RESUMO
Background: In January 2022 Kazakhstan experienced unprecedented nationwide protests that quickly turned to violent riots. Although the number of individuals affected physically by the disturbances were cited, the emotional toll of the events remains undetermined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative rates of acute stress reactions in Kazakhstan in the aftermath of the unrests. Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based online survey was conducted one month after the start of the disturbances. The study questionnaire were completed anonymously and included the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PTSD-5) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), as well as socio-demographic and event exposure information. Results: Of the 7021 people who initially agreed to participate, 6510 were able to complete the full survey. For a cut-off of ≥3 on the PC-PTSD-5, 14.8 % of the study participants exhibited symptoms. With a cut-off of ≥4, this percentage reduced to 4.6 %. Participants from Almaty city and Almaty region who experienced the most extensive disturbances showed a doubled prevalence compared to the national level (30.0 % for a cut-off of ≥3, and 10.1 % for a cut-off of ≥4). At the national level, the prevalence of anxiety symptoms, defined as a score of ≥10 on the GAD-7, stood at 10.9 %. This prevalence decreased to 4.2 % when considering a cut-off of ≥15. Conclusion: Health authorities of riot-affected areas ought to be aware of the population level mental health impact of the civil conflict and consider provision of targeted interventions to mitigate the long-term consequence of these lifespan disorders, while also seeking for the peaceful resolution of the ensuing conflicts.
RESUMO
Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection is one of the most common liver infections worldwide. Approximately 240 million patients are diagnosed with CHB. The objective of this meta-analysis was to identify the effect of CHB on the affected patients' health-related quality of life and compare with the control group. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted through PubMed, Medline, ProQuest, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Clinicaltrials.gov, and Web of Science databases up to Jul 2022. Results: Five primary observational studies using SF-36 and WHOQOL surveys with 1135 participants (646 with CHB and 489 healthy individuals) included in the meta-analysis. We evaluated the scores of physical and mental component summaries. HRQoL was comparable in both groups. The disease's impact appears to slightly affect the mental component summary than the physical component summary. Conclusion: The HRQoL in CHB patients is mainly reflected in the impairment of the mental aspect. It is vital to focus on optimally managing care, family and social support, stress management.
RESUMO
Background: An important global public health problem in many economically developed countries, in particular in Kazakhstan, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD), both in urban and rural areas. Objective: This study aims to develop the design of a mobile application for smartphones for cardiac patients, taking into account the specifics of outpatient care. Methods: This methodological study includes identified educational and prevention content for CVD patients to develop an education and monitoring tool using a smartphone app. The application was developed according to the stages of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation, which is a systematic training model of design. The levels of satisfaction with the developed application for smartphones among 65 outpatients with CVD were assessed using a questionnaire during their visit to a medical organization. Results: The «My Heart¼ smartphone app was developed based on a review of the literature related to educating patients with CVD, consulting specialists, monitoring and searching for medical smartphone applications that are already available. The content of education and registration includes three main sections, containing basic questions on registration and monitoring of the condition, materials on education and prevention of CVD, such as a daily questionnaire and nutritional advice. After modification based on expert feedback, the application was finally developed and evaluated by patients who reported being satisfied with the usefulness of the application. Conclusions: This application is developed as a research tool to further conduct a study in CVD patients. Current evaluation was a pilot testing wherein this application showed promising results.
