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BACKGROUND: Diabetes and arterial hypertension are the two most common types of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) impacting people globally. There is no prior research on the Syrian population's knowledge and treatment of hypertension and diabetes. It is crucial to investigate how the Syrian public understands and perceives these disorders in order to address the increased incidence and prevalence of hypertension and diabetes. This research intends to assess the level of hypertension and diabetes-related awareness, knowledge, attitude, and practices among Syrian individuals. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted online between 1 August and 25 August 2022. The questionnaire for the study was developed based on previous research, and the inclusion criteria for the sample were Syrian residents older than 18 who presently live in Syria. The survey consisted four sections: sociodemographics information, WHO STEPS survey instrument on knowledge of and lifestyle determinants for hypertension and diabetes, respondents' knowledge of and comprehension of hypertension and diabetes, and respondents' awareness of these disorders. RESULTS: Among 976 participants, 65.8% were females. the most common causes for hypertension from the perspective of participants were (90.1%) for stress, (87%) High salt consumption, (82.1%) genetics, (78.2%) old age, (78%) obesity (69%) anxiety, and (38.6%) for drug usage. Primary and middle school educational status participants had greater hypertension knowledge (92.3%) than other educational levels. There was a statistical significant difference between the knowledge toward the hypertension and the drinking alcohol, which the nonalcoholic knowledgeable persons were the most common (819 / 976)(P < 0.05). Participants whose lifestyles did not include alcohol use had a higher hypertension knowledge level (90.3%). Participants who do not consume alcohol have shown better hypertension knowledge (90.3%) than those who do (81.9%). Almost age groups have shown good knowledge of diabetes, especially participants aged above 55 (93.8%). However, most individuals have examined blood pressure (82.3%), whereas fewer than half had screened for blood sugar (64.4%). About 82.2% of individuals check their blood pressure frequently, whereas 6.2% monitor their blood sugar. There were significant associations between hypertension knowledge and gender, education, employment, and economic position (P value < 0.05). Men (mean = 8.39, SD = 2.02, P-value < 0.05) have a higher hypertension knowledge than females, and knowledge of hypertension among participants was shown to be higher among those in good income status than other economic levels (mean = 8.34, SD = 1.98). Age, gender, education, employment, and marital status were all associated with diabetes knowledge. Participants between the ages of 40 and 55 showed better knowledge of diabetes compared to other age groups (mean = 11.32, SD = 2.54); also, men demonstrated greater knowledge of diabetes than females (mean = 10.76, SD = 2.79). CONCLUSION: We indicated that the Syrian population has a good to moderate understanding of hypertension and diabetes. However, there is still a shortage of standardized, regular screening practices. Since individuals remain involved in unhealthy lifestyle habits, it is vital to provide accurate information about hypertension and diabetes to encourage them to make healthy changes.
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Diabetes Mellitus , Hipertensão , Masculino , Feminino , Humanos , Idoso , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Transversais , Síria/epidemiologia , Glicemia , Hipertensão/tratamento farmacológico , Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiologia , PrevalênciaRESUMO
Background: Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) is the surgical specialty concerned with the treatment of a broad range of conditions that affect the head, face, mouth, neck, and jaw. In Africa, there is a paucity of information about the specialist training available to aspiring African Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Objective: This paper aimed at shedding light on the available OMFS specialist training programmes and training pathways across Africa. Materials and Methods: The authors searched on PubMed, AJOL, and Google Scholar using the keywords "Africa," "Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery," "Residency," "Postgraduate," and "Education" and the individual African countries in English and official languages from inception till July 11, 2022. The authors utilised a questionnaire to interview native oral and maxillofacial surgeons and dentists in African countries where there were no published data on OMFS specialist training. Results: A total of 21 (38.8%) African countries had OMFS specialist training programmes (n = 69). The duration of training varies between 2 and 7 years. The number of training programmes per country ranges between one and thirteen. Countries with the most training programmes for OMFS in Africa are Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, and Algeria. Northern Africa and Central Africa had the most and least numbers of specialist training programmes in OMFS, respectively. Conclusion: There remains a disparity in the number of specialist training programmes available to aspiring African Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons as compared with other parts of the world. This paper is intended to function both as a means of advocacy to increase funding and resources in support of the infrastructure and development of facilities for African OMFS specialist training programmes and also serve as a valuable reference for future research in OMFS.
