, manage, and educate adolescents with acne.
-
J Egypt Public Health Assoc · Sep 2017
Work-related and ergonomic risk factors associated with low back pain among bus drivers.
Low back pain (LBP) is the most common form of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, which cause huge economic losses to individuals as well as to the community. Bus drivers have been found to be at an increased risk of LBP owing to several factors associated with physical and occupational circumstances. There is scant knowledge on the problems of LBP among bus drivers in Egypt. ⋯ Public bus drivers in this study experienced high prevalence of LBP, which was associated with long duration of work, driving for more than 8 h daily and uncomfortable seat and steering wheels. Ergonomic and occupational risk factors associated with LBP can be modified by proper organizational strategies and health plans. Therefore, assessment of the sitting biomechanics and regular maintenance of buses are recommended to prevent any adverse health effects.
-
J Egypt Public Health Assoc · Mar 2017
Pattern and outcome of pediatric head injuries in the Suez Canal Region: A follow-up study.
A significant number of children sustain head injuries every year. Despite this, few studies in Egypt have provided detailed information about these injuries. ⋯ Children aged 5 years or less comprised 75% of the children who presented to the hospital following head injury. Falls and road traffic accidents were the most common causes of injury. Most injuries were of mild severity, and concussion was the most common encountered type of injury. Assessment of functional outcome showed good recovery in most children. Enforcement of strict effective regulations and observing safety measures during driving by authorities is needed to reduce traffic accidents. Health education programs for parents about careful supervision and first aid should be provided to help prevent child head injury and its disastrous consequences.
-
J Egypt Public Health Assoc · Sep 2016
Epidemiology of dysmenorrhea among secondary-school students in Northern Saudi Arabia.
Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common and important health problems, especially among young girls. It results in absence from school and work. It has some negative effects on the daily activities of patients. Because of cultural problems, patients ordinarily do not seek help from others in this situation. Identification of abnormal menstrual patterns during adolescence may permit early prevention of potential health concerns in adulthood. ⋯ Dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent among adolescent secondary-school girls and is associated with school absenteeism and limitations on social and academic activities. Given that most adolescents do not seek medical advice for dysmenorrhea, healthcare providers should screen routinely for dysmenorrhea and offer treatment. As dysmenorrhea reportedly affects school performance, school administrators may have a vested interest in providing health education on this topic to their students. Health education has to be supplemented by availability of other services such as consultation with school nurse and school physician and availability of drugs that alleviate pain.