Association between payer mix and costs, revenues and profitability: a cross-sectional study of Lebanese hospitals

This study aimed to examine the association between the payer mix and the financial performance of public and private hospitals in Lebanon. The sample comprised 24 hospitals, representing the variety of hospital characteristics in Lebanon. The distribution of the payer mix revealed that the main sources of revenue were public sources [61.1%], out-of-pocket [18.4%] and private insurance [18.2%]. Increases in the percentage of revenue from public sources were associated with lower total costs and revenues, but not profit margins. An inverse association was noted between increased revenue from private insurance and profitability, attributed to increased costs. Increased percentage of outof-pocket payments was associated with lower costs and higher profitability. The study provides evidence that payer mix is associated with hospital costs, revenues and profitability. This should initiate/inform discussions between public and private payers and hospitals about the level of payment and its association with hospital sector financial viability

Why do women stop using contraceptives in Alexandria

The aim of this study is to identify the reasons which move the users of family planning methods to stop using them. Total sample of 100 women were selected for the study. They were required to be from the users of family planning methods and for one reason or another stop using them. An interview schedult was designed and prepared for data collection. The sheet contained data pertaining personal characteristic, obstetrical information and information pertaining to the reasons of stop using contraceptives. The results concluded that reasons of stopping use the contraceptives are many, some are related to social factors as desiring for more children and the husband's desire for male child. Other factors related to the method itself and they may be related to the improper selection, and provision of method, impriper follow up, lack of information and misinformation about the family planning methods and the reasons may be related to lack of acceptance of the users to the methods they used. Such reasons are reported in the study included feeling uncomfortable with contraceptives, occurrence of side effects and complications, misuse of contraceptives as well as fear of contraceptive's side effects and complications. So there is a need of extensive health education programme including men as audience who receive family planning informations. Training of family planning providers on the selection and provision of appropriate family planning method Insist on adequate follow-up to be sure that the method is satisfactory for the, couple

Reasons for choice of place of delivery

To accomplish the aim of this study a cross-sectional study was carried out on a representative sample of mothers delivered either at home or hospital. The result of the study showed that, no significant difference was observed in the mean age of women between the two studied groups, as well as those who were biologicaly or obstetricaly at risk. As regards to the most important reason given for the hospital delivery was the medical reason specially the obstetrical risk factors

Knowledge and practices of pregnant women about the relief of selected minor discomforts

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of the rural and urban women in relation to the relief of selected minor discomforts during the last trimester of pregnancy. The sample studied included 200 women, 100 from each group. An interview schedule was used for data collection. The study results revealed that traditional practices of females during the last trimester of pregnancy are the most important problems affecting health of the public in the rural and urban areas. Usually, the rural area is characterised by lack of knowledge about good health, medical practices, as well as low socioeconomic and cultural standard

Knowledge of expectant mothers in relation to pregnancy

The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of expectant mothers in relation to pregnancy. Data were collected from a sample of 125 pregnant women receiving care at the outpatient clinic at El-Shatby Maternity hospital. A designed interview schedule which contained data pertaining personal characteristics, obstetrical information and information pertaining to the role of the pregnant women in self care as identified by women themselves was used for data collection. The results concluded that the pregnant women of the low educational level, lack knowledge concerning the importance of AN care during pregnancy as well as the important hygienic items. So, there is a need of extensive health education in this area which should be directed to the female particularly the pregnant one

Knowledge of HIN faculty members in relation to human sexuality in Alexandria and Tanta Universities

This study was carried out to asses the knowledge of H.I.N. Staff members in Alexandria and Tanta in relation to human sexuality. A random sample of 65 H.I.N. nursing educators were selected. The result of this study revealed that the untrained staff members lacked the basic and essential knowledge about human sexuality and their scores were unsatisfactory. While most of the trained study sample their score of knowledge were fair or good. Also the study revealed the significant effect of training of human sexuality on the staff members' knowledge

Effect of a training programme on nurses knowledge of aspects of maternity care

The study was done to inquire about nurse knowledge, attitudes and practices that tanta nurse have regarding the preventive aspects of maternity care [BSE, pap smear and pelvic examination] and to find out the effect of training programme on their knowledge and attitides. The study was conducted on a selective basis, 50 nurses of different categories were selected for this study. The samples covered the different hospitals in Tanta and El Mahalla El Kobra. Of the fifty nurses who attended this programme, 26 were working in El Mabarrah hospital in El Mahalla El Kobra. The rest [24] were working in El Mabarrah and El Helal hospital and its related O.P. clinics in Tanta. They were equally divided into two groups. A structured pretest was designed and administrated to the nurses at the begining of the programme to collect hasic data, nurse's knowledge attitude and practices of BSE, pap smear and pelvic examination. The post test was administrated immediately after conducting the training programme to test the improvement in their knowledge and attitudes. The study revealed that most of nurses lacked the basic and essential knowledge in relation to BSE, pap smear and pelvic examination especially before the training programme. It also revealed that giving information and demonstration was significantly effective. It was also noticed that nurses who had correct and complete knowledge had favourable attitude toward BSE especially after performing the programme. The study also revealed that the main source of nurses' knowledge was gynaecologist, friends magazine, study and T.V.

Thermodynamic consideration of univalent cation-exchange in aqueous pyridine on Dowex 50 WX-4

The rational thermodynamic equilibrium constants of alkalihydrogen exchange on Dowex 50 WX-4 [a sulfonated copolymer of styrene and divinyl benzene, 4%] have been determined, at four temperatures in both aqueous and aqueous-pyridine solutions, and a total ionic strength of 0.1 M, with respect to each of the investigated metal ions [M+ = Li+, Na+, K+ and Rb+]. The rational thermodynamic equilibrium constants are linearly related to both temperatures and pyridine concentrations. The thermodynamic functions: Delta G and delta H and delta S are evaluated for each used mixed solvent system. An increase in pyridine concentration in the outer solution causes a marked increase in entropy and enthalpy. The free energy of exchange [delta G] decreases with increase in the pyridine concentration in solution

Utilization of antenatal care services in Tanta

Proper antenatal care should start as early as the mother conceives and continues throughout pregnancy. Therefore, more effort should be made to make antenatal care used more efficiently. This study aims to find out the pattern of use of antenatal services in Tanta. A simple random sample of 103 pregnant mothers attending the maternal child health centers in Tanta in their last trimester of pregnancy were chosen. An interview schedule was used for data collection. The results show that more than half of the mothers did not know the time of the initial antenatal visit and were unaware of the importance of health supervision during pregnancy. The staff of the clinic played the least role in giving information about antenatal visits and the nurses are unaware about their educational role in the maternity clinic

Kinetic studies on the passivity of zinc

The passivity of zinc in 0.1 M solution of sodium hydroxide was investigated potentiostatically. A rotating disk electrode was used to study the effect of diffusion on the kinetics of the passivation process. The anodic polarization curves of zinc showed that the current densities for zinc dissolution, before and after passivation, depended on the angular velocity of the rotating disk electrode. The relation between the two parameters over the whole potential range, was given by the general equation : I = a + b .omega square root where [a] and [b] are constants and CD the angular velocity of the rotating disk electrode. The constant [a] is a function of temperature and depends on the quantity of the formed Zn [OH][2] and ZnO on the electrode surface. The slope [b] depends on the value of the potential at which the measurement was carried out