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Background: Although many studies worldwide have reported on violence against health care workers, there is a lack of homogeneous data for understanding the current state of the issue. Conducting a global survey required a robust team organisation structure, unique dissemination strategies, and continual networking to maintain and propagate the pool of survey collaborators and responders. Here we aimed to describe the strategies that helped us carry out a global survey-based study, the lessons learned, and provide a practical roadmap for future large-scale cross-sectional studies. Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional survey-based study from 6 June to 9 August 2022, basing it on the 'Hub and Spoke' model, with a single core team and subgroups in different regions managed by country leads. The key steps included team organisation, strategy formulation for survey dissemination and data collection, social media launch, and conducting a post-survey analysis amongst the collaborators. The core team convened weekly via video conference to discuss the modus operandi. The language barrier was managed through audio translation or by shifting to 'an interviewer-administered' questionnaire. Results: The core team included 11 members from seven countries, followed by 28 country leads from 110 countries. We also gathered 80 regional collaborators who provided feedback and spread the message. The Violence Study of Healthcare Workers and Systems (ViSHWaS) returned 5500 responses globally. Guiding principles garnered through this collaborative project include focusing on effective team organisation, ensuring external validation of survey tool, personalised communication, global networking, timely communication for maintaining momentum, and addressing regional limitations. The post-survey analysis showed that WhatsApp messaging was the most common modality used for survey dissemination, followed by in-person meetings and text messaging. We noted that the successful techniques were direct communication with respondents, regular progress updates, responsiveness to regional and country lead needs, and timely troubleshooting. The most common barriers for the respondents were limitations in language proficiency, technical fallouts, lack of compliance with, and difficulty understanding the questionnaire. Conclusions: In this global survey-based study of more than 5500 responses from over 110 countries, we noted valuable lessons in team management, survey dissemination, and addressing barriers to collaborative research.
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Comunicação , Pessoal de Saúde , Humanos , Estudos Transversais , Inquéritos e Questionários , Atenção à SaúdeRESUMO
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder that affects almost one billion individuals worldwide. An estimated 16.8% of adults in Jordan have been diagnosed with OSA. Given the importance of management of OSA by otolaryngologists, we assessed the knowledge and attitudes of Jordanian otolaryngologists in managing OSA in adult and pediatric patients. A survey, conducted anonymously online, was sent present otolaryngology residents and specialist in Jordan, in the English language. The participants were given the OSA Knowledge and Attitude questionnaire (OSAKA, OSAKA-KIDS), which have been previously validated. Data were obtained and then analyzed via SPSS software. A total of 140 residents and specialist of otolaryngology were selected. A significant difference in OSAKA scores were found between otolaryngologists under 30 years of age and those above, with higher scores for the older age group. The proportion of specialists who 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' they are confident in their ability to manage patients with OSA was significantly higher that junior residents (73.8% vs 33.3%; p = 0.008). More than 10 years at practice was associated with statistically significant higher levels of knowledge towards OSAKA scale (AOR = 0.09; p = 0.044). Additionally, being a senior resident was significantly associated with more knowledge towards OSAKA-KIDS scale (AOR = 0.19; p = 0.03). Otolaryngology residents and specialists' knowledge of OSA was very good. Further improving in the level of the knowledge toward OSA among the otolaryngology resident doctors should be implemented as possible by following the updated guidelines for the diagnosis and management OSA. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-023-04180-8.
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BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause severe and fatal complications; knowledge about these diseases is essential for promoting safe sex practices and modifying behaviours that are harmful to one's health. This study investigates Syrian people's understanding, attitudes, and behaviors towards HIV/AIDS and STIs, aiming to identify factors promoting safe sex practices and modifying harmful behaviors. METHODS: This online cross-sectional study was conducted in Syria between 3 September and 23 November 2022, involving all 18+ individuals. The questionnaire was adapted from a previous study containing 74 questions from five sections: socio-demographic information, knowledge and practice regarding STIs, knowledge and practice regarding HIV/AIDS, attitude towards HIV/AIDS, and attitude regarding STIs and analyzed using descriptive and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The study involved 1073 participants mostly aged between 18-30, with 55.3% females. Over half had good awareness of STIs and HIV/AIDS, with 55% and 63% respectively. Specifically, the overall knowledge level of STI type, signs/symptoms, risks of transmission, preventive methods, and complications for untreated STIs were (45.7%), (52.9%), (58.1%), (66.1%), and (59.6%), respectively. Medical field respondents had higher knowledge of HIV (P-value < 0.05, OR = 2). CONCLUSION: Our results show that Syrian people have a knowledge level of STIs and HIV was moderate. However, the attitude toward STIs was negative, as less than half of the participants had a good attitude. It is essential to solve these knowledge gaps, especially in low-income countries such as Syria.
