Prevalence of back pain among high school students: a cross-sectional study in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Back pain among high school students all over the world is on the rise. It is one of the most underestimated public health problems in today's generation. The research was performed to determine the prevalence of back pain among high school students in Dubai, UAE. The study was done using convenience sampling, including a total of 184 students, both male and female from the grades 9 to 12. They were asked to fill out questionnaires which included a consent form to be signed by the parents. Descriptive statistics was performed to express the results. The results showed that more than half of the total population suffered from back pain. Furthermore, the results obtained established a link between various other variables such as the affected region and muscles of the back, age, grade [9-12] and gender. Considering the anatomical aspects of the back pain experienced, the region most affected as self-reported by the students, was the neck. Adolescents who belonged to 17 and above age group were reported to be more susceptible to back pain. Back pain was more prevalent in females than in males. Prevalence of back pain is a major issue in today's generation and awareness among the students is highly essential for early prevention

Conversion disorder in young people of Karachi: a 20 years retrospective review

Objective: To explore the symptoms of conversion disorder in children and young adults admitted in a tertiary care hospital of Karachi

Study design: Descriptive retrospective study

Place and duration of study: Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University hospital Karachi. Case note review of all records from January 1990 to December 2009 i.e. 20 years

Methodology: We performed a case note review of all patients less than 25 years of age who had been admitted with a diagnosis of conversion disorder over a 20-year period

Results: A total of 121 case notes were reviewed out of which there were 87 females and 34 males. Motor symptoms were seen in 34.7% [n=42], followed by pseudo seizures in 24.8% [n=30] and unresponsiveness in 14% [n=17] of the patients

Conclusion: Children and young patients who were diagnosed with conversion disorder presents with variable symptoms. Like similar studies from the other countries motor symptoms were most common. The differences in presentation, stressors and duration of illness in this study enunciated a call to explore these phenomena in prospective study design

Vocal symptoms among teachers from selected schools across the UAE

To determine the proportion of school teachers with vocal symptoms in the selected schools across the UAE, to determine distribution of vocal symptoms by selected epidemiological variables [age, gender, and medical history of asthma, respiratory allergies, sinusitis, gastric reflux, and hypothyroidism], and to determine the proportion of teachers who sought medical treatment for the vocal symptoms. A cross sectional study was done between June 2012 and March 2013. The study included teachers aged from 20 to 50 years in five selected schools in the UAE, who were present at time of data collection and who gave informed consent. A validated, pilot tested, self- administered questionnaire was used as a tool. The GMU Ethics Committee approved the study and acceptance letters were obtained from the selected schools before data collection. Data from questionnaires were entered on Microsoft Excel, and analyzed using the SPSS software version 20. A p value < 0.05 was considered for level of significance. A total of 200 questionnaires [the number was determined conveniently] were distributed among teachers of which 173 questionnaires were filled in [response rate=86.5%] and analyzed. Out of the respondents, 140 [81%] teachers suffered from vocal symptoms. The study showed a highly significant relation between the duration of voice usage per day and presence of vocal symptoms [p < 0.001]. This study showed a significant association between vocal symptoms and history of sinusitis, gastric reflux and tonsillitis. 17 [12%] teachers suffering from vocal symptoms opted for medical treatment. 140 [81%] of the teachers suffered from vocal symptoms. The presence of vocal symptoms was significantly associated with the duration of voice usage per day and pre-existing medical conditions such as sinusitis, gastric reflux and tonsillitis. 17 [12%] teachers suffering from vocal symptoms opted for medical treatment

Factors influencing the use of complementary and alternative medicine [CAM] for musculoskeletal disorders in the UAE

The study was done to estimate the prevalence of use of alternative and complementary medicine in a sample in Ajman UAE. The major factors influencing the use of alternative medicine alone was also determined. Furthermore, the study was done to determine the most common musculoskeletal problems where CAM is used. A cross sectional study was conducted among 305 subjects. The study included the doctors and staff members of Gulf Medical University and Gulf Medical Hospital over the age of 20 years. Data was analyzed using SPSS program and Chi square test was done to test association between usage of CAM and demographic values. Complementary and Alternative medicine [CAM] is widespread in the UAE. Out of the surveyed population, 51.1% of subjects documented they used alternative medicine. Out of these, 30.1% use it alongside allopathic medicine. Most subjects used Ayurveda [34%] for general aches and pain [46.8%]. Most subjects chose CAM because they felt that "allopathics were not effective" [30.2%]. They also felt that the benefit of using CAM was "relieving stress" [23%] and "reducing the severity of the condition" at [22.6%]. Pain killers were most commonly used alongside alternative medicine [48.2%]. No significant difference was found between the effectiveness of CAM alone and CAM with allopathics. Most of the participants used Ayurveda for general ache and pain. A greater percentage of people said that they used CAM because allopathics were ineffective and found that it relieves stress

Pattern and factors affecting caffeine consumption among students in a medical university in Ajman, UAE

