Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding HIV, HBV, and HCV Among Medical Students of Syrian Private University, Damascus, Syria.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS are infections that constitute major health concerns impacting national health systems worldwide. This is the first study to determine Syrian medical students' attitudes, awareness and knowledge of HIV/HBV/HCV, regarding general knowledge about, clinical features, transmission, and prevention. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Syrian Private University on World AIDs Day (1/12/2019), Damascus, during the Syrian war crisis. Data were collected through self-administered surveys which targeted social demographic information, general knowledge, attitude, towards HBV, HCV, HIV. Data were divided and analysed according to the source of information, study year, marital status, and GPA using one-way analysis of variance to assess the level of knowledge. RESULTS: Of 317 respondents, the majority (59.8%) were males with age ranging from 18 to 30 years of age. . The majority of students 188(59.3%) showed an average level of knowledge, 73(23%) showed a good level of knowledge. This study revealed adequate knowledge. However there were misconceptions regarding transmission pathways. The majority 173(54.6%) had a positive attitude, and 144(45.4%) had a neutral attitude, while none had a negative attitude towards HIV/HBV/HCV infected individuals. Clinical year students (mean 73.0%, SD ± 10.0%) demonstrated higher levels of awareness compared to pre-clinical students (mean 39.7%, SD ± 13.0%). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that medical students have adequate knowledge regarding HIV/HBV/HCV. Medical students play a pivotal role in raising awareness and disseminating knowledge among the community, thus more effort should be concentrated on developing educational programs to limit the risks of such infections.

Psychological health problems among Syrians during war and the COVID-19 pandemic: national survey.

This study aims to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 outbreak embedded within the war in Syria. A web-based cross-sectional survey design was employed. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale revealed a high prevalence of depressive (n = 3326; 83.4%) and anxiety symptoms (n = 2777; 69.6%) among the 3989 participants. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with depression and anxiety. There is an urgent need within the healthcare system in Syria to provide mental healthcare to alleviate acute mental health disturbances and associated physical health perceptions among Syrians.

Foreign body aspiration in a tertiary Syrian centre: A 7-year retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric foreign body aspiration constitutes significant lethal sequela worldwide. This is the first descriptive Syrian study that aims to describe the epidemiology of foreign body aspiration in a tertiary centre in Syria. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at the Children's University Hospital, Damascus, from 2011 to 2018 during the Syrian crisis. The children underwent rigid bronchoscopy at Al Mouwasat University hospital, the only properly equipped hospital to perform paediatric rigid bronchoscopy in Damascus. We included all cases with complete medical records of children under the age of 13 years with positive bronchoscopy findings of foreign body aspiration. The records of patients were examined, and data extracted included physical examination, CXR reports, bronchoscopy reports, and complications. Statistical package for social sciences 25.0 program for Windows was used to report frequencies, percentages, means, medians, and standard deviations. RESULTS: Of 560 children diagnosed with foreign body aspiration, the peak incidence was at the age of 1-3 years 376 (67.2%). Most patients presented with an explicit history of inhalation 453 (80.9%). The most frequent clinical findings were dyspnoea 320 (57.1%), wheezing 308 (55%), and chest retraction 209 (37.35%). Hyperinflation 260 (46.4%) followed by pulmonary infiltration 197 (35.2%) were the most common abnormal radiological findings. Seeds 273 (48.8%) were the most frequent foreign body extracted by rigid bronchoscopy. The right main bronchus 255 (40.2%) was the most frequent site of foreign body lodgement. Lobar pneumonia 16 (2.8%) was the commonest complication of foreign body aspiration. CONCLUSION: Foreign body aspiration is a major public health problem in Syria. The child's welfare must be our paramount concern. To prevent this accident, we should address a change in raising public health awareness with regards to appropriate food and eating habits. This would limit hazardous complications.