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Infecções por HIV , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis , Humanos , Síria , Feminino , Masculino , Adulto , Estudos Transversais , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/prevenção & controle , Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis/transmissão , Adolescente , Adulto Jovem , Infecções por HIV/transmissão , Infecções por HIV/psicologia , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controle , Inquéritos e Questionários , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Comportamento SexualRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Palliative care alleviates pain and enhances the quality of life of patients with life-threatening illnesses. Training programs are required to provide patients with proper care and advance their health because the expertise of healthcare personnel in palliative care is inadequate. AIM: We aimed to assess healthcare professionals' knowledge of palliative care because palliative care programs are infrequently used in Syria. METHODS: An online cross-sectional study was conducted between July 24, 2022, and August 28, 2022, to assess palliative care knowledge and applications among Syrian healthcare workers. The study questionnaire was designed in accordance with a previous study, and the inclusion criteria included Syrian healthcare workers, physicians, and nurses, as well as medical and nursing students. The first section of the questionnaire included sociodemographic information, while the second, third, and fourth sections assessed healthcare workers' experiences, knowledge, and attitudes toward palliative care, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 602 participants, 66.2% of the sample study were females. The majority of the respondents (72.9%) were medical students, with 18.8% residents and 8.3% nurses or nursing students. The majority of the participants (84%) correctly answered the question about pain treatment goals, while only a small percentage (5.3%) correctly answered the question about whether long-term opioid use was addictive. There were no statistically significant differences in the overall knowledge levels across demographic areas, genders, or specialties. Only 14 participants were considered knowledgeable about palliative care. Regarding attitudes toward palliative care, the three responses that received the greatest degree of agreement were "Pain relievers should be given as needed to terminally ill patients" (89.7%) and "Patients have the right to determine their own degree of psychosocial intervention" (81%). Residents in urban and rural areas scored markedly different in their attitudes. Students in their fifth year were 8.06 times more likely to have a positive attitude when compared to those in their first year. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that Syrian healthcare providers lack knowledge of palliative care. It is important to integrate palliative care into Syria's healthcare system to enhance the quality of life of patients who are approaching the end of their lives and to provide care for those who require it.
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Schwannoma, also called neurilemmoma, is a rare neurogenic tumor exclusively benign that develops from a variety of glial nerve cells called Schwann cells. We present a 26-year-old female patient who was admitted with a history of dysphagia, headache and swelling going from the lower limit of the ear to the floor of the neck on the left side, which has been slowly progressing for 5 years. Upon local clinical examination, a well-defined mass was revealed, 6 × 5 cm in size, non-painful spontaneously, painful on direct palpation of the left neck. Computed tomography scan has shown a well-circumscribed large mass with heterogenous areas of enhancement in the left parapharyngeal space displacing the submandibular gland superiorly and the carotid sheath anterolaterally and compressing the oropharyngeal airway. Excision of the tumor was done by a combined route without post-operative complications noted. Histopathological examination revealed a benign schwannoma without the identification of the nerve of origin.
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A considerable epidemiological and pathogenetic overlap exists between tuberculosis (TB) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence of CVD in the TB population. A systematic literature search was performed using Scopus, PubMed, EBSCO, ProQuest, Web of Science on January 25, 2023 using the keywords: "Tuberculosis," "TB," "mycobacterium tuberculosis," and "cardiovascular disease," "CVD" and with individual terms of various CVDs. Observational Studies were included if they reported the prevalence of CVD in the presence of TB in an adult population. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality evaluation. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 17. From 10 studies involving 46715 TB patients, a combined prevalence of CVDs was found to be 11% (CI: 95%, 5-16) with significant heterogeneity across studies (I2â¯=â¯96.72%). This study showed a considerable prevalence of CVD among TB patients suggesting TB patients to consider cardiac examination.
