Situation analysis of well-child care in Mongolia: country report 2022

This well-child care (WCC) scoping review aimed to review the existing policies, strategies and programmes for identifying gaps and developing recommendations to tackle the WCC challenges in Mongolia. Over 140 documents were reviewed, including Mongolian laws, strategies, policies, programmes, plans and regulations. The report comprises six chapters covering six thematic areas: 1) early childhood development; 2) injury, protection, abuse and neglect; 3) water safety and sanitary environment; 4) disability; 5) indoor pollution; and 6) environmental toxins.

Antimicrobials supplied in community pharmacies in eastern Europe and central Asia in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic

During the COVID-19 health crisis, community pharmacists had an enhanced role in supporting health-care systems that were overburdened by managing seriously ill patients. This study was undertaken to determine the patterns of community supply of antiviral and antibacterial agents from community pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected countries in eastern Europe and central Asia. Nine countries – Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – participated in this cross-sectional study. Country reports include the results of national and regional analyses conducted. The results of the crossnational analyses presented in this report supplement country reports and can be used to review issues around access to, and appropriate choices of, antibacterial agents for common presentations in community care

Does knowing about the long-term health effects of alcohol matter? Evidence from a university sample in Lebanon

Background: Research linking awareness of health effects of alcohol and harmful alcohol drinking status is limited. Aims: To investigate the association between awareness of long-term alcohol effects and alcohol use disorders. Methods: University students aged 18–25 years (n = 1155) completed a self-filled survey. Participants were asked if they knew that alcohol causes: (1) problems in the liver; (2) cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus and breast; (3) damage to the heart; and (4) weakening of the immune system. Multinomial regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between awareness of long-term alcohol effects and alcohol drinking status, including Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) alcohol use disorders. Results: One third (32.8%) were past-year drinkers and 18% screened positive for DSM-5 alcohol use disorders. Compared to past-year drinkers with no alcohol use disorders, non-past-year ever drinkers were twice as likely to know about the link between alcohol and cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus and breast. Past-year drinkers with an alcohol use disorders were less likely to know about this association. Non-past-year ever drinkers (vs past-year drinkers with no alcohol use disorders) were also 2.6 times more likely to know the alcohol liver risks. Conclusions: There is a strong inverse relationship between awareness of the effects of alcohol and harmful consumption among young people, providing preliminary support for the protective nature of knowledge on alcohol drinking status. Efforts to increase public awareness of the long-term health effects of alcohol may be useful in reducing alcohol-related harm.

The effect of an educational intervention on awareness of various aspects of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with the disease

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem worldwide. Raising awareness of various aspects of the disease among patients who have TB is important to help in control and prevention. Aims: This was a quasi-experimental study, pre- and post-test, designed to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on awareness among patients with pulmonary TB. Methods: A structured questionnaire covering various facts about pulmonary TB was used in the pre-intervention phase for 150 TB patients who were being followed-up in a major hospital in Sudan (r = 0.80). The same questionnaire was reused after the patients underwent an educational awareness programme. Results: There were more males (74%) than females. Mean age was 36.5 years. Most patients (86.6%) had some education; however, their knowledge about aspects of TB was generally poor prior to the intervention. This included the nature of the causative organism, modes of transmission and measures needed for the control and prevention. Post-intervention, there was significant improvement in all aspects of knowledge tested (P < 0.007). Conclusion: Although the diagnosis of TB in the participants was confirmed and they were on regular clinical follow-up, their knowledge about various aspects of TB was poor prior to the educational intervention. There is a need for more effort towards raising awareness among patients with TB about their disease while on treatment. This is important to help control and prevent the disease.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Sudanese residents towards COVID-19

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Sufficient knowledge, positive attitudes, and correct practices are crucial for the prevention of COVID-19. Aims: This study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practices of a sample of Sudanese residents towards COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted on 812 participants, including both sexes and aged 18 years and above, with the exclusion of health care workers. Considerable care was taken to include people with different education levels. Results: Among the survey respondents (n=812), 45.8% were women, 40.4% held a bachelor’s degree, 5.7% were uneducated, and 51.1% were aged 18-25 years. The overall correct rate of the knowledge questionnaire was 78.2%; 66.9% agreed that religious gatherings and events should be cancelled to prevent the spread of COVID-19; 34.1% of respondents wore medical masks; and 57.9% avoided shaking hands in recent days. Conclusion: This study showed that sampled Sudanese residents have incomplete knowledge and poor practices towards COVID-19. However, we found that women and people aged 18–25 years were more knowledgeable and had more positive attitudes towards COVID-19. We hope that concerned authorities will establish awareness programmes to improve the ability to combat this disease.

