Study protocol: Mother and Infant Nutritional Assessment (MINA) cohort study in Qatar and Lebanon.

BACKGROUND: The Middle East and North Africa region harbors significant proportions of stunting and wasting coupled with surging rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Recent evidence identified nutrition during the first 1000 days of life as a common denominator not only for optimal growth but also for curbing the risk of NCDs later in life. The main objective of this manuscript is to describe the protocol of the first cohort in the region to investigate the association of nutrition imbalances early in life with birth outcomes, growth patterns, as well as early determinants of non-communicable diseases. More specifically the cohort aims to 1) examine the effects of maternal and early child nutrition and lifestyle characteristics on birth outcomes and growth patterns and 2) develop evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle guidelines for pregnant women and young children. METHODS/DESIGN: A multidisciplinary team of researchers was established from governmental and private academic and health sectors in Lebanon and Qatar to launch the Mother and Infant Nutritional Assessment 3-year cohort study. Pregnant women (n = 250 from Beirut, n = 250 from Doha) in their first trimester are recruited from healthcare centers in Beirut, Lebanon and Doha, Qatar. Participants are interviewed three times during pregnancy (once every trimester) and seven times at and after delivery (when the child is 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months old). Delivery and birth data is obtained from hospital records. Data collection includes maternal socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics, dietary intake, anthropometric measurements, and household food security data. For biochemical assessment of various indicators of nutritional status, a blood sample is obtained from women during their first trimester. Breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, dietary intake, as well as anthropometric measurements of children are also examined. The Delphi technique will be used for the development of the nutrition and lifestyle guidelines. DISCUSSION: The Mother and Infant Nutritional Assessment study protocol provides a model for collaborations between countries of different socio-economic levels within the same region to improve research efficiency in the field of early nutrition thus potentially leading to healthier pregnancies, mothers, infants, and children.

Improving documentation of cardiovascular disease risk in patients with diabetes attending non communicable disease clinics at West Bay Health Center in Qatar.

The documentation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in medical records of patients with type 2 diabetes attending non communicable disease (NCD) clinics at West Bay Health Center in Qatar is less than ideal. Poor documentation of CVD will lead to poor preventive and management plans, with negative consequences for patients. Our aim is to improve this documentation of cardiovascular disease risk from 13% to 70% through the use of the WHO CVD risk prediction charts, which ran from September 2014 to January 2015. An intervention in the form of an education session was run on 13th November 2014 for nurses that run the NCD clinic, covering the new NCD format (including the location of risk documentation, the method used for calculation the CVD, and mandatory documentation of CVD scores). A group discussion was also held with a physician for revising the CVD risk that was documented by nurses. Posters were placed in the NCD nurse station and clinics to remind them about CVD calculation and documentation. The average percentage of complete CVD risk documentation for patients with diabetes was 7%, increasing to 59% after the intervention. Overall, our intervention improved the documentation of CVD by 52%.

Improving physician's adherence to completing vaccination schedules for patients with type 2 diabetes attending non-communicable diseases clinics in West Bay Health Center, Qatar.

Incomplete vaccination for patients with type 2 diabetes attending non-communicable diseases (NCD) clinics is an issue that could affect patient's health and wellness negatively and puts patients at high risk of serious diseases. We aimed to improve physicians adherence to complete vaccination schedule for patients with type 2 diabetes attending NCD clinics in west bay health center according to American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommendation by 25% by January 2015. In the pre-intervention phase: the quality improvement team designed a checklist to collect the percentage of physician's adherence of prescription of the recommended vaccination for patients with type 2 diabetes. The percentage of complete vaccination in patients with diabetes attending NCD clinic in West Bay Health Center was 20% . In the intervention phase the intervention was in the form of: the creation a vaccination form and attached to the (NCD) progress note; to distribute and remind the physicians about the ADA guidelines vaccination recommendations; a summary of the vaccination schedule developed and attached to (NCD) form; development of vaccination reminder posters and posters in the waiting area, nurse station, and physician clinics and education and orientation sessions for NCD clinic staff. In the post-intervention phase the average percentage of complete vaccination in patients with diabetes attending NCD clinic in West Bay Health Center increased to 69%.