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Doenças Cardiovasculares , Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Tuberculose , Adulto , Humanos , Tuberculose/diagnóstico , Prevalência , Doenças Cardiovasculares/epidemiologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etiologiaRESUMO
The highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is a recent cause of concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified SARS-CoV-2 variants into variants of concern (VOCs), variants of interest (VOIs), and variants under monitoring (VUMs). VOCs were categorized as Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), and Delta (B.1.617.2). Omicron (B.1.1.529) was a further modified strain that has a short incubation period; it was called VOC by the WHO, and it became fifth on the list of variants. Omicron has spread faster than any other variant since its emergence in late 2021. Omicron is currently the only circulating VOC. The various subvariants of Omicron are BA.1 (B.1.1.529.1), BA.2 (B.1.1.529.2), BA.3 (B.1.1.529.3), BA.4, BA.5, and descendent lineages. More recently, identified Omicron subvariants and sublineages BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BA.4.6, BF.7, BA.2.75.2, XBB.1, and BF.7 have also attracted global attention. The BA.5 strain of Omicron is the most contagious and dominant subvariant globally. Recent spikes in cases in China are due to the BF.7 subvariant. With the large increase in the number of cases, there has been an increase in hospitalisations in countries worldwide. In many countries, the lifting of infection prevention protocols, such as the use of masks and physical distancing, contributes to the spread of the virus. This article highlights the potential impacts of SARS-CoV-2 variants and subvariants, which have made the pandemic far from over. Effective vaccination remains the safest option to kerb transmission of these variants. Therefore, people must be vaccinated, wear masks, perform regular hand hygiene, and observe social distancing. Additionally, genome sequencing of positive samples can help detect various virus variants; thus, mapping cases in a particular area can be performed.
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Globally, the novel corona virus infection has continued to witness a growing number of cases since December 2019 when the outbreak was discovered and noted in China. Despite this has not been well studied for the case of COVID-19, human contact, public moveableness and environmental variables could have an impact onairborne'spropagation and virus continuance, such as influenza virus. This study aimed to determine the seasonal variation and geographical distribution of COVID-19 across Nigeria. An internet based archival research design was employed for this study on the seasonal variation and geographical distribution of COVID-19 across Nigeria. This involved the use of goggle mobility data and world map on Corona Virus Infection (COVID-19). The search strategy for getting information for this research was done electronically. The keywords in the case search using the goggle mobility software was "COVID-19 Update", "COVID-19 Update in Nigeria", 'COVID-19 Winter Report', "COVID-19 Case Fatality March 2020-July 2021", "COVID-19 Case Fatality in Nigeria". The data gotten from the goggle motor updates were entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) which was used in the analysis of the study. Results from the study, reported that official COVID-19 cases number was significantly higher in the Dry season (October 2020-April 2021) with 59.0% (127,213) compared to 41.0% (85,176) in the wet/rainy season (May-September) it revealed that the dry and rainy seasons had a COVID-19 prevalence of 0.063 and 0.041 respectively. Further results from the study showed that the prevalence of COVID-19 was 0.07% in the North-Central, 0.04% in both the North-East and North-West, 0.03% in the South-West, 0.09% in the South-South, and the highest prevalence of 0.16% in the South-East. Considering the case Fatality rate of COVID-19 during the Dry and Wet Seasons. The study revealed that North-Central had a death toll of 196 (10.4%) out of 9457 confirmed COVID-19 cases hence a fatality of 2.07. Fatality rate of 1.49% in South western Nigeria, South-South Nigeria, 1.49%, South-East accounted to a fatality rate of 1.25%. Nigeria based on the finding of this study records increased fatality in Dry season over wet seasons. The study concluded that prevalence of COVID-19 varies in seasons in Nigeria Hence; further Data and Meteorological analysis on weather variations towards the SARS-CoV-2 Virus spread should be evaluated by future researchers. It is imperative to ensure strict and controlled application of social measures, such as social distancing, mandatory wearing of non-medical masks to prevent droplets from entering the respiratory tract, screening of affected patients along with quarantine is essential to defeat and improve infection control.
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The awareness of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) contributes to the complications and fatality rates from these diseases among individuals; however, no previous study in Syria was conducted on this topic; thus, this study aims to assess Syrians' awareness of CVDs warning symptoms and risk factors. This online cross-sectional study was performed in Syria between the 1st and 25th of August 2022. The inclusion criteria for the sample were citizens of Syria over 18 who currently reside in Syria. The questionnaire included open- and closed-ended questions to assess the awareness of CVDs. A total of 1201 participants enrolled in the study with a response rate of 97.2%; more than half of the participants (61.4%) were aged 18-24. The most recognizable risk factors and warning signs when asking close-ended and open-ended questions were smoking (95.2%, 37.1%) and chest pain (87.8%, 24.8%), respectively. Overall knowledge scores for risk factors and warning signs were (61.5%). Regarding knowledge score of CVDs risk factors and warning signs, participants aged 45-54 scored higher than other age groups, and respondents with a university education level had a higher score than other educational levels (15.7 ± 0.3), (14.5 ± 0.1), respectively. Participants aged 45-54 have a higher probability of good knowledge of CVDs risk factors and warning signs than participants aged 18-24 (OR = 4.8, P value < 0.001), while participants living in the countryside were less likely to have good knowledge of CVDs risk factors and warning signs than city residents (OR = 0.6, P value < 0.05). According to our results, there is inadequate knowledge of the risk factors and warning signs of CVDs. Consequently, there is a greater need to raise CVD awareness and learning initiatives on the disease's risk factors and symptoms.