To evaluate the rate of caffeine consumption amongst students studying in Gulf Medical University and to assess the factors that affect caffeine intake. Also, to assess the perceived health effects of caffeine consumption and to estimate students' knowledge about caffeine and its health effects. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Gulf Medical University in Ajman on students of all colleges including: MBBS, Pharm D, BPT, and DMD. A self- administered questionnaire was used to collect the data and was analyzed using the SPSS programs. Data was collected from 303 students. Chi square test was used to test associations between the year of study and the gender with the caffeine consumption in students. The study population comprised of 66.30% females and 33.20% males. 86.60% of the participants were consumers of caffeinated beverages while the rest were non-users. 73.80% students did not have a perceived addiction to caffeine while 26.20% said they have a perceived addiction to caffeine. The most common reason for caffeine intake was seeing others take caffeinated beverages made them crave for caffeine. And other reasons were observed to be taking caffeine as a morning habit, as a preference for their taste, help to deal with anxiety and help to feel alert. 69.30% participants said that they consumed caffeine the most during tests and examination while only 30.70% consumed caffeine in a normal day. 62.30% agreed that caffeine is addictive and only 9.90% of participants agreed that drinking caffeinated beverages decreases the risk of getting Parkinson's disease. A very high percentage of people were found to consume caffeine in the form of beverages and the most common reasons for caffeine consumption were due to craving. About 1/3[rd] of the participants experienced increased urination as the most common side-effect upon consumption of caffeine following with restlessness, insomnia and stomach irritation. More than 2/3[rd] of the participants had a perceived addiction to caffeine. A very few percentage of participants had the knowledge about the benefits of caffeine on the body

Prevalence of stress among third year medical students at Gulf Medical University

To identify prevalence of stress among third year medical students of Ajman Gulf Medical University, to determine leading sources of stress based on six main stressor groups, and to explore association between stress and socio-demographic factors, past life experiences, social support system and coping mechanism. A cross sectional study was conducted by the use of self-reported questionnaire to assess prevalence of stress among third year M.B.B.S students at Gulf Medical University during November, 2012. Prevalence of stress and leading stress inducing factors were analyzed on the basis of gender, ethnicity, age group, past experiences and social support system. Data was analyzed using Excel and SPSS software. Appropriate tests [Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U] were used find any association. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results. Medical students of third year Gulf Medical University suffer from moderate degree of stress with median score of 2.77 [on a scale of 0 to 4]. Academic related stressors with median score of 3.03 shows the highest level of stress among all and teaching and learning related stressors shows the lowest stress with the median score of 2.45. Major stress inducing factors were lack of time for family and friends, heavy workload and tests / examinations. Maximum amount of stress is seen in students from the American region with median score of 2.90. Those students without family support showed more stress with median score of 3.04 however students with more support from their friends showed a higher stress score with a median score of 2.72. Medical students in third year of Gulf Medical University suffer from moderate degree of stress. Academic related stressors induce the highest level of stress. There were statistically significant association between stress and ethnicity and between stress and type of accommodation

Complications of diabetes mellitus encountered in a tertiary care hospital in Ajman, UAE

Objectives: To determine the profile of complications in patients with diabetes in the region of Ajman

Materials and Methods: Data was collected from GMC Hospital records of patients presenting with complications of diabetes from 1 January 2010 - 31 December 2010. Data analysis was done on SPSS and Chi square test was done to test associations

Results: Out of 162 patients, there were 15 patients with acute complications of which the most commonly observed was hyperglycemia [69.6%] and there were 90 patients with chronic complications of which CVD was the most frequently [48.8%]. It was also found that the age group with the most cases of acute and chronic complications were 20-39 years [66%] and 40-59 years [55.6%]. 24.7% out of 162 patients had co-morbidities, with the most common being liver disorders, followed by thyroid disorders and anemia

Conclusion: Most patients in our study presented with hyperglycemia and cardiovascular disease, with the former seen most commonly in the younger age group and the latter in the older age group. Also a significant number of patients with complications had high RBG and HbAlc levels. Therefore greater efforts are needed in controlling the blood glucose level in order to prevent long term complications

Prevalence of dysmenorrhea in young women [16-25 years]: a cross-sectional study

Objective: To determine the frequency of dysmenorrhea among women in the 16-25 age groups in Ajman

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was done in 300 female students from two universities in Ajman United Arab Emirates. The data was collected using a pilot tested, self administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using the SPSS-19 and is presented mainly as tables and graphs. To verify associations the Chi square test was done

Result: The study found that the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among women within the age group of 16-25 years was 75%. Females with heavy menstrual flow with clots have higher prevalence of dysmenorrhea [91.7%] than women with slight and moderate menstrual flow [69.7%]. The most common symptoms reported by females suffering from dysmenorrhea are mild fatigue, moderate cramps, moderate back pain and mild premenstrual tension. Most common remedies taken for dysmenorrhea were taking rest [13%] and taking over the counter painkillers [41%]

