Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de santé de la Méditerranée orientale = al-Majallah al-ṣiḥḥīyah li-sharq al-mutawassiṭ
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jul 2002
Audit of paediatric surgical intensive care unit admissions in north Jordan.
An audit was carried out over a 12-month period at a district general hospital in the north of Jordan. The study aimed to establish the reasons for and outcome of paediatric intensive care unit admissions. Of the 854 admissions, 107 were paediatric surgical cases. ⋯ A total of 31 patients died and 8 children were left with significant disability or brain death. We conclude that trauma is a significant cause of disability, morbidity and mortality in children in our area. Society as a whole needs to look at the causes of childhood trauma and identify ways of reducing it.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jan 2002
An epidemiological study of poisoning in northern Islamic Republic of Iran.
We examined the causes and mortality of poisoning in the province of Mazandaran. In all, 1751 poisoning cases referred to four main hospitals over a three-year period (1997-2000) were included. More poisoning cases were females (55.5%) than males (45.5%) but the proportional mortality for males was greater than for females (65% versus 35%). ⋯ Medicines were the most common cause, followed by chemicals such as pesticides. Poisoning by opiates, aluminium or zinc phosphide, rodenticides, petroleum and ethanol intoxication was also observed. Pesticide poisoning was most frequently fatal.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Nov 2001
Parents in the anesthetic induction room: the preferences of parents in Kuwait.
To ascertain whether the parents in Kuwait desire to be present during the induction of anesthesia in their children and to obtain the parents' views on factors associated with such presence. ⋯ Parents in Kuwait should he allowed to be present during the induction of anesthesia in their child. Protocols should be drafted accordingly and must include other child-friendly measures to reduce anxiety among parents and children in Kuwait.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jul 2001
[Availability and use of emergency services in Tunisia: principal results of an exhaustive national survey].
In order to assess hospital emergency rooms, a comprehensive national epidemiological investigation was conducted in all 155 public emergency structures in Tunisia. Here we present the main results of the levels of availability and use of emergency services. Coverage of the population by services is adequate (one emergency service per 60,000 people). ⋯ The university hospital emergency services are the most heavily used (150 patients per day on average). Emergency services are sought for medical (60%), surgical (18%), paediatric (14%) and gynaecological reasons (5%). It would be useful to assess the quality of care delivered and the satisfaction of citizens and health workers.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jul 2001
Impact of triage in accident and emergency departments in Bahrain.
We aimed to assess the impact of triage by physicians on the workload and expenditure of the Accident and Emergency (AE) Department of Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain. We analysed three sets of data: patient visits to the AE Department over a 9-month period; patient visits 1 year previously; and forecast patient visits over 9 months starting from July 1999. ⋯ The reduction in health care expenditure was estimated at between 15.3% and 17.3%. We conclude that triage by physicians can be cost-effective and can reduce the AE Department workload, freeing more time to manage life-threatening and urgent cases.