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Doenças Cardiovasculares , Acidente Vascular Cerebral , Humanos , Doenças Cardiovasculares/diagnóstico , Doenças Cardiovasculares/epidemiologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/etiologia , Estudos Transversais , Síria , Fatores de Risco , Inquéritos e Questionários , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Conscientização , Acidente Vascular Cerebral/diagnósticoRESUMO
Background: The aim of this study was to explore potential healthcare workers' (HCWs) concerns about the monkeypox virus in order to create practical solutions to manage this disease. Methods: Online cross-sectional research was conducted in 11 Arabic countries (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, and Sudan) from 2 August 2022 to 28 December 2022. Results: Approximately 82% of respondents felt the need to acquire further information. The acceptability of the vaccine against monkeypox has been indicated by more than half of the participants (54.5%). Furthermore, we state that 45% of the participants are knowledgeable about the monkeypox virus, and 53.1% of the participants have never been affected with COVID-19 before are more worried about COVID-19 than about monkeypox. Participants diagnosed with COVID-19 were 0.63 times less likely to worry about monkeypox than those who were not diagnosed with COVID-19. A greater willingness to get the monkeypox vaccination was seen among the age group 21-30 years (42.4%) compared to the other age groups. Conclusion: Most healthcare professionals have a moderate knowledge of the monkeypox virus. Furthermore, they demonstrated a low willingness to get the vaccination against the monkeypox virus.
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COVID-19 , Mpox , Vacina Antivariólica , Humanos , Adulto Jovem , Adulto , Mpox/epidemiologia , Mpox/prevenção & controle , Estudos Transversais , COVID-19/epidemiologia , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Vacinação , Pessoal de SaúdeRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To provide insights into the nature, risk factors, impact and existing measures for reporting and preventing violence in the healthcare system. The under-reporting of violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) globally highlights the need for increased public awareness and education. METHODS: The Violence Study of Healthcare Workers and Systems study used a survey questionnaire created using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) forms and distributed from 6 June to 9 August 2022. Logistic regression analysis evaluated violence predictors, including gender, age, years of experience, institution type, respondent profession and night shift frequency. A χ2 test was performed to determine the association between gender and different violence forms. RESULTS: A total of 5405 responses from 79 countries were analysed. India, the USA and Venezuela were the top three contributors. Female respondents comprised 53%. The majority (45%) fell within the 26-35 age group. Medical students (21%), consultants (20%), residents/fellows (15%) and nurses (10%) constituted highest responders. Nearly 55% HCWs reported firsthand violence experience, and 16% reported violence against their colleagues. Perpetrators were identified as patients or family members in over 50% of cases, while supervisor-incited violence accounted for 16%. Around 80% stated that violence incidence either remained constant or increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among HCWs who experienced violence, 55% felt less motivated or more dissatisfied with their jobs afterward, and 25% expressed willingness to quit. Univariate analysis revealed that HCWs aged 26-65 years, nurses, physicians, ancillary staff, those working in public settings, with >1 year of experience, and frequent night shift workers were at significantly higher risk of experiencing violence. These results remained significant in multivariate analysis, except for the 55-65 age group, which lost statistical significance. CONCLUSION: This global cross-sectional study highlights that a majority of HCWs have experienced violence, and the incidence either increased or remained the same during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in decreased job satisfaction.
