Effects of sociodemographic background on fertility motivation patterns in the Beni-Suef governorate, Upper Egypt.

Objectives: A comprehensive assessment of childbearing motivations in the governorate of Beni-Suef was conducted to better understand fertility patterns, and to develop appropriate familial policies and programs to reduce fertility rates and address the problem of overpopulation in Upper Egypt. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2019 to May 2021. A total of 1085 married women who attended any health care service in rural or urban primary health care facilities in the Beni-Suef governorate were included in the study. Results: The results revealed that 42.1% of participants had a positive desire for childbearing, and 45% of participants had a negative desire for childbearing; the rest of the participants (12.9%) had undecided motivations. The most prevalent positive motive for childbearing was a love of children (40.8%), whereas the most prevalent negative motive for childbearing was economic circumstances (44.7%). A statistically significant difference was observed in fertility motivations among the studied women, depending on age, education, husband's education, age at marriage, marriage duration, number of living siblings, monthly income, occupation, gravidity, parity, and chronic diseases (p = 0.001). Conclusion: A great need exists to involve young couples who have not yet attained their desired family size and who do not use family planning methods, in fertility regulation interventions.

Hepatitis C virus in patients on regular hemodialysis in Beni-Suef Governorate, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of HCV infection among hemodialysis patients (HD) varies from country to country and from one center to another. Despite the existence of guidelines for a comprehensive infection control program, Egypt is one of the countries with high HCV prevalence. In Egypt, the prevalence of HCV in haemadalysis patients (2015) was 50.7%. OBJECTIVES: (1) To detect the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and HCV seroconversion among all hemodialysis patients in Beni-Suef governorate, and (2) To detect factors associated with HCV seroconversion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multicenter retrospective medical records review design was conducted in 13 hemodialysis units in Beni-Suef governorate during May - June 2015; all ESRD (End stage renal disease) patients undergoing hemodialysis were included in the sample. A predesigned questionnaire was used. RESULTS: The prevalence of the HCV at begin of dialysis was 60.9% and the rate of HCV seroconversion was 9.7%. Univariate analysis confirmed that history of blood transfusion, the non-adherence to infection control guidelines, lack of isolation strategies and history of Shistosomiasis were significant risk factors for seroconversion. Meanwhile multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that history of blood transfusion, and history of shistosomiasis were significantly associated with HCV seroconversion. CONCLUSION: HCV infection still remains a predominant problem among patients on maintenance HD in Beni- Suef governorate History of blood transfusion and history of shistosomiasis were significant risk factors for acquiring HCV infection in these patients.

Patients' rights: a hospital survey in South Egypt.

We examined the awareness of and practices regarding patients' rights in one of the general hospitals in South Egypt. This cross-sectional study incorporated a convenience sample of the hospitalized patients and their companions (N = 292), as well as the actively working medical care providers (MCPs) at the time of data collection, 72 physicians and 48 nurses. Pretested structured questionnaires inquired about the way in which patients' rights are perceived by and exercised through the lived experiences of the sample group. An in-depth interview about patient rights' practices was conducted with the study hospital's highest-level manager. Three quarters of the patients and companions did not know about the list of patients' rights, compared to about half of the physicians and nurses--77%, 44%, and 48% respectively. Among those patients and companions who were knowledgeable about the list of patients' rights, mass media was their main source of knowledge, about eight times greater than their next source, placards on the hospital wall. The proportion of the physicians who stated undergraduate curriculum as a source of their knowledge was almost half that of the nurses. Strategies to promote awareness among MCPs, and to ensure effective supervision from both the Ministry of Health and local managers, should precede mass community patients' rights awareness efforts.