Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal [2023; Vol.29, Issue 9]

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal is the official health journal published by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization. It is a forum for the presentation and promotion of new policies and initiatives in health services; and for the exchange of ideas concepts epidemiological data research findings and other information with special reference to the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It addresses all members of the health profession medical and other health educational institutes interested NGOs WHO Collaborating Centres and individuals within and outside the Region

المجلة الصحية لشرق المتوسط هى المجلة الرسمية التى تصدرعن المكتب الاقليمى لشرق المتوسط بمنظمة الصحة العالمية. وهى منبر لتقديم السياسات والمبادرات الجديدة فى الصحة العامة والخدمات الصحية والترويج لها، و لتبادل الاراء و المفاهيم والمعطيات الوبائية ونتائج الابحاث وغير ذلك من المعلومات، و خاصة ما يتعلق منها باقليم شرق المتوسط. وهى موجهة الى كل اعضاء المهن الصحية، والكليات الطبية وسائر المعاهد التعليمية، و كذا المنظمات غير الحكومية المعنية، والمراكز المتعاونة مع منظمة الصحة العالمية والافراد المهتمين بالصحة فى الاقليم و خارجه

La Revue de Santé de la Méditerranée Orientale est une revue de santé officielle publiée par le Bureau régional de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour la Méditerranée orientale. Elle offre une tribune pour la présentation et la promotion de nouvelles politiques et initiatives dans le domaine de la santé publique et des services de santé ainsi qu’à l’échange d’idées de concepts de données épidémiologiques de résultats de recherches et d’autres informations se rapportant plus particulièrement à la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. Elle s’adresse à tous les professionnels de la santé aux membres des instituts médicaux et autres instituts de formation médico-sanitaire aux ONG Centres collaborateurs de l’OMS et personnes concernés au sein et hors de la Région

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal [2023; Vol.29, Issue 8]

Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal is the official health journal published by the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of the World Health Organization. It is a forum for the presentation and promotion of new policies and initiatives in health services; and for the exchange of ideas concepts epidemiological data research findings and other information with special reference to the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It addresses all members of the health profession medical and other health educational institutes interested NGOs WHO Collaborating Centres and individuals within and outside the Region

المجلة الصحية لشرق المتوسط هى المجلة الرسمية التى تصدرعن المكتب الاقليمى لشرق المتوسط بمنظمة الصحة العالمية. وهى منبر لتقديم السياسات والمبادرات الجديدة فى الصحة العامة والخدمات الصحية والترويج لها، و لتبادل الاراء و المفاهيم والمعطيات الوبائية ونتائج الابحاث وغير ذلك من المعلومات، و خاصة ما يتعلق منها باقليم شرق المتوسط. وهى موجهة الى كل اعضاء المهن الصحية، والكليات الطبية وسائر المعاهد التعليمية، و كذا المنظمات غير الحكومية المعنية، والمراكز المتعاونة مع منظمة الصحة العالمية والافراد المهتمين بالصحة فى الاقليم و خارجه

La Revue de Santé de la Méditerranée Orientale est une revue de santé officielle publiée par le Bureau régional de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour la Méditerranée orientale. Elle offre une tribune pour la présentation et la promotion de nouvelles politiques et initiatives dans le domaine de la santé publique et des services de santé ainsi qu’à l’échange d’idées de concepts de données épidémiologiques de résultats de recherches et d’autres informations se rapportant plus particulièrement à la Région de la Méditerranée orientale. Elle s’adresse à tous les professionnels de la santé aux membres des instituts médicaux et autres instituts de formation médico-sanitaire aux ONG Centres collaborateurs de l’OMS et personnes concernés au sein et hors de la Région

Burden of cancer attributable to insufficient physical activity in Tunisia

Background: Insufficient physical activity is a risk factor for several types of cancer. Therefore, estimating the burden of cancer attributable to insufficient physical activity is essential to evaluate the effect of health promotion and prevention interventions. Aims: We estimated the number of incident cancer cases, deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to insufficient physical activity in the Tunisian population aged 35 years and older in 2019. Methods: We estimated the age-specific population attributable fractions by sex and cancer site to estimate the proportion of cases, deaths and DALYs that could be avoided with optimal levels of physical activity. We used data on cancer incidence, mortality and DALYs from the Global Burden of Disease study estimates for Tunisia in 2019, and data on physical activity prevalence from a Tunisian population-based survey in 2016. We used site-specific relative risk estimates from meta-analyses and comprehensive reports. Results: The prevalence of insufficient physical activity was 95.6%. In 2019, 16 890 incident cancer cases, 9368 cancer-related deaths and 230 900 cancer-related DALYs were estimated to have occurred in Tunisia. We estimated that 7.9% of incident cancer cases, 9.8% of cancer-related deaths and 9.9% of cancer-related DALYs were attributable to insufficient physical activity. At cancer sites known to be associated with inadequate physical activity, 14.6% of cancer cases, 15.7% of deaths and 15.6% of DALYs were attributable to insufficient physical activity. Conclusion: Insufficient physical activity contributed to almost 10% of the cancer burden in Tunisia in 2019. Reaching optimal physical activity levels would considerably reduce the burden of associated cancers in the long-term.