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COVID-19 , Médicos , Humanos , Feminino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Estudos Transversais , Pandemias , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Pessoal de SaúdeRESUMO
Due to the emergence of various highly contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2, vaccine boosters were adopted as a complementary strategy in different countries. This strategy has, however, posed another challenge for the national authorities to convince their population to receive the booster after the first challenge of COVID-19 primer dose vaccines. This study was conducted to determine COVID-19 vaccine booster acceptance and its associated factors in the general population in Algeria. Using social media platforms, an online self-administered questionnaire was distributed between 28 January and 5 March 2022 for all Algerian citizens who received COVID-19 vaccines. Overall, 787 respondents were included in this study. Among them, 51.6%, 25%, and 23.8% accepted, rejected, or were hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine booster, respectively. However, only 13.2% declared receiving the booster dose. Additionally, while 58.2% of the respondents declared being relieved after primer vaccination, 11.4% among them declared that they regretted being vaccinated. The most common reasons for acceptance were experts' recommendations (24.6%) and the belief that COVID-19 vaccine boosters were necessary and efficient, while rejection was mainly due to the belief that primer doses are sufficient (15.5%), or that vaccination in general is inefficient (8%). Males, older individuals, those with chronic comorbidities or a history of COVID-19 infection, non-healthcare workers, and those with low educational levels were associated with significantly higher odds for booster acceptance. Moreover, belief that booster doses were necessary and efficient, disagreeing with the notion that primer doses were not sufficient, experts' recommendations, and the desire to travel abroad were significantly associated with higher odds of COVID-19 vaccine booster acceptance.
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Background: Hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination and its rejection remains a major public health concern worldwide, especially in the Middle East and North African countries. The current study aimed to assess the intentions to get COVID-19 vaccines and its determinants among the general public in Algeria. Methods: A self-administered online survey was distributed during August-September 2021 using a convenience-based sampling approach. Data were collected anonymously and analyzed using IBM SPSS v22.0 software. Results: The study sample comprised a total of 656 participants, with 51.1% being in favor of COVID-19 vaccines while 18.5% and 30.5% were against or hesitant respectively. Only 38.6% among the study participants got vaccinated. Factors associated with higher odds of acceptance were: male sex, healthcare profession, the belief in natural origin of the pandemic and previous COVID-19 infection in family. The most common cited reasons for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance were the belief that vaccination is the only way to fight COVID-19 and the fear of getting infected by the virus; while the most common reasons of rejection were lack of trust in proper vaccine testing and fear of side effects. Conclusion: The overall level of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in this study was below the levels required to achieve population immunity. Besides certain socio-demographic characteristics, the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine rejection included the embrace of conspiratorial ideas regarding the virus and its vaccination. This should be considered in implementation of interventional measures aiming to promote COVID-19 vaccination in the country.
Antecedentes: Las dudas sobre la vacuna contra la COVID-19 y el rechazo a la misma siguen siendo un gran problema de salud pública a nivel mundial, especialmente en Oriente Medio y los países del norte de África. El objetivo del estudio actual es evaluar la intención de recibir las vacunas contra la COVID-19 y sus determinantes entre el público general de Argelia. Métodos: Se distribuyó una encuesta autoadministrada durante agosto-septiembre de 2021, utilizando un enfoque de muestreo basado en conveniencia. Los datos fueron recopilados de manera anónima utilizando el software IBM SPSS v22.0. Resultados: La muestra del estudio incluyó un total de 656 participantes, de los cuales el 51,1% estuvo a favor de las vacunas contra la COVID-19, y el 18,5% y el 30,5% estuvo en contra o tuvo dudas, respectivamente. Solo el 38,6% de los participantes del estudio acudió a vacunarse. Los factores asociados a las mayores probabilidades de aceptación fueron: sexo masculino, profesión sanitaria, creencia en el origen natural de la pandemia e infección por COVID-19 previa en la familia. Los motivos más comúnmente citados para la aceptación de la vacuna contra la COVID-19 fueron la creencia en que la vacuna es el único modo de luchar contra la enfermedad, y el miedo a infectarse por el virus, mientras que los motivos más comunes de rechazo fueron la falta de confianza en las pruebas de la propia vacuna y el miedo a los efectos secundarios. Conclusión: El nivel general de aceptación de la vacuna contra la COVID-19 en este estudio estuvo por debajo de los niveles requeridos para lograr la inmunidad de la población. Además de ciertas características socio-demográficas, los determinantes del rechazo a la vacuna contra la COVID-19 incluyeron la adhesión a ideas conspiratorias en cuanto al virus y su vacuna. Esto deberá considerarse a la hora de implementar medidas intervencionistas encaminadas a promover la vacuna contra la COVID-19 en el país.
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COVID-19 booster vaccines have been adopted in almost all countries to enhance the immune response and combat the emergence of new variants. Algeria adopted this strategy in November 2021. This study was conducted to consider the self-reported side effects of COVID-19 booster vaccines by Algerians who were vaccinated with a booster dose of one of the approved inactivated-virus vaccines, such as BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac, or one of the adenoviral-vector-based vaccines, such as Gam-COVID-Vac, AZD1222 and Ad26.COV2.S, and to determine the eventual risk factors. A cross-sectional study using an online self-administered questionnaire (SAQ) was conducted in Algeria between 28 April 2022, and 20 July 2022. A descriptive analysis of the 196 individuals who were included showed a nearly equal distribution of adenoviral- (52%) and inactivated-virus vaccines (48%) and of males (49.5%) and females (50.5%). The results showed that 74.7% of the studied population reported at least one local or systemic side effect. These side effects were more frequent among adenoviral-vector vaccinees (87.3%) than inactivated-virus vaccinees (60.6%) (sig. < 0.001). Injection site pain (40.3%), heat at the injection site (21.4%), and arm pain (16.3%) were the most common local side effects. These signs generally appeared in the first 12 h (73.3%) and generally lasted less than 24 h (32.8%). More interestingly, these signs differed from those that followed the administration of primer doses (48.5%) and were generally more severe (37%). The same observation was reported for systemic side effects, where the signs were especially most severe in the adenoviral-vaccinated group (49.4% vs. 20.8%; sig. = 0.001). These signs generally appeared within the first day (63.6%) and mostly disappeared before two days (50.8%), with fatigue (41.8%), fever (41.3%), and headache (30.1%) being the most common. Adenoviral-vector vaccinees (62.7%) were more likely to use medications to manage these side effects than were inactivated-virus vaccinees (45.7%) (sig. = 0.035) and paracetamol (48.5%) was the most used medication. Adenoviral-based vaccines were the types of vaccines that were most likely to cause side effects. In addition, being female increased the risk of developing side effects; regular medication was associated with local side effects among inactivated-virus vaccinees; and previous infection with COVID-19 was associated with systemic and local side effects among adenovirus-based vaccinees. These results support the short-term safety of booster vaccines, as has been reported for primer doses.
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RATIONALE: Angiomyolipoma is a benign mesenchymal tumor that consists of adipose tissue, muscle cells and blood vessel. Renal angiomyolipomas represent almost one percent of all renal tumors. PATIENT CONCERNS: We reported a case of a 42-year-old woman complaining of mild abdominal pain with no other symptoms and no remarkable medical history. DIAGNOSIS: Clinical examination was inconclusive and revealed a large, smooth, non-tender, and immovable mass in the right abdomen. Ultrasound examination confirmed the existence of a large, homogeneous, hyperechoic tissue mass. Abdominal multi-slice computed tomography (CT) scans also confirmed the presence of a well-rounded mass in the right abdomen. The histopathology tests confirmed the diagnosis of a large retroperitoneal mass. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent a traditional laparotomy without complications to remove the tumor. OUTCOMES: The open surgery was the best option, and the patient's condition improved due to the following-up. LESSONS: Retroperitoneal extra-renal angiomyolipomas are extremely rare, and in this case, we document a case of retroperitoneal angiomyolipoma manifested with only mild abdominal pain in Syrian women.
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Angiomiolipoma , Hamartoma , Neoplasias Renais , Neoplasias Retroperitoneais , Humanos , Feminino , Adulto , Angiomiolipoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Angiomiolipoma/cirurgia , Neoplasias Retroperitoneais/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Retroperitoneais/cirurgia , Neoplasias Retroperitoneais/complicações , Neoplasias Renais/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Renais/cirurgia , Espaço Retroperitoneal/patologia , Hamartoma/complicações , Dor AbdominalRESUMO
Health-care workers (HCWs) have dealt with various psychological problems during the COVID-19 epidemic, including sadness, mental discomfort, anxiety, and poor sleep. Burnout is a state of prolonged work-related psychological, emotional, and physical stress brought on by emotional weariness, depersonalization, and decreased professional success. This study aimed to determine how many HCWs burned out during the Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and determine what factors put them at risk for this psychological effect. This cross-sectional research was performed in Syria during the current Omicron wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate the burnout experienced by Syrian physicians who treat COVID-19 patients. The inclusion criteria were all Syrian HCWs who treated COVID-19 patients during the current Omicron wave of COVID-19. The data was collected between April 3 and March 20, 2022. We investigated whether the questionnaire used was valid and understandable to the participants. A total of 729 health-care providers were inquired in our study; however, 30 participants were disqualified because their answers were not fully completed. The overall age of the participants was 31â ±â 9, and the ratio of males to females was almost equal. The majority (47.5%) of the sample study's participants are residents, and 72.8% who cared for COVID-19 patients. The prevalence of high levels of burnout in the sample study was 41.6%. Compared to men (22.3%), women were much more likely (27.9%) to report experiencing a high degree of emotional exhaustion; also, the participants who cared for COVID-19 patients were much more likely (30.1%) to report experiencing a high degree of emotional exhaustion compared to others, which individuals who cared for COVID19 patients were 1.76 times more likely than participants who did not care for COVID19 patients to experience severe burnout (odds ratio: 1.766, 95% confidence interval:1.2-2.4, P valueâ <â .001). Our research found severe burnout among Syrian health-care providers during the omicron wave of COVID-19, with clinicians caring for COVID-19 patients being considerably more likely to express high burnout than others.
Assuntos
Esgotamento Profissional , COVID-19 , Masculino , Humanos , Feminino , Síria , Estudos Transversais , Pandemias , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Esgotamento Psicológico/epidemiologia , Pessoal de Saúde , Esgotamento Profissional/epidemiologia , Inquéritos e QuestionáriosRESUMO
Healthcare workers were prioritized in vaccination campaigns globally because they are exposed to the highest risk of contamination by SARS-CoV-2. This study evaluated the self-reported post-vaccination side effects of inactivated (BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac) and adenoviral vector-based (AZD1222, Gam-COVID-Vac and Ad26.COV2.S) vaccines among Algerian healthcare workers using a validated questionnaire. The final analysis included 721 healthcare workers, with a predominance of females (59.1%) and younger individuals 20-30 years old (39.4%). Less than half (49.1%) of the respondents reported at least one local side effect, while 53.8% reported at least one systemic side effect. These side effects were more prevalent among viral vector vaccinees than inactivated virus vaccinees. The most common local side effects were injection site pain (39%) and arm pain (25.4%), while fatigue (34.4%), fever (28.4%), headache (24.8%) and myalgia (22.7%) were the most prevalent systemic side effects. The side effects appeared earlier among inactivated virus vaccines recipients and generally lasted for 2 to 3 days for the two vaccinated groups. The risk factors associated with a higher prevalence of side effects included female gender, allergic individuals, individuals with regular medication, those who contracted the COVID-19 disease and those who received two doses for both inactivated and viral-based vaccines groups. Despite the higher prevalence of post-vaccination side effects among adenoviral vector vaccines recipients, both vaccines groups were equally effective in preventing symptomatic infections, and no life-threatening side effects were reported in either vaccine group.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Vacinas contra Influenza , Ad26COVS1 , Adulto , Argélia/epidemiologia , COVID-19/epidemiologia , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 , Feminino , Pessoal de Saúde , Humanos , Masculino , Dor , SARS-CoV-2 , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Artificial intelligence has been prevalent recently as its use in the medical field is noticed to be increased. However, middle east countries like Syria are deficient in multiple AI implementation methods in the field of medicine. So, holding these AI implementation methods in the medical field is necessary, which may be incredibly beneficial for making diagnosis more accessible and help in the treatment. This paper intends to determine AI's knowledge, attitude, and practice among doctors and medical students in Syria. A questionnaire conducted an online cross-sectional study on the google form website consisting of demographic data, knowledge, and perception of AI. There were 1,494 responses from both doctors and medical students. We included Syrian medical students and doctors who are currently residing in Syria. Of the 1,494 participants, 255 (16.9%) are doctors, while the other 1,252 (83.1%) are undergraduate medical students. About 1,055 (70%) participants have previous knowledge about AI. However, only 357 (23.7%) participants know about its application in the medical field. Most have shown positive attitudes toward its necessity in the medical field; 689 (45.7%) individuals strongly agree, and 628 (41.7%) agree. The undergraduate students had 3.327 times more adequate knowledge of AI than students in the first year. In contrast, the undergraduate 6th-year students had 2.868 times the attitude toward AI higher than students in the first year. The residents and assistant professors had 2.371 and 4.422 times the practice of AI higher than students, respectively. Although most physicians and medical students do not sufficiently understand AI and its significance in the medical field, they have favorable views regarding using AI in the medical field. Syrian medical authorities and international organizations should suggest including artificial intelligence in the medical field, particularly when training residents and fellowship physicians.