Community pharmacists’ perceptions, awareness and practices regarding counterfeit medicines: a cross-sectional survey in Alexandria, Egypt

Background: Counterfeit medicines are a threat to public health and the national economy in Egypt. The many communi-ty pharmacists in the country could help prevent counterfeit medicines reaching the patient. Information on community pharmacists’ perceptions of counterfeit medicines is lacking.Aims: This study assessed the awareness, practices and perceptions of community pharmacists in Alexandria, Egypt with regard to counterfeit medicines. The aim was to identify gaps and inadequacies in pharmacy practice that might allow infiltration of counterfeit medicines in the legitimate medicine supply chain.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 175 community pharmacists in Alexandria in 2014–2015. A semi-struc-tured interview questionnaire was used to assess their perceptions, awareness and practices. The chi-squared test was used to assess the relationships between selected pharmacists’ characteristics and their awareness, purchasing practice and training related to counterfeit medicines.Results: Most pharmacists thought medicine counterfeiting was widespread in Egypt and that they could contribute to combatting the problem. However, most also lacked a clear perception of counterfeit medicines, an awareness of their danger to patients or the legislation to reduce them. Their procurement practices and detection of counterfeit medicines and handling of incidents of counterfeit medicines were inadequate. Pharmacists who thought counterfeit medicines were widespread or a health threat were significantly more likely to purchase medicines from certified sources (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Pharmacists should be developed as a frontline resource to combat counterfeit medicines. To enhance their role, the pharmacy curriculum needs to be updated and continuing professional development activities mandated.

Contexte : La contrefaçon de médicament constitue une menace pour la santé publique et l’économie nationale en Égypte. Les nombreux pharmaciens d’officine du pays pourraient contribuer à empêcher les médicaments contrefaits de parvenir jusqu’aux patients. Les informations relatives aux perceptions des pharmaciens d’officine quant à la contrefaçon de médicament font défaut. Objectifs : La présente étude visait à évaluer les perceptions, les connaissances et les pratiques des pharmaciens d’officine d’Alexandrie (Égypte) à l’égard des médicaments contrefaits. L’objectif était d’identifier les lacunes et les insuffisances dans la pratique pharmaceutique susceptibles de permettre l’infiltration de médicaments contrefaits dans la chaîne d’approvisionnement des médicaments licites. Méthodes : Une étude transversale a été menée auprès de 175 pharmaciens d’officine à Alexandrie durant la période comprise entre 2014 et 2015. Un questionnaire d’entretien semi-structuré a été utilisé pour évaluer leurs perceptions, connaissances et pratiques. Le test khi carré a été utilisé pour évaluer les liens entre les caractéristiques de certains pharmaciens et leurs connaissances, leurs pratiques d’achat et leur formation en association avec les médicaments contrefaits. Résultats : La plupart des pharmaciens pensaient que la contrefaçon de médicament était répandue en Égypte et qu’ils pouvaient contribuer à lutter contre ce problème. Cependant, ils n’avaient pas non plus pour la plupart de perception claire de la contrefaçon de médicament, de connaissance du danger qu’elle représente pour les patients, ni de la législation en vigueur pour la limiter. Par ailleurs, leurs pratiques d’approvisionnement en médicaments, leur détection des médicaments contrefaits et leur gestion des incidents relatifs à la contrefaçon de médicament étaient inadaptées. Les pharmaciens qui pensaient que les médicaments contrefaits étaient répandus ou représentaient une menace pour la santé étaient beaucoup plus susceptibles d’acheter les médicaments auprès de sources certifiées (p < 0,05). Conclusion : Les pharmaciens devaient être placés en première ligne de lutte contre la contrefaçon de médicament. Pour renforcer leur rôle, le programme d’études de pharmacie doit être mis à jour, et des activités de formation professionnelle continue doivent être rendues obligatoires.