Incidence of incidental positron emission tomography and computed tomography signs of COVID-19 in asymptomatic cancer patients in Egypt

Background: COVID-19 was first reported in Egypt on 14 February 2020 and continues to be a major threat to public health. Aims: We studied the incidence of incidental positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) signs of COVID-19 in asymptomatic cancer patients and compared this with the number of reported COVID-19 cases during the same period. Methods: We included all cancer patients who underwent PET/CT at Misr Radiology Center, Cairo, between 2 May and 7 August 2020. Results: There were 479 patients who underwent PET/CT primarily for follow-up, and 66 (13.78%) of them showed radiological signs of COVID-19, with the peak incidence in weeks 7–8 of the study. This coincided and strongly correlated with the peak incidence of COVID-19 in Egypt (Pearson’s correlation coefficient test = 0.943). Conclusion: The incidence of incidental PET/CT signs of COVID-19 was in accordance with the officially reported incidence of COVID-19 in Egypt between 2 May and 7 August 2020. These results could be helpful for implementing and adjusting public health and social measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ecological study of breast cancer incidence among nationals and nonnationals in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

Background: Breast cancer incidence is increasing in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Aims: This study analysed geographical patterns, time trends, and age distribution of female breast cancer incidence among nationals and non-nationals in GCC countries. Methods: Available cancer registry data for 1979–2016 were retrieved for the GCC countries. Age-standardized rates (ASRs) per 100 000 women were calculated using the World standard population. Comparisons were made by calculating comparative incidence figures. Results: From 1998 to 2012, incidence among nationals was highest in Bahrain (ASR 61.85), Kuwait (ASR 52.66), and Qatar (ASR 56.90) and lowest in Saudi Arabia (ASR 19.76), Oman (ASR 22.33), and United Arab Emirates (ASR 31.05). In the most recent period, data were available only in Qatar (2014–2016) and Saudi Arabia (2013–2015). Non-nationals and nationals in Qatar had higher incidence rates than in Saudi Arabia. Incidence among nationals in Qatar was at least twice that in Saudi Arabia (comparative incidence figure 2.32). Incidence among non-nationals in Qatar was 3 times higher than in Saudi Arabia. Among nationals in Kuwait, 10.8% of cases of breast cancer occurred in women aged < 40 years in 2008–2012, compared with 24.2% in non-nationals in Qatar in 2014–2016. Conclusion: Breast cancer incidence has increased over time among women in most GCC countries, likely reflecting the improvements in healthcare access and screening programmes. Nationals and non-nationals developed breast cancer at a younger age than women in other high-income countries. Increased screening uptake is still required in the region. Evidence-based, locally-informed interventions should be implemented to address risk factors specific to the nationals and non-nationals in the GCC countries.

Launch of the WHO -European Union Evidence into Action Alcohol Project: meeting report, Copenhagen, Denmark, 6 December 2022

Public awareness of the cancer risk posed by alcohol consumption, even at low levels, is generally low. In 2016 about 80 000 people died of alcohol-attributable cancer in the European Union (EU). As part of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU aims to reduce harms due to alcohol consumption by means of collaboration, coordination and support from the WHO Regional Office for Europe through the joint WHO/EU Evidence into Action Alcohol Project (EVID-ACTION). The project was formally launched on 6 December 2022 in Copenhagen, Denmark, along with the launch of the third edition of the book Alcohol, no ordinary commodity. Representatives of 18 Member States of the Region participated in the hybrid in-person and online event, along with expert advisors and representatives of the European Commission and WHO. The aims and objectives of the WHO/EU Evidence into Action Alcohol project (EVIDACTION) project were introduced, and the research underpinning the third edition of Alcohol, no ordinary commodity and the report’s main messages were summarized. The project is co-funded by the European Union.