Conclusion: The frequency of dysmenorrhea among women of age group 16-25 was high with three fourth of the study subjects reporting dysmenorrhea. Most common symptoms suffered were cramps followed by back pain and fatigue. Mostly dysmenorrhea was managed with over the counter pain killers

Needle sticks and sharps injury: Frequency and awareness among nurses in two hospitals in Ajman, UAE

Objectives: To estimate the frequency of needle stick and sharp injuries [NSSI] among nurses in two hospitals in Ajman and to determine the nurses' awareness about the consequences and precautions regarding NSSI

Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from July 2011 to March 2012 among registered nurses in two hospitals in Ajman, UAE, namely GMC Hospital and Sheikh Khalifa Hospital. A total of 186 respondents filled a self-administered questionnaire regarding their experience in handling needles and sharps and any encounter with a needle stick and/or sharps injury in the years of service in the current hospital. Their knowledge and awareness of consequences and prevention of NSSIs were also assessed. The data were expressed as frequencies and percentages

Results: Out of 186 nurses, 51 [29%] reported NSSIs. 26 [28.3%], were from GMC Hospital and 25[30.5%], were from Sheikh Khalifa hospital. 46 [29.1%], were females, while 5 [35.7%], were males. 28 [54.9%], had reported Needle Sticks and Sharps Injuries, while 23 [45.1%], did not report any history of injury. The most common instrument to cause injury were disposable syringes, 26 [51%], The majority of the nurses attributed NSSI to being rushed 22 [45.8%], and the majority of the NSSIs had occurred in the ward or at the bedside 13 [25.5%]

Conclusion: NSSIs are frequent in hospitals in Ajman. Most of these are sustained through disposable syringes, and the nurses perceived that being rushed was the cause. Most nurses understood that infection with HIVAIDS virus, Hepatitis B virus and Hepatitis C virus are possible consequences of NSSIs

Prevalence of urinary tract infections among diabetes mellitus and non-diabetic patients attending a teaching hospital in Ajman, UAE

Objectives: To explore the prevalence and determinants of UTI among diabetic and non-diabetic patients attending the Gulf Medical College Hospital and Research Center, Ajman, UAE

Materials and Methods: A cross sectional comparative study was conducted during February and March 2012. 400 adults [aged >20 years] attending the Internal Medicine Department outpatient in GMCHRC [200 diabetes mellitus patients and 200 non-diabetic patients] were included in the study. A validated pilot-tested questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection

Results: A positive association was found between diabetes mellitus and the development of urinary tract infections. Contributing factors that showed a significant association were age >40 years, female gender, lower education level, employment status, poor diabetic control, and age at diagnosis of diabetes [>60 years]

Conclusion: Factors such as diagnosis at older age, poor diabetes control, and socio-demographic factors like age, gender, education, and occupation were significantly associated with UTI

Factors influencing academic performance of second and third year health science students in Ajman, United Arab Emirates

Objectives: To identify factors influencing the perceived academic performance among second and third year health sciences students in Ajman

Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Gulf Medical University and Ajman University of Science and Technology during February and March, 2012. Incidental sampling was used in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 300 students aged 18 to 28 years

Results: The study population comprised 39.3% males and 60.7% females. 54.7% of the students were in the 18 to 20 year age group. 98 respondents were Arabs. 173 respondents were second year health science students, who formed the majority. 38.2% of students who spent more time in academic-related activities were better performers than those who spent less time on these activities [7.9%]. Chi square test showed a p value< 0.000 on association between time management skill and academic performance, which was found to be significant

Conclusion: Many academic and non- academic factors can influence academic performance by students. Of these factors, time management skill was statistically the most significant factor influencing perceived academic performance

The results suggest a guideline for student counselors and for students to improve or maintain the academic performance of the latter in educational institutions

Post tonsillectomy quality of life in adults

Objective: to determine the health related quality of life benefits derived from tonsillectomy in adult patients of chronic or recurrent tonsillitis

Patients and methods: a cross sectional study of 85 adult patients carried out in ENT department of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi from January 2010 to February 2011 with the written and informed consent of patients. All were of age 18 years or greater and of either sex with the diagnosis of chronic tonsillitis or recurrent tonsillitis. There complete correspondence addresses with phone numbers were noted and they all were called back again after a lapse of 6-months post-operation to fill in the questionnaire, Glasgow Benefit Inventory [GBI]. Analysis of data was done by SPSS version 11.0

Result: good scores were noted on the Glasgow Benefit Inventory. Total score was +45.29 [p-value <0.0001]. The subscale scoring was general subscale score +44.10 [p-value <0.0001]; social subscale score, no change i.e. 0 and physical health subscale score +79.62 [p-value <0.0001]

Conclusion: the result thus proves that post-tonsillectomy the HRQOL is improved and the procedure of tonsillectomy is beneficial in terms